Features
I choose peace over democracy
Nobody would ever think that the smallest attempt to cause civil disorder could gain any momentum in the capital towns of a country that has gained recognition as the champion of civil rights and order in the world.
In fact, I personally believe that it wouldn’t even cross the mind of anyone who has travelled to the seat of the Government of the United States of America, Washington, D.C., that an attempt to thwart and prevent the application of democracy would work.
But all that happened because one person, I mean just one influential leader, decided to incite his followers over a belief that their democratic rights had been abused and compromised.
The amenities and fruits of the democratic system, and the rights and privileges of the citizens of America are so cherished and guarded by almost every segment of American society that, “no one dares to play with any of the above,” whether in politics or just in social and communal discourse.
Beyond all that, the good people of the United States of America have given priority to peace in their homeland over their cherished democratic system.
This is evident in the handling of the actions of the former president, Donald Trump. I am simply referring to the famous insurrection of 2021 in the United States of America.
Nothing equates to the loss of a single life and peace of the people—not even the full gains of democracy over the rule of law and peace.
Barely a week ago, I read on Ghanaweb.com a statement purportedly made by a former diplomat and astute politician that “Ghana would become like Gaza or Ukraine if the electoral commission didn’t allow the electoral register to be audited forensically.”
I equate the above ill-fated and venomous statement to the one
President Trump made to his followers that incited them to overturn the election results in his favour.
In a small country like Ghana, with a population of a little over 35 million people, we cannot afford to lose our sight and grip on the wheels as we strive to maintain our position and commitment as the most peaceful country and the beacon of democracy in the sub-Saharan region.
In our drive and quest to achieve real holistic peace that encompasses total human security—which also invites and accommodates good governance, transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to the needs of the people—we can decide to do away with and sacrifice the type of democracy that Ghana and several African countries are practicing, for peace.
As we hypocritically rain and shower praises and blessings on President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, we are promoting his style of governance and system of living and leadership. Certainly, nobody can assert that our revered President Kagame is really practicing the type of democracy that we are observing and applying here in Ghana today, as we allow some powerful influencers to dictate to us how to apply the principles of leadership and governance in our country.
In Nicaragua, a nice and beautiful country that has now become a transit point to the United States or Canada, I enjoyed my brief stay. My observation in Nicaragua is that the type of democracy President Ortega is running is no different from Rwanda, except that Nicaragua has serious human rights issues of concern to all.
In 2016, President Ortega nominated his wife as vice president of the Republic, and the party consented, eventually winning the elections. What a wonderful country.
Let’s face the facts—everyone wants to share happy moments with loved ones. I would not encourage this anywhere, although I see no harm if the wife or family member is qualified.
My point is that “whatever system of governance Rwanda and Nicaragua are administering in their countries, they are proportionally trying to deliver for their people, and most of all, they have brought about peace and stability in their countries.”
I am in no way advancing any theory or argument for Ghana to follow suit, but I am seriously advocating for us to “choose peace and stability in Ghana at the expense of a democracy that ruins our peace.”
Any good leader can deliver for his people without democracy.
The late Colonel Gaddafi—may his soul rest in peace—delivered to his people beyond doubt, and presently, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad Bin Salman, whom I admire so much, is delivering to his people beyond doubt. In the two regimes above (Libya and Saudi Arabia), no single principle or element of democracy is fully respected.
As I write this article, about 600 people have been reported killed by terrorists in our neighbouring country, Burkina Faso. Our families in Burkina, Mali, Niger, Chad, and Nigeria tell us of the fear and instability they feel anytime they hear the sound of fireworks or anything that resembles gunfire.
It is for this reason that I am urging all peace-loving Ghanaians and everyone living in Ghana to:
- Choose peace over the type of democracy that allows us to destroy the very peaceful ambience, stability, religious and traditional tolerance, and coexistence that we have built and maintained for decades.
- Try, in our own communities beginning at home, to establish a system where justice is cherished and respected above all.
- Help, encourage, and collaborate with law enforcement officers to be professional in their duties, impartial, and uphold the constitution of the Republic without fear or favour.
- Adopt as a way of life, and instil in the minds and lifestyles of children, the principles of fairness, kindness, love, unity, peaceful coexistence, tolerance, compassion, and care for one another.
In my religious tradition, Islam encourages us to take care of one another, love your neighbour as yourself, feed and clothe the poor and needy, accommodate the orphans, and love them. Be respectful to the elderly and merciful to the young. Give priority to mothers when it comes to obedience and kindness, above fathers.
By Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osman
When Abigail Fremah steps up to the Armwrestling table, the noise fades, the tension settles, and order takes over.
