Has J.A. Kufuor become Rawlings’ Kaakaamotobi?

Former presidents Rawlings and Kufuor need to reconcile

For some time now, it has been very difficult for me, and I believe a good number of people out there, to understand what at all is causing the two former presidents, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor and Mr. Jeremiah John Rawlings, of our great nation Ghana in a beautiful coast of West Africa not to see eye to eye wherever they meet?

Suppose they were young guys and not married one may be attempted to think that 'one has snatched the others' girlfriend', or one is jealous about the others' great achievement in life by way of his higher learning, acquisition of wealth, luxurious life style and what have you. But all these great persons have grown gray hairs, successful men with hard working women behind them. ,

When they were struggling in the pool of politics to win the general elections, their behavior was blamed on politics as many of us described it as a dirty game where you have to destroy your opponent before you can conquer him, so probably that was why they were not seeing eye to eye.

It is surprising that even though they have each served two successive terms as presidents of Ghana, their attitudes have not changed as they continue to throw missiles at each other anytime they feel like to the discomfort of Ghanaians.

You may agree with me that the tempo or the simmering tension has been watered down just by the fact that Mr. J.A. Kufuor has decided to remain calm as promised at the recent NPP's delegate conference at Accra. He wants to live the rest of his life as a statesman by using appropriate medium to air his views on decisions taken by the government and not just go about throwing insults at any Thom, Dick and Harry as former president J.J. Rawlings seem to be doing now.

Some of us who are far from home but with the help of modern day technology are able to access latest news and events happening back home in Ghana via the internet bow our heads in shame after reading stories about former president Rawlings throwing tantrums at his colleague former president J.A. Kufuor. Sometimes describing Mr Kufuor as "thief, fraudster, armed robber and corrupt".

The actions of Mr Rawlins has portrayed Mr Kufuor as his "Kaakaamotobi" – a scarecrow to him - that is why he keeps on insulting him all the time. In most of the times, he has failed to justify or substantiate his accusations against former President Kufuor. But the old adage says: “He who points accusing fingers at another person, stands to be accused more than the one he is accusing.

Oyiwa! Revelations coming in recent times indicate that Mr. Rawlings who has been pointing accusing fingers at his friend Kufuor may soon be dragged to international human rights court in The Hague for the missing of certain people during his administration as head of state.

Not that alone, the man who says others as corrupt is now being accused as corrupt following the financial malfeasance which took place under his administration as far as the Mabey and Johnson bribery and corruption saga is concerned.

Take a look at what happened between the late president of Zambia Levy Mwanawasa and former president Chiluba who brought Levy down from France and imposed him on Zambians as their president thinking he will cover his bad deeds including serious corruption. But the man of honour stood his grounds to expose corruption and made the seat clean by prosecuting his master Chiluba but he could not live to see the success of his good governance as he pass on while serving in office as president of Zambia.

As we fight hard to develop the country the two former heads of state must be reminded to avoid politics of insults. Here it is seen that former president Kufuor has taken the lead by accepting international appointments and going round the world to contribute towards keeping peace in war-torn areas as well as serving as ambassador for hunger which has kept him out from Ghanaian politics for a while.

Let us find something for former president Rawlings to also do since it is said in Akan language that "se ano da ho kwa a, ekeka nsem" just to wit when the mouth is not busy, it rattles y heart".

Credit: Stephen A. Quaye, Toronto-Canada.