SO it is a CRIME to be SHORT in Ghana

The Deputy Coordinator of the National Youth Council, Prince Derrick Adjei, is reported to have said that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo may not have been acknowledged during the Oguaa Afahye festival by President J.E.A. Mills because he was probably drowned in the crowd owing to “his height and stature.” -“Nana Addo is too short to be seen in public”.

This was probably in response to the Central Regional secretariat of the opposition New Patriotic Party's (NPP) accusation that the organizers of the 2010 Oguaa Fetu Afahye allegedly sidelined Nana Akufo Addo during Saturday's (September 4, 2010) durbar. The Party claimed that a presidential aide, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, prevented the NPP leader and his entourage from greeting the government dignitaries, including the Paramount Chief (Omanhene) of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, on the account that President Mills was on his way to the durbar grounds.

Politicians in Ghana have their own peculiar way of doing their business which they are entitled to but when decency and rationality becomes a casualty of their deliberations something has to be done to call attention. A case in point is the remarks by Prince Derrick Adjei (Adjei) in reference to Nana Addo's “height and stature” as reason for his non recognition at the said festival. Nana Addo has been in the political limelight for over twenty years and even contested the 2008 general elections as a presidential candidate. All of a sudden his height and stature has become an issue for his rejection at a major function in Ghana when Adjei became the Deputy Coordinator of the National Youth Council.

One had expected that the ruling National Democratic Party (NDC) who appointed him to his position, would as a matter of political expediency issue a statement dissociating itself from what Adjei said. Without such reaction from NDC and the Government, the impression created is that all persons whose height and physical stature are of semblance to Nana Addo are not of any significant importance in Ghana and for that matter they would never be recognized at any function sanctioned or sponsored by both the NDC and the Government of Ghana.

It must be noted that to the millions of Ghanaians who are of the same height and stature as Nana Addo (Addo) that statement coming from a government functionary of no less a person of Adjei's position is an insult and a mockery of the Lord's creativity. It is very unfortunate that a Government would intentionally and purposefully subject a section of its people to such unwarranted, unprovoked and unprecedented attack just because such persons happened to be short in stature. It hurts very much and shows how insensitive, unresponsive and uncaring the Government is to those concerned. It happens to be only in Ghana that the government seeks to demean instead of protecting its citizens.

What is wrong about one being short? History is full of data about the contributions that some people, who the Government of Ghana would despise because of their height and stature, had made towards the advancement of either their country and or that of mankind. Genghis Khan was the founder emperor of one of the largest empire in history - the Mongol empire. Although he was just 5 ft 1 inch, he was one of the best commanders and the most ferocious warrior the world ever saw. Standing 5 ft 2 inches tall, Yasser Arafat was regarded as a freedom fighter by many Palestinians. He spent his entire life for Palestinian self determination, till he died on November 11, 2004, at the age of 75. Yuri Gagarin was a Soviet cosmonaut, who went on to become the first person to travel in space, as well as the first person to orbit the Earth. He was just 5 ft 2 inches tall. For this heroic feat did not only help the Soviet Union, but also the entire human race.

Mahatma Gandhi, known as the Father of the Nation in India, was one of the most prominent personalities the world ever saw. He played a vital role in gaining India independence from the British rule. Mahatma Gandhi advocated non-violence throughout his life. Although just 5 ft 3 inches tall, his high stature in the society was witnessed by means of several agitations he led, not just in pre-independence India but also in nations like South Africa.

James Madison was the 4th President of the United States, who held the office from March 4, 1809 to March 4, 1817. Standing at 5 ft 4 inches, Madison worked closely with George Washington in order to organize the Federal Government. He was regarded as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo 4' 11" [1.50 m] became the 14th president of the Philippines on 20 January 2001.” The first prime minister of Israel. David Ben-Gurion was only 5' tall.

These are but a few of people whose height and stature did not become an issue so far as their respective governments were concerned and went ahead to make positive contributions to their various countries. Unfortunately, if they lived in Ghana they would be despised and pushed around in a legally organized function and be told the following day by a representative of the Government that because of their height and stature they could not be recognized. It would not matter if such people would decide to vote or not since it had been determined that because of their height and stature they were not important and therefore not needed.

It is not everybody who subscribes to Nana Addo's political ideology but there are millions of Ghanaians who associate with him because of his height and stature so for a Government to insult him in public and on a radio without some level of decency is the height of insensitivity and a betrayal of trust. It is very unbecoming for a government elected by people some of who are heights challenged to be that cruel.

In the case of Adjei the least said about him the better. Today because of politics you have turned people of Nana Addo's height and stature into a punching bag and made them a laughing stock. In your deliberations if you ever come in contact with somebody with Nana Addo's height and stature and you ask for help of any kind or if you happened to be favored in any other way by such a person then, in the words of a popular headteacher, lift your eyes to the heavens.

To the party, NDC and the Government, who allowed this to go on without deference, GOOD LUCK for making it a crime to be SHORT in Ghana.

Opanin Kwabena Mensah (5' 4”)