Despite a calm, but firm and meticulous disposition, she has become one of the quiet forces shaping Ghana’s growing reputation in the sport, not as an athlete, but a referee trusted on the continental stage.
Abigail’s journey into Armwrestling did not begin at the table. Like many Ghanaian sports enthusiasts, she grew up playing several disciplines. Football was her first love, but she also featured in volleyball and basketball during her school years. Sports, she says, was simply a way of life not just for her.
“It runs through the family. All my siblings are into sports,” she stated.
“I was involved in almost every sport in school, football, volleyball, netball, hockey; I did everything,” she recalls.
Her academic background in Health, Physical Education and Recreation laid a solid foundation for her sporting career. While on scholarship at the university (University of Cape Coast), she often used her modest budget to support young athletes, sometimes sharing skills and even T-shirts at programmes she attended. Giving back, she explains, has always been part of her motivation.
However, as she matured as an athlete, Abigail made a critical self-assessment.
“Armwrestling involves a lot of strength,” she admits. “Looking at my body type, I realised I couldn’t fit properly as a competitive athlete.”
That moment of honesty pushed her to a different trajectory but equally important path in sports; which is officiating.
During her National Service, she was encouraged by Mr Charles Osei Asibey, the President of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation (GAF), to consider officiating. He introduced her to a technical official, Mr Hussein Akuerteh Addy, who formally took her through the basics of Armwrestling officiating in 2021.
“I started as a case official,” she says. “We moved from region to region every week, officiating competitions. That’s where it all began.”
By 2022, Abigail was actively involved in national assignments, though she missed the African Championship that year. Her breakthrough came in 2023, when Ghana hosted the African Armwrestling Championship.
It was her first experience officiating at a major international competition and it changed everything.
“That was my first national and international exposure at the same time,” she says. “It really opened my eyes.”
Today, Abigail is a World Junior Armwrestling Referee, a status earned through performance, consistency and discipline. She explains that progression in officiating was not automatic.
“It’s all about performance, your appearance at African Championships, your conduct, how you handle pressure; that’s what takes you to the world level,” she stressed.
As a referee, Abigail’s priority is safety and fairness. Armwrestling, she notes, comes with risks, particularly injuries to the wrists, elbows, shoulders and arms.
“If athletes don’t follow the rules or refuse to listen to officials, injuries can happen,” she explains, adding that focus was everything.
Before every match, she ensures that all equipment which includes elbow pads, hand pegs and table alignment were properly set. Athletes are not allowed to cover their elbows, must grip correctly, and must follow the referee’s commands precisely.
“We make sure everything is fixed before the grip,” she says. “Once we say ‘Ready… Go’, there should be no confusion.”
She is also firm on discipline. Warnings are issued for infractions, and repeated misconduct attracts penalties.
“The referee must be respected, if you don’t listen, the rules will deal with you,” she says.
Abigail credits her confidence partly to her sporting family background. Her mother was a volleyball player, while other family members also participated in sports. Though they were initially concerned about her safety, her rise to the top reassured them.
“They were afraid at first,” she admits. “But they were also very proud, especially because some of them never got the opportunity to reach this level.”
Looking ahead, Abigail is optimistic about the future of Armwrestling in Ghana. In less than a decade, the country has produced African and world-level medalists, a sign, she believes, of great things to come for Ghana.
“Whenever we go out, we come back with medals such as gold and silver,” she says, and to her that was a sign of growth.
In the next five to ten years, Abigail sees herself rising to become a World Master Referee, the highest officiating level in the sport. Until then, her routine remains intense, training four times a week, working closely with athletes, standing on her feet for hours, and constantly refining her understanding of the rules.
“I love this sport,” she says simply. “That love is what keeps me going.”
Abigail encouraged women to be bold and intentional about their place in sports saying “don’t limit yourself because of fear or stereotypes.”
She also urged women to invest in learning, discipline and consistency, stressing that respect was earned through performance.
For Abigail, as Ghana’s armwrestlers continue to make their mark, she will remain where she is most effective at the table, ensuring the game is played right.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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As he had promised Aperkeh, the elderly man and his wife and three daughters stopped by Aperkeh’s parents’ house. Mr Amando and his family were preparing to settle in for the night.
“Brother Ben and family”, Mr Joshua Amando said warmly, “although I know you are here on a matter that can hardly be described as joyous, it is still good to see you. You are welcome. Please sit down while I bring you water”.
“Yes, we will take water, even though we are hardly thirsty, because this is our home”.
“Okay, Ben”, he started after they had drank, “Let me go straight to the point. My daughter Priscilla has told me about the goings on between her brother Aperkeh and our daughter Stella.
