Rejoinder: Politics of Division and insults

Mr. Godwin Yaw Agboka, I have been following the series of articles you?ve been writing (under the caption: politics of division and insults) with great interest but with some misgivings, especially your attempt to get the issue of ethnocentrism and its fall out to this forum. I congratulate you though for the effort. My interest in your articles also stem from the fact I am a Ghanaian and believe that our dear country could be ?moved forward? in a concerted effort within the frame work of free mind and common principles. However, I see or comprehend the problems you?ve raised from quite a different angle altogether and I will make my comprehensive analysis of the topic in due time in my feature article ? Do you see what as see: P/NDC and Ethnocentrism.

I will begin by first highlighting on the holistic meaning of ?politics of insults? and then go on to try to your concerns in its verbatim.

My personal thoughts of what constitute Political Insults

It is my view that the writer did not exhaust all the options at his disposal in explaining the term ?political insult? for deeper understanding of this forum. He just took the ?face value? of the word insult. I was expecting a metaphoric and conscious approach in explaining the politics of antagonism that has characterized Ghana?s politics today due to one person?s egoism ?JJ Rawlings.

I personally believe that the ?politics of insults? considered by the writer, on the many FM radio stations in Ghana could be described as a mere ?self-expression? coming out of emotion (spontaneous reaction if you could say that) and therefore such ?loose talks? could be retracted at any time and opportune as politically incorrect (and we go on with our lives).

If the writer is familiar with international politics, he could notice that there have been, on several occasions, exchanges of fiscal blows in most Asian parliaments (South Korea and Thailand) but that has not resulted in politics of division and antagonism in those regions. Recently, the Prime Minister (former) Mr. Silvio Berlusconi of Italy (Center right coalition) and his political opponent (Prime minister-elect) Mr. Romano Plodi of the Center left coalition party, had an altercation (a no hold bar loose talk) on the public TV stations in advent of the just ended presidential elections (April 10, 2006), on matters outside of politics. None of these gentlemen or their supporters called for mayhem and chaos to befall on Italy. Ama Benyiwa Doe el. al., radio insult comes under this category and could not be considered or does not constitute politics of division and insult; she might have said those words out of frustration (in a short-term) and/or as a political gimmick!

To any serious and concerned person(s) who would want a purposeful and realistic solution to the political, social and economic ?tensions? in Ghana, would consider a rather holistic approach to this supposedly impasse.

Thus the ?real? politics of division and insult that could lead to political antagonism (mayhem or chaos) and which, should be of much concern, to every Ghanaian has to do with a well designed, rehearsed and orchestrated political insult with the fore knowledge that such utterances and gestures could lead the nation to political divisions on ethnic lines as was demonstrated (and still is being promoted) by JJ Rawlings and the P/NDC hierarchy. In effect, the P/NDC policy in the twenty years of political rule was based mainly on ethnic hatred, ethnic cleansing and political polarization.

It was politically incorrect for Rawlings and the Tsikata family to lie to some ethnic groups within the military to take arms to overthrow a constitutionally elected government on a perceived threat to national security that in the aftermath was never the case. Corporal Adabuga, one of the architects of the December 31 military mutiny told the recent National Reconciliation Commission that Rawlings and Kojo Tsikata had informed him and others of an intended ?take over of political power? (within the PNP government by the Akans) from Dr. Liman ?a northerner. That was a grand political insult (psychologically) on the intelligence of both the said junior officers (the late Corporal Giwa and co.) on the one hand and the Ghanaian public on the other and the consequence has been the current political and ethnic tension we find ourselves in Ghana today.

It was political insult for Rawlings and Kojo Tsikata to send the Ghanaian population to early bed under a three year curfew imposed on the law abiding Ghanaians (whilst they, P/NDC operatives, ?search and destroy? those they perceived enemies of the revolution) under the darkness of the night, and also gagged us of Culture of Silence. See no evil, hear no evil!

It was again psychologically insulting and also humiliating for the so-called ?men of integrity? to confiscate the companies and personal properties of segment of the Ghanaian society (majority) under what the P/NDC termed ?house cleaning? but which, in actual sense has been an ethnic cleansing policy. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Dr Busia, both (founding fathers of Ghana) had their properties (family houses) confiscated by Rawlings and the Tsikatas (whilst the same duo, shamelessly, have been using Nkrumahism for their political sustenance). The murderous and cult leader, JJ Rawlings even went further to ridicule Dr Nkrumah of ?non-performance? and that the latter?s only achievement in Ghana history has been the introduction of ?the Ghana flag and the national anthem?.

The political insult even becomes ridiculous when an educated and supposedly well-informed elites ([email protected]) with membership such as Dr. Sallar Anthony Mawuli el al., would call for political mayhem and chaos because Ghana parliament had dared to repeal an obnoxious military decree ?PNDC law 284, which was secretly inserted into the 1992 constitution by the P/NDC hierarchy. It becomes a ?double insult? for the so-called ?men of integrity? to again secretly insert Indemnity clause into the 1992 constitution as a life time protection from prosecution and at the same time parade through the streets of Accra and other capital cities of Ghana, calling for ?accountability and probity? from the NPP administration.

From these it could be noticed that it is the P/NDC and its sympathizers who have been, politically insulting Ghanaians since December 31 1981, and in an about turn mode, describing themselves as the ?victim? of political vendetta and ethnocentrism.

Response to writer?s perception of political insults

Now coming to your article, in its literal meaning, I believe that all the above problems you?ve observed has been the making of Rawlings, the P/NDC hierarchy, and their ethnocentric-minded supporters who had hoped that Rawlings and his wife could be in political power forever so that they (the selected few ? endangered species) could continue receiving the preferential treatment ? free scholarships, political appointments ? ?free lunch? for that matter.

To these political opportunists and sycophants, the election of Mr. Kuffuor as the President of Ghana in 2000 and 2004 has been a nightmare to their imagination and aspirations, and so all the political insults, provocation, and the nonsense.

Another factor that has contributed to the current supposedly ?tension? between Rawlings and Mr. Kuffuor (which I personally do not see) has its root from the policies of the P/NDC regime ?ethnic cleansing and ewe hegemony.

The family members of the private businesspersons, who were considered enemies of the revolution and whose assets were confiscated by the P/NDC without the due legal process, will always consider the P/NDC and its supporters as ethnocentric who came to political power (armed with the doctrine of professor Kofi Awoonor Williams?, Ewe Hegemony) to disenfranchise the majority community especially, the Kwahus, Ashanti, Akim, Fantes, Nxemas etc. It should be remembered that the P/NDC and its supporters have never showed any remorse whatsoever for the ?selective? atrocities and humiliation committed against these section of the Ghanaians population.

One also wonders how and why an entire region, the Volta Region would always vote in unison, 96.7% at every electioneering period for the P/NDC. One would ask if the Volta Region electorate has now turned into a Solidarity Movement.

Remember Dr. Hilla Liman despite, the false accusation by Rawlings and the Tsikata family (that laid grounds for his [Liman] removal from office in December 31 1981), in spite of the humiliation and the abject poverty Dr. Liman was made to go through, the latter never insulted JJ Rawlings and the P/NDC hierarchy at any occasion and at any time. Again Dr Liman (when president) never exchanged insults (in any form) with Mr. Victor Owusu (the then opposition leader) during the third republic. So you should ask yourself why the ?Politics of Division and insults?. Why is it that JJ Rawlings and his P/NDC organization have always resorted to ridiculing and humiliating the people of Ghana and the Presidency? That should be a critical question you should ask yourself to get to the bottom of the matter you?ve just raised. How could a former president, (Rawlings) describe a sitting president, (Kuffuor) as an armed robber ? Ataa Ayi, in a plain language and at a public domain? You should remember that the P/NDC hierarchy has indemnified themselves and thus have some sort of protection from prosecution?

Rawlings and his associates believe that they will only ?appreciate? Ghanaians and ?love? Ghana? when they are in political power ?by hook or crook. But I think it is time they changed their attitude because the P/NDC will never come to political power again because the formation of the said political party (P/NDC) was based and built on lies, falsehood and ethnocentrism. I say this at the heels of the teaming supporters of P/NDC; mostly ignorant and unconcerned about the future development of Ghana. The ?he who is down need fear no falls? and presumably, the ?we no go sit downs?.

Major Quashiga, recently (at a meeting with Volta Region students at KNUST, Kumasi) revealed that almost all his friends and that matter the people of Volta Region have ?forsaken? him because he (Quashiga) is a member of NPP. And remember Major Quashiga was a leading member of the PNDC and had been accused of attempting a coup d?etat somewhere in the 80s against Rawlings regime.

Conclusion:

The writer should be mindful of the fact that even though Ghana and Ghanaians needs peace, the process of national reconciliation should be a collective move and a total concern of all parties. It should not be seeing that it is the victim (majority of Ghanaian public) who so badly needs peace and reconciliation as Rawlings and his ethnocentric supporters wants Ghanaians to know or perceive. In my political understanding, the national reconciliation process should have been initiated by Rawlings and the P/NDC regime that for the past twenty years have systematically oppressed and destroyed the Ghanaian social values and dignity, and again politically and economically polarized the nation on ethnic lines.

It was on record that when the national reconciliation process was tabled in parliament, by the NPP administration, the P/NDC MPs and political hooligans refused to vote on it because in their evil mind the process was political vendetta. It should therefore not be surprising that the community that stood by and still standing by the P/NDC ?whole heartedly? are today presumably, been ?politically insulted? as observed by Mr. Godwin Yaw Agboka.

I personally believe that the ball is in the court of the P/NDC and its supporters. If they respect the people of Ghana?s (electoral) choice then they will as well be respected but if they choose politics of antagonism, then we will all be forced to join the fray ? to preserve our newly gained democracy and political freedom.

I think you see what I see?