AS THE CLOCK TICKS, WILL NANA ADDO EVER LEARN?

He was one politician I admired; like every mortal, he had his minuses. As a person, I believe there were things Akufu Addo should have done prior to 2008 and 2012 general election to arrest the huge advantage that accrued to the opposition NPP from fielding dual & in some places, 3 candidates for parliamentary elections - a strategy that denied NPP some certain victories for which I hold Nana liable. But all those may not have come to the fore had he  not subscribed to the overriding quest for the restructuring of NPP. 

Unfortunately, for reasons many believe to be both pecuniary and myopic, he behaved like the average African politician and blindly picked on the leader of his party - a man who has done for NPP in terms of welfare what even NDC has not done for its officers in the country in its entire history. I warned, but Nana would not listen. He gave all the wrong interviews, insulted Kuffour secretly beyond imagination and played to the gallery while those who wished the party evil thronged the gong - all these while JAK kept mute.

Potential Parliamentary aspirants were named and humiliated after Alan as if they were not members of the New Patriotic Party. 

From a conservative capitalists view point, money, like the Bible, the holy book of the Christians suggests, answereth all things. Under this school of thought, everything and everybody, has a price. For the right price, you can purchase loyalty, patriotism, service and whatsoever. Grandiose and sweet sounding as this adage may seem, reality often times proves that money may not be such a powerful tool as often touted.

The value system of every society or people goes a long way in determining the efficacy of money or other material possessions as a stimulus. To a people inexplicably attuned by dogma on a hereafter infused with promises of unimaginable divine riches, satisfaction of the most intimate physical and amorous pleasures and an eternity of idleness and fun, the worth of transient cash here on earth will no doubt be minimal.

Does money actually have any role in dissuading anarchists from violence? In recent times, persons with access to enormous wealth have opted to devote all in violent conflicts towards the pursuit of a place in the much sought hereafter of bliss. John Mahama for instance expended wealth beyond most people’s imagination on creating a behemoth of hate; and our local boy, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo the New Patriotic Party ‘underwear bomber’ was likewise not restrained in his penchant for violence by the wealth at his disposal  

It is in the light of the foregoing in the New Patriotic Party that one must evaluate the approach of using monetary incentives to dissuade entrenched innate democratic drives.

Using the western capitalist model, where money is a very strong and effective motivational factor, as a benchmark, leaders in Europe and the Americas have adopted a money-centric approach towards tackling terrorism. In this adaptation, there appears to be a deliberate willingness to remain blind to realities, which abound, which indicate that such incentives are at best, suspect. There appears a willingness to obviate reality and to forcefully clothe ignorance of a culture not amenable to cash-incentives as ‘expertise’.

Today, as the election 2016 draws near, the clock ticks for the once famous John Mahama. The question on my mind is: Who will save Nana Addo from the mistakes he promised never to repeat going into 2016? Someone close should prick Nana, and tell him to appreciate what I call micro management, and that every vote counts. For me, I sincerely believed that if you cannot work with me, then I equally cannot vote for you.

Nana has succeeded in dividing the New Patriotic Party on personality cult. The N.P.P no longer debate, battle and trade ideas. The New Patriotic Party under Nana Addo and his allies no longer respect constitutional rule. Today, under Nana Addo’s leadership, Party Chairman and General Secretary are nothing but mere errand boys as their decisions are always truncated. Today, National Chairman cannot even appoint party men and women to work for the party apart from Nana Addo.

What is the essence of electing party executives if they are not allowed to think and take decisions for the party? I can’t fathom why appointed persons are endowed with so much power to heckle constitutionally elected officers? Why do we elect Chairmen and the rest if they are these impotent?

Ahh!, the nonsense must stop with immediate alacrity, I `sometimes wonder if we have gray headed men and women at all?, I mean is there anything like council of elders in the New Patriotic Party?, What at all do they counsel?

Can’t they tell Nana Addo to stop tearing and whittling the party apart; couldn’t they advise Nana to for once do away with his vindictive venom and bring all hands on deck? What is the sense in terminating the appointments made earlier? Is someone out there thinking? What is the sense in the broad day coup attempt to oust Paul Afoko? Where are the lawyers in the party?, Is that how the party wants to rule Ghana? Would it be rule of law or rule of man?

These guys still don’t get it!