Before informing me, Priscilla had expressed concern to Aperkeh about some habits he is adopting, especially the late nights and the drinking. She tells me that one Saturday morning, she was there when Stella complained about his drinking and some girls who had come to the house to look for him, and he assaulted her.
I called him and complained, but all he could say was that I don’t know what caused him to react that way, so I could not judge him. Now he does not answer my calls.
I have sent Priscilla to his house to call him, but he has refused to come. Unfortunately, Ben, my son is a much different person than the young boy who completed university and started work at the bank. I am really embarrassed about his treatment of Stella”.
“Joshua, let me assure you that even though what is happening is very unfortunate, it will not affect our relationship.
We have been friends since childhood, and I thought that with their parents’ blessing, the relationship between Aperkeh and Stella would grow to become a blessing to all of us. But there appears to be a real challenge now.
Stella thinks that Aperkeh wants her out of his house, and indeed Aperkeh himself told me that, about an hour ago.
So I’m taking my daughter home. I suggest that you do what you can to straighten him out, but if it does not work out, let’s accept the situation and continue to be one family.
I am sure that being the well behaved girl that she is, Stella will meet a young man who will cherish her. Fortunately, this problem is happening early in the day, so they can sort things out if possible, or move on with their lives if they are unable to stay together”.
“I’m really grateful for that, Ben. I will do my best in the next few days to reason with him, because apart from the relationship with Stella, Aperkeh is risking his job and career with this lifestyle.
A good job and salary offers an opportunity to gather momentum in life, not to destroy yourself”.
“Okay Brother Joshua. We will say goodnight. I hope to hear positive news from you”.
As he descended in the lift from the fourth to the ground floor, Aperkeh wondered who would be waiting at the reception to see him at nine on Monday morning. He had spent good time with both of his new girls during the weekend, so it had to be someone else. He got out of the lift and pulled a face when he saw Priscilla.
“Priscilla”, he said as he sat down by her, “what do you want here? You know Monday morning is a busy time at the bank. I am a very busy person, so say what you want, I have work to do”.
“You are very funny, Aperkeh. You are telling me, your sister, that you have work to do, so I should hurry up? Okay, Dad says I should advise you to come home tonight, because he wants to discuss the issue of Stella with you. He sent me to you twice, and you did not come.
He has tried to call you quite a number of times, but you have refused to answer his calls. He says that if you do not come tonight, you will be very surprised at what he will do. He says you will not like it at all, so better come.
“What is all this? Why won’t you people leave me alone? Stella is very disrespectful. I told her that if she wanted to continue to live in my house, she must obey me. It is that simple.
She chose to continue ordering me about, controlling me in my own house, so I told her that if she could not live under my conditions she should leave. And she left. In fact, her own father came and took her away. So what again?’’
“How did she disobey or control you? Was she complaining about your continuous drinking and late nights? And did you slap her on several occasions because of that? Did you tell her that if she could not live under your conditions she should leave? You actually said that to her father? You have forgotten that before she came to live with you, our two parents met and agreed, and gave it their blessing?’
“Why don’t you leave, Priscilla? I don’t have to listen to all that”. “Okay, I will go. Your father who gave birth to you and educated you to university level sends me to you, and you ask me to leave? I wish you would defy him, and refuse to come home as he’s telling you, because he is planning to give you the discipline you badly need. Let me tell you. Stella is such a beautiful and decent girl, and I assure you that someone will grab her before you say Jack. You are only 30 years old, and you have already become a drunkard”.
As he walked towards the lift, Aperkeh decided on what to do. He would go home, and calmly listen to what his father had to say. The old man was very unpredictable, and he wouldn’t dare ignore him. So he would take all the insults and threats, but as for Stella she was history. According to Priscilla, Stella was beautiful and all that, but she had not seen the two curvaceous princesses who were all over him, ready to do anything he asked. And these were not barely literate waakye girls, but university graduates from wealthy homes, really classy girls. With stuff like that, who needs a waakye girl? He smiled as he took his seat.
A few minutes to five, Aperkeh was packing up to leave for home to meet his dad when his phone rang. It was Priscilla.
“Aperkeh, Dad says you don’t need to bother to come. Stella’s dad says she came to him early this morning to plead that she would rather stay at home than return to your house. She thinks you are already decided to be rid of her, and she does not want to risk being assaulted again. So it’s done. You can go ahead and enjoy the nice life you have started”.
Before he could tell her to go to hell, Priscilla hanged up the line. He was partially stung that his dad had virtually cut him off. The last thing anyone would want was to fall out of relationship with his own family, which had always supported him.
But the truth was he was no longer interested in Stella. What was wrong with going by one’s feelings? He could only hope that one day, his parents and sister would try to reason with him.
By Ekow de Heer
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