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Asantehene hits nail right on the head …coups should remind African leaders to manage their economies better
A coup d’etat or simply a coup is an illegal and overt attempt by the military or other government elites to unseat the incumbent leader by force while a self-coup is when a leader, having come to power through legal means tries to perpetuate himself or stay in power through illegal means.
Simply put, it is a sudden violent overthrow of an existing government by a small group.
Factors that necessitate such sudden take-overs either by military or civil society in a country include bad and poor leadership, economic hardships, lack of effective governance, bribery and corruption among leaders and other appointees, amassing wealth at the expense of the citizens, selfishness, nepotism, graft, dishonesty among other bad deeds by government in power.
MILITARY UPRISINGS
In recent times, West Africa has been rocked by military uprisings. Within the past three years, soldiers have overthrown the presidents of Mali (August 2020 and May 2021), Guinea (September 2021) and Burkina Faso (January and September 2022).
That take-over in oil rich Gabon is the latest in a string of coups that have taken place in recent years. Before the Gabonese coup, Niger President Mohammed Bazoum who was elected two years ago in the first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence in 1960, was ousted on July 26, 2023 by his own presidential guard.
Currently Niger is facing severe sanctions from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for the refusal of the coup leaders to reinstate the ousted President Bazoum.
The ECOWAS block has imposed financial sanctions on the coup leaders and the country, freezing all commercial and financial transactions between member states and Niger, one of the world’s poorest Sahelian nations.
ASANTEHENE’S WISE COUNSELLING
I do not intend to delve deep into the various coups that have rocked the African continent within the past three years because that issue is already in the public domain since it has been fully publicised and exhausted by both the traditional and social media outlets.
My major concern is the powerful speech delivered by one of Ghana’s eminent traditional rulers, the Asantehene Osei Tutu II, King of the Ashanti Kingdom, who tried to dissect some of the reasons behind these military take-overs in Africa and professed solutions to these problems so as to restore sanity on the continent.
Speaking at the St Andrews Africa Summit in Scotland during his recent State visit to that country, the Ashanti monarch highlighted the increasing occurrence of coups across the African continent as a wake-up call for African leaders to effectively manage their economies better.
He noted that, better economic management could break the cycle of poverty and unemployment, providing hope for the youth to stay and contribute to the continent’s development instead of seeking opportunities abroad.
Hear the eminent Ashanti king who is noted for his frank and powerful speeches targeted at economic development, especially in his own country, Ghana; “We have to do better in managing our economies to break the cycle of poverty and unemployment and give hope to our able youth to remain and work for the continent instead of seeking the least opportunity to escape for greener pastures elsewhere”.
INCESSANT COUPS IN AFRICA
“No African leader can sleep happy so far as there is an African boy willing to make the perilous journey of modern- day migration,” he emphasised. Speaking at the backdrop of recent coups in several African countries including Gabon, Mali, Guinea, Chad and Niger and firmly condemning coups and rejecting them as viable solutions to Africa’s issues, the Asantehene urged African leaders to reflect on these events as indicators that something is amiss in the democratic experiment.
He said these events prompt a critical evaluation of the democratic structures and constitutional arrangements within African state, reinforcing the need for effective reforms and governance.
“I do not think it signals rejection of democracy as a system of governance but rather it brings into question the structures we have built in our democratic system, and that, I will suggest reinforces the questions we have been raising about the constitutional arrangement of the democratic state,” he said.
INTROSPECTION BY AFRICAN LEADERS
Indeed, the Asantehene OtumfuorOsei Tutu II, has hit the nail right on the head, and that should prick the conscience of leaders on the African continent to take introspection about how they are managing their respective countries devoid of economic hardships by their peoples, corruption, graft and other negative factors that are encouraging military take-overs in order to restore sanity and transparency in their jurisdictions.
It is a fact that when some of these leaders are seeking the mandates of the people to govern their countries, they will come ‘like a sheep in a wolf’s clothing’.
They behave like hypocrites who try to appear better than they are. After riding on the back of their people to the leadership positions, they then turn their backs on them and treat them likeanimals.
Nepotism and cronyism become their watchwords, trying to favor relatives, friends or associates, especially giving them j obs and other financial favors. These are some of the challenges among African leaders that often open the doors for military take-overs.
FERTILE GROUND FOR COUPS
The advice given by the Ashanti King to African leaders is indeed, timely because the continent has recently become a fertile ground for coups. The rapid manner in which these coups are happening, suggests that the leaders must sit up because their peoples are just tired of misrule.
This is a wakeup call for us in Ghana and our leaders must be seen to be righting the wrongs because those factors that normally encourage uprising are starring us in the face.
The corruption, economic hardships, nepotism, cronyism, graft, selfishness among other negative factors, are deeply rooted and entrenched in our society. We always say that Ghana is a peaceful country and that nothing untoward will happen to this country.
Yes, we do not want any uprising in this country since it is inimical to our progress. That is why our leaders must work tirelessly and assiduously to meet the people’s expectations in order to entrench the democratic principles in our country.
