Discourtesies At “Fetu Afahye”

Last Saturday, at Cape Coast, the first capital and a breeding place of gentlemen, President Atta-Mills finally ended his pretensions to being the “Asomdwehene” in our politics.

In a carefully planned and executed effort, he and the NDC set out to embarrass and diminish the NPP flag-bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo and only succeeded in embarrassing themselves and the good people of Cape Coast and the Central Region.

Since then, the NDC has offered many reasons for their bad manners. Amongst these are:

- “Nana was too short to be seen”

- “Nana did not stick to what he was expected to do”

- “Nana was treated badly for calling the President, “Professor DO LITTLE”

- “Nana’s entourage smelled of alcohol”

Each new excuse has sounded more petty than the one before.

It is tempting to believe that the President did not know what was going on till it is recalled that he too, failed to recognize the NPP leader in his remarks. Indeed, the day before the festival, government security agents had briefed Nana Addo’s representatives on the security arrangements and the government’s expectations, with the two sides agreeing that Nana would arrive and be seated before the President and would leave after the President.

Nana and his entourage followed the agreement to the letter.

The President’s lack of courtesy looks more distressing in the light of three factors.

First, in 2008, at the same “FETU AFAHYE” when President Mills, then a candidate, had attempted to greet then President Kufuor, the security forces had prevented his security agents from following him unto the dais, leading to an altercation that he had found embarrassing and demeaning.

Last Saturday, the “Asomdwehene” had a chance to show others how these things should be handled and failed “potoo”. Indeed, in the next few days, as the NDC regains its balance, expect some of them to cite the 2008 incident as justification for what happened. Citing that incident as justification will make them look even more petty.

The second factor is that since the President himself is from Central Region, Nana was his guest as well and he had an obligation, together with every person from Central region, to be a good host and he failed.

The third factor is that the President had shown the same discourtesy to Nana at the Okyenhene’s palace at Kyebi some time ago.

Indeed, some have speculated, in the light of the President’s recent warm and generous acknowledgement of Alan Kyerematen, also of the NPP, whether the President has a visceral dislike for his former Legon soccer mate Nana Akufo-Addo?

While at Legon, did the two gentlemen both eye, perhaps, the same beauty?

If the discourtesies of the NDC were bad, those of the Omanhene of Oguaa, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II and his elders, were “TAFRAKYE”, worse.

Nana Akufo-Addo did not just show up at the FETU AFAHYE”. He was invited— by the Omanhene. The day before the festival, Nana Akufo-Addo went to greet the Omanhene and to inform him that he would be attending the festival the next day—- as his guest. Therefore, respectfully, Osabarima and his elders were required by courtesy, to ensure that he was extended all the necessary courtesies. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Fortunately for Cape Coast, the people at the festival gave Nana a send-off for the ages. They mobbed him as he walked to his car and showed that while the President may have the power, the people may be with Nana.

To be candid, the incident made both the President and the Omanhene look bad.

To the people of Cape Coast as well as all traditional areas, we must resist the efforts by politicians to turn our festivals that should unite people into divisive political events.

In future, we must not make the treatment of dignitaries dependent on whose party is in power.

My hope and prayer is that we can look forward to the day when, on the grounds of “Fetu” and other festivals all over Ghana, Presidents will greet and embrace opposition leaders warmly. That will be a powerful demonstration of our political maturity and a great example of tolerance to Ghanaians. The current situation where political leaders see one another as enemies is unhealthy.

Our democracy is old enough for our leaders to regard one another as opponents rather than enemies and to show courtesy to one another in their dealings.

We can do better.

Let us move forward, together.

Arthur Kobina Kennedy

Source: Arthur Kobina Kennedy Email: arkoke@aol.com/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana