One Good Turn Deserves Another

The Akans say, “If somebody does you good, the person has in one way or the other disturbed you.” The reason is that you are also obliged to reciprocate. That is why the White man says, one good turn deserves another.

The recent NPP Presidential flagbearership election speaks a lot. Mr. John Mahama had told Ghanaians that if Dr. Bawumia decided to join the race, the NPP delegates will vote against him because he is a Northerner, and the NPP which he said is an Akan party does not like Northerners.

Results of the election tuned out to prove that Mr. Mahama is a palpable liar and a total disgrace as someone who had been the president of this land of our birth before. Delegates from all the Akan speaking regions voted massively for Dr. Bawumia except the Central Region where Kennedy Agyapong hails from, and where Dr. Bawumia was able to garner six thousand votes against Kennedy Agyapong's 10,000 votes. So where is the truth in Mahama's infantile assertion?

The results of the NPP Presidential primaries have put a heavy burden on the shoulders of the Northerners. If I say Northerners, I want to refer to Upper West, Upper East and the other Northern Regions because the people there are all Ntafuor or Pepefuor. The NDC successfully knocked the heads of the Akans against the Northerners simply because they wanted political power.

They lied to the Northerners that the NPP is an Akan party and that the Akans do not respect the Northerners. It was all a divide and rule communist inferior tactics. The lies did sink in, so since 1992, the people of all the Northern Regions, including zongo communities across the country, where most Northerners dwell, saw the NPP as their enemies.

Things started to change when former President Kufuor chose the late Alhaji Aliu Mahama, a Northerner as his running mate and the duo went ahead to win the 2000 Presidential Election, hands down. Things dramatically improved when Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo too chose Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate and the two worked so hard to win the respect of the Northerners, who voted for them.

For the second time around, two Northerners and Muslims from the NPP stock became the Vice Presidents of Ghana thereby, putting to rest the vile and dirty propaganda that the NPP is an Akan party. But will Mallam John let the sleeping dog alone? He will not because he has no message but to lie through his teeth. His lust for political power is unquenchable and he will do and say anything to be in power again if even Rome burns and the sea dries up.

The Asantes in particular have four passions which they don't joke with. Their obedience and love for the Otumfuo and the Golden Stool; their love, total support and commitment to the New Patriotic Party; their near crazy love for Kumasi Asante Kotoko; and their lust for their Star Beer. If such a proud Akan tribe could forsake their kinsmen like Akoto Osei and Addai Nimo and vote massively for a Northerner, in the person of Dr. Bawumia, then there is something many of us cannot tell but can guess.

The UP political tradition is anchored on Danquah, Busia and Dombo dynasties even though the Ashanti Region is the heartbeat of the tradition. The Busia dynasty has had two slots at the presidency, being Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia and Mr. Agyekum Kufuor. The Danquah dynasty has their own in the person of the current president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

So it stands to reason that the Dombo dynasty must be given a chance, hence the massive votes for Dr. Bawumia. Politics has more to do about strategy than sloganeering and vitriolic invectives – the trademark of the NDC.

The multimillion dollar question is: Will the Northerners seize the opportunity and season to honour Dombo by voting massively for the NPP, come 2024, considering the fact that Dombo is their kinsman who played a very pivotal role in the UP? The answer is YES. They have no choice but to work together beyond human endurance to make their dream come to reality, irrespective of whatever political party they belong to.

Honour is beckoning so Northerners should grab it with two hands. By now the zongo communities across the length and breath of Ghana have come to realise that the Akans do not hate them. That is why they should throw overboard the lies of the NDC that the NPP is Akan party.

But and a big BUT, if the Northerners disappoint the Akans in the 2024 General Election, that will be the last time they will ever get the flagbearership slot. The People of the Volta Region have been constantly voting for the NDC since 1992 because they have the feeling that it was their kinsman, J.J Rawlings who founded the party so the party belongs to Voltarians.

When the tenure of Rawlings ended and the late Professor Mills took over, the good old Professor was mysteriously killed by some unseen hands. His death is still a mystery yet to be unraveled. Maybe one day, Koku Anyidoho will spill the beans since he was too close to the meek and mild late president. For now we can only continue to listen to the conspiracy theorists.

There are more questions than answers as far as the death of the Asomdwehene is concerned. People who contributed to the mysterious death of the former president will forever live with disturbed conscience. Fantes have been treated badly by the NDC. Look at what happened to Ekow Nkensen Arkah, the former Vice President who was mercilessly beaten by Rawlings at a cabinet meeting and later killed by yet to be identified tipper truck, which crossed his way as he and his driver were driving home.

Have you ever heard any NDC communicator speaking about the achievements of Atta Mills for the three years that he ruled Ghana? Everything is about Mahama, and Mahama is everything. Fantes have to rethink this party called National Democratic Congress! As for John Mahama, the truth is that the EC of Ghana has never proclaimed him as an elected president. He inherited the presidency when Prof. Mills died (Or was he killed?). The next time when he did run, it took Justice William Atuguba and four other Supreme Court judges to declare him the winner.

In fact, it was virtually a split decision by the nine Supreme Court Judges that made Mr. Mahama the president of Ghana. And yet he still goes around with the “President-Elect” tag fixed on his lapel coat, refusing to accept defeat and congratulate President Akufo-Addo, three years after his total defeat. And he continues to drag the name of the Supreme Court of Ghana in the mud even though it was the same Supreme Court which declared him the winner in 2012.

To Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia

Hit the road running like a Ford Expedition 4X4 car speeding from the office of Kananzoe, the Burkina Faso road contractor to the residence of John Dramani Mahama. You are not walking into an easy or enviable situation. The whole world is reeling under economic hardship and Ghana is not an island. You have taken seven years to do your prep and surely you are ready. Your critics have sharpened their venomous teeth, ready to strike. But always remember you will do better if you choose to ignore them than when you pay attention to them. It is possible because the battle is still the Lord's. How I wish you will read this!!!

By Eric Bawah