How the NDC founders violent approach failed to curb the rampant corruption

Undoubtedly, the creation of the Office of the Special Prosecutor is a civilised approach in combating the canker of corruption that has stunted our development thus far.

Ghana’s democracy is indeed heading towards the right direction. Despotism has given way to the rule of law. How wonderful?

The story is told, that in their hasty attempts to lustrate the country of the perceived maliciousness and injustices, the Founders of NDC carried out what they termed “house cleaning exercise”,--they dealt with perceived offenders arbitrarily (instant justice).

The mutinous coup makers, in their conniption-fit mood, proceeded with their intentions and callously exterminated suspects, including eight prominent army officers, whom they wrongly accused of committing sleazes and corruption without trial.

Regrettably, however, if we compared the alleged corrupt practices of the murdered army officers and the other civilians with the sleazes and corruption that have taken place in the successive NDC administrations, we cannot help but to maintain that the Generals and the other innocent Ghanaians were “murdered for less”.

Ironically, former President Rawlings recently admitted in his June 4 address that after all the violent approach did not circumscribe the sleazes and corruption.

Former President Rawlings laments: “The principles of June 4 are not alien or has never been alien to mankind. They are no different from the most basic religious or human values. Probity, accountability and social justice would on any day liberate the overwhelming majority of our people from the bondage or difficulties they find themselves in.

“The fight against corruption, greed and avarice has however been at great cost. Noble soldiers have died; noble civilians have died for it and so many of the noble ones have suffered and continue to suffer all kinds of indignities for their principles and convictions.

“I want to remind people that we could not have possibly forgotten that Generals were executed. The greed, corruption and injustice of today is a thousand times more than what these Generals were executed for, and if we are unable to restore a firm measure of integrity into our dealings, then the blood of many would have been shed in vain.”

The story is told, though anecdotally, that one of Rawlings accomplices asserted that just before mounting the 31st December 1981 coup d’état, RAWLINGS brought out a bulletproof vest to wear. When one of the soldiers asked why he alone was protected, he argued that he has only one in his possession and it cannot be shared amongst them. More so, “he was the leader and if he died, so many things would go wrong”.

And to cheer them up he said: “Gentlemen, from now on you guys are going to prosper”.

Following the preceding exposition, I adjusted my views on Rawlings and his minions. Indeed, I mulled over their real intentions for usurping power and advised myself accordingly.

Corollary, I have been harbouring an opinion that the despotic revolutionary, J.J Rawlings and his minions may be harbouring Machiavellian characteristics after all.

Interestingly, some prominent scholars assert that Machiavellians tend to take a more detached, calculating approach in their interaction with other people.

Besides, Machiavellians tend to believe most people are concerned only with their own well-being and to depend too much on anyone else is foolish.

Moreover, Machiavellians believe that the best way to get by is to use deception, rewards, promises, Flattery and even punishments to manipulate others into doing their bidding. To them, power may be more important than love.

Scholars of Anthropology, however, postulate that in terms of big five personality traits, Machiavellians tend to be low on agreeableness and conscientiousness.

For example, some scholars and researchers have attempted to find a correlation between Machiavellianism and narcissistic personality disorder and Psychopathy. Consequently, Robert Altemeyer found a correlation between Social dominance orientation and Machiavellianism.

I hate to admit this, but I cannot continue to hush up the admiration I used to have for J.J Rawlings during my secondary school days in the early 80’s. Of course, like many other students back then, I naively thought J.J Rawlings was a Messiah sent from the Heavens to intercede for the downtrodden, and how wrong I was. Indeed, I am among those admirers who have come to their senses.

Ironically, when Rawlings bamboozled onto the scene, he vowed to get rid of corruption and challenged Ghanaians to “shoot” him if he failed. Nevertheless, Rawlings did not even get rid of the rampant corruption within his erratic NDC, let alone the entire nation.

Paradoxically, however, Rawlings and his NDC apparatchiks go about preaching probity and accountability, but fail to practice. For isn’t it somehow ironic that someone who bamboozled onto the scene under the pretext of eliminating the widespread sleazes and corruption would turn to a fantastically corrupt former Nigerian president, Abacha for a hard cash gift?

For more news on Nigeria’s former president Abacha’s alleged gift to J.J Rawlings, see: (Nigeria’s Abacha gave me $2 million and not $5 million-Rawlings: citifmonline.com/.../nigerias-abacha-gave-me-2m-not-5m-rawlings-conf... ; ‘Abacha’s $2 million gift to Rawlings: Vitus Azeem is only after the truth’,: www.ghanaweb.com/.../Abacha-s-2m-gift-to-Rawlings-Vitus-Azeem-is-o... ; ‘Rawlings must return Abacha’s $2m gift-Nigerian journalist’: www.ghanaweb.com/.../Rawlings-must-return-Abacha-s-2m-gift-Nigeria...).

Regretfully, though truism, the ever righteous NDC Founders tempestuously murdered people with more than two cars. And how many cars do they own now?

Believe it or not, the hypocritical NDC Founders collapsed our educational system and deceitfully sent their children abroad to study in what they saw as a superior educational system. How pathetic?

Take my word for it, dearest reader, the mutinous NDC Founders went to war with rich men and women in the country. But nowadays, they are undoubtedly amongst the wealthiest men in the country.

Regrettably, the NDC Founders and their bunch of vampires callously murdered innocent people on infinitesimal, and, to some large extent pathetic reasons, and just look at how the officials of the erstwhile NDC government embezzled our scarce resources.

Discerning Ghanaians are indeed in puzzled countenance in the sense that with all their misdeeds and ultra-vires, the NDC apparatchiks have the temerity to point accusing fingers at their political opponents.

Unjustifiably, though, with all the unpardonable errors in decision-making during their despotic rule, the NDC Founders managed to cover their misdeeds with the repugnant indemnity clause. How pathetic?