“He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster.
And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you”
Friedrich Neitzsche
ARISTOTLE, the 4th Century (BC) Greek philosopher enunciated: “By nature man is a political animal”. He went on to add: “Hence men have a desire for life together, even when they have no need to seek each other’s help. Nevertheless, common interest too is a factor in bringing them together, in so far as it contributes to the good life of each. The good life is indeed their chief end, both communally and individually, but they form and continue to maintain a political association for the sake of life itself”.
Plato (born 427 BC) had remarked: “Societies aren’t made of sticks and stones, but of men whose individual characters by turning the scale one way or another, determine the direction of the whole”. A political party is made up of people who have decided to come together out of their free-will.
Political watchers are not enthused about the goings – on in the camp of the NPP, which taunts itself as the alternative answer to the ruling NDC, accused of mismanaging the economy, and plunging the nation into an abyss. Some people are asking whether the NPP is serious about winning power in 2016—perhaps what is being manifested is a foretaste of the “Agenda 2020”, by which time the “beloved” son would arrive. What one finds funny is the way people allude to any alleged misstep of an individual as “targeting”. Why this confrontation, allegation and accusation especially from the top notch of the party, they ask?
The rumpus erupted with the holding of the meeting on Monday, 4th May, this year to deliberate on the strategies to run the party’s parliamentary primaries. Assuming, for the sake of argument, that the meeting was ill – timed and therefore, not proper, should this have evoked the sort of anger and vituperation? A democratic party should cherish the principle of “audi alteram partem” (listen to the other party).
Let us understand the General Secretary: What was the “emergency” about the parliamentary primaries to warrant an “emergency” meeting when the National Chairman and the General Secretary were away from the party’s headquarters in Accra? Could not the meeting have awaited the arrival of these two potentates of the party? Why should anyone “target” Kwabena Agyapong, to “destroy” him?
On the reverse side, why should Kwabena Agyapong suspect anyone in the executive “targeting” him to destroy his political future”? What are his own “political behaviour” and political attitudes” towards his colleagues and other party folks? He has been tagged with the offensive stereotype: “arrogance”: does it fit?
The NPP in its wisdom drew up a constitution for itself and duly amended it, making provision for the General Secretary, in Article 9 F (iv) “(to be )responsible for overseeing the operations of the party’s National Secretariat and coordinating the activities and operations of the party and all employees of the party at the Constituency, Regional , External and National levels”. In that same Article 9 F (v) provision is made that: “The General Secretary shall perform his functions in accordance with the directives of the National Executive Committee and the National Chairperson”. Who said the General Secretary is the “omnipotent”, the “be all and the end all” in the NPP, without whose signature the Electoral Commission would not endorse any parliamentary aspirant? Do people realize that no single person is greater than the party, and do those in authority know that they derive their power from the people?
In running the Secretariat, Kwabena Agyapong may care to note the findings of `”The Hawthorne Studies” by Elton Mayo and Fritz Roethlisberger (1920s). The Western Electric Company research found the emphasis of socio – psychological human behaviour in organisations. The findings depicted that the increases in worker productivity emanated from: choosing one’s own co – workers; working as a group; being treated as special; having a sympathetic supervisor. Eliminating the first finding, for a political party, the other three appear relevant.
What would it cost the General Secretary to resolve to laugh over certain remarks and actions of people he perceives to be his detractors? What would it cost the General Secretary to take Akosua’s cartoon of him eating fufu (and nkate – nkwan) with a big phone, as a humongous humour? The cartoon did not disclose the type of soup, but I guess Kwabena relishes groundnut soup—just like me. Has Kwabena seen how other characters had been caricatured by Akosua? The NPP has been lucky to have its present structure: The Chairman, Paul Afoko (a Northerner); the first Vice – Chairman, Freddie Blay (an Nzema, in the camp of Nkrumah’s CPP); the General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong (an Ashanti); the flagbearer, Nana Akufo Addo (an Akyem); the running mate, Mahamadu Bawumia (a Northerner) where will lie the perception that the NPP is an Akan Party? Some people are praying for the day a person from the Volta Region will be chosen as the Chairman or the flagbearer of the NPP. Freddie Blay must have weighed many options before putting his weight behind the NPP, and the NPP ought to cherish his contributions
Viewing the NDC, one could recall the ‘Swedru Declaration’ which yanked Professor Atta Mills into the fore, after Nkensen Arkaah (the Stubborn Cat) had died from a freak accident. Then there was the Koforidua episode in which Dr Obed Asamoah, the chairman of the party and other bigwigs were humiliated. They left the party, and Obed Asamoah formed his own party. Again, there was this big blow to the wife of the founder of the party, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings at Sunyani where after the shabby treatment of the former First Lady, she left the party and formed her own. But that is the NDC for you. They appear to know how to lay paper over the cracks in their party, and sing elegies and obituaries for others.
George Orwell first published “Keep the Aspidistra flying” in 1936. It was a socially critical piece that despised wealth (the money – god) and status. Gordon Comstock, the hero, gave himself a “self – imposed exile” from affluence. He could not have the time to enjoy romantic life with his girlfriend Rosemary Waterlow. After wallowing in poverty and failure for two years, he threw his poetic work ‘London Pleasures’ down the drain, and married Rosemary. He resumed his advertisement career, and plunged into a campaign to promote a new product to prevent foot odour, taking daily walks along mean streets. Gordon won an argument with Rosemary to install an aspidistra in their new small but comfortable apartment off the Edgeware Road in London. Aspidistra was a common flower in England in the last century. Roses and poppies are more common these days, but they are more often associated with deaths and funeral scenes. An aspidistra could serve a living party better. Let the NPP keep it flying.
Africanus Owusu-Ansah
africanusoa@gmail.com
Via: -Daily Guide
No comments:
Post a Comment