Ding dong, ding dong, election bells are ringing faster and nearer with less than a week to the elections here in Gold Coast Ghana. Alongside, Christmas bells are ringing too. On that day the electorates as expected would decide the fate of the seven (7) Presidential hopefuls as well as the hundreds of Parliamentary Candidates.
Consistent electoral violence that’s sweeping across the Africa political divide has been a cause for concern for the international community. Here in Ghana, a number of careless activities perpetrated by some elements ahead of the elections have given convincing reasons for one to be worried. Even the foetus in the womb of a pregnant woman would wish to be delivered conditionally after the elections. Following that, several caution statements were issued by various recognised bodies and personalities. Our own Kofi Annan and Mohamed Ibn Chambas made statements to this effect as well.
The Heavens are watching and the world is watching too. Reactions on the giant screens of BBC, CNN, Aljazeera, etc. is an indication that the world is keeping an eagle eye on Ghana. We therefore need to be careful of our utterances so we don’t disappoint them.
Ghana’s democratic elections since 1992 is an indication that we have become democratic nation. In any democratic country, the world over, leaders are chosen through the ballot box and the thumb has a mandate to “speak” in the ballot box.
God forbid! But what would trigger the unlikely event of a needless violence? In this writing we discuss, but a few below.
Chiefs Endorsement
Some Ghanaian chiefs have endorsed Political parties and Presidential Candidates in particular. Some of these traditional rulers were caught in an inter-regional endorsement gala to see which region has more chiefs endorsing a particular presidential candidate than the other. The political parties too enjoyed this unnecessary endorsements. Wrongly timed though, the National House of Chiefs, Asantehene and some notable figures have condemned the move with toothless threats for a possible impeachment of the chiefs who had hit below the belt.
Our Ghanaian culture recognises the valuable importance of chiefs and opinion leaders in our traditional setup. They command so much respect that some of them are even more revered. The Ada Traditional Council is a typical example. In times of disagreement and difficulties, they'll be duty bound to mediate a possible Peaceful settlement of disputes. But from the current happenings, can a potentially violent crowd listen to a chief who already have declared his support for one group already? We live to watch from the giant screens of Universal Television how they’ll manoeuvre their way to lead a peace crusade.
Religious Leaders and Prophecies
Democratic elections have no place for fictions and prophecies. Democrats only believe in the power of the thumb. We don’t pre-empt the elections, as carelessly as some religious leaders have shown an inclination to do in recent times. Once a prophecy, which is a spiritual exercise takes precedence over physical or carnal activity, it becomes a recipe for violence since the political followers for which the prophecy favored would be tempted to believe in it and they'll be very anxious as a result. In the likely event that the results don't support what they'd been hypocritically made to believe, they may be tempted to protest. “Na who course am?” It is important to note that democracy doesn't pre-empt winners ahead of the actual elections. That's to say until votes are cast with the thumb and votes are counted thereafter and the winner declared we do not have a winner. This simple principle is not limited to the political science lecturer alone at the Central University, for it is known to all and sundry.
Research Advocacy Findings
Researchers and social sceintist would like to test their empirical studies and findings by making predictions. In an attempt to gain superiority over other groups, they’re misled into creating delusional confusion in the minds of their audince. The manner in which they publish their findings becomes a cause for concern as same may threaten our democracy like it did in some sister African countries. The way research findings swerved Political Citizens of both the United States of America and their colonial master the United Kingdom like an aggressive lotto staker provides adequate caution to followers of political parties in Ghana. We should know by now that opinion polls are not and cannot in any way be, nor represent a properly casted ballot. Those who believe such polls like a confident knavish “sure banker” written in white on a wooden Asare Original Pay All lotto kiosk do so at their own risk.
Tagging the Election Referee
Fright has gripped some political parties and have subsequently tagged the Electoral Commission as a biased referee. Name tagging poses another danger for our peace. Some political parties claim they have reason to believe the elections would be manipulated. We have seen teams pooling out of games when they have convincing reasons to believe the referee would be biased. Mr. Politician why participate in a game which you know will be ‘rigged’?
War Mongers
Some enemies of the peace we enjoy in this country have been issuing threats to opposing parties and sometimes to the Electoral Commission. Threats that warrant their possible arrest and prosecution. “You can't do this in Germany”, a friend would say. But right here in Ghana, can you invite a politician or his political affiliate who has made contemptuous comments for questioning? That’s when that court would be flooded with scores of political party sympathisers more than the Makola market in a Christmas season.
Democracy has the widest open door, and until this open door is regulated by law our peace and freedom would be dangling. You should not be swollen headed by any of these mere human activities not forgetting the fact that elections are full of great surprisal. This writer believes that we should ignore them and continue to foster peace and unity amongst ourselves. It takes several committed people in a community to hold firmly the peace we all adore but one irresponsible man to break it.
Remember unlike that expensive plot of land at the Airport Residential Area which is worth ten thousands of millions of Ghana Cedis, the peace we enjoy has been a priceless jewellery from ancient days. I mean long before the days of the Dr. Osagyefo led Big-Six.
Truth be told, Ghana would remain united forever whatever the outcome, as we remain One People, One Nation with one destiny. Would you pledge to be faithful and peaceful and loyal to mother Ghana? God bless our homeland Ghana and make this nation greater and stronger.
The writer David K. Flika is graduate student of Finance and a social analyst. Contact him via email: [email protected]
<<Print>>