The morning after

After the initial shock and disbelief, the reality dawned on the nation that the unexpected had happened. The nation rose with spontaneity to mourn the death of President John Evans Atta Mills and celebrated his worthy and illustrious life in a fitting manner. From Tuesday, July 24, 2012, when the sad event at the 37 Military Hospital was broken to an astonished nation in a terse statement issued by Mr John Henry Newman, the Chief of Staff at the Castle, to Friday, August 10, 2012, when the late President was given a state funeral, Ghana, perhaps apart from the London Olympic Games, was the focus of the global media. The late President received so much attention, not just because he was the head of state of a country called Ghana, but also as a result of his personality and the manner in which he managed the presidency when he was alive. While some of the copious tributes paid in his memory were done as a matter of duty, many, many others were a true reflection of how the man was seen, known and perceived of by others, whether as schoolmates, a teacher, workmate, fellow politician and the President of the Republic. The eulogies from far and near were unanimous on certain attributes that could not be said to be conjured by some fickle minds that want to play tricks with the people of Ghana. The words: honesty, humility, selflessness and love for others were like constant strings woven into fluid testimonies in President Mills’ favour. These are exceptional qualities that are very rare and could be exploited by close associates on the blind side. In the days, weeks and months to come, we should not be surprised to hear perhaps stories about how our dear departed President became a victim of his trust, confidence and abiding faith in others. Ghana emerged with strong credentials for the smooth and orderly transition, when the President’s death was announced. In other jurisdictions on the continent, under similar conditions things were not likely to go that way. An example just next door will illustrate the point. When President Gnassingbe Eyadema died in February, 2005, the Speaker of the National Assembly who, according to Togo’s 1992 Constitution, was to take over until fresh elections were held, was frustrated when his aircraft was refused landing at the Lome International Airport As part of the grand conspiracy, the Togolese Chief of Army pronounced Eyadema’s son, Faure Gnassingbe as President. This was fiercely resisted from within and without. Following pressure from the international community and resistance by many Togolese, Faure Gnassingbe was forced to step down and the First Deputy Speaker of the Togolese Assembly, Bonfoh Abass was installed President until fresh elections were held in April, 2005, which Gnassingbe won with 60 per cent of the votes. Keeping to the provisions of our constitution to swear in the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, soon after it was confirmed that President Mills had passed away, added to our democratic credentials, which are becoming the standard to measure Africa’s transition from authoritarian regimes to democracies. We did more when the President nominated his preferred candidate for the vacant position of Vice President in the person of Mr Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, who was unanimously approved by Parliament and sworn in accordingly. We have already proved twice that our political landscape is very formidable and cannot be taken for granted. The first was in 2000, when the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by its candidate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills lost to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), led by John Agyekum Kufuor. The second was in 2008, when the NPP, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, with glamour and glitter backed by all the advantages of incumbency, lost to the NDC, led by the now departed President, Prof. Mills. This is how we have come so far and any remote fear that Ghana will slide into a one-party state should be completely obliterated from our minds. The big question is: “Are we benefiting from our democracy?”. The answer may not be an easy yes or no. We can argue that we have tested all the institutions of state power with some considerable success. We have a legislature that is doing its best under trying conditions. We have a judiciary that has so far proved its independence and readiness to interpret the law and the provisions to the best of its ability. We have an executive that is constantly being kept on its toes, knowing very well that any slip will translate into loss of confidence and a possible defeat at the polls. We have a media that is free and very vociferous, sometimes to the discomfort of many people, especially politicians. There are many who hold the opinion that notwithstanding these laudable achievements, the nation is losing out on one of the greatest benefits of democracy. That is national development. The polarisation has become so sharp and the intolerance of divergent views so acute that both those in government and those in the minority very often lose focus and dwell on matters that have very little relevance on our national interest. We have spent the larger part of our precious hours throwing words at each other, while serious challenges, like development commensurate with the country’s abundant resources, remain back cases. The late President Mills had all the qualities any country will require of its President, perhaps too much of it. But did we help him to put his ideas on the ground? Well, some may argue that he did not open up to those on the other side. Some may also claim that with all his good talks, he was not able to stop the foul-mouthing from his camp. We have all been guilty one way or the other and there is no room for passing the buck now. We have proved that as a nation, we are ready to mourn the loss of a precious gem together. Let us also resolve to confront our social, economic and development challenges with oneness of purpose. All the political leaders, religious leaders and traditional rulers who spoke profusely about late President Mills’s virtues of honesty, humility, modesty, patriotism, dedication and selflessness pledged to make these a national culture in our political discourse. This is a challenge we should all accept with stoic resolve. There is no gain, when we say that we have been holding successful elections after every four years and that we have the freedom to speak our minds as provided for in the 1992 Constitution, without showing concrete developments on the ground. With the praises our governments have been heaping on themselves, this country is nowhere near the level we want it to be. We have no excuse because nature has been very generous to us in terms of natural resources. Our democracy must be seen to be working not only in terms of adhering to the provisions of the constitution. Our democracy must be transforming our practical lives at the individual and national levels. We made a pledge to keep the flame of commitment, dedication and fellow-feeling lit by the late President Mills burning. Let us not wake up the following morning and forget the pledge of the previous day. May we live up to our words and may our politics grow into a national crusade to defeat poverty, hunger, disease, hopelessness, ignorance and inferiority complex that has consumed the black race over the centuries. May we celebrate the principles Mills stood for and make our politics more decorous and tolerant. fokofi@yahoo.co.uk kofiakordor.blogspot.com