Betrayal: ‘Judas-is-a-carrot’ (Iscariot)

Five-year-old Johnny refused to eat carrots as part of lunch on a Sunday afternoon.

Asked why that strange decision considering his love for carrots, he replied saying, his Sunday school teacher had taught them that morning that “Judas-is-a-carrot” (Iscariot) betrayed Jesus.

Since Judas was a bad man for betraying Jesus, he would no longer eat carrots because “Judas-is-a-carrot!”

 A local FM show on Monday, November 18, 2024, started on a sad note! For the football-loving nation that we are, going by little Johnny’s understanding of betrayal, probably on Friday, November 15, 2024, Ghanaians felt betrayed by our Black stars who crashed out of AFCON 2025 after a draw with Angola put them at the bottom of their group. Indeed, eight foreign-based players had earlier refused to join the team in Angola. Patriotism?

Two days later, the Black Stars administered the final twist of the dagger in Ghanaians' hearts losing to Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium to finish last in their group with no single victory.

A favourite question asked in frustration by a well-known presenter is “What is wrong with us Ghanaians?” How low can we sink in football by not qualifying for the first time since 2004?

Judas

Judas is said to have betrayed Jesus for thirty silver coins, today’s equivalent of between US$ 100 and 400. Matthew Chapter 26, Verses 47-49 states that when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Judas kissed Jesus as a way of identifying him.

This is the source of the expression “kiss of death” in the English language for betrayal. Feeling guilty and remorseful after betraying Jesus, Judas is said to have thrown the thirty pieces of silver into the temple and then committed suicide. Have our Black Stars given Ghana football a “kiss of death?”

Comments

We pride ourselves in “ancient history” that Ghana Black Stars won the AFCON four times in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982. As the first winner of AFCON three times, Ghana obtained the right to permanently own the trophy in 1978.

To fail to qualify for AFCON 2025 has been described variously as “abysmal, embarrassing, shameful and disastrous” etc.

A UK Guardian journalist described Ghana’s crashing out so disgracefully as follows: “No organisation, leadership or direction. Ghana is wasting a generation of talent. They should be one of the Africa Cup of Nations favourites; instead, Ghana is facing another chaotic failure.”

As I listened to the sports analyst on the FM station pour out his frustration/disappointment/anger on Monday, he spoke the mind of Ghanaians when he boldly stated much as the players and coach have let Ghana down, the GFA should be blamed more.

He accused them of selfish mercenary considerations, and not the interest of the nation at heart.

However, he added, the Minister of Sports could not escape blame for the disastrous qualifiers outcome of AFCON 2025. Ultimately though, he blamed the presidency where the buck stops for superintending over this disaster.

Ebo Whyte

For his part, on Thursday, November 21, 2024, on his programme Food for Thought, Ghana’s foremost playwright Uncle Ebo Whyte described the nature of the Ghanaians as not demanding accountability from officeholders.

Rather, in the “No-Action-Talk-Only (NATO) Syndrome characteristic of us, Ghanaians will talk vehemently about the abysmal performance of the Black Star for one week. As soon as a topic shows up, we jump at it. 

Galamsey being relegated to the back burner is a typical example. So, as soon as a topic comes in about a week, the painful defeat/embarrassment to Ghana in not qualifying for AFCON 2025 will pale out. No wonder the statement that “Ghanaians have short memories!” He then asked a few questions:

• Why do politicians who meekly beg us to elect them into office, arrogantly treat Ghanaians with utmost disrespect once they achieve their aim?

• Does any politician love Ghana enough to want to die for Ghana?

• Why do Ghanaians do better outside Ghana than we do at home?

Uncle Ebo attributed Ghana’s problem to one of failed leadership, echoing something I learnt in 1977. While on my Young Officers Course, one of the 30 of us lieutenants/second-lieutenants, was a chief. He was, therefore, well-versed in customs and tradition.

One profound statement he made in Leadership Studies, which impacted us all, was that “when fish starts to rot, it starts from the head”. Corrupt followers only learn it from corrupt leaders.

Ebo Whyte concluded by saying, the Black Stars were a mirror reflection of the sad state of Ghana!

Discussion

Like Johnny’s “Judas-is-a-carrot” betrayed Jesus, in modern-day preacher-man language, “Betrayal has located us! Betrayal has been our portion!”

Football has betrayed Ghana! Galamsey has betrayed Ghana! DDEP has betrayed Ghana! Indeed, Ghanaians feel betrayed on all fronts by our rulers, particularly by the pious religious hypocrisy! In recent times, some famous Ghanaians have made comments about us buttressed in Genesis 6, 5. The NIV reads:

“The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.” Verse 11 continued “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and full of violence!” 

Obviously, little Johnny did not know this story from Genesis, and how God felt so pained about the wickedness, evil nature, corrupt and violent nature of man that He decided to destroy the earth.

The question is: How come some leaders have been so effective in defying this biblical quotation and leading their countries on the path of prosperity? Lee-Kuan-Yew of Singapore readily comes to mind, while Paul Kagame is a work in progress.

Saying I was impressed when I visited Singapore for the first time as a UN soldier serving with the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), would be an understatement! A lawyer himself, LKY believed that the essence of the law was to buttress morality in society and ensure good governance.

His leadership style was thus one of integrity, selflessness, discipline, firmness and example, making Singapore the success story it is today. As Queen Elizabeth II told the summer graduating cadets in 1965, “Remember always that, the best and purest form of leadership is example, and that the command ‘come on’ (follow me) is better than ‘go on’.”

Until Ghanaian leaders lead by example, and not like little Johnny’s “Judas-is-a-carrot” who betrayed Jesus, their legacy of greed, selfishness, self-aggrandisement and arrogance will be like Judas who ultimately committed suicide in desperate remorse.

Leadership, lead by example! Fellow Ghanaians, wake up!

The writer is a former CEO of the African Peace Support Trainers Association, Nairobi, Kenya/Council Chair of Family Health University College, Accra.  

E-mail: dkfrimpong@yahoo.com