STEPHEN NTIM, PERFECT CHAIRMAN FOR NPP

The New Patriotic Party haven reached another milestone in its existence as a rallying point for the management of the ten regions that constitute the Ghana’s geo-political regions. The thunderous ovation that greeted the announcement of Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo’s intent after a meeting with those that matter, and the counter press conference by the General Secretary of the over promising and under delivering National Democratic Congress is an ample indication of the ‘nanaphobia’ amongst  them.

For us, it is a pointer to the fact that the decision, of the visionary and hard working Nana to pilot the affairs of a country that has been plunge into the hallmark of failed states enjoyed a wide acceptance. Even the usually critical minds could not help but applaud the decision, because he a man they know has already proved his mettle as a quality leader.

To us, haven gone pass the hurdle of selecting our flagbearer, the task ahead is to get competent national executive to think out of the box and stop the gross repetition and implementation of old tactics.

If not John Mahama and his election rigging machine may unlikely win 2016, whether team ‘B’ ministers or not, Gyeeda or not, Ministerial scandals or not, Isofoton or Northern and Volta antagonism or not, our vote or not, Dumso or not, it could be ‘kwasia bi nti’.

Our thoughts is based on first, if power generation in Ghana increases in 2016 or early 2015, Mahama it is for many people. Why? Many of our people assert and agree that 50% of our problem will be solved if power generation increases significantly. I don't know if it's true or not but majority do because the possibility of that happening under this dispensation has never crossed my mind. Nevertheless, a lot of people agree that selling off our power assets to private hands will move it forward.

Second, there is a chance that NDC may not get their acts together in time for the election. Let’s not consider the fact that day-by-day they look more and more like they are in a candy shop. By ‘acts’ we mean decide the right leaders that will that charge for victory. There is the question; will the leaders appeal to the masses? We all know how we have struggled to add a region or two to clinch our victory mark. The old debate that a team doing better is not change won't cut it anymore because this team brought us infamy.

 We us a party have men and women doing well too – Ntim, Kwabena etal’ are touted to be on top of their games as well. The likelihood that presenting the Ghanaian with a fresh face will dazzle them into queuing behind the opposition, for us, is high.

I asked my colleague, how many former campaign manager voters did they find on the queue when they voted in 2012? The answer is ‘very insignificant.’ How many party pickups they saw? This has always been the challenge of elections in New Patriotic Party – the people, who claim to be enlightened sit at home on election,

Over time, we’ve been deeply moved by the speech and comments of Stepen Ntim which had served as inspiration and hope for a party that is hungry for power to empower the youth. Given the political wilderness that our  party and population has been trapped for years under John and John, the sense of hope and inspiration generated by Ntim on his campaign tour, is even more profound today. Public service and politics in Ghana are dominated by professional politicians who are in the business for their own personal gain and power. The time has come to recognize that someone has a special ability to ignite or reignite faith and belief in ourselves, to capture our vision, imagination, and our highest ideals that New Patriotic Party could be a great party.

At a time when our party is bankrupt of patriotic leaders, when a person with such a rare patriotism comes along, we need to put aside our ethnic and godfather politics and embrace such a person. We have that kind of person in Ntim. In our opinion, none of the aspiring chairmanship candidates possess the knowledge, experience, strength, passion, patriotism, character, and judgment needed for a change in the leadership of our party like Ntim. He is perfect to be New Patriotic Party Chairman. As a former Vice-Chairman, he had served in various capacities in Haruna Esseku’s administration that won us power in 2004-2008.

New Patriotic Party needs a Chairman who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve same, a Chairman who holds himself and those around him to the highest ethical standards, a Chairman who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our party needs every one of us to get involved, and a Chairman who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in New Patriotic Party, and those around the world who still believe that New Patriotic Party is the giant of Ghanaian Politics.

Like all history, the history of our political enterprise will be defined by change. Change has become imperceptible. At other times, change has been bold and dramatic. Great triumphs and historic firsts highlight pioneer’s foray into any endeavor. Stephen as a national Chairman would provide experience and impetus for a new group of reformers.

Stephen Ntim is not just a member; he is a special talent, well-educated with experience rooted in reform backgrounds with specialized training, lengthy resumes and increasingly elective experience.  Concerning the issues that faced our party, Stephen has become a spokesperson or a “surrogate representative” if you will, for all Party people. His belief in the social, political, and economic equality shaped his thoughts and speeches. 

