Dear Hon. Isaac Adongo, Y. E. John Dramani Mahama, and Good Friends of the Great NDC;
Re: ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐: ๐ง๐๐ ‘๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ช๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฃ๐๐ฆ ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐๐ผ’
I am a student and fun of Finance and Economics and will not spare reading any political comment on controversial political issues about the Economy and Finance irrespective of the political ideology of the writer.
I read a lot on pieces shared by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Hon. Seth Terkper on political-economic issues. After reading the beautiful and constructive piece from the finest Alex Kofi-Mensah Mould a.k.a. Sir Alex Mould on the Agyapa Royalties deal; I was excited about his trend of discourse. He raised constructive issues such as the illegality, unconventionality, lack of good corporate governance and prior experience of the SPV itself (Agyapa Royalties); and went ahead to propose alternatives. That is why I follow his page and read a lot of pieces from him.
Another write-up on the Agyapa Royalties deal cropped up and has attributed to Hon. Isaac Adongo (MP for Bolga Central) with the heading above. I initially thought it was fake and falsely attributed to Hon. Adongo, until I saw the same write-up copiously posted on the Official Facebook Page of H. E. John Dramani Mahama [on 31-08-20 at 9am with over 740 shares] with his (JM) remarks, ‘๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐. ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐’. I was utterly shocked! Frankly speaking, after reading the heading; ‘๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐: ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ‘๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ช๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฃ๐๐ฆ must Go’ and the first sentence which read, ‘๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ by ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ธ๐๐ณ๐ผ-๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐.’
What stopped me from proceeding to read the Hon. Adongo’s write-up was the use of ‘๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ช๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ฃ๐๐ฆ’ and ‘…๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐’. But should that be an issue at all?
‘๐๐๐๐๐๐’ is a Ghanaian term used for ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐น๐จ๐ผ๐ซ๐บ๐ป๐ฌ๐น๐บ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
‘๐๐๐ ๐๐’ is an ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, operating originally in Sicily and now especially in Italy and the US and having a complex and ruthless behavioural code.
I tried to know who Akyems are to deserve such adjectives such as ‘Mafia’ and ‘Sakawa’ or ‘State Capture’ from leading members of the NDC including Hon. Adongo and endorsed by not less a person than the former Vice and President of Ghana, Leader and Flagbearer of the major ‘alternative’ party, NDC; especially in an election year when the vote of a very Ghanaian is needed to successfully accomplish the ‘Rescue Mission’ of the NDC.
I googled ๐๐ค๐ฒ๐๐ฆ and found that ‘๐๐ค๐ฒ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ’ are an Akan people comprising of four traditional states; Asante Akyem, Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku, and Akyem Bosome located primarily in the Eastern Region of Ghana which has significant NDC voters. NDC obtained 42.0 percent and 36.6 percent of votes in the Eastern Region in the 2012 and 2016 elections respectively.
H. E. John Mahama and NDC has often times accused NPP of tribal bigotry and condemn it most of the time. Yes! Tribal bigotry is one of the things I hate so much in my life. Tribalism and racism are strictly against the teaching of Islam, Christianity, the UN Laws, and any civilised society or ideology.
There is a certain feeling about tribal bigotry and how politicians have used it. NDC mostly accused NPP of tribal bigotry. I wonder whether NDC and its leadership has really introspected about their incessant use of phrases such as ‘๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐’ or ‘๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ช๐’ to describe the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and government officials or NPP members who are Akyems. Has the party thought about how NDC members who are Akyems will feel about these attributions?
Well!
๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ (๐๐ผ๐ป) ๐๐ถ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐จ๐ป๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ – ๐จ ๐ท๐๐๐
Tribalism is one of the most sensitive issues to play with. One lesson I learnt from Ola Rotimi’s play titled ‘๐ป๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ต๐๐ ๐ป๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐’ was the degree of sensitivity of tribalism which must never be downplayed in national cohesion, peace and unity. Those who’ve read the book recalls when Odewale (son) and his father (King Adetusa) had an encounter over farm ownership at the time they had no knowledge of their blood relation.
What led to the son (Odewale) killing his father was the father (King Adetusa) remarks that, ‘๐๐๐ (๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐) ๐๐๐๐ ๐ '๐ฉ๐ผ๐บ๐ฏ ๐ป๐น๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ฌ' ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐?’ In response to the ‘๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐’ remarks by King Adetusa, Odewale said, ''๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ '๐ด๐ ๐ป๐น๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ฌ' ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ '๐ด๐ ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฏ๐ฌ๐น'๐บ ๐ป๐ถ๐ต๐ฎ๐ผ๐ฌ', ๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐.'' Alas, Odewale killed his unknown father (Adetusa) all out of anger of ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ด๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐.
