Finally, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. Is Recognised

Comrade Kwesi Pratt Jnr. is a man of many parts a Pan byAfricanist, journalist, politician, lecturer, entrepreneur and, above all, a field commander of demonstrations.

Comrades Cabral Blay-Amihere, Kwaku Baako, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Haruna Atta and others were the thorns that tormented Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings and the PNDC. Almost all of them were Nkrumahists and editors of newspapers and tabloids.

These gallant journalists knew the dangers associated with challenging a military regime. They were resolute in their fight against the military junta and paid dearly for their convictions, being thrown into prison several times. That never deterred them. They continued with the struggle until the ban on political parties was lifted and, eventually, the Fourth Republic was born, with Rawlings becoming President on the ticket of the NDC.

Those gallant men were not happy with President Jerry John Rawlings' metamorphosis into a constitutional president. They joined forces with opposition parties to relentlessly fight President Rawlings and the NDC government.

They eventually formed the Alliance for Change (AFC). That vehicle was used for the series of Kume Preko and other demonstrations. It was during these demonstrations that Comrade Kwesi Pratt earned the title of "Field Commander of Demonstrations." He was always at the forefront of the demonstrators, with the other leaders following behind him a role in which he distinguished himself creditably.

Finally, President Jerry John Rawlings and the NDC lost power to President John Agyekum Kufuor and the NPP in 2000. The expectation of the Ghanaian citizenry was that the new government would provide flawless governance. Unfortunately, Ghanaians were disappointed with aspects of the new administration.

Comrade Kwesi Pratt Jnr and Kwaku Baako declined political appointments from President John Kufuor, while Cabral Blay-Amihere accepted an ambassadorial position, which he discharged with distinction. Kwaku Baako became an unofficial spokesperson for the NPP and defended almost every policy of the NPP government. Because he was very livid with President Rawlings, his objectivity appeared to have been affected. It was only Comrade Kwesi Pratt Jnr who continued to stand out in his criticism of President Kufuor's administration.

Surprisingly, the threats and attacks he faced were far from pleasant. Deliberate and naked lies were churned out to destroy his credibility and reputation. Fortunately for him, he regularly featured on several radio stations and forcefully used those platforms to exonerate himself.

Sadly, the person who served as a conduit for spreading some of those wicked allegations was later tormented by his conscience and publicly confessed. He claimed that someone in President Kufuor's government had taken advantage of his financial vulnerability and assigned him the task of spreading those allegations against Kwesi Pratt Jnr

Kwesi Pratt Jnr who was once regarded as a darling of sections of the NPP leadership, eventually became an arch-rival because he refused to become a stooge of the NPP government. It was also alleged that the Internal Revenue Service accused him of failing to comply with his tax obligations and descended on his newspaper with a tax audit at a time when the newspaper was struggling financially.

Kwesi Pratt Jnr who exhibited great journalistic qualities, was never considered for the Best Journalist of the Year award. We live in a country where courage, principles, honesty and integrity sometimes appear to be treated as taboos. Anyone who dares to exhibit these qualities may be punished, while blind loyalty attracts favours and recognition.

Despite all the pain Kwesi Pratt went through, he was magnanimous towards the alleged perpetrators of his suffering. Sadly, Kwaku Baako allowed the pain he experienced to cloud his judgement, and eventually, his contributions towards the democratic rule became greatly diluted.

Kwesi Pratt bears no grudge. Even to this day, some political actors remain unhappy with his style of politics and journalism.

The doctorate honour conferred on Comrade Kwesi Pratt Jnr was, therefore, a fitting recognition of a man who was once ostracised and vilified by a political organisation that he had contributed to bringing into government.

His journey is a reminder that principles, courage and independence often come at a cost, but they can leave an enduring mark on a nation's democratic history.

Mike Kalley
Sociopolitical Analyst.