The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself ‘God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican (tax collector). I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess’. And the publican … smote upon his breast saying, ‘God be merciful to me, a sinner’… everyone that exalted himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Luke 18:11 – 14
THE NDC campaign launch came off, predictably last Sunday, 14th August, 2016. A campaign is expected to throw to the electorate ideas they want to share. We would not say the members were bussed to Cape Coast, but the 20,000-capacity stadium appeared full.
The speeches must have been well-prepared, and well-rehearsed. But why did the speeches become attacks on the opposition New Patriotic Party and its ‘flagbearer’. Is everything rosy in CPP, PNC, PPP, APC? Projecting the NDC as a ‘tolerant party’, the President saw the NPP as an intolerant party and averred that the NPP “has won an Olympic gold medal in insults”. The President did not remember the acidic – mouthed Montie – Trio, one of whom had left his family in Europe and arrived back home to work for John Dramatic (apologies) Mahama!
President Mahama chastised the NPP leadership, saying: “The mark of a leader is one who is able to unite his supporters behind him. They are now quick to commend people who hurl insults at me and my government”. The speech of Vice President, Amissah- Arthur, who is still running – mate to President Mahama was brief, but pungent: of the two, Mahama and Nana Addo, the distinction was clear: President Mahama was the “safe pair of hands for us in Ghana”. Amissah – Arthur asked what ‘change’ the NPP was looking for again, when ‘change’ was already happening under President Mahama.
It was healthy to see the First Lady, Lordina Mahama, beside President Mahama; so was it healthy to see the Second Lady (I won’t give you chalk) beside the Vice President. But conspicuously absent was the former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings who should have cuddled the Founder, the progenitor of the NDC. She had been bruised so badly in the NDC she had abandoned ship and formed her own party the NDP, leaving her husband to cling so tenuously to the NDC.
The platform was given to actor, John Dumelo, after His Jerryship had spoken and critics saw this as a protocolic breach. The founder of the NDC did not deem it necessary to proclaim President Mahama as NDC ‘flagbearer’. He announced that he would go around the country after the elections “to rebuild the party”.
NDC Director of Elections, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo gave the picture of Nana Addo as a violent man. He stated: “Why try someone who has not been able to keep the peace in his own party after President John Agyekum Kufuor had handed him a peaceful party in 2008?”
The “most unkindest cut” of all appears to be the speech in Ga by Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye who noted that the Presidency is not for “short” people in dark glasses. A friend asked me: “Is height one of the qualifications for the Presidency?” My good friend, Nii Lante, looked serious rather than clownish, and the innuendoes he cast could not be lost on discerning Ghanaians.
One may use ‘euphemisms’ to talk on things people are sensitive about: so that, a short man, for example, could be described as ‘vertically challenged’ or ‘a man of modest height’. Height has no relation with wisdom. Across the globe, people differ in stature and height. One may compare the heights of an average Japanese or Chinese or Korean or Indian with an average European or American. Apart from Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Elton John, Lionel Messi who were/are 5 feet 7 inches tall, there were other great men who were less. Napoleon Bonaparte, Isaac Newton, William Faulkner, and even Alexander the Great were 5 feet 6 inches tall. Aristotle, T. E. – Lawrence and Charlie Chaplin were 5 feet 5 inches. James Madison, a U.S. President was 5 feet 4 inches tall; so was Mahatma Gandhi and James Madison, both 5 feet 4 inches.
Nana Addo is certainly taller than literary Voltaire (5feet 3inches), musical Beethoven (5 feet 3 inches), astronaut Yuri Gagarin (5 feet2 inches) and the great Gengis Khan, the first Khagan of the Mogol Empire in AD 1220 (5 feet 1 inch). Africa has got its fair share of short men in history. Tafari Makonen who later became Emperor Haille Selassie of Ethiopia was 5 feet 4 inches. Frederick Chiluba who ruled Zambia from November 1991 to January 2002 stood at just five feet. Omar Bongo, President of Gabon from 1967 to June, 2009 was dubbed the “little Big Man” and often wore raised platform to boost his height of only 5 feet.
Pygmies, Dwarfs (not evil dwarfs), Liliputians and Zaccheuses have their place in politics, provided they have the brains and commitment to turn things around. Kofi Jumah a.k.a. Kofi Ghana reminds Ghanaians of a Twi proverb: “Ye soma oba nyansafo na yennsoma anamon tenten” (to wit: we send a sensible man on errands and not one with long legs). In times past, our people had a skewed attitude towards tall people and it was few tall people like President Kufuor, that distinguished themselves. If height was a qualification, Manute Bol, the South Sudan born basketball player and political activist, standing at 7 feet tall would have become President of his country before his death in 2010.
The NDC have set the agenda: which party can criticise others better? Which party has got more acid – mouthed members? Those advising Nii Lante to apologise are doing so because they do not want to advise the short people in NDC, including Ofosu Kwakye and Sam George to leave that party. Some people do not think the NPP will demand an apology from Nii Lante nor say with Lodovico in ‘Othello’: “Are his wits safe? Is he not light of brain?”
While all these were going on in Cape Coast, Nana Addo was in the Western Region telling the locals what he will do for them when (not if)he gets power. He would create a North Western out of the present Western Region to cater for the northern side where people find it difficult to come to Takoradi, the regional capital. He would also ensure that there is an industry in every district. Each child will attend SHS free – just as President Mahama had free education. The National Health Insurance Scheme would be revived. On and on.
The NPP will be debating whether to respond to these NDC accusations. The doves would say: “Ennye hwee”(it is nothing). Disregard the taunts and get on with business. The hawks would say no. As always, the doves would have their way. Anyone who demurs could battle things out at the courts of law. Don’t you think lawyers have to earn their living? Who says democracy is not good for lawyers?
As for the NDC, they should look inwardly (no offence meant), and, among other things, see how they can answer the accusation by some of their members: “Who killed Attah- Mills?” They may choose to tell us where Goosie Tanoh, Obed Asamoah, Martin Amidu, Frances Essiam are. In ‘Othello’, Iago laments: “Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals my purse steals trash…But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed”. Amen.