A WORD TO OUR TRADITIONAL LEADERS
The Asantehene has laid bare the negative factors that bring about coups in Africa and that should serve as an eye-opener to all leaders on the continent.
If other traditional leaders in Ghana should emulate this shining example by the Asantehene and be frank to speak their minds on issues on the global front and our local setting that will inure to Ghana’s development and progress, it will not be long to see our dear country treading the path of progress and success.
They have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that can transform our dear nation. Coup is not the best option to adopt and follow in Africa because it can only lead to economic destruction and retard progress and therefore, our leaders must take note of that and put in place the best practices of governance to carry their peoples along.
African leaders need to sit up and do the needful and not to expose themselves to the international community for mockery.
Contact email/WhatsApp of author
ataani2000@yahoo.com
0277753946/0248933366
By Charles Neequaye
THE state of feeling rejected, could be a terrifying experience especially for those who have become used to fame. If not properly addressed, it could lead to depression and the consequences, could be disastrous.
When you are on top of your game in whatever profession you find yourself such that you become famous, a lot of people try to associate with you. The phone never ceases to ring and one is tempted to feel loved and very important.
When a disaster strikes and the fame or the money which was the source of the attraction fades away, the circle of friends and fans begin to shrink and the phone will start to stop ringing until the call stops voting completely.
You will be shocked at how people you considered friends, will no longer be calling you or pay casual visits as they used to. You will begin to notice that messages you leave after calling them and not getting a response are not replied to and that is when you begin to know who your true friends are.
One of the most popular movie stars was an actress called Sharon Stone. In an interview with one of the media houses that was published, she spoke about how people who should have come around to encourage her in her moment of depression, shunned her. The calls stopped coming.
This is what the Bible admonishes that the arm of flesh will fail you and therefore we should put our trust in God. It could be a very frightening experience and can easily lead to depression.
Human nature being what it is, people will want to get close if things are okay. Everybody wants to associate themselves with interesting things, famous people, rich people etc for mainly selfish reasons.
We need to develop the habit of putting our trust in God and relying less on human beings. The lesson we have to take along in life is that, no one marries his or her enemy so how come people who took vows that they will love each other become so hostile to each other that they want to go their separate ways in life? Such is the reality of life.
It is therefore prudent for people to recognise that, life is full of uncertainties and so there is the need to prepare your mind for uncertainties so that when they occur, they do not disorganise your mental sanity.
A lot of people have experienced situations where people who they could have sworn will never betray their trust have disappointed them when they were through challenging moments.
If there is one thing famous people should desire, it should be the ability to identify who are true friends are. Countless stories abound regarding incidence of celebrities who have lost their shine and their wives divorcing them soon after.
It is sometimes useful as a famous or rich person to sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage to safeguard or protect yourself from any future unpleasant surprises.
People can be very pretentious these days, it goes both ways. There is this real life story where a man married a divorced wealthy woman and convinced her to sell her house so they could build a new one together, with the excuse that people are gossiping that he is being housed by a woman.
The woman agreed and they put up a new building. After a few years the man asked for a divorce, only for the woman to realise that the land on which the building was situated, was bought in the man’s name.
This can drive a person insane, if you are not mentally tough and this happens to you. When people hear that you are homeless, a lot of your so-called friends will stop calling, so that you do not become a burden on them.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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‘But, er …. I don’t even know your name’.
‘Paul. Paul Allotey. I’m Sarah, by the way. Paul, why don’t you leave me here, since this is the last important thing I’m doing today’.
‘Okay. Now Sarah. I was just thinking. You will be here at the cafe for about an hour. By then it will be about twelve thirty. Then, you would be thinking of buying yourself some lunch, to eat here or to take home. So if you would please allow me, I will take you to one of the nicest eating places in town, and after you have sorted that one out, then I can drop you home. Just that one errand, then I won’t bother you again’.
‘You are not bothering me at all. You are being very kind to me. And I just realised you are a mind reader too. The last item on my agenda was lunch’.
‘I’m so glad I appeared at your doorstep, just in time’.
‘Okay. Now Paul, since you say the cafe is a comfortable place, let’s go in together, and you can do your work while I get my application done’.
‘Okay, Sarah. Thanks. Let’s go’.
We got back in the car at eleven forty-five.
‘So where are we going, Paul?’
‘To Royalty restaurant. It’s a twenty minute drive away’.
‘So, do you enjoy your job?’
‘Most certainly. I won’t change it, not even to be President. And am I right to say that you are preparing to enter the university?’
‘That’s my plan. I hope it works’.
‘It will, if you are determined, and disciplined. You look very much like a disciplined person’.
‘Thank you very much’.
We arrived at Royalty in twenty-five minutes, ‘You are joining me for lunch, Paul’.
‘Thanks for the honour, Sarah. But the bill is on me’.
‘Aren’t you taking on too much for one day?’
‘I never do anything that is bigger than me, Sarah’.
Over the next hour and a half, we discussed fashion, local and international politics, and sports, as we ate and relaxed. Finally, he drove me to the shop.
‘I will never forget you, Paul’.
