VooDoo Child: A RARE BREED OF HUMANKIND, KWADWO BAAH-WIREDU

MY ENCOUNTER WITH KWADWO BAAH-WIREDU

My real encounter with Honourable Baah Wiredu was brief and pleasantly refreshing even though the circumstances were unfortunate. Parts of Accra were flooded after heavy rains in June 2001. Then Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Kwadwo Baah Wiredu was making the rounds of the affected areas. I caught up with him just as he was about to leave after inspecting the East Legon drains that had overflowed causing floods in the area. He stopped as soon as he saw me and a colleague. I identified myself and he said warmly, "Oh you are the one" as he put a name to a face. We shook hands and he immediately explained the situation at East Legon and mentioned other flooded areas that they were concerned about.

Anyone imagining the scenario should appreciate what is being described here. Here was a minister who was about to leave a scene but saw a reporter and recognized the need to communicate, to tell the people what had happened and what they were doing about it while reassuring them. He knew what I wanted and he delivered without me asking. I also recognized that he had to go and did not press on any questions. Then he shocked me by giving me "solidarity." He gave me that deep honest look and hushed my protests. How could you refuse such a man?

WE PARTED ON A GOOD NOTE

Maybe I portrayed an overworked, underpaid and under utilized journalist who was only clinging on to hope for survival. The rest of the conversation is vague now but we parted on a good note and promised to be in touch and he gave me his private number. The rest of my encounter with him as with most Ghanaians was on TV and we all saw his calm demeanor and the way he carried himself.

That his untimely passing evoked the same reaction from his aisle and across also revealed a kind of despair; why such a man who was needed during this heated political climate should pass on. You just have to read about the reaction from all the Johns and the leading men of the other political parties to understand Honorable Baah Wireduʼs standing with them. That is a not to those making a grab for his parliamentary seat.

FOR MOTHER FATE AND MOTHER NATURE TO PERMIT THIS

We would never really understand why this untimely turn of events just as we would never understand how other great men like John and Robert Kennedy and Yshak Rabbin would lose their lives when they were sorely needed. For Mother Fate and Mother Nature to permit this indicates one thing, the really honorable gentleman Kwadwo Baah Wiredu has fulfilled his destiny.

To you the family of this rare species of a human being, you are honored and respected for the sacrifice, allowing him to serve the nation. P eople have experienced your pain, everybody would at a point experience your loss but for now, we all experience your pain and loss together. Rest In Peace Honorable Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Hede nyuie

VooDoo Child

(By Dzifah Hiatsi)