I have been watching with keen interest the saga
surrounding Jake’s house – the GaDangme propaganda, the political twist and the
arrogance of foot soldiers – and I have been sad, very sad.
I am sad because, in civilized society, it is the
law and the law alone that is our guide, so that weak men and finite mortals
with hands and feet of clay do not take advantage of their fellowmen.
I am sad, too, because in our religious and
traditional institutions, we are further guided by deep values and spiritual
laws. In both of these instances, Nii Lante is committing a serious and
dangerous mistake. One: in spitting upon the Supreme Court ruling, he may be
serving the short-term interests of his political patrons; in the long run,
however, he might find himself a scapegoat – another Ga scapegoat, just like
Josiah Aryeh.
Nii Lante, no doubt, is a young and promising
politician; but he has overshot himself. To begin with, in the constituency
such as the one in which he is contesting, he does not need to split hairs to pick
the MP slot. It used to be a UP seat that shocked Kwame Nkrumah and subsequent military
adventurers – until recently. But times do change. As the Ga adage says:
“Calamities do not come flying red flags.”
Strangely, GaDangme senior citizens and religious
leaders and traditional rulers in the Ga State look on; the Muslim clerics and
Zongo boys in Cow Lane look on and the GaDangme Caucus in the National
Democratic Congress gloat with glee, not only over the infraction of a Supreme
Court decision, but also a dangerous attempt to disinherit the son of a
bonafide Ghanaian and Ga personality.
I defended Nii Lante when he was accused of not
being an out-and-out Ga during the last parliamentary elections. Lamptey and
Lante are one name from one clan; in mere spelling, one is indigenized and the
other Anglicized. Jake therefore passes for Nii Lante’s uncle. In terms of
spiritual and traditional values, Nii Lante may be burning his fingers in
continually deciding not to leave his uncle’s residence, citing all kinds of
excuses – with party patrons looking on. It is a totally different scenario, if
Jake stole the property and he Nii Lante was playing the vigilante and patriot.
For all you know, however, Jake could be the only Ga in that premises.
Additionally, there are facts about our national and
political independence which Nii Lante may not be aware about. Obetsebi
Lamptey, Jake’s father and member of the Big Six, drafted the petition that
Sgt. Adjetey and his lieutenants were to submit to the Governor during the
February 28 shooting incident. Also as a member of the Big Six, he was the only
one of the Six within meters of the incident and reported back to the rest, who
rallied together to push the petition to the Governor, after the incident.
Before then, he had immediately confronted Superintendent Imray from the top of
his car where, he was perching, just to have a bird’s eye view of the drama.
“Imray, you fired the shots. Who authorized you?”
Obetsebi Lamptey exploded. “Captain
Ballantyne,” the panicky Imray confessed, whereupon Obetsebi Lamptey picked his
pocket diary and noted the confession.
At almost 90, I am finalizing my will and testament.
All I can say now, before I depart, is urge Nii Lante, as part of that
testament, not to listen to traitors who, in the name of GaDangme solidarity, tend
to want to spinelessly score unnecessary political points on just any issue. He must show remorse and prove critics wrong.
Tamakloes and Tsikatas in the NDC will not do what you have done to a fellow Ga
and relative; and Owusus and Yeboahs in the same or other parties will not do
that either…Ga boys in politics must learn serious lessons…
Remember what happened to Josiah Aryeh…in the end,
you might be another embarrassing GaDangme scapegoat. I rest my case...
*Published
unedited
JOSHUA ATTOH QUARSHIE,
CHEMUNAA, ACCRA.
