Playing games with blood - Occasional Kwatriot Kwesi Yankah writes
The Akwatia by-election is days behind us now, and was happily classified as peaceful, partly because there were no flying pythons and human missiles on duty. No blood drops, only a little insult.
There could even be thanksgiving services, not for victories won but for peace. Peaceful also because there was no Hawa Koomson.
Indeed, the thousands of policemen that flooded the zone that day must have shamed macho men and kuboloi on standby.
All the alcoholic fuse invested in them may have been wasted since there were no jaws to break.
I was indeed happy Madam Hawa Koomson did not carry through her earlier threat to storm Akwatia and shame the devil.
Her presence alone could have triggered another security alarm, particularly if she went again with her pepper spray, which has now been declared a weapon of mass destruction.
Remember it was for this little thin a security offensive was launched in Ablekuma to disarm the pepper spray terrorist, a helpless 60-year-old woman.
Happily, the police made sure Hawa’s assailants had been arrested, prosecuted and sentenced before the Akwatia polls. And what was the penalty for the assault?
A few thousand cedis fine slapped on each culprit by the court, which was declared by many as Joke of the Year. Not a deterrent but a congratulatory handshake for a job well done in Ablekuma. Not surprising events at Akwatia took a slightly different turn.
This time, no visible drops of blood, but drops of threat; verbal violence with a huge potential for blood-letting.
Under television cameras, heated exchanges between the two opposing parties, and a rather bizarre development. Did you see the prolonged banter, where the famous Elder Azorka confidently asserted there would be another by-election at Winneba: a seat occupied by a healthy Minority leader?
How Azorka, who was not Electoral Commissioner intended to create a vacancy was unclear. So then was this a veiled death threat? Was the MP Afenyo Markin to expect head hunters in his neighbourhood instead of deer hunters of Winneba! Yet the IGP did not invite Elder Azorka to explain the miracle intended.
Days earlier, the mood had been set at the funeral of the late MP, whose passing yielded the Akwatia polls. One scene vividly captured by TV cameras was a rowdy one where angry women in mourning clothes virtually booed at the famous NDC Chairman, Asiedu Nketia.
Their complaint? General Mosquito was repeatedly making throat slashing gestures at them: a horizontal hand swipe across the throat. Was this an ideal expression of condolences to a bereaved township? A scary death sign?
Significantly though, the ominous sign was gradually becoming the General’s public trade mark, gaining momentum in public processions.
It was on display by truck loads of hooligans at Ablekuma North by-election. Murder symbolism creeping into our protest culture? Is this Ghana, the citadel of peace? Openly playing games with Blood?
But seeds were sown as far back as the anti-VAT Kumi Preko of 1995, where the Dracula in us leaked on placards that read: ‘O God Kill J J for Us.’. Sadism dripped again 2024 when death wishes on Nana Addo were gleefully sung by opponents: ‘Kum Nana Addo Ma Yen, Nyame Kum Nana Addo Ma Yen.’ Kill Nana Addo for Us, because he is ruining Ghana.’ And again, after the recent helicopter disaster, where a lady on social media expressed a bizarre wish to exterminate our current President Mahama. She was swiftly picked up by National Security.
But I am not done crying in the rain. What do you make of political party meetings where party men respond to orders: ‘Show me your cutlass?’ And everybody gets up to brandish a cutlass to demonstrate readiness to spill blood?
It got more scary, readers, when the new executive of a political party swore a rather chilling oath in front of cameras early 2024. Listen to the exact wording of this oath of loyalty which was repeated phrase by phrase, after the officiant transferred a long sword to oath takers:
Hear this and pray for Ghana:
By this sword,
If I compromise,
And sell my party out
For money
In this coming election,
May I die
And my first born also die.
I pledge, so help me God.
This was Ghana preparing for December 2024.
On camera an oath of loyalty has been sworn by new executives, putting at stake the member’s own life and the life of their first-born child? The first born to be sacrificed could possibly have been an SHS student currently writing WASSCE.
Colleagues, this is a call on the national conscience: the Peace Council, Council of State, House of Chiefs, Christian Council, Muslim Council, Parliament, Executive and all. No need to play the ostrich. The writing is clear on the wall. In the name of Peace this is a call to action.
To the IGP, invite Elder Azorka to brief us on the magic of by-elections.
General Mosquito, stop that scary gesture; it does not befit a leader and role model. You are a possible aspirant to the High Office. Through the executioner’s hand swipe, you may have shot yourself in the foot.
Ghana, arise! And let’s quit playing games with blood!