‘๐๐จ๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ช๐๐ฌ’ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐ง
In February 2018, during the vetting of Martin Amidu as then Special Prosecutor nominee, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu jokingly used a common joke to address Martin Amidu. Haruna had indulged Martin Amidu to "๐๐๐๐๐๐ [๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐] ๐๐๐ ‘๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐’.'' Martin Amidu is Builsa by tribe. The rather peaceful light joke angered Martin Amidu who asserted that he would never use that expression to describe Haruna Iddrisu's ethnic group, Dagombas. "๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ '๐ผ๐ต๐จ๐ช๐ช๐ฌ๐ท๐ป๐จ๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฌ' ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐ ๐๐ [๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐] ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ '๐ป๐น๐ฐ๐ฉ๐จ๐ณ ๐ฌ๐ท๐ฐ๐ช' ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ [๐๐๐๐๐]…๐๐ ๐๐ '๐ถ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ต๐บ๐ฐ๐ฝ๐ฌ' ๐๐ ๐๐," Martin Amidu said.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐, ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ถ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ข๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ’๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ
In September 2019, Mr. Kwame Zu made a statement which was (mis)interpreted to mean that the King of Okyeman (Okyehene) drank the same water with animals prior to John Mahama led administration coming to power; and that John Mahama came to give them potable water. The written apology of Mr. Kwame Zu was rejected by the Okyeman Traditional Council and unless and until the whole ‘NDC national leadership renders unqualified apology and pacify themselves ritually’ the party ‘could not take up any campaign activity in [any of] the 942 towns and villages under the Okyeman council.’ Chief Linguist to Okyehene warned, adding that ‘๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฑ … ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต [๐๐ต๐ฒ๐] ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐.’
At last, the NDC led by its national executives including the Chairman, Samuel Ofoso-Ampofo; Second Vice Chairperson, Betty Mould Iddrisu; Emmanuel Victor Smith, and the foul-mouthed Secretary, Kwame Zu; had to throng the Ofori Panin Fie, the Seat of Okyeman Traditional Council at Kyebi to render unqualified apology to the Okyehene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin. Recall that it took an intervention of Okyenhemaa Nana Dokua for Kwame Zu’s fine to be reduced from 98 sheep to 48 sheep and 48 schnapps to purity the stool at Okyeman Bosam Bouso before the party and Zu was forgiven.
I thought we would learn lessons. ‘๐๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฎ’, ‘๐๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ’, ‘๐๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ’, ‘๐๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐๐ฒ-๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ผ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ’, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐, etc. has done this or that, is this and that should be a worry for all who despise tribal bigotry.
Yes! We can criticise and call names, but never should we associate people’s tribe to names and adjectives especially those that are derogatory in nature. We have had politicians being called names before, but no such links were or are made to their tribes. We never head of ‘๐๐ผ๐ป๐ท๐ฎ ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐’, ‘๐๐ผ๐ป๐ท๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐’, ‘๐๐ผ๐ป๐ท๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น’, ๐ผ๐ฟ ‘๐๐ผ๐ป๐ท๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฎ ๐ก๐ผ’. Even as I equally condemn insults on politically exposed persons who have rendered service to this nation, the absence of tribal tag in ‘incompetent’, ‘dead goat’, or ‘papa no’ calls for less worry. Those issues are pretty political than tribal.
I sit down and imagine how we will feel if Haruna Iddrisu becomes president one day and people continue to tag everything about him with Dagbon. I imagine how I will feel when he and other Dagomba appointees are tagged as ‘The Dagomba Mafia President’, the ‘Dagombas State Capture’, ‘The Dagomba Sakawa Deal’ etc. It might have to take recitation of a Qur’anic verse or Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to calm my anger at such persons making those derogatory remarks and associating same with my tribe.
I certainly will be uncomfortable if NDC comes to power one day and John Mahama is called derogatory names with Gonja attached to it; or Hon. Adongo becomes an appointee and is being called derogatory names with Frafra attached to it. And I definitely will not wish such a thing for any tribe in Ghana.
Dear NDC, by attacking the tribe of you political opponent, you are endangering our oneness as a unified Nation. Not only that, you are endangering your votes from among people of that tribe. You can't tell me that NDC does not need Akyems vote. So separate Akufo-Addo's tribe from his person, as a president, a political figure or a political opponent. Do same for Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea and Ken Ofori Attah. That attitude will not add any vote to NDC in the 2020 elections. It is not a power rescuing strategy. For goodness sake, you are an opponent to their political party (NPP) or political ideology or respective persons. You are not an opponent to your political opponents’ tribe.
This piece of advice is not for sale. It is free. It costs nothing except a change of direction in the political discourse of the great NDC. However, rejecting this costless piece could cost the party heavily in the 2020 elections and beyond. The unity and oneness of our beautiful Ghana may not be spared.
Sorry for hurting you with this unsolicited advice!
Voice of a Ghanaian Voter from ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐น๐ถ.
๐๐๐๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐จ๐๐จ (๐บ๐ฟ. ๐๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ผ๐ป)
[31.08.2020] Tel: 024-042-3100
Email: [email protected]