HOT ISSUES with Africanus Owusu Ansah: NAPO’S MEA CULPA

“The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest”. – Unknown

In our sojourn to “Agege” some forty years ago, during the heady days of the so-called Rawlings’s Revolution the headmaster at a Grammar School in Ondo State fixed a day for a staff meeting, and he failed to report to the school. When next he fixed a date and he attended the meeting, there was a salvo of questions: First Teacher: Why did you not attend the meeting you fixed for 17.06.83?” Headmaster: “I am sorry” 2nd Teacher: “We can’t understand why you arranged for the meeting on 17.06.83 and you failed to attend? “Headmaster” I’m sorry. Third Teacher: “Why didn’t you attend the last meeting on 17.06.83? Headmaster: Oh that’s why I say I am sorry; after sorrow, what again? No more questions on the headmaster’s absence at the first meeting, and the meeting proceeded.

Etymologically, ‘’sorry’’ and ’sorrow’ are unrelated. ‘Sorry ‘ comes from old English ‘sarig’ and it relates to ‘sore’ (physical) or from proto-Germanic  Sehr’ and Dutch ‘zeer’  “Sorrow” comes from Old English sorh or sorg What is in a state of being ill or sick (mental). This is so far as the comparison of the words ‘sorry’ and ‘sorrow’ goes. But the drift is on Napo’s outburst of ‘your Nkrumah’ when comparing the achievements of Nana Addo with those of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, which has swayed the political pendulum and shifted the focus on to the camp of the Nkrumaists –Napo appeared before Otumfuo at Manhyia Palace that episodic Tuesday The Chronicle of Wednesday, July 10, 2024 reported Otumfuo’s advice to Napo thus; “I have spoken to Napo, my son, behind closed doors and counseled him well. But let me tell you (Napo) in public that don’t let Dr. Bawumia regret his decision in choosing you… Go and serve him (Dr. Bawumia) with humility, loyalty and dedication. Listen to his directives and obey him at all times… Be humble and serve Dr. Bawumia well…” Solomonic words! We heard the King say in Twi: “Me ba yi nkurcfoc bi se w’ani nso adie … Metetee wo no manhunu no saa. Me die mesan wo ti s3 wo nte saa, na mmom k) na emma no nye h)…” The closest translation of “w’ani ns) adie is “you don’t respect “or” you are arrogant”.

Then an hour later at the Jubilee Park Napo, said: “…Since independence no President, Not even your Kwame Nkrumah (err: chuckle) developed Ghana like Akufo-Addo”. Extempore Speech.

The following day he was in the Western North Region before Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, Omanhene of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area at Wassa Akropong and repeated his claim of Akufo-Addo’s works and added “The nature of Ghanaian politics is that those who speak the truth are labeled disrespectful those who lie are heaped with praises”. He repeated; “When it comes to development not even Nkrumah comes near Akufo Addo. Was it “gbeshi:?

Fiifi Boafo (Spokesperson) insists that “Napo’s statement was his subjective opinion. And one Edwards simply says: “Napo spoke Twi, not Russian. (Spasiba : Russian Thank you: English) Controversial and Unconventional Captain Smart stated on  Oman FM, accusing Napo of “arrogance and disrespect. I now realize I voted for (an “a-word”) in the past elections. Napo is a (a”c-word”) for the NPP. I’m glad J. A. Kufuor  did not attend the embarrassing event”.

The CPP called on His Excellency President Nana Addo to withdraw Napo as Minister of Energy and Bawumia to withdraw him as his Vice – President candidate “for the sake of the country’s image and its long term political and economic fortunes”.

Dr. Arthur Kennedy on Joy News thought. “In his quiet moment (Napo) would have wished he hadn’t said certain things”. Threat to lead a demonstration (of which people) against the Finance Minister putting a vote in the Budget for the victims of the Keta flood… the retort to people calling for the “dumsor” time – table to prepare their own time-table… those who go to College of Education are people with low IQ… Eisssh!

And our brother Kennedy Agyapong said on KSM: ‘I believe in Nkrumah (born as Francis Kofi Nwiah) even though I am an NPP man. He built Akosombo Textiles…” (Akosombo Dam, many estates, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Tema Motorway – voted BBC’s “Man of the Millennium” with statues all over Africa; Tanzania, Uganda, Mali, Guinea, Ethiopia.

And Miracles Aboagye would attempt an “equalization” saying Mahama was in Tanzania and played down the strikes there being incomparable to the strikes in Ghana which had hardened him to call himself “odwan funu – a dead goat). And Yamin’s claim that Mahama was the greatest of all Heads of State Ghana had ever had.

There were threats from various personalities and groups calling on Napo to “apologise” And he did apologise… On July 12, an unsigned statement was issued on his letterhead… “I DIDN’T MEAN TO DENIGRATE FORMER PRESIDENT, DR. KWAME NKRUMAH OR ANY OTHER PRESIDENT”. He stated “My statement last Tuesday, 9^th July, in Kumasi on the performance of President Akufo Addo has elicited varied reactions.. The statement reflects my personal opinion about President Akufo Addo’s impact relative to other Presidents we have had. I wish to emphasize that I never meant to disrespect our former President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, or any of our former Heads of State, including my own grand – uncle and mentor Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor. I note the concerns raised after my statement. I apologise sincerely and regret the discomfort caused”.

“A nation that does not honour its heroes will not long endure” so says Abraham Lincoln. Winston Churchill puts it this way: “A nation that fails to honour its heroes, soon will have no heroes to honour”.

So, we would naturally expect those “hit” by Napo’s unsavoury comment to accept the apology, but no… Kwesi Pratt who wouldn’t have selected Napo as running mate in the first place, asks: “Is this Ghana” ? And Kevin Taylor compares the “decency” at the NDC’s showing of Naana Opoku Agyemang.

As Catholics, we are used to the “Confiteor” (Confession) said during the Penitential Act at the beginning of Mass. “Confiteor Deo omnopotenti, et vobis fratres (et sorores) quia peccaris nimis cogitatione, verbo, opere et omission: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa…” (I confess to Almighty God and to you, my brothers (and sisters) that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault…” Political commentators should assess the “political impact” of what their mentors say or do even the minutest action is not missed by members of the other party. Are we interested in the “floating voters”? (those whose votes “swing” from one party to another)?

Having lived in Half Assini and Elubo, we can confidently say that Nzemas are naturally slow to anger. They have internalized the dictum in John 1:11 “He came unto his own and his own received him not”.

What every NPP member must know is that we are in the political propaganda stretch and whoever goofs will be providing fodder to the opposition parties to feed on. It may be too late to do damage control.

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