I had my baptism of fire with Ghana politics in December 2000. I should say that was when my democratic balls came of full age. So I dared to put them on the line to campaign, like most Ghanaians, for change; Positive Change. After almost 2 decades of P(NDC) rule, it was apparent Rawlings and his ilk became totally bereft of solutions to Ghana’s ever-growing problems. Nobody was left in doubt then, that change was imminent. Everybody, young and old alike, was ready to do everything and just anything, to be part of this change process.
John Agyekum Kufuor did burst on the scene at the right time. We saw so much hope and a blissful future in his huge sexy eyes. He was soft spoken and exuded a lot of charm, unlike his biggest contender then, Fiifi Atta Mills, who neither had charm nor a commanding voice. So like sheep, lead to a slaughter house, all change-loving Ghanaians almost unanimously voted Kufour and his men into office in the presidential elections. Little did we know then, that we had just sold our consciences, the future of our children and that of our children’s children; to a bunch of nation-wrecking, greedy and self-seeking gang of smart, but dishonest intellectuals.
One of the first things Kufuor did on assumption of office was the appointment of his younger brother as Defence Minister, and his brother in-law as Senior Minister (whatever that meant). Then he surrounded himself with a lot more thieving and empty-head looters. That was the beginning of the formation of the NDC opposition choir. It sang only one tune; nepotism. For most part of his first term, K4 and his men devised all kinds of neologisms to vilify the preceding NDC government and everything it stood for. Justifiably so because there was simply so much rot in the system. They made us believe that all the socio-economic woes of Ghana at the time were attributable solely to the inefficiency and thievery of the P(NDC) administration. The picture was so bleakly painted that most Ghanaians didn’t have any problems at all, endorsing the jailing of former ministers of state who were found to have wilfully caused financial loss to the state. Then, we also garnered some kind of hope that, once they; Kufour and his folks; could see the problems, they were obviously going to fix them. We lied to ourselves. They talked about the problems for eight years and fixed nothing. In eight years, together, they succeeded in bringing the nation back to her wobbly knees again.
They employed all the tricks in the books, and sometimes, those outside of the books, to enrich themselves. The poor masses tightened their belts and the few greedy ones loosened theirs. ‘Monkey worked, baboon chopped’. Such has been our story. Those who prayed and the gods answered their prayers, went back to work. They prayed on the mountain tops. Those who knew what hope could bring, hoped; they hoped against all hopes. Those who could afford to run, did so with their tails between their legs. And for those of us who could only wait, waited and trusted that another dawn of change shall come upon the nation called Ghana. A change that should definitely be the panacea to all the hydra-headed problems of the people. The change did come finally in December 2008. Sadly though, the change managers were same old nation wreckers, with same old scripts neatly tucked under their rotten armpits and the stage remained gloomily same old one as in the years gone by.
When the old law lecturer-turned president promised change and a new way of doing things, I did not completely believe him. I had my doubts because somewhere behind the curtains, I sensed the presence of old stage-managers with stains on their record books, lurking in the dark. I however gave him the benefit of the doubt. After all, we needed a change and desperately too, at the time. A drowning man, they say, would clutch at a straw. We couldn’t afford the NPP another term of looting, arrogance, and impunity, as displayed by the Asabees and the Kofi Jumahs. So anyone who offered a glimmer of such change could readily pass for the toast of the people. Sincerely, I felt Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom would have made a better change maker, if he had gotten the nod. The law professor takes the reins of leadership and my worst fears begin to crystallize into reality. For me, his most important campaign pledge was to hit the ground running. He fulfilled part of that. He did hit the ground, but unfortunately, the impact was a bit too hard, he may have crushed his balls. So he is till on the ground.
When nominations for ministerial and other portfolios started coming out, it was clear the players have not changed. All the old ghosts that haunted Ghana, have been resuscitated and given new garments. The Gbevlo Laterys, the Asasee Gyimahs, The KTQs, the Tony Aidoos, the Sipa Yankees are all back with full vampire vim. I cringe with fear for the trajectory and final destination of Ghana-my-happy-home. The only difference I foresee in the horizon, in all this trash is that, ‘somebody go try chop more than somebody’. Let’s wait and see.
Meanwhile, if any one hears the first bells of change chiming away in the alleyways of Anyako, the frying heat heat of Spintex Road and at the kyikyinga stands at Aboabo, please remember to drop me a line on facebook.
Until then, I remain sincerely yours in the cold.
Worla 22-08-09.