He has taken on a special burden to speak for all because we have very few people who could express our concerns and fears adequately and boldly like he does. By honing his messages and by cultivating political action network to support his campaign for political reforms, he has become powerful and a force to be reckoned with.

The best single word to describe Ntim’s address to delegates might be the word “passion.” Every pioneer needs a passion. Pioneers cannot be satisfied with mere maintenance, for they have nothing yet to maintain. They create from nothing. The common people often view them as eccentrics – but their passion attracts other pioneers.

Stephen boils with passion and this is evidenced in all his speeches, and could hardly stay quiet on party issues. He has been a catalyst of fiery controversial speeches on our economy, political arrangement, the ruling elite class, government’s malfeasance and profligacy. He feels consumed with Hi mission. He possesses a magnetic temperament and wiring. Like a magnet, he repels some but attracts a huge following. He possesses a strong sense of justice. This hunger of justice drives him – and it shows in her speeches. He feels dissatisfied with anything but action. As a doer, he doesn’t want people to merely talk but act.

His speech to the delegates could be summarized as follows: Leadership means discomfort. If you’re going to be an effective leader, you must live outside your comfort zone. Leadership means dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction is a tool that moves us to greater things and higher ground. Leadership means disruption. The status quo is never the goal of a leader. Disruption is our constant companion.

Our party and country is full of needy people, overflowing with men and women who know they’re missing out on something, bursting with hurting individuals who come to us with hands outstretched. Our hard-working, innovative, and imaginative youth have become hopeless, deflated, and disengaged.

A leader owes it as a solemn duty to protect and provide for the needy and the vulnerable in our society. First time ever in this season of a major dollop of alienation and anomie, I have found someone who inspired me and a new generation of Ghanaian in Stephen Ntim.

 In his characteristic humility, Stephen Ntim has accepted the additional responsibility that would be placed on his shoulders. He has also acknowledged that the task before him “is enormous”. But he remains unfazed by the new responsibility. As a man of courage and wisdom he has assured that he would not be overwhelmed by the task of chairing his people. He has continued to prove it ever since he mounted the saddle of leadership in the party. As a team player he knows that he would not succeed alone and has therefore called for the cooperation of not only his colleagues but every segment of the party should he be coronated.

Yes, Stephen Ntim is a leader who understands and applies the popular aphorism that when a man dreams alone he becomes a dreamer but when he dreams with others he becomes an achiever. His predecessors had enjoyed full cooperation of the party when the headship of the party fell on them. It is noteworthy that the New Patriotic Party operated without rancour and bickering and ego contest that was the case after Dan Botwey now Hon. Daniel Kwaku Botwey. It is therefore expected that such brotherly atmosphere would continue to prevail under the new leadership of Stephen Ntim.

All the centripetal and centrifugal forces tearing New Patriotic Party apart and impeding its growth would disappear. No doubt Ntim would apply his healing balm in making the regions to be united and speak with one voice. Good enough, Ntim has said that he would galvanize the Brong Ahafo and the Western Regions to cooperate with other regions of the country on issues that would promote peace, equity and justice and development of the country, citing the issue of insecurity in the North, East,West ans South. Having placed his hands on the ploughshare of delivering the Brong Ahafo Region, there is no looking back for for any other thing. It therefore behooves on his brother aspirants, the political elites across the country irrespective of tribe, to give maximum support to the chairman Ntim of the NPP to work for Victory, peace, and progress of the party.
 In Stephen Ayensu Ntim, “A great prophet has risen up among us,” and God has visited his people the third time.”

The Bible says in proverbs 29:18 that “where there is no visions the people perish.” This declaration is very true for a generation that has succumbed to unbelievable levels of mediocrity that they sing and dance for leaders who did little and then endlessly justify all the other failings of party.

There are now large agents of mediocrity across Ghana who have made a career from justifying the inexcusable failure of the past and present leaders at all levels and count some mediocre projects as achievements even after some fifty seven years (57) of independence; Ghana is a certified failed country in spite of abundant human and material resources.

