Opinions of Friday, 9 December 2011
Columnist: Quaye, Stephen A.
From: Stephen A.Quaye, Toronto-Canada
Many are born but not many are able to attain such age of yours in their life therefore if you attain such age, there is the need to say thanks to the almighty God for having brought you this far.
This is why many Ghanaians and foreigners, politicians and non politicians, your supporters and those who do not support you are saying big thank you to God for your life so far.
There is a saying which goes like this,” there is a legacy after every person has lived his life on this earth and has visited his great ancestors”. Whether good or bad one finds himself in life, there is a legacy after death.
Oh, yes if not so we will not be paying tribute to the late Osaagyefuo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the big six as well as other important persons who fought through the toil of their blood for us to come and enjoy today.
Oops, why do we sometimes refer to the former president of Uganda Idi Dada Amin? He is dead and gone long time but due to his legacy sometimes we still refer to him.
That is why many Ghanaians are joining you to celebrate another milestone in your life. During your reign as a president of Ghana from 2001 to 2008, your administration managed to put the cedi neck to neck to that of the American dollar and made the country safe for investment.
You Ghanaian politics devoid of insults, personal attacks, hypocrisy where actualization of polices and programmes were your watch word.
You humbled yourself before the chiefs and even the ordinary person on the street as you brought government to everyone through the famous people’s assembly concept.
Since no country thrives without the total peace of the citizenry, you introduced the national reconciliation concept to reconcile both persecutors and the afflicted of whatever pain and anger and today the country is proud to observe the total unity between former president Jerry John Rawlings and his family and your family, a typical example of what a National Reconciliation Commission can do for a nation.
Thank you for keeping a distinguish personality even after leaving office as a president. Thank you for keeping your leadership qualities that makes you a role model that some of us are emulating.
Thank you for taking up the task of ensuring freedom through democracy in other parts of the world and not eating and sleeping after retirement from those hectic duties you discharged whiles in office as a president.
Ghana is proud of having you still around as a former president and it is the hope of many of us that God grant you and your family mercy, energy, love and strength in the up coming years so we can all celebrate your achievement as a statesman together. Happy Birth Day to you and your niece Princess Anane Acheampong Osisiadan-Quaye all born on December 8.
Awurade ohyera mo na onto monkwanamu Amen Ye ma mo afrehyereapa oooooo.
End.