Of Pettiness and the NDC

When Madam Fatima Salifu joked during some light-heartedmoments with friends that when you see an NPP person, you would know; and whenyou see an NDC person, they don't need to point him out to you, few understoodwhat she meant. I certainly did not, and needing not to risk attractingattention to myself, I clutched my handbag and walked away. This was back inMay of 2010 during one of my visits home. It was not until this past month thatI understood what Madam Salifu meant.

The venue was Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region on SaturdayJuly 2, 2011. I had attended the funeral of honorable Adusah who was a former memberof the Council of State. The display of pettiness was startling to me becauseof all the places that one would want to play politics, I would not haveimagined that some people would stoop as low as using the final farewell to anelder who served his country well to play trivial politics.

I give them credit; the NDC showed up first. Their memberssat together and chatted normally as would any group of attendees to a funeral.When time came for funeral contribution, members of the NDC strangely sat thereas if they were not going to make their donation. That was a bit surprisingsince it has become customary for political parties to attend the funeral offamous people and make their donation.

On this day, I had worn a new pair of shoes that was givingme problems. They were a bit tight so I frequently had to bend down from myseat to adjust it. It was during one of these stoops that someone knocked meover. Although it was not announced over the Public Address system, word hadgotten around that NPP presidential candidate Nana Akuf0-Addo had arrived intown. The pandemonium that ensued, of which I was a victim, was indescribable,with people tramping over others in a mad rush to get a glimpse.

Finally, Nana Akufo-Addo arrived at the funeral grounds, madehis donation of 50 million Old Cedis, stayed for some five minutes and leftwith the considerate explanation that he did not want to become a distractionfrom the funeral proceedings. Soon thereafter, the NDC delegation promptlystood up, donated (get this) 51 million Old Cedis, and also sought theirpermission to leave.

Now someone help me out here. Why 51 million Cedis; why waituntil the NPP donation before making theirs? Was it to make a statement? What statementis that? As I sat there with my jaw dropping stare at their heels, all I couldthink of was Madam Fatima Salifu's comments. Indeed they don't need to point anNDC man to you; you can spot them by their behavior