It all started as a result of ourselves agitating saying “we want a King, we
want a King” as if the King is full of honey to be distributed to every citizen
free of charge or that “money will be put into the pocket of every one without
any discrimination.” Oh Africa the land of my birth how far you have come? Any
time I hear any crook news about my continent, I bow my head in shame and
whisper in wordless supplication and ask “until when will the Blackman be truly
free from all iniquities?
I don’t know if we have been created differently with our unique
characteristics or whatever way we were being created and later transmogrified
ourselves into something else. Our brothers and only sisters in South Africa
will sing vaguely “Freedom is coming tomorrow” as if the true freedom from
oppression, the freedom of being on our own land, that our own brother(s) will
never think bad about us or even plot to kill against us. Our own brothers were
nurtured against us either by the wicked colonialists including Satan, the devil
that has no place to, but looking for the innocence God created beings to
devour. Oh what a world of darkness!
In a book by the man of the people, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, “I Speak of
Freedom” outlining the canker of imperialism of being under the selfish and
wicked whites. He called for unity from across the length and breadth of Africa
to entirely fight colonialism in order to unite Africa to be an autonomous state
devoid of brutalities and slavery. There were some who really understood him to
unite for change, but others who thought as if freedom was hanging somewhere
rumbling in tongues “hiraa ya baba kro lolo kaka bobo yanderey maya koro” that a
Prophet would have to go the apex of the mountain to meet God to receive freedom
and later spread it did not progress and protested instead.
I cannot fathom that indeed “civilization has kicked us in the face.” Fifty
years of being independent, we are still begging for survival, fifty years of
being freed they still colonize us intellectually, fifty years of existence we
cannot boast of the true “African Unity.” Oh Africa my motherland, the land of
the Blacks what has befallen thee?
The non-development in Africa should be blamed on the so-called leaders we have
had for the past fifty years (except a few). Leadership among us is seen as a
means to amass wealth for ourselves (the leader and the family only) and not to
serve the ordinary poor man who by dint of hard work, but with low remuneration
pays taxes meant for development but to see the boss deep his five fingers into
the basket free of charge and go escort free. Some leaders see the position as a
means of showing oneself, intimidating others, given commandments, wearing
expensive clothes, attending the so-called executive meetings here and there.
Poor Africa.
These stomach politicians as I always refer to them have nothing good for the
African brother. The leaders do not or little think about our well being because
if they indeed think about our spiritual and physical well being, they will not
be forcing themselves over us as our leaders, rather they will know better that
democracy lies in the hands of the poor so the poor must decide for themselves
at the polls who should lead them to the long awaited Promised Land that Moses
was to take the Israelites.
During elections, the will of the people is always trampled upon. The will of
the poor people is always the will of the lunatics parading themselves as our
leaders. In elections why do people buy the conscience of the people to vote for
them, why do they show pretentious gestures to the poor that they care for them
whiles they previously see the poor dies in suffering? It is during elections
that money flies like tattered clothes especially if one is a foot soldier or a
delegate. It is only elections time that one sees the “big men” visiting the
poor and vulnerable of no-go areas by the ‘big men,” it is only during elections
that one sees candidates becoming Angel Michael and Angel Gabriel promising
bountiful blessings to secure the interest of the ordinary poor. Wicked brother!
It was of no reason that I fell in love with the statement by Kwame Pianim and
even published an article entitled “In defense of Kwame Pianim and co” and went
beyond boundaries to defend it. Mr. Pianim said any idiot can become a
flag-barer and those who the cart fit condemned him just because he said the
truth. Instead of the people to study and analyze it and to find out what the
repecurssions are, they rather refused, because they have a wrong stored
knowledge of him. When at all shall we sit down to analyze things and
distinguish between the wrong from the right one. That will be the genesis of
our progress for ever and ever. The problem in Africa today is not lack of money
or poverty; it is the sort of leaders we choose, not willingly or blindly to
lead us onto the Promised Land. A land they simply do not know the road to take
for success forgetting that any “fool” can become a politician.
