From Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese
(A Proud Kamara from Laribanga)
Dear one,
I write this with a painful but a wishful heart. A heart that wishes that man should be created again, and if that were possible. I would have loved to come as a piece of log in Dagbon or Ayigbe land than to come back as a human being in Gonjaland. A land full of hate; a land whose people don’t value their identity; a land where a brother can kill another just for a something they call chieftaincy title; a land whose people would prefer to pull themselves down at all cost. That is the land I come from.
Opening this letter, I wish to state first and foremost that, nobody in NDC in Gonjaland has ever asked all Gonjas to become automatic NDC just because of John Mahama. We know that isn’t possible, because even though descendants of NPP came from the Manhyia palace, yet, some Ashante royals are card bearing members of NDC. So, let nobody mistake our call for circumspection from NPP young communicators from the land to mean we are begging all Gonjas to join the NDC because of John Mahama.
Isn’t it a shame, that a land such as Gonjaland has its royals from the palace who are suppose to protect other royals and the people they rule over, rather turn to eat their own flesh? Once you sell Gonjaland for political positions and use same position to downsize the palace, then, you would do worse when your time comes to sit on the same skins.
If a President was ever vilified, attacked personally and insulted in Ghana, then it was John Mahama. And if a President was ever vilified and hated by his own kinsmen, then it was this same John Mahama. He’s even lucky to be alive today. Why do we hate ourselves? Why do we wash our dirts outside? Have Gonjas lost it? Do we still have elders in our land? Leadership crisis is what I call it.
To the big Gonja man in NPP, we know how some of you got your appointments. Some of you were made to swear an oath to attack and insult the person of John Mahama, and that was what earned you your current positions in Nana Addo’s government. To maintain and consolidate these positions, you must continue to do what you swore to do for Nana Addo (ie keep attacking the person of John Mahama).
Unfortunately, you are now a big man and one in government. So, the smartest way to keep the attacks on John Mahama is to recruit your party young ones to keep that up. This is why some NPP young ones today, some of whom have not even set their eyes or know John Mahama personally, will insult him, his late father and mother and his children. To them, the only way they can keep their positions is to arm the young ones to keep the insults and attacks raging.
The agenda some of you the big men in NPP in Gonjaland sat to plan and execute just to embarrass John Mahama, will be multiplied by 10 when your time comes. It was this same self-hate you exhibited which made our fine Hon Boniface to lose out in the bid to become a running mate to Nana Addo in 2008. Today, Dr Bawunia is bigger than those of you who almost got to his position as true party men even before 2008. Your self-hate will keep your progress under your own feet.
Today, the Boniface who was robbing shoulders with John Mahama in 2008 to also become a running mate then, has almost become a serial caller in Dr Bawumia’s office. All happened because of the self-hate you same big men in NPP from Gonjaland exhibited in 2008. Can’t you see how you people can’t get your heads up in the party up there? Your heads will continue to be up only when you are being prepared to be used against your own kinsmen.
The land you see today as empty and can’t make you, same land will consume your destiny and the destinies of your offsprings. Most of you will suffer all your political life without getting closer to where John Mahama is today. The John Mahama you have trained your boys to insult has added more to the image of Gonja than all of you put together. At least he is the first Gonja to have become a Vice President and the first to become a President in Ghana’s history. A dream some of you so called NPP big men in Gonjaland will never get close to.
You want your NPP to hold you up as ardent subscribers of democracy, so insulting and pulling the strings to embarrass John Mahama is normal to you and your Akyem lords. Well, be informed that you are being used. How do you feel as a royal when another tribe ask you to run down your palace just so he scores a political point? A palace you would one day occupy? You would be cursed by the skins and dumped by the gods.
Do you ask yourself a question why Gonja still remains like this although our people were right there when the Ghana project started? For the records E. A Mahama was part of the first republic as an MP and a minister. J.A. Braimah was a leading member of the UP…I am told. Today, when the real owners of Ghana are knocking their chests, do they add Gonjas? When those who helped to make history are recounted and eulogized, do you see any Gonja name in there? Start thinking!
When your time comes, which I pray it should, be prepared for the worse. Small children will hoot at you. You would crawl to the graves of your ancestors and they will still reject your sacrifices and offers. Unless you people are not seeking to occupy bigger political offices. We are ready to also embarrass you before the world same way you are dying so hard to embarrass HE John Mahama. Jump up and down, John Mahama will remain your standard measure when your time comes to climb up there. Mark it!
John Mahama doesn’t need a chieftaincy title from any of the palaces in Gonjaland to make him who he is. HE John Mahama is known worldwide as a peaceful, humble and a truthful man. So, if the Bolewura’s brother feels that his party (NPP) is more important to him than the image of his brother, let him take the title and put in his fridge. Why did he even sit to watch the Mankumawura (next in command) and elders from the Bole Traditional Area perform the enskinement in the first place? Bolewura is a respected chief who got support from almost all parts of Gonjaland in times of difficulties. How soon can his brother forget? Time is our greatest ally!
We heard and we know how some NPP appointees from Gonjaland threatened the Bolewura after this enskinement. How they were pushed by their Akyem Lords to get John Mahama stripped off the title and embarrassed. We also know how the Bolewura stood his grounds, but when Gonjas say “Eshi ebuto”, you need to understand. His own brother is standing firm to pull his hard-earned respect and reputation into the mud.
They think they are embarrassing John Mahama, but they don’t know that they are rather embarrassing the Bolewura and themselves. At least they saw how John Mahama was received by the Yagbonwura, Yaa Naa, the people of Nyankpala, Bimbila and the Chief of Kete-Krachi. They are pained, but what Allah has ordained, you the NPP big man can’t undo.
Gonja royals can hate John Mahama, but they Dagomba royals will love him. Gonja warriors can hate John Mahama, but the Ewe warriors will still love him. Gonja kingmakers can hate John Mahama, but they Dagau kingmakers love him. Gonja Chiefs can hate John Mahama, but the Frafra chiefs will love and adore him. Gonja Imams can decide to hate John Mahama, but the Sisala Imams will forever love him. As Bishop Philip Narmeh said, John Mahama is loved by all classes of people; the young, old, the rich and the ordinary poor people on the streets.
Never expect to be treated as tribesmen when John Mahama is President, when at the time he was struggling, you were the very people seeking to pull him down and embarrass him. Allow the Dagombas, Ewes, Dagabas, Walas, Sisalas and the Frafras to take their larger share since they welcomed John Mahama as a son when you chased him away.
Let it be told to you the Gonja big men in NPP, if you don’t help to pound the fufu, be ready to eat boiled yam without salt. The embarrassment you think will pull Mahama down today will be the last shot that will get you off your political career. Don’t expect any special treatment, after all we are all practicing democracy.
We have just started. I know you would send your attack dogs after me, but when they say three I will multiply that by three. Maybe I will mention names in my next episode.
Be reminded that before you became an appointee of Akuffo Addo, John Mahama had ascended the highest throne even before Akuffo Addo did. Your time will surely come, so be ready for the worse from us.
“Keshinten Gbeadese”
10th August, 2020.
