AFRICA AND HER DICTATORS

Ever since my English literature class in my third year at the university, the poem “Look on His Works” by A.A Amoako has never left my memory. This splendid piece of literature was about Saddam Hussein. A.A Amoako started this poem, with the words; “The world loved to hate this Dictator and knew him more by his first name. A son of Adam, Adamant in his policies… He built adamantine walls around his foes……”

Yes, our world surely loves to hate its dictators. We only have to label someone as a dictator whether deserving or undeserving, and sooner or later, everyone learns to hate.

In a nation like Ghana, which cannot seem to find a leader who possesses the willpower to lead this nation higher, could a dictator not perhaps solve our problems? In all truth and fairness, who is a dictator? Can this word be defined solely based on terror or tyranny? Indeed, our society and livelihood, somewhat depends on fear because fear sometimes keeps people in check. It is the fear of a consequence that keeps people on the right. Is it always negative?

In our homes, we are all Saddams, Gaddafis, Mubaraks, in disguise. We are the terror of our homes. At our work places, it is no different. Most people thrive on dictatorship! Nonetheless, we are still loved and cherished because our loved ones and admirers understand that it is necessary. When people lack discipline, the disciplinarian, becomes a hero.

Several dictators have been killed by so-called Anti-corruption forces, at a cost, well known to us all. Who made them Anti-corruption, when they are themselves no saints? Today, these countries lie in peril and deprivation. Men like Saddam Hussein, Mohammed Al-Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, including our very own Dr. Kwame Nkrumah had certain qualities that cannot be matched up to, by leadership of today. They laboured to see their countries flourish, independently, without the interference or contribution of our so-called donor nations and have each paid the ultimate price.

Africa keeps sinking to all forms of dictatorship and yet, rather hypocritically, we cry foul to our own. For a fact, any loan or form of aid this continent has received has always come with a condition. Our governments are being told what to do all the time. Is there any better form of dictatorship?

The only true crime committed by our dictators is self-reliance and self-sufficiency!

Until recently, Egypt had a booming economy. One morning however, people had a sudden awakening that told them otherwise, and so, began a mighty crusade to get rid of their dictator. The country now lies in peril with more unrest, each day; they cannot seem to find a suitable leader. It so happened in great Libya; the envy of all! In the Libya of today however, not even the shadows of the past can be traced. The same goes for Iraq, Syria, to mention but a few.

Clearly, democracy has worked wonders for most nations, but again, can it work for all? Can it all be positive, considering how long it takes to reach a conclusive decision in this nation? Can democracy kill gross indiscipline and lawlessness? Can democracy truly enforce the law? Personally, I believe that democracy without its underlying responsibilities only creates convenient excuses for indiscipline. We stress on freedom and rights, without placing emphasis on responsibilities.

Most decisions taken under our current democratic governance are solely based on the views of the so-called majority in parliament; how different is that from a dictatorship? Collective dictatorship perhaps? Not all enjoy equal representation. Would dictators sit and watch as people trade off their countries? Would dictators sit and watch as people divide their countries on grounds of party politics? Would dictators sit and watch as government officials squander the nation’s wealth? Your guess is as good as mine. At least, under a dictatorship, we have a sole culprit, but under democracy, we have looters.

Like all dictators, mankind flourishes on power. We all want power! Our democratically elected leaders are walking in the exact footsteps of our dictators. How many of them listen to us? How many of them seek our approval in reaching certain decisions? The only difference is that, we actually endorse them; they have our votes; they are elected dictators!

Africa only sits and allows others to dictate to us, to hate our dictators. That is the irony of it all. We give room to democratic dictatorship! I am not here to beatify any dictator, but if indeed, there are qualities worth emulating, they deserve a bit of acknowledgement. Why are nations that brought down their dictators, still facing unrest? Were the dictators the real problem? Or was it the people themselves? Or were there external factors?

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com); esociocomm.blogspot.com, Takoradi.

GHANAIAN POLITICS OF TRIVIALISM

I am a bit concerned about Ghana. It is the reign of double standards! People are always making comparisons and justifications! People are always making excuses! Whenever I read the comments from readers, I am a bit taken aback! Whenever I read comments on features of other writers, I am generally disappointed!

Let us call a spade, a spade! Enough of the comparison! It is disappointing, when people conveniently stray from the issues confronting this nation! Instead, they trivialize it! Some even have the effrontery to request that you talk about something else! It is as though what they imagine to be important really is important.

Some time ago, I wrote about homosexuality in Ghana and received varied responses; someone requested that I rather wrote about abortion, because to the person, that was more important! Another asked me to talk about corruption! But at that moment, I needed to tackle homosexuality! On another occasion, I wrote about doctors in Ghana, and several doctors attacked me, requesting that I rather addressed the recent rent allowance of our parliamentarians because to them, that issue was more critical! But again, I needed to address our doctors!

A few days ago, I wrote about the effects of the election petition on the nation’s economy, and again, a very learned fellow, decided to read and interpret otherwise, thereby launching a huge campaign against my article; his rejoinder went viral. What was meant to be a rejoinder to my article perhaps, turned out to be riddled with insults and personal attacks. Instead of addressing the issues as they needed to be, he only saw an opportunity to attack the government, but again, I had to be the tool.

Yes, issues ought to be addressed, just like I do each day, but we need to be civil in our dealings. Clearly, whatever I addressed seemed to be trivialized by this professor. That is the Ghana of today! We used big grammar to condemn and render all pertinent issues, null and void!

Ghana continues to drown each day, despite our so-called, virtual development and growth. Do you know that in terms of world peace as ranked by the EPI, Ghana had dropped eight places and keeps dropping each year. That is how far we are retrogressing as a nation. We need to take things more seriously.

Such are the realities! I receive emails from people, packed with all kinds of demands! Everyone thinks of an issue as more important! Depending on the side of the coin you belong, we always conveniently avoid specific issues!

If you avoid a problem today, you would definitely have to confront it another day! So why postpone issues? The issues need to be addressed! I do not run a one-way train! I tackle as much as I can. Ghanaians love to avoid issues! We love to belittle every issue that does not affect us directly! It is only after we have ourselves, fallen victims that we then acknowledge the gravity or importance of the issue! Some of us are only bold enough to hit the nail exactly on the head; at least, for the sake of Ghana and posterity.

The national spirit is fast being lost! All in the name of the politics of triviality! And rather sadly, our learned friends and colleagues are no different. We constantly lead this nation further astray. How are we serving this nation with our so-called education? By robbing her?

People would always want to protect their interest! Any statement, however innocent, has to be interpreted negatively! It is always about the NPP and the NDC, to the extent that serious issues confronting this nation are being turned into petty discussions and debates! It begins with the usual comments “They! They! They!”! They? Who are the “They?”

Most of us want to see the positivity in this election petition but personally, I beg to differ. If only all of us would learn to do the right thing at the right time, there would be no need for this petition. Our actions and inactions are rapidly becoming a threat to this nation’s peace.

Our politicians are turning this nation into a battle ground, and to some, a comedian’s platform! Instead of helping to keep our ‘sinking ship’ afloat, some people seem more interested in watching, and perhaps jeering or cheering on, as the ‘ship’, and her people sink to the bottom of the ocean! Fellow Ghanaians, Ghana is the only ship we have! Let not the politics of ideology create division! Let not the politics of ideology, trivialize very important issues that need lasting solutions!

In the end, if Ghana dies today, where would we all be? Ghana is bigger than us all! It is bigger than any politician, or political party! After all, there was Ghana before bi-partisan politics!

Anna Esi Hanson (nnhanson2@yahoo.com); esociocomm.blogspot.com.