The devil in my PC is not the lack of money in my pocket or what I will benefit,
but it is what is happening in our sister country Cote D’voire. Refusal to
accept the outcome of the elections result in this regard is disturbing and must
be stopped before it degenerates into something else because issue ignored is
crises assured for sure. Should there be any civil war, it is going to put
burden on the other neighboring countries because the innocent will be fighting
for survival including the two candidates which are Laurent Ghagbo, and Alassane
OuattaraShould it happen you will never find these two Political animals at the
war front, they will probably fly peacefully somewhere. This is true because
politicians never go to the war front. They will cause the conflict and sit far
away for the mess to happen.
Mr. Gbogbo and Alassane Ouattara,please with all respect, eschew all differences
and accept the result for your beloved citizens to ease their tensions and go on
with their daily activities. They can no more stand any chance of atrocities of
no fault of theirs. Set the example for us your followers to follow. Learn from
Ghana’s for President Jerry John Rawlings and Former President John Agyekum
Kufour. It is frustrating when these unwanted behaviours are still ongoing in
Africa.
This should be a very good lesson to you two and for that matter Africa in
general. When there is an election, campaign and explain to the electorate what
you will be able to do at the stipulated periods due you and appeal to their
conscience through lobbying and not through criminal vote buying and
intimidations and above all you allow the will of the people reflects in the
outcome of the polls and there you may see how you went during the campaign.
Elections rigging do not make you a leader. If you do not have the mandate of
the people you will always find it difficult to execute your agendas for growth
and prosperity. Probably if you do not win today you may win tomorrow.
For former President Jerry John Rawlings did not refuse to hand over power after
his military rule and the civilian rule to Former President Kufour who also
handed over power to incumbent President John Attah Mills, who will also hand
over power in due time to come. After all, no condition is permanent and the
presidency is not like the one party type where the candidate elected will never
hand over power probably until his death or distoolment. There is always a
possibility for the other candidate to come to power at the appropriate time if
only the electorates find him or her appropriate to be a leader.
President John Attah Mills once said he was a serial loser but now has been
elected a president. When God makes one a leader, for ever one is a leader no
matter what goes on. Former President Kufour suffered thrice as a flag-barer and
twice presidential candidate before he was given the mandate of eight good years
to demonstrate his leadership skills. One reason that beckons former Prez Kufour
to my heart is during the 2008 Elections, when the results were pending and
there was tension all over, he came out boldly to say he was ready to hand over
power. Even though it attracted some buzz from the camp of his party members.
This clearly shows his democratic maturity and his bid to allow peace to
prevail. Likewise for President Rawlings did not say that even though his
groomed party candidate John Mills lost, he will not hand over power.
Once the people have spoken they have spoken and absolutely, there is nothing
one can do as a true democrat except one wants the power for personal gains. It
has being alleged that both Presidential candidates in Cote D’voire rig the
election in one way or the other and both of them came out to substantiate this
by accusing one another for rigging. Because the two of them rigged the
election, there is no way one can say the elections result should not be
declared because both of them knew very well that it will not be right to do so
and if done it is going to cause chaos all over the country. If they had allowed
for free and fair elections, this acrimony would never have been smelt by an
ant.
In fact I if you ask me I will say that, the international communities should
compel the Electoral Commission of Cote D’voire to declare the results without
adhering to any true or false claims by the two candidates and should any of
them protest there should be a thirty-year house arrests for the folk to learn
from. A country does not belong to one particular person but rather belongs to
all citizens devoid of any political differences. “When two horses fight it is
the grass that suffers the injury”. Yes an angry dog can only be chained from
harming people.
Our independence from the wicked and selfish colonialists should not be a curse
but a blessing for us because our forefathers, who fought for freedom, do not
mean it this or that way. They want us to be happy and feel like true Africans-
free from suppressions, brutalities, slavery and so on and so forth. They never
fought for freedom for us to be killers of our own selves, but to be a shelter
for one another. I feel sad within me when I see a fellow Blackman treating his
own Blackman like a slave just because one is poor and one is rich. Oh let us
not welcome this wickedness among us. Say no to slavery and brutalities on the
soil of Africa.
The Nkrumaist boy from Volta Region where I am proud to hail from is only asking
for peace and prosperity in Africa in order to shame the devil. Monsieur Laurent
Gbagbo and his brother, Alassane Ouattara“a word to wise is enough.”
Comrade Bright Selasie Yao Avornyo
[email protected]