PRESIDENT MILLS, THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN

I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2tim.4v7).The good old professor deserves it all. Awww! My cold tears dried out just when I saw the casket been lowered into the grave. Indeed I felt some sense of joy upon seeing thousands of distinguished men and women of our home land clad in one attire- our traditional funeral cloth and the national capital draped in red and black colors as Accra screeches to a standstill. Yes! For once I felt a sense of belonging. What a price to pay! Professor Mills has for the last time proven his political mettle even to the extent when situations call for human sacrifice, he was ready. Today we feel the breeze of fresh air all over the nation Ghana- The breath of unity. President Mills, the Christian, husband, teacher and sportsman.

I cannot think back on his demise and what might be without me shedding tears. May be I should let the bitter tears over flow. I can foresee the late “Asomdwehene” trying desperately to make politics a good profession, politics devoid of blood sucking activity; impressing on his colleagues to be of good behavior and make the profession honorable. At least for me, he erased the long-held notion:” politics is a dirty game;” a game for gentlemen but played by roughens”. Even when his “aides” sought for chances to loot national coffers he stuck to his guns and said NOWAY! That for me is the astute politician I mourn. My heart bleeds when I hear senior members of society say:” oh, he was a good man but was not destined to do politics” or that,” he failed as a leader”. Oh Ghana!, when are we going to wake up from our slumber? I thought we yearned for a humble, and God fearing man during the run-up to the 2008 general elections? Yes we did! And the good Lord granted us a leader. A leader with virtues of: humility, faithful, tolerance and peace-mindedness. Indeed a leader after God's own heart. Oh Ghana! What more could we have asked for? Must politics always be a game of deceit? NO!” prof” stood for dignity in Ghanaian politics but Ghanaians wanted the “Azan” or the” politricks” type of politics. Hypocrites! Yes, that what we are.

We never gave the late leader a dog-chance even when his lifeless body lie in the cold fridge, we saw him as unwise and thought he should have been wiser. I sat next to one fair and beautiful lady on the 7th January 2009 amid the jubilation that characterized the swearing in of the late leader, I realized the girl was looking very disgruntled, she sputtered: I foresee a state funeral. I quickly turned with my fist arm raised as if to punch her round face. Why should we wish death for our leader? As if this was not enough, party founder of the ruling NDC, H.E. j.j Rawlings within some few weeks in office hit hard on the former leader calling on the late president to “put his feet down and stop the nonsense that was going on around him”. Mr. Rawlings kept on hurling insult at the humble giant as if to say the man was not a thinking being. On one occasion he christened prof. mills:” konongo-kaya” literally meaning head porter of konongo. Suggesting president mills was not capable of carrying the loaded basin, and won't allow others to carry. In short, Former president Rawlings could not get the chance to influence government policies and felt disgruntled. And hence felt president mills were incompetent. Considering the ailment of the president, which was met by hi consistence absence from public life, most opposition leaders drew an analogy to the effect that, Ghana was like a big ship drifting around in a mighty ocean with no captain to steer its course. This warranted much speculation on the president's health. With some suggesting the late leader was suffering from stroke, others say he was in comma or cancer. Indeed his own comrades took weapon in his almonry and handed it over to his enemies. His ill health was mocked and became a subject of public ridicule. OH God! Why did you not listen to the cry of this noble man and restore his health? Hmmm… but like it's written in the book of Deuteronomy: The secret things belong to the Lord our God.

He was persecuted for saying: God was the president of the nation Ghana. It is in this light that I see the late leader in the shoes of Christ. Like Isaiah prophesied:” Like a young plant or a root that sprout in the ground, the servant grew up obeying the Lord. He wasn't some handsome king. Nothing about the way he looked made him attractive to us. He was hated and rejected; his life was filled with sorrow and terrible suffering. No one wanted to look at him. We despised him and said he was nobody”.(Isaiah 53, 2-3) For me we have lost the Lord's anointed. Where were all the powerful men of God when president Mills sought to put God first in government decisions? I keenly expected these men of God to not only stand in prayers with him, but to help in governance.

Today we eulogize his mortal remains. Oh! What a shame! We could have said all the good wishes to him; we could have given him life with our mouths. Remember what the good book says: Death and Life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit. Professor Mills has paid his due. He has exchanged the old rugged cross of insults, shame and rejection despite his enormous achievement of introducing the single spine salary for all public workers, for the crown of glory by his maker. A man who made our roads motor able. Oh! What a man. We will count our losses one day.

Now the laborer's task is over.
Now the battle day is past;
Now upon the farther shore
Lands the voyager at last.
Father, in thy gracious keeping leave we now thy servant sleeping….. (MHB.976).

Damirifa-Due!
ADJEI, FRANK.