Kofi Wayo, the man of the people!

Kofi Wayo, the man of the people!

Kofi Wayo is a no-nonsense man who works as a spokesperson for the ordinary Ghanaians for no charge. He has availed himself to rhapsodise tempestuously for the feeble voices which are never heard. His entire life has been dedicated to lamentations for basic needs to the ordinary Ghanaians: three square meals, shelter, water, electricity, named them.

He is a politician and founder of the United Renaissance Party but did not contest as a flagbearer in the last elections for strategic reasons. He is a high-profile business tycoon and allegedly in arms trade. I can remember him said, arms business is not bad and besides, guns do not kill human beings; human beings kill human beings in an interview with Paul Odum-Otchere on Metro TV.

Unfortunately, most people consider him as noisemaker and offensive; a very unfortunate opinion. This short-sighted opinion of some Ghanaians about this selfless man is baffling and annoying. Granted that he is a noisemaker, methinks we should join him in the cacophony for his ideas and views are always pro-commoners.

Mr. Wayo is a self-made man and he owns companies far away in America. No bad policy whatsoever from any government can take away comforts from his life. Policies are made to effect change in the life of the disadvantaged in the society. For instance, what sense does National Health Insurance Scheme makes to him when he can afford to treat himself overseas?

Wayo is down-to-earth man of our times and his Zongo Nima boys have attested it. Unlike Kofi Wayo, people who have made it big in life have nearly turned themselves into demigods. But he is an exception as he mingles with people of all social standing.

Mr. Wayo contributed tremendously to the victory of the erstwhile Kufour-led NPP governments as he (Wayo) embarks on an evangelical mission to unpopularise the then ruling NDC government under Ft Lit (Retd.) Jerry John Rawlings. He nearly thrashed the NDC into quagmire beyond redemption.

Many Ghanaians believed that this man was sponsored by the then opposition NPP government to subject the then ruling NDC to all forms of offensive, swear and taboo words, but he proved Ghanaians wrong.

Barely six months in Kufour's government had he (Wayo) publicized that the men around Kufour was pulling him down. And indeed, Mr. Kufour who entered office as “Black Gentle-Giant” left office as “Black Devil”.

The venom Wayo spewed on the NPP government was wild and blackening: he re-named the NPP as a criminal organisation headed by a Black Monster. Indeed, he has succeeded in making the NPP as a damaged commodity to Ghanaians.

This man stands for the hoi polloi and if truly he makes noise, then we must help him to make the noise. If he was into politics for his stomach, he would have connived and condoned with the NPP in their eight years of lootocracy.

I strongly believe that no political machinations whatsoever can gag or desecrate Mr. Kofi Wayo's conscience from speaking about the bad. He blasted the NDC; he slaughtered the NPP. The propensity to pounce again on the NDC is not a big deal for him.

Mr. Wayo is a radicalist or progressivist whose thoughts and ideas many a times are impracticable and utopian, but I will entreat the government to always sieve his ideas for the best.

I believe our nation needs such no-nonsense personalities in high-profile positions to crucify corrupt government officials. I think it time we reconsidered our mind of Mr. Kofi Wayo for I believe he can be an exception to the rule of great talkers being little doers. It is my conviction that we, the “second” citizens can support him in the noise-making to effect considerable mark down of insensitivity of gluttonous politicians.

Paul: Do you have confidence in the President Mills government?

Wayo: Yes, but the people around him are trying to pull him down and we will fight them.

This ensued between Paul Odum-Otchere and Kofi Wayo on “Good Evening Ghana” programme on Metro TV on June 30.

Mr. Wayo made similar pronouncements few months into Kufour-led government, but the demons around Mr. Kufour was beyond his capacity and he quits. Now, President Mills should take cue from this and nib the precipitating uglies from his crawling government.

Mr. Wayo, keep the flames burning!

Abdulai Hanan R. Confidence
Nurses' Training College, Tamale
Tertiary Institutions Network
[[email protected]]