An Open Letter To The Honourable Minister Of Education-Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman: ‘Let Me Not Cry On The Day Of Your Death’. Not Again Prof’…

Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang

Dearest Professor,

Its' would have been obviously quite unusual for me to have come to you in this manner barely six years ago. But today politics has made it the obvious. Again, I have also come to empathise with perpetual excellence; one that you emphatically represent.

Know that I am also no fan of yours, much to talk of being an associate. The last time I checked, the closet I ever came into contact with you even in my four years within the confines of the University of Cape Coast was in 2008. When you opened the 2008 Kwame Nkrumah Memorial lectures and you introduced the inaugural speaker-to be the former President of Tanzania.

Truly, Mr Benjamin William Mkapa was such luminosity and inspiration. I could not wait than to anxiously listen to him throughout and to catch a delightful glimpse of him anytime he was leaving the podium. I admired his delivery, language, content and his connection with the audience. Interestingly I have kept closely, copies of his addresses for my edification.

Unlike today where a president is being hailed for standing on his feet to deliver a 3-page address; the very essence he is being justified for the unguarded jokes, 'Old' Mkapa stood on his feet to deliver a 20-page lecture for three consecutive days. In all these I never saw a student sleep nor walk out of boredom. The room was always packed. Even those of us who went to the auditorium merely to witness ended up attending the lectures throughout.

Most importantly President Mkapa never said 'tweaa' neither did he use any ''local expletive''. He never called on us to listen. May be perhaps it was a serious business.

Ever since, I have wished you would stay long to continue bringing such intellect to academia. But just as it has been handed down, ''man proposes but God disposes''. Again you seem to have had an interest I was never conscious of.

As you may care to know good Professor, I have never read that much. Not even up to your quarter. You are still a tower and a knowledge preserve to many of us young people. Even my communication skills course was much more a battle; that not even your book “A Handbook for Writing Skills”, unlocked my comprehension. Sincerely, I am yet to know what that book represents.

But then even the little I have read, I have kept them so well that I have often referred to them. Perhaps this is the time for you to read ''Faust'' by Johann Goethe. That is if you have not done so. Then you will understand and perhaps realise how a ''good doctor attempts to do good but in the end commits evil by''.

Clearly, I do not doubt your competence as a minister and in transforming Ghana's education. But just as you may have realised, politics in Ghana is very much misguided. This alone has been enough to derail the good thinking path of many and has wrecked the success of many intellectuals. Left to me alone you will leave it to them. Left to me alone you dedicate yourself to the intellectual growing and mentoring of my generation.

I have also not lived that long. But then I have lived enough to know that politics in Ghana is dirty. I have also known situations where noble and astute men and women with fine academic and professional standings have been slaughtered on the 'altar of political indecision'.

Let not your thoughts escape Mr Joe Reindorf-a man described as ''one of the most brilliant and successful lawyers in the country then''. Thanks to literature anyway. 'Learned' Reindorf was taken out of cabinet by virtue of his demotion as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to the Ministry of Local Government and Cooperatives. This as history has it, was done through ''the reshuffle of September 30, 1981, under the Limann government''. Let not politics trap you in this 'tango'.

Prof, it happens. That we can be everything; but let not also lose sight of the fact we cannot be made of everything not even on the basis of how successful we have been in our field of endeavour.

Ever since your appointment, I have wondered why a good professor would want to end up in polarised politics of Ghana. As you may have known now the education sector is tough and critical. We have all been witnesses to the numerous labour agitations that have confronted your administration. The sector still seems not to be driven on a clear path. Today you are confronted with the saga of free Senior High School-be it Day or Boarding or both; whatever the semantics may be.

Reports seem to indicate that this has been imposed on you. You are even reported to not being preview to how funds will be raised to implement the initiative. Yet the Presidency claim everything has been well calculated and that you are fully in charge. Kindly, let them not devour you. I am told some of them have sharp teeth.

Yes we all owe this country responsibility. We owe it sympathy; but surely not one for the Devil. As in the end we may all be evil even in our good intentions.

Please do not fall prey to the trap of the many zealots engulfed in contemporary Ghanaian politics. Who as John T Rorke state ''are convinced of the truth of their own views''.

Wondering who I am? Well the choice still remains yours Professor. But know that I have cried once. And that left to me alone it will be my very last.

Till I come to you again please note that I am there, always looking out for you.

Regards

Ben....