Fetu Afahye incident shameful

The reported uproar that occurred at the Cape Coast durbar grounds on Saturday, 4th September, 2010 between members of President Mills’ government and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, could best be described as disgraceful and outrageous.
It was indeed shocking that what was expected to be a decent and peaceful celebration of the enviable culture of the people of Oguaa Traditional Area rather turned into an ‘altercation arena’ where rudeness became the order of the day.
According to media reports that were corroborated by eye-witnesses, had it not been for the intervention of some police officers who were on duty at the time, supporters of the so-called two political parties – NPP and NDC, would have turned the durbar grounds into ‘Las Vegas arena,” a venue where boxing legends including Professor Barima Azumah Nelson, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Joe Frazier won many world title fights.
If such nasty spectacles can ensue between the NPP and the NDC at festival grounds where people are expected to unite and think of ways to develop their communities, then it raises more questions than answers. It is on this note that Today newspaper seizes this opportunity to call a truce on the ongoing discussions surrounding the unpleasant incident.
Calling a ceasefire on the raging controversy, it is also imperative to outrightly condemn the behaviour of the members of the NDC who allegedly prevented Nana Addo’s entourage from getting access to the main podium, where the Omanhene of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Nana Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, and his elders were humbly seated.
NDC elements, who conceive the notion that they can use their incumbency advantage, to muscle out their political opponents must have it at the back of their minds that everywhere in the world governments come and go.
Today believes that in advanced democracies, it is only feeble minds that resort to retaliation. The fact that President Mills, then opposition leader in 2008, suffered the same under the then NPP government, led by Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, does not necessarily mean that Nana Addo and the current crop of NPP leadership should be subjected to this same humiliation.
The paper, indeed, views this syndrome with grave distress. It is about time politicians in this country realized that our nascent democracy could only survive and see the light of day if politicians resolve to let bygone be bygones. The era of political vendetta and the ‘politics of you do me, I do you should’ must become a thing of the past. The nation now requires a much more informed way of doing things. What transpired at Oguaa should be the last to save the whole nation from using precious hours to discuss such matters rather than discussing something more beneficial.
Against this background, Today calls on all traditional authorities not to be swayed by the pomp and pageantry that usually characterize such celebrations. We urge our traditional rulers to assume total control of their festivals and not allow governments of the day to dictate to them what they should do. Thus, we urge our traditional rulers to ensure that dignitaries invited are given the best of reception.
Traditional authorities must bear in mind that any political party at all could at any time find itself in power, thus it is important they remain neutral in such matters.