Sadly, there abound so many soaked in the muddied waters of mediocrity, willing to applaud and defend leaders in the open glare of colossal failings. Most worrying is the well travelled and educated elite who are now the purveyors, enablers or chief defenders of mediocrity. Ghana is the only country where so called leaders are endlessly praised and celebrated for doing less than 15% of their job even when the 15% is mostly of doubtful quality. This trend is evident all across Ghana as leaders construct several substandard roads, erect some cranky boreholes in a few communities and get treated to dance troupes and praise singers for failing in their job. Same goes for the members of parliament who are toasted and celebrated for patching up a few spots in some badly damaged asphalt roads that continues to kill thousands of victims annually. 

We can however boast that, the New Patriotic Party People have advanced in their minds that they will easily relate with what right and wrong are come April, 12. It is our firm believes that delegates have learnt their lesson and "will not extend nor vote for political neophyte."  The truth is we can’t afford tenure of ineptitude, characterized with misapplication, misappropriation, diversion and holding campaign logistics. Whether your vote will count or not, don’t vote for incompetence.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, it is apparent from street to street; from town unto town the contenders have in attempt to upstage the other hauled various damaging salvos against both real and imagined enemies. We are conversant with the talking’s of Stephen Ntim and ‘the betrayal of a certain agenda 2020’. The question is why should he allow himself to be derailed by backward self seeking cabals? Ntim must chair to put his detractors to standing ovation. For us, the only chairman to protect all aspirants particularly Nana Addo is Mr. Ayensu. Because he has a propaganda and a public perception to exterminate.

It must be borne in mind that successful societies are constructed through the continuous social pressure put on the leadership by a citizenry disposed to holding their leaders accountable. The choice is clear, it is either we emancipate ourselves from the veneration of mediocrity, and put our leaders under enormous pressure to fulfill our aspirations for economic, social and infrastructural development or continue with mediocrity and be consumed by the social violence of a failed dysfunctional nation.

We shall not sit down for any of them to use all forms of subterfuge, lies, intellectual forgeries and even terror to decimate the ranks of our intellectual colleagues and derail the revolution going on in 2016.

Vote number 2, Vote Stephen Ayensu Ntim as next Chairman to lead us to winning power.

THE N.P.P AND THE ‘AKANISATION’ TAG

I know that you have been anxiously awaiting my opinion on this ‘Akanisation’ debate on the airwaves. I am sorry to have kept you waiting. It was not my fault, because I am still convalescing from the shocks of my inability to withdraw some dollars of mine from my Bankers and the sudden death of the cedi as announced by the Governor of Bank of Ghana.

I had wanted to suggest to the proponents of the ‘Akanisation’ debate to consult their elders, particularly the few left with some grey hairs and constitutional know how to re-learn the laws of the country if they have forgotten them, only to released that the very revered grey headed men are rather the worse culprit leading the crusade for nothing other than political capital. To that extent, I am not about to treat words as a miser will do to money, for it is said that if a cloth is not torn wide, it is not stitched wide.

I am telling the elders of our land that the beginning of wisdom, like Socrates’ said, is not the fear of God but the realization and acknowledgement of the extent of one’s ignorance; only in such realization and acknowledgement could one be reasonably secure against pretentiousness.

To make matters clear only and not at all for polemical reasons, I will, whenever appropriate, illuminate and espouse the pathways of the Political Parties Act and thought by occasional references to the constitution of the republic and in some cases borrow from the pool of the President’s vocabulary words such as baloney when I am choked of ideas.

I know you know what a political party is. For nothing at all you have heard of Nkrumah’s C.P.P, Papa Kwesi’s P.P.P and the rest including those under formation like yet to be formed Ken Agyapong’s Party. But for the sake of this debate permit me to quote from Act 574(Political Parties Act 200) the meaning of political party. Accordingly, the act defines political party as a free association or organization of persons, one whose objects is to bring about the election of its candidate to public office or strive for power to control and influence the actions of Government.

The Act again provided the pathway through which one can become a member of a political party. And the last time I checked, it states all citizens shall have the right and freedom to form or join political party and participate in political activities subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a free and democratic society and are consistent with this constitution-the Ghana Constitution.

You and I, are yet to be furnished with evidence that indeed a non-Akan member(s) of the New Patriotic Party have been discriminated against. On this occasion, I dare the proponents of the debate to put up or shut up till the economy is resuscitated I challenge anyone to adduce evidential evidence to substantiate their claim no matter how trivial, provided it could support and suggest that since 1992 the interest of the non-akan’s in the New Patriotic Party has not been protected according to the constitution.

Besides the right to belong to a particular group is the solely the right of the individual as enjoined him or her by article 55 clause 2.

Is there evidence that the New Patriotic Party have suppressed or attempted to suppress the lawful political activity of another because the said individual is non-akan?

Goshh!, I listened with utmost disdain and shock the claim that the New Patriotic Party is an Akan Party for the simple reason that they've never in their political history elected a non-akan speaking person as their Flagbearer or Chairman since 1992. Let me ‘Tweaaa this argument if you will not let me described it as baloney. In any case, is it not the case that in the New Patriotic Party as they at all times elect their flagbearer, the situation is different in the NDC. Because we have not forgotten about Sweduro declaration and same can be said about azorka and his boys at Koforidua.

To me, this hallucination would have come to full circle if it was extended to the leadership of the party at all levels backed by ample evidence.

Wise politicians like President Mahama alluded ought to know that the power to elect a number of persons is determined by members of a party as executive officers of the party.

For me, the membership of the New Patriotic Party must rise up to the challenge, accept the tag and build around it to entrenched their support base in the Akan Regions. Because cola nut they say last long in the mouth of those who value it. And that the sun shall surely shine on those who stand before it shines on those beneath.

Isn't it the case that others have shack their responsibilities for others and are now crying foul? Is it not a fact also that, the ‘Osono’ Party draws its political support from the Akan Constituencies? In any case since when has it become a taboo for a political party to harness its strength and to claim dominant in a particular region? Why then do we as a nation proclaim certain regions and constituencies as Bantama and Ketu South?

For Christ sake, when will these elites wake up from their slumber and learn? They must learn to defend and protect the Akans with all their might and blood if possible and stop allowing themselves for the smooth permeation of the NDC’S Propaganda.

 Like it or hate it, the Akans shall continue to be the dominant group in the New Patriotic Party like Ewes in the National Democratic Congress. These is because it is only like-minded citizens who can come together to pursue a common aspirations and goals.

Little did I know that the New Patriotic Party didn't have a deliberate strategy to rope more of the non Akans into their folk, conscious of their SWOT analysis.

Before I signed off, let me suggest to the Communication Directorate, to up their game and stop using the department as a means to an end. Lets the be made of Men and Women of some communication appreciation other than those who can make noise. I mean those that will defend the policies and programmes of the party other extending felicitations.

  

Valentine according to Saint Ozor 1?

Just this morning, immediately my children woke up and after the perfunctory morning greetings, they started wishing me “Happy Valentine.” I had to ask them what it meant and who asked them to do that, behold it was their teacher. To crown it all, they told Mummy that they asked them to come to school in red dresses. They went on to tell me that the teacher asked them to buy gifts for people as mark of love, which Christ the epitome of Love show us daily. Again, I remember in my own days that I was almost completing my secondary education before I heard of “Valentine’s Day.”
But what is this Valentine and how do we analyse it?
Those that answer Valentine dread the month of February like a plague. Besides close friends who always demand that you celebrate your name in grand style, most confront you with all manner of questions bordering on the concept that your name is supposed to embody. Thus, you are asked whether you were born on the 14th of February or whether you were a by-product of love affair that took place in the month of February. One fact I have come to discover over the years is that people take those that bear the name of Valentine as experts in all known techniques of love, starting with its fundaments to its metaphysics.
Despite much research, we cannot tell unarguably the exact date the feast started, nor the route by which it entered into history. Perhaps it is connected to the life of a certain St. Valentine who was said to have suffered martyrdom in Rome as the Church hagiography would want us to believe; perhaps, as the legend of the saint’s heroic faith says, it grew out of the love shown to prisoners by the saintly Valentine; perhaps it has to do with the period in the year when birds of the earth look for mates; perhaps it is another case of substitution of a pagan feast by Christian feast as a subtle way of blighting paganism at the bud. We do not know. Valentine’s Day is part of history whose beginning has been forgotten, and whose end we shall never reach.
The popularity of Valentine’s Day could be linked to the nature of the theme it celebrates – love. Writing about love, Archbishop Fulton Sheen called it “the most used, and the most misunderstood word.” The misunderstanding inherent in the nature of love often provokes people to ask questions such as: How much of what we claim as love is love indeed? Does love have different levels and spheres? Is it possible to love our neighbour as ourselves, as the Holy writ prescribes? What is love? These are the questions with which the most comprehensive theories, treatises, and analyses of love find it necessary to begin.
To the Greeks, love could be Eros, Philia, and agape. Plato’s ladder of love in the Symposium has different loves for its rungs, up to what we commonly call “Platonic Love”. St Thomas Aquinas distinguishes between love in the sphere of the passion and love as an act of will. The former he assigns to what he calls the “concupiscible faculty” of the sensitive appetite; the latter, to the rational or “intellectual appetite”. Sometimes, people talk about metaphysical, contemplative, material and acquisitive love, etc.
Whatever form love takes, it implies a complex psychical experience of strong attraction to, intense desire for, vivid appreciation of, a profound interest in, ones object of love. The object of love could be a fellow being, institution, cause or even nature. It involves tender affection, sympathetic understanding, admiration and loyalty, with reference to its object.
But apart from a few people who recognize the fact of plurality of love in their analyses, most of us, especially the youth, talk abundantly of love, commonly in the sense of amorous appetite. These are people who confess their loving the object of their love more than their own mothers. Our elders consider this form of love to be a form of “possession” or “madness”, and would frown at anyone who would propose it as a fit guide in the choice of marriage mate. They do this, knowing that once the erotic side of love diminishes or fades away altogether, the disinterested element fades too; interest in the other’s happiness evaporates, all tender feeling is eroded, and the one desire is to get away. This is what Lucretius called “erotic befuddlement”. What Dedriot deridedly described as “the voluptuous loss of a few drops of liquid”. It is a spark thrown off by the contact or nearness of two opposite bodies.
In pursuit of this type of love there is nothing that human beings have not done, or are not capable of doing. The love portion that some ladies brew for men they suspect of unrequited love has no platonic aim. It is not out of generosity, rather to get the object of their longing, that men spend lots of money in wooing women. Women themselves do as much. To attract men, they dress in manners to arouse precipitate passion. Eyelashes are darkened with gum ammonia. Checks and lips are painted with sticks of minium or alkanet roots. Adjustable eyebrows are used and often pencilled with lampblack or pulverized or sulphuret of antimony, sometimes it is thinned to diverse shapes or shaved off entirely and painted “crescent moons” or other forms. Eyelids are shaded with kohl. All sort of things are rubbed on the face, in the hope that it will make them look beautiful. Some in the villages still wrap their fingernails over night with henna leaves to make them purple. Padded brassieres are used to make the breast look poised and … Breast enhancement has since become part of beauty regimen. There is no part of the woman’s body, in pursuit of men, that has not been perfected, decorated, refined, stretched and squeezed, bleached, reformed, compacted and shortened.
Higher than the afore-described love is what is often called genuine friendship. In this type of love, there is often the predominance of altruistic motives. It springs from mutual admiration. Here, love is thought to precede desire and to determine its wishes. Marriages built upon this type of love are often successful. Mature lovers discover that marriage transcends the act of multiplication of the species or the fantasy of sexual acts. There are some men who think that all a woman appreciates in a man is when he brandishes the erectile organ to her satisfaction. No. Marriage is more than that. It demands deep understanding and maturity from both partners.
All the foregoing classifications and distinctions, inexhaustible though, belong to the theory of human love. But the fact of love’s diversity extends to the Christian theory of love. Christianity brought about a basic shift in man’s thinking about love. Christianity sees love not in the emotion or passion, but from the infinite perfection and creativity of God. God Himself is love (I John 4: 4). “Love ye one another”. In this profound sentence, God summarized all the commandments. Love rules the world and was, perhaps, as Parmenides thought, “the very first thing created by the gods to rule the world”.
The key to peace in the world is for men to embrace the ethics of Christ – love. Confucius taught a version of it in his rule of reciprocity (golden rule). Immanuel Kant espoused it in his book, The Metaphysics of Morals in what he called the “Maxims of Categorical Imperative”. All great religions teach it. Until we start to imbibe this golden rule (love), the battle to re-make the world can as well be labelled a utopia.
The sooner we use the day of Valentine to promote this type of love, the better the world will become. Here we are again celebrating another Valentine. How do we make it serve the purpose of making the world a better place? This is the central question.

OUR COLLECTIVE IGNORANCE AS A NATION

I am about to literally swerve towards a direction that would probably pain you to the bone marrow for our collective guilt. You have two options; you either stop reading this now or read it and vent your anger in the comment box below. If you stop reading, it is good but if you read and hurl insult at me, there are two things involved.

First, you would be wasting your talent insulting someone who doesn't give a hoot about your anger. Second, you would be making your ignorance a public knowledge. I won’t even think about you before I write another. That is me, I can be as mad as hell sometimes. However, liking my piece or commending me is the second best thing to me; the best is to see someone who disagrees on a logical basis. To my potential attackers and extremists, I am not sorry for this and I remain very ungrateful for your envisaged insult in the comment box. I will also drop my pin to afford you the pleasure of insulting and cursing me live. I won't reciprocate the curses because the last time I cursed a group of people, they dried up like leaves in the winter.

Ethnicity and religion are two of the factors that define the diversity in our existence as a nation. While the first is strictly an incidence of birth, the other could be an incidence of birth or a matter of choice. That one finds himself among a caliber of people at birth is not a crime since it is simply an act of God. Nonetheless, out of celebrated ignorance, we fail to realize our diversities should not be subjected to sentimental surgery in the theatre of shallow thoughts; we have thrown caution into the air.

The boy born in the Volta cannot embrace his Sisters in the Ashanti, while the Southerners dare not walk freely in the Northern regions. Things fall apart, the centre becomes invisible. The ignorance has deteriorated so much that when an issue on terrorism is raised; we are quick to point a finger of guilt to the nearest (zongo) Muslim, when aggression and violence is discussed as a threat to the unity our nation longs for; we chant that the Northerners are at the vanguard of the vices. To us, Ashanti people are the pioneer of fraudulent and dubious acts while the Nzema tribe comes to mind when one needs a perfect example of a dishonest and deceitful tribal group.

As a Muslim man, approach a typical Christian lady for a relationship that would lead to marriage and watch out for the countenance and reply. At that point, you are in for the intellectual torture of your life as innocent biblical injunctions would be murdered to corroborate bogus and laughable position born out of no logical basis but ignorance. Try it, I mean if you are an emblematic Christian man, seek a Muslim lady’s hand in marriage and hear her tell you what even the Prophet did not envisage in His teachings. It is so ironical that the need for peace, unity and love are the ready topics these calibers of Tartuffe’s are always ready to preach anywhere they go. It is like granting a person the freedom of life and telling him not to breathe. I wonder where the concept of national unity and peace we lament is absent will come from when we go about hunting for a flying fish in the sky. I was once in a gathering where a lady commented that a good Christian versed in the Biblical teachings would never see a reason to marry a Muslim. I wonder what Jesus Christ did wrong to warrant such a twist in His teachings.

We have made ourselves so inherently low in orison that we do not know that if a person caught in the act of terrorism claims to be a Muslim, it is not because of his religion that he took to violence but because of the brutal nature inherent in him as a person irrespective of his religion. Our collective ignorance has degenerated to a stage where we think we can place religions and ethnic groups on a chart and match crimes peculiar to each. If a Hausa man is arrested for attacking another man in a lone place, it is not that Hausa people are violent or heartless; it is because of the beast nature inherent in every man which he had failed to curb. I was saddened when a colleague told me a Muslim is more likely to be involved in an act of terrorism than a Christian, while Christians are more often than not guilty of indecency than Muslims. That is how foolish it can get.

I have ran out of patience in expectation of the day we would realize that the mystery behind our birth, the strong bound between us and people we grow to know and the sacrifice we are ready to render to make them happy should also accrue to our brothers and sisters from the other parts of the country. No one brings his father, mother and siblings from heaven, yet we grow to adopt them as an integral part of our lives. Why then is it hard to adopt someone just because of his religion background and ethnic group? You are a Fante man today; your great grandchild may be the leader of a Konkomba community tomorrow. You are the choir mistress in a renowned church today; your grandson may become the Chief Imam of a mosque tomorrow. Today, you are a Hausa woman; your next three generations may be exclusively Akyem. Why then are we unreasonably determined to dig the grave our unborn children will come to be buried with impunity?

