VooDoo CHild "We did not know" what happened in the North. Raising telescope to a blind eye.

That gun is useless as a thruster

A story goes that a secondary school in Sekondi set up a cadet corp and wanted rifles to practise for their big parade. They turned to that breeding ground for men, Ghana Secondary Technical School, GSTS for help. GSTS had an established Army Cadet Corp and an armoury stocked with the British Enfield rifle that saw action in World War II. These guns were just like an improved form of the local muskets we call kafugbeng but with magazines.

The firing pins in the Enfields rifles at GSTS armoury were long removed rendering them useless for combat. Removing the firing pin from a gun is like removing the fuel injection system or carburetor from a carʼs engine. It is like putting a man in a situation that makes him think, "maybe if I take 10 pills of that magic blue pill at once, it would help" It would not, that gun is useless as a thruster; as the GSTS kafugbengs that could not even fire blanks. That however did not stop the Tarkoradi police from intercepting the vehicle carrying the guns from GSTS.

Whether they were tipped off, whether someone at the Tʼadi police command did not get his share of other transfers, the most important thing was that the police did their job and stopped a transfer of arms that was not properly authorised and documented, even if those arms were impotent. The fact remained, you could always reinstall firing pins just as you could reinstall a carburetor. There is always hope for man in the gun department and it is why the they refused to put telescope to a blind eye.

"Dem kill Ya Naa o"

"Charley trouble for the North, be like dem wan get Ya Naa o."( )"Dem no fit get am, that man too be powerful. Dem wan start tribal war be dat" That was a telephone conversation between VooDoo Child and another journalist then still residing in Ghana a week prior to Ya Naaʼs assassination. When the phone rang again and it showed International call from Ghana, readying oneself for the worse news was inevitable "VooDoo Child, dem kill Yaa Naa o Charley," the journalist friend said.

Who are the "dem" is a fair question to ask. Is it the person or persons who physically killed the king, the people who ordered it, the people who supported it, the people who wanted to take his place, the government of the day, the local government or Ya Naaʼs activities? The other questions, who put the telescope to the blind eye, who were the half blind people, who looked the other way while a crime was being committed? Find the answer to the other questions and bingo.

When crime flourishes in an area, one thing people surely do not see is the hand of the police, lawyers, judges, local and state officials. The hand of the very people tasked to prevent and stop crime and protect the people. Which judge was it that allegedly boasted and mentioned all the people in the law enforcement chain including the police and state prosecutorʼs office that he had to bribe to redirect a case. This situation is hardly unique to Ghana. When the Chicago mob was busted, the list of " half blinded" officials was that long and surprising and included, judges, police, congressmen, state attorneys, and city officials who got indicted.

"We Did Not Know"

The official story about inaction in ensuring the Ya Naʼs safety was that "we did not know." Makes us think of the first official story that occurred more than a century ago that gave birth to a famous idiom that also translates into the "did not know" excuse. Half blind English naval officer Admiral Horatio Nelson at the battle of Copenhagen was ordered to withdraw via a flag signal. Nelson lifted the telescope and put it to the blind eye, and "did not" see it. He won the battle anyway leaving people to wonder what would have happened had he "seen" the signal

So the Taadi police could intercept the transfer of useless arms being carried out by students because of security concerns. Questions still loom about Ya Naaʼs death and how to settle matters arising from that unfortunate event. Then there is that war that war referred to as the stupidest war in 2001. National Defense Council Foundation a US defence watchdog concluded that ``what should have been a quarrel between two young men over an act of vandalism escalated into a renewed fight between two ethnic groups,'' the Mamprusi and Kusasi.It actually started over a guinea fowl we were told.

Backtrack to 1994 when VooDoo Child had nightmares after good friend Lt. Anthony Gbadago was killed while on peacekeeping duties in the Kokomba Nanumba war. He was killed by his own countrymen while his mate another young lieutenant, who also lost his life at the hands of his own countrymen a week earlier was being buried. Two gallant soldiers, one alma mata St. Pauls Secondary School. That war was a repeat of that which occurred in the early 80's. Then there was the Gonja Vagla war in the late 70's. Now compare the Tarkoradi police actions to that of all security agencies and security capos responsible for ensuring peace in the Northern Region. Rest in peace all gallant soldiers, security officers who went to keep peace in their beloved country Ghana and were killed. Rest in peace all the innocent victims who were killed by their own country people; black African Ghanaians, actively or inactively or half blind.

"look whoʼs talking, we never armed militias like the PNDC days"

The picture is wide now. The biggest region in Ghana accommodating volcanoes that could erupt anytime. Yet, according to officials, these volcanoes were so invisible as to assume the character of a needle in a haystack. So who is half blind, who has been half blinded or who is pretending to be half blind to events leading to the unrest in Tamale where a major partyʼs vice-presidential candidate was fired upon, and the armed clashes in the Gushiegu? Well, Owura Jerry must know because he went to town and the towners retorted, "look whoʼs talking, we never armed militias like the PNDC days" the town spokes man said.

Maybe the old guy was recalling the activities of some macho men while wielding the bling State Sword. Remember Corporal Azaglo? This man could mount road blocks with boys under his command, wielding AK 47s and disappoint all the people who thought they had swindled the state out of import duties. Azaglo grew so powerful and was feared by regular security agencies because they thought he had protection from the colonial mansion. One fine Sunday, it was officially reported that Azaglo had been apprehended at the Jerusalem, by the old guy himself. Aah, Jack Bebli who pretended to be blind to an armed robbery he actually planned. "Jack Bebbli suffering from stroke told a news man then when the heat was on "look at me, do you think I will do that?" Oh, he did alright and was jailed, by the old manʼs people along with his accomplices, people with guns who were not regular members of the security agencies.

it could be renamed the SouSoudis and Kwame Addo search

So Nana Ohene Ntow may have been right about unauthorized guns authorised under the previous administration but did not his people embark on an exercise to seize all unregistered arms in the country? The search was so wide it could be renamed, the Sousoudis and Kwame Addo search. These two accounted for all the guns in the country the exercise was called off after the police dealt with them. Now we know Sousoudis along with Kwame Addo may have released more arms into the Tamale municipality and Gushiegu Karaga area to cause the unrest. Those were the only people found with guns during that search in 2001 no?

They turned a blind eye to the order to submit all guns to the police or military then. Maybe they were the blinded culprits this time again. Or did someone ask for the resignation of the Defence Minister? He is not half blind is he? Find the telescope, then find all the half blind people in government, the presidency and security agencies, then what?