‘I’m glad to have been helpful. But if you don’t mind, I’ll say it again, your husband is extremely lucky. You are really beautiful’.
‘Thanks again. But do you mind if I call you sometime in the future?’
‘Certainly not. Let me write it here. I will not ask for your number, for obvious reasons. But I will be looking forward to hearing from you. And hopefully, I will see you next month, when I call to drop your bill’.
‘Okay Paul. See you then’. What a lovely day, I said to myself as I opened the front door. I closed the shop and got home by seven. I went straight to the bedroom, stood in the mirror and took a good look at myself. ‘You are a very beautiful woman, Sarah. Never forget that’. I will not forget that, again.
Over the next several weeks, Martin and I had very little to do with each other. In the morning he ate his breakfast and after a shabby ‘I’m going’, he left. He came home around eight at the earliest, ate his dinner and, already soaked in beer, went off to sleep.
He spent the greater part of the weekends at the club house with his friends, playing tennis and partying. My mind was focused on furthering my education, so I didn’t complain to him, and didn’t bother to inform my parents about what was happening. I had decided that I would only take action if he lifted his hand against me again. I spent my free time reading all manner of interesting stuff on the internet, and chatting with my sister on WhatsApp.
One evening, he came home at about eight, rushed to the bedroom and rushed out. An envelope, obviously containing money, dropped out of his pocket, and I picked it up and followed him. I was going to call him and give it to him, but I noticed that there was a young woman in the car, so I went back in, counted it and put it in a drawer in the hall. He came back after some ten minutes.
‘Excuse me, I dropped an envelope containing money. You must have seen it’.
‘Yes, I saw it. Actually, I followed you, and was about to call you and hand it over to you when I realised that there was a woman in the car, so I came back in. I counted it. One thousand cedis.
‘Well let me have it. I have to be going’.
‘I will let you have it if you will tell me who the woman in the car is, and why you are going to give her that amount of money’.
‘Listen, if you waste my time, I will teach you a lesson you will never forget. Give me the money now!’
‘Here’s what we will do, Martin. I know you will give money to her anyway, so I will give it to you, if you will withdraw the threat you just issued. But I want you to know that I will be taking some steps from tomorrow. Things are getting out of hand’.
‘Okay, I’m sorry I threatened you. Can you please give me the money’. I handed it over to him, and he ran out’.
The following morning, I waited for him to finish having breakfast, and told him I wanted to have a word with him urgently.
‘You better be quick. You know I’m going to work’.
‘Well, I want to inform you that I will inform my parents, and your parents, about the situation in this house. As I said yesterday, things are getting out of hand. You spend most of your time drinking. You get drunk every evening, and through the weekend. And you are also spending your time and money on a prostitute’.
‘How dare you? One more stupid word from you …’
‘Am I lying, Martin? You have just started life, yet you are behaving like a rich, elderly man who has already seen his children through university, and can afford a life of fun. As I said, I’m going to inform our parents. Maybe your parents can straighten you out before it is too late’.
‘Look, we can talk this evening. It’s nothing like what you are saying’. He walked away, shocked.
That evening, I was expecting to have a meaningful discussion with him, but his mother called early in the evening to offer me some ‘advice’. Her son had called to say that certain developments at home were disturbing him so much that they were beginning to affect his work.
And, ‘as a loving mother to her daughter’, she was advising me to submit to my husband, and support him in prayer, and not ‘drive him from home’. Men would always be men, and she was telling me ‘from experience’ that no matter how much time Martin stayed away from home, he would always come home to me.
She had been a young wife before, so she understood the challenges I was facing. So I could be assured that if I followed her advice, all would be well. And, of course, she didn’t allow me to tell my side of the story.
Martin came home very late, and very drunk. And from the next morning, he carried on as before. With some hesitation, I called my dad and told him all that had gone on.
‘Well, my daughter. I’m not going to say “I told you so”. I was only trying to protect you. So here’s what we’ll do. Continue doing the best you can, and try not to give him any excuse to harm you, but if things continue to deteriorate, I will take you back.
A couple of days later, my cousin Dinah arrived in Accra from Brussels, having completed her medical course. With Martin’s agreement, I went to Koforidua and spent a couple of days. I spent most of the time chatting about her experiences in the US, but we also discussed my relationship with Martin, and she endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if Martin’s behaviour did not change after two weeks Elaine informed Mom and Dad. We endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if there was no change in two weeks.
Dinah returned with me to Takoradi. Her plan was to spend a couple of weeks, and return to Accra to be posted. I called Paul Allotey, and asked if he would meet her for lunch and, if possible, show her some interesting spots. Delighted, he suggested that we meet at Royalty the next day.
I told Martin about it, to remove any possibility of future disagreement over ‘going out with men’.
‘It’s fine with me’, he said, ‘if, of all the people who could show your sister round this town, you chose a borla man. Doesn’t that indicate the kind of person you are?’
‘ First of all, Martin’, I’ve spoken to him a few times, and he comes across as a decent guy, so I think it is rather unfortunate that you are writing him off when you don’t know him’.
By Ekow de Heer
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