To an extent, we have grown generally myopic that we no longer dwell on merit and credibility in choice making. As long as he is a Northerner; he has the South-North, as long as his name is Mumuni; all Muslims will support him, as long as he is from the North; the Northerners will follow him, as long as she is Esenam; she is sure of securing a job at Nutsugah’s company, so far his name is John; all Christians must vote for him. We do not care about the credentials or the nature of the task that lies ahead of the man we want to choose. Someone was once quoted to have said “You will rot in hell if you do not vote your Muslim brother”. Wait; which hell? Is it the one he prepared? What if there is no hell? Is it about the Muslim brother or the competent Muslim brother? Is it about the church going Sister Blessing or the pious and modest Sister Blessing? Is it about Danjuma from the North or the credible Danjuma from the North? It is not always about where one is; it is about what one is doing there. A Christian never thought the sermon that would change his life for good would be preached in a Mosque and a Muslim never thought his life transforming blessing would come from a Pastor. Unfortunately, lives have been wasted in the quest for the wrong cause and blindly orchestrated struggles.

A Muslim friend was heavily criticized on his Facebook wall by another group of Muslims on the 1st day of January, 2014. The reason for the insult and criticism was so unfounded and strange. The team of over-knowledgeable people condemned my dear friend for saying "Happy new year" and celebrating with his Christian friends. I know that the Islamic calendar is quite different from the Western one Christians have adopted but should the difference pave way for condemning a person for the side he believes in or for wishing a fellow human well? Definitely, if these religion stone throwers are asked to tell us the date, they proceed to tell us the Western one we all admit. It is now safer to conclude that anytime a celebratory clatter arises on a religion basis, those in the other religion seek to spoil the moment for those involved with stupid self-constructed philosophies and derisory analysis. Shhh! Learn to close your criticizing big mouths and follow the glorious messages of the Bible and noble teachings of the Quran like a reasonable person you ought to be. No matter how good or convinced he is about his side, a wise person will not adopt violence or pressure to win people to his side, it is done with the example you lay with your life style and not loose-talking strategies. A well-behaved pagan is better than an unrepentant Church-goer. Being a Muslim or a Christian is not an automatic ticket to God's side, abiding by the laws of God and showing love to people irrespective of the diversities is the key.

 As a person, the writing skill and literal erudition I exhibit today were discovered by a Muslim friend. He was aware of my religion and did not for once see that as a bar to motivate and inspire me. Interestingly, he does not sing, but he made a first class in Music. Mr. Fanatic, has his discovery about me affected his life adversely because I am a Christian?  Has that prepared a place for him in hell because he discovered a hidden potential in a Christian? Now, I write not just for Muslims to read, but also Christians, Traditional worshippers, Pagans, Hausas, frafra, Ewe, etc. Exactly one of the reasons I would never join the bandwagon of people making religion a basis for helping another instead of the zeal to help humanity. If you see me attend a Mosque for the union of a Muslim friend and his wife in future and you are aggrieved, it will do you better to shut up than allow me call you a certified hypocrite and world class mediocre that you are. If you are a Muslim and I approach you tomorrow for employment and you said No because I am a Christian, it is your loss: a great loss indeed! You would be the one to lose a vibrant, competent, dynamic, promising and industrious young man in your firm. Don't even think you can substitute me; I am one of a kind, so the loss will be irredeemably bad and apparent.

To my Christian readers, your Sunday worship song is not different from a mere ranting and packaged brouhaha if you cannot treat your Muslim neighbours right, to my Muslim readers, you are only polluting the Mosque on Fridays and wasting time if religion is a condition precedent before you render help to a needy. Forget that you pay your tithe and that you send people on pilgrimage to the Holy lands that does not expunge the fact that you are irresponsible and intolerable. To my Ashanti, Ewe and Akyem friends that cannot embrace each others, I think you should be categorized among the global natural disasters like Tsunami, hurricane, earthquake, flood etc. 

Finally, I am a Guan, it is likely I meet a Fante lady reading this; I may get to like you. I would surely make my intention known. You are free to tell me “No” for any reason because I know you have the freedom of choice and I appreciate that. However, if you tell me “No” because I am a Guan boy, I will give birth to a daughter and name her after you one day. By doing that, I would be showing you I am old enough to give birth to you.