Uncle Atta’s Approach

Uncle Atta's Approach
People who are used to hot pepper and knowing that that is what pepper is, will find it difficult to accept the fact that green pepper is also a pepper. Ghanaians in general are used to a certain type of leadership historically, traditionally and psychologically. As such it makes it discomforting to depart from this fixed orientation. Taking our traditional rulers for example, their words are not to be challenged, they can't be criticized, they must not retract their public utterances, they must be tough and rough and must not make mistakes when speaking in public. These are somehow the qualities of a ruler to most of us and a lot of us have also imbibed such beliefs.

In our political history, at least for the past thirty years, we are used to rough and unbending portraits of leadership starting from JJ's administration to Kufour's administration. We are used to leaders who words are infallible and fixed-neck, these have given us a certain perception of who and how a leader should behave. Just have look at some of the appellations used for our political and traditional leaders, and their philosophy of ruling is made naked. Apellations like Otumfuo, Osabarima, Nana, Honourable, Osagyefo etc give us a hint of the etymological philosophy which has not yet evaporated from the psyche of our leaders.

What is this circumlocutory paragraphs about if not about our current president and his approach. A lot feel he is slow and even some journalists contend he has hit the ground crawling not running. Can we sit back and look at where we are coming from, I mean our politico-traditional background? We are used middle age style of ruling; when a king converts to a religion they whole kingdom converts likewise; when a person assumes office, all the other offices are assumed by his cronies and the perceive enemies are sent to 'timbouktou'. That's why I was not surprise when some people even started chasing MMDCEs and ceasing public toilets as if they have 'wared' and vanquished their enemies after Uncle Atta assumed office.

On the contrary, I see this man, I mean our new president carving a new image of who a ruler or leader should be. With his popular mistake ecomeny instead of economy, reminds us that leaders make mistakes not only with pronunciation but even with decisions and the best way of dealing with such mistakes is to correct them though it might be humiliating, like the way he withdrew some of his nominees.

Another mark we must watch out is that of the fast flying eagle and the slow moving chameleon, both are prone to accidents and both equally get to their destination. Why this? We are used the fast flying eagle style to who cares nothing about the little bird it meets but now what we are experiencing is that which believes governance isn't a hundred meter race to determine who gets there faster instead it is about making careful and caring strides. This at the moments seems to be the message Uncle Atta is sending across.

Let's remember his soft speech style is not only the way he speaks but also his approach to reality just as JJ's rough speech style and Kufour's fixed-neck speech style are their approaches to reality. None of them is wrong but some are needed in a particular epoch.

With his few days in office a sincere mind will admit that Uncle Atta has a direction, a purpose and is achieving. A change of person involves change in approach and with his approach in this epoch we have hope. Remember the muddy waters settle steadily!

Yirpaale Sondah
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