Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was 82 years yesterday.
Hurayyyy! He has had a long life already. Even so, I wish him more health and life.
When he turned 72 in 2016, I wrote an article in the Daily Graphic of Tuesday 29th March 2016, which I titled, “This is Akufo-Addo.” I write this as a sequel to the 2016 article.
That is why I have titled this “This is Akufo-Addo (II).
In the 2016 article, I stated that “. . . Akufo-Addo is arguably the most misunderstood and most misrepresented politician of our time.” I therefore sought in the 2016 article, to present to the Ghanaian people, who he really is.
At that time, I was an active member of the University of Cape Coast faculty.
After the publication of that article, no less than 10 of my colleague lecturers confessed to me that indeed, my article had changed their perception of the man Akufo-Addo and promised me they were going to vote for him.
Whether or not they indeed voted for him, he won the 2016 election and went on to serve as president of the republic for eight years.
Genuineness
After serving as president for two terms, I deem it appropriate to ask myself, if indeed, his conduct in office vindicated my article of 2016.
The writer (right), in a conversation with former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
To answer that, and for the benefit of those who did not read the 2016 article, I will recap the core of the argument I made for why Ghanaians should make him president of the land.
I argued that the principal quality of a good president in my view is genuineness; one who is unable to be pretentious or deceitful.
“If ever there is a politician who is true to himself, it is Akufo-Addo,” I stated.
I further stated that, “from his smiles to his handshakes; everything comes naturally.
He cannot fake a smile. He cannot be deceitful. He is unable to be.” Indeed, his vision and proposed programmes for the development of Ghana sounded too good to be true — free SHS; One District, One Factory; One Village, One Dam; One Ambulance, One Constituency; Agenda 111 among other earth-shaking commitments.
His opponents were categorical, that these were all a ruse.
I remember the now General Secretary of the NDC, saying to thunderous applause from NDC supporters about free SHS, that it was “all lie be lie.!”
We can argue about the completion rates of these programmes and even about their overall effect on our development. But what is undisputable, is that these were all implemented with varying degrees of success.
From Hamile to Axim, there is no family that was not touched directly by the visionary programmes of Akufo-Addo. I was vindicated when I stated in the 2016 article, that he meant what he said.
Confidence & boldness
In Ghana, there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. Indeed, in Ghana, meekness is celebrated and so we love leaders who engage in what my friend Hilary calls, “performative humility.”
So, for a very long time, we battled the ‘arrogance’ tag that was foisted on him by his opponents.
At communication strategy sessions, we would seek to convince him to fake his public posture. He would politely decline.
Sometimes he would say, “are you not communication experts? you should be the ones to craft a strategy to deal with my nature; I should not be the one faking who I truly am.”
In the 2016 article, I recall a meeting held in 2014 with Muslim party elders in Tamale, where they sought to berate him for not dabbling in spiritual practices that were contrary to his Christian faith. This is what he told them: “I will not bend my principles for political gain
And I want you to trust that if by the grace of God, I become president, I will not abandon you because of some convenience.”
“In the same way that I am loyal to my faith, I shall be loyal to you if you help me win.
The one who will abandon his principles in order to win power, can easily abandon you,” he added.
Vindication
“Vindication,” they say, “is in the womb of time.” Barely one year and three months after leaving office, the most misunderstood and most misrepresented politician of our time is being vindicated.
When he embarked on Agenda 111, they scoffed at it. Today no less a personality than the Dormaahene, one of the most vociferous opponents of Akufo-Addo when he was in office, told President Mahama during his recent tour of the Bono Region, that Akufo-Addo had already built a market for them and as such, they didn’t need a market, even if it is called a 24-hour economy market.
He told President Mahama that the prudent thing to do is to complete the Agenda 111 project, so people can access health care. When Akufo-Addo was championing the payment of reparations by the western world for the evils of slavery, many scoffed at it, arguing that it was unnecessary and that he, together with other African leaders, was going to squander the proceeds of reparation, even if it was paid. Today, the same people hail President Mahama for continuing where Akufo-Addo left off.
When Akufo-Addo said that we needed to re-tool the Ghana Airforce, including the acquisition of a new presidential jet, his opponents said he wanted to be taking a shower in the air.
Indeed, the current foreign minister (then in opposition) said the presidential jet was in “pristine condition and will remain so until 2030.”
We are in 2026, and they have, as they say in Ghana, “changed their mouth.” Psalm 37:6-8 (New English Translation) states; “He will vindicate you in broad daylight and publicly defend your just cause. Wait patiently for the Lord. . . Do not be angry and frustrated.”
As the Akan will say, Onipa b3y33 bi; waamm3y3 ne nyinaa, loosely translated as, “humans came to play their part; they did not come to do all of it.” Nana, you ran a good race. You played your part.
You had bold vision for the transformation of our country.
Your vision was not “nkitinkiti.” They were “akase3.” I am happy that your vindication has come in your lifetime.
This is what Psalm 37:6-8 urged upon you.
Canon Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, happy birthday! Enjoy what God has ordained for you.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh