The ‘copied’ manifesto brouhaha

By Paa Kwesi Williams

A little over week ago, the ruling NDC launched its manifesto in Sunyani leading up to the elections. This document is meant to convince the electorate to vote ‘massively’ for its candidate.

And as expected, this generated a lot of frenzy from its sympathizers from far and near. Whiles it was given wide media coverage and discussion, it was also subjected to scrutiny by anyone who cared. Normal, isn't it?

But it took a somewhat different twist when the opposition NPP started crying foul, alleging that the ruling NDC produced its manifesto by 'copying' from its (NPP) yet-to-launched manifesto. Except for the die-hard NPP sympathizers, this was an eye-raising issue. “How is that possible?” I kept asking myself.

I realized I wasn’t alone in my thoughts when one of my superiors at work called me to his desk and sought my opinion on the whole issue. When I told him, he nodded in agreement and said: "let it be your topic for this week’s post".

This is NOT a political piece. So if you were preparing to give a political response, please reorganize your thoughts and continue reading. Thank you! Have you ever wanted to buy a product from a shop, but didn’t have enough money in your wallet? And the only thing you could bargain for was to ask the seller to keep it for you, assuring the seller you’d return later in the day with sufficient funds to purchase it only to be told upon your return that it has been sold already? Has it ever happened to you? Manifesto

Or have you been waiting to ‘confirm’ the authenticity of your feelings for a member of the opposite sex, and when you were sure and approached, you were met with a response that suggested that you were ‘late’ and that another had filled the vacancy? Have you ever fallen victim, or know anyone who has?

In marketing, there exists a strategy known as the First Mover Advantage, which enables an organization or individual establish a strong brand recognition and customer loyalty before other entrants to the market rise.

The thing about this strategy is that no matter how pitiful a competitor wails that its formula was copied, no one gives two hoots. And if you went ahead to launch your product or service, you rather did the copying in the eyes of customers. You may be punished. And that is the situation the NPP finds itself in now. The average Ghanaian will squint when its manifesto is launched on 8th October and it bears the slightest semblance to that of the NDC.

Dear reader, know that you are in a competition with others.

The same business idea you have is also been nurtured by another.

The same lady you drool over is also being dreamt of by another gentleman.

The same position you crave is being worked towards by another.

My former boss once said ‘in life, if you are waiting to be sure, forget it – you are already late!” And I agree. We cannot be found playing second-fiddle because another acted before we did. We cannot be found biting our fingers in agony because we stood a while longer when we should have moved.

So dear friend, as we begin a new working week today, don’t just think it. Flesh it out. Act on it! The world does not celebrate ‘thinkers’ – it celebrates ‘doers’.

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The writer works in the finance department of The Multimedia Group. He can be contacted at [email protected]. Click here to read other articles he’s authored.