Features
John Mahama’s claim to fame
Certain things or happenings and events we come across in life may be taken for granted but when carefully examined,they reveal useful lessons that may be needed to guide us in critical political decision making to make or unmake our beloved country.
There is a friend of mine who told me about eight candidates who were contesting presidential election in Nigeria. During an interview, one of them was asked that Nigeria was a big country with a large population and many problems,so should indicate how he would address the challenges in that country.
In his answer, he had this to say: “In Nigeria, anybody with two or more wives can understand the problems of that country. I have five wives and I cater for them well. They are all very happy and they do not fight among themselves. Each of them is well catered for so in the same way if I become president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I will be able to diagnose and solve its problems without any difficulty.”
INTERESTING ANSWER
The answer given above is interesting and can be compared with other presidential candidates on the continent of Africa. People should, therefore, be able to decide which of the candidates in Ghana should be taken serious in the next elections in 2024.
A startling revelation has come from former President John Dramani Mahama to the effect that he did not go to the Supreme Court to challenge the Election Petition of 2020, but rather to calm down his supporters and prevent them from disturbing the peace of the country.
This is shocking, coming from a former President who had earlier stated that they had won the election and had majority in parliament. What a shock this is!
NO CONSISTENCY
There is no consistency in this claim when compared with other statements he and his NDC cohorts had made about the 2020 general election. It was like saying something different when they meant the other. Can such contradictions come from a presidential candidate in the person of Mr John Mahama?
It is becoming clear that frustration is setting in their effort to recapture political power in this country. Politics of today is quite different from politics of yesterday. Politics in Ghana in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s is quite different from what is happening now. There is still a problem with lack of enlightenment and deceit on the part of certain people who can easily be deceived by the NDC through propaganda. However, there has been more improvement and when people see what is good, they are able to stand for it.
This explains why the NPP, despite all the lies spread about its presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, that he would never be president in this country, was able to win massively and become president of the Republic. There was a similar dose in 2020 when Nana Akufo-Addo, despite all the lies, again won by over 51 per cent compared with John Mahama.
DISTURBANCES
When the results of the 2020 elections were announced by the Electoral Commission, the supporters of the NDC took to the streets and disturbed the peace in various parts of the country the they had won the election not only at the presidential level but had won also 140 seats in parliament. As we all know, this has proved to be a big lie and the NDC today is not believable or credible when it comes to declaration of truthful matters.
Tyres were burnt across the streets in Ghana and most of the people engaged in them were the youth. Also, in certain parts of the country people, including women, collected rubbish and threw them on the streets to create an eyesore. One such incident took place in front of the Electoral Commission but the security officers prevented such miscreants from getting access to the Commission.
PATIENT SECURITY OFFICERS
The security officers, patient as they were on that occasion, skilfully asked the supporters with this unruly behaviour to go back to the streets and collect the rubbish they had spread to create the eyesore. This was a useful lesson to those irresponsible men and women who had been commanded by their leadership, including John Mahama, Asiedu Nketia, Peter Boamah Otokunor and the others to create disobedient and ugly behaviour in this country.
For John Mahama, therefore, to come out today and say that he did that to calm down his supporters shows that he is not consistent when it comes to decision making on his part. If the NPP and the security agency had resisted in the same way, many lives would have been lost on those occasions and the number of injuries of people and the destruction of properties would have been countless.
While all this was going on, the NPP and its supporters, made it clear that the Party and its presidential candidate had genuinely won the election. Well, after eight or nine months, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, has finally confirmed the assertion of the NPP that it is Nana Addo and his Party that won the election in 2020.
WHAT DOES THIS TELL YOU?
It points out that the NDC candidate was not sincere with himself and had only wanted to influence needless fighting in this country, especially at a time when our efforts should be directed towards rebuilding and reconstructing this noble country of ours. Mr. John Mahama made this declaration after the Supreme Court had delivered its judgement in line with the facts concerning what happened during the election outcome. This is shameful and it reveals that my friend, John Mahama, will have to reconsider his political tactics if he wants to be considered serious in this country.
Knowing that he had lost the election, he could have called the leadership around him to immediately calm down the supporters some of whom were not mature enough to understand what was going on as far as the election results were concerned. Indeed, the NDC did not effectively collate results at the constituency and regional levels to prove to its supporters that they had won or lost the election. He should have been decent enough to also congratulate Nana Addo on his victory. This is something he has not been able to do till now.
BEING WIDE AWAKE
Ghanaians must, therefore, be wide awake and stop following people of that kind whose only agenda is to create mayhem in this country. When it comes to peace in West Africa, Ghana comes first. The same Ghana occupies the second spot in Africa. It occupies an enviable position of peace in the whole of the world that is why countries like Germany, Britain, France, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Peru and many others – all see Ghana as a dependable nation that must be embraced by all countries.
The embezzlement of funds amounting to US$200 million under the Saglemi Housing Project in Accra and other projects under which the money quoted has been embezzled shows that Ghanaians must be prepared to follow Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his hardworking government rather than allowing themselves to be deceived by the deceitful NDC whose only agenda is perhaps the destruction of this country!
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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