Open Letter To Dr Kobina Arthur Kennedy

Dear Kobina,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to you today. In fact, immediately I picked my fountain pen to write this letter, my heart became enchained with sorrow.  I was forced to defer writing this letter on three occasions before finally mustering the courage to put pen on paper.  I know this name, Eric Bawah, rings in your ears like a bell, because I once played an important role in your life when you were a student leader during the Acheampong regime.

In those days some of us, including you, were thorns in the flesh of Chairman Acheampong who was mismanaging the economy.  We saw you as a leader and respected you so much.  Kobina, do you remember the piece I wrote in the then Pioneer newspaper when you were arrested on your way to Sierra Leone for a student confab?  Colonel Acheampong and the Supreme Military Council wanted to get you away from the scene, and so they planned evil against you and nearly succeeded.  Unknown to you, they had planted marijuana in your bag and when you went to board the plane you were arrested.

Some of us knew you were innocent and did our very best to prove to the powers that be that if they touched you, hell will break loose.  Even though Acheampong was a military dictator, he feared the power of students and our 'alluta'; and so you were released.  You were our role model when you went into exile and we did wish you well and prayed for you.  Oh, those days!  We were young and full of life and none of us was prepared to die even though we were bold enough to dare the devil.  You can imagine how happy we were when you qualified as a medical doctor with flying colours.  When you returned to Ghana and got involved in partisan politics, we were not surprised because your experience as a student leader was enough to make you a successful politician.  In the run-up to the 2007 presidential primaries of the NPP, you visited my office on your way to the Northern Region and we had a very fruitful discussion.

Dear Kobina, do you remember that when you published 'Chasing The Elephant Into The Bush' you gave a copy of the book to your nephew to be given to me and I also sent you an email thanking you profusely for a job well done? When the likes of Ohene Ntow were castigating you for telling the truth, some of us jumped to your defence.  In that book, you rightly pinpointed how complacent the NPP was and which led to the party losing so badly to the NDC.  As the then Communication Director of Nana Akufo-Addo's campaign team in the run-up to the 2008 elections, some of us saw you as a well informed person when it came to what was happening in the party.  When the Asiedu Nketias were making ugly noises and using intemperate language and insults you were civil, unassuming and very polite.  That was the more reason why we used to love you so much.

Suddenly you have changed and kicking like a wild bull.  Doc, what has changed and what is happening?  Who has put pepper into your wounds; and who is tickling you to do what you are doing these days against Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP for that matter?  Any agenda or plan 'B'?  I hate to say I have lost interest in you because you are still my darling boy. You have a bright future in politics and as such you must not allow people to push you into destroying your future. This is not to say you cannot think for yourself.

Ken, (let me address you as we used to do when you were in Legon) are you aware that even though the NPP can boast of fine brains who are experienced medical doctors, your admirers, including yours sincerely, were agitating for you to be appointed as the Minister of Health in case the NPP came to power in 2008?  Please Doc, come home for super because home sweet home.

One For Hilda Addo, Former MP For Kwadaso
Dear Madam,
I used to admire you when you were in Parliament.  Your contributions were very candid and you spoke very well on the floor of Parliament.  Your command over the Queen's English was simply fantastic and you really captivated your listeners, including me.  Out of Parliament, the acid in you is destroying your political future.  The last time I heard you speak on Adom TV, I did not like it at all. Indeed, nobody can blame you for throwing your weight behind Mr Alan Kyeremanten as others have done for Nana Akufo-Addo.  After all, in a contest like the one we are witnessing today, there is bound to be difference in ideas.  Sadly, in your case you are desperately buying bullets for the opponents of the NPP to fight the party in 2016.  You speak as if there is nothing at stake.  That is where I have a problem with you.

Through your comments people are beginning to read so many things into your posture.  If you have not heard the rumour mill, it is grinding louder and louder every day that you are the one leading the so-called agenda 2020 in the Ashanti Region.  The Akan tribe, a tribe you belong to, has a saying that if you eat your tongue, you have eaten nothing. If you fight through tooth and nail for the NPP to lose the 2016 elections, what would be your achievement?  In fact, if you and others work hard for the NPP to lose the 2016 elections, remember that not only the supporters of the NPP but Ghanaians in general will never forgive you.  As a former Member of Parliament and a staunch supporter of the NPP, you would be the first to tell Ghanaians the enviable achievements of the NPP under Mr Kufuor.  And as a Ghanaian, you are also witnessing the mess that the current NDC regime has pushed the nation into; and indeed, you also hear the cry of the people who are suffering under the harsh economic realities of our time and the prayers of the poor folks for God to lead the NPP to come back to power to assuage the people of the suffering they are going through.

The way you spit fire and describe Nana Addo in unprintable words will make it difficult for you to mount the campaign platform and campaign for Nana if he happens to win the October 18 flagbearership race. You are superb anytime you mount the campaign platform.  Remember that in case the NPP loses the 2016 elections, your fortunes, as far as politics in the NPP is concerned, will surely dwindle and in no time your name will be written in brass. Do you want to be remembered as the acid tongue lady whose unguarded utterances led to the NPP losing the 2016 elections, Auntie Hilda?

And who is urging Mr Alan Kyeremanten to step down for Nana to go unopposed?  Do such persons know the repercussions and the ripple effects of such an action?  Alan, like the others, must be encouraged to contest.  What if Alan agrees to step down and later comes out to say he was cowed into stepping down for Nana and that if he had not stepped down he would have won the primaries?  Alan should rather be encouraged to contest the race with the others and at the end of the day anyone who would win would have the support of a cross section of the party.  In fact, anyone who will lose will have no cause to complain.  Surely, I know Nana himself will not be happy if no one contests him.

Excuse me while I light up as I narrate the history of the type of cigar I am puffing today.

Sir Winston Churchill, who has been credited with inventing the practice of dunking a cigar in brandy, was rarely seen without a cigar during his time as Britain's wartime leader; so much so that a large cigar size was named in his honour.  That is why today I am going in for Winston Churchill cigar, produced by Davidoff.  This particular cigar takes time to burn and the flavour is unsurpassed.

By Eric Bawah