ALL ‘IZZ’ WELL

 

The people of the umbrella are back from Sunyani where they elected Prof. Evans Atta Mills to lead them again for the upcoming elections in 2012.

Gbovu, the NDC must be congratulated for organizing a peaceful congress amidst the tension that escalated prior to the election. The tension was hyped by the media with some of them labeling the congress as a ‘make or break’ for the party. Some even said that the NDC will come out of the congress a broken horse. Well, we are yet to see that and this few couple of weeks will really tell the story.

Although it is too early, if what I saw on television and the commentaries on radio are anything to go by then organizers should be congratulated. Did you see the FONKAR-GAME people dancing and laughing even after the result was announced? Indeed the President Mills floored Nana Konadu.

For Nana Konadu, she has nothing to fear or worry but rather she should see herself as a pace setter and a very courageous woman who upcoming female politicians can learn from. She has shown that winning is not necessarily the reason why people contest for such an election. Gbovu, if not for anything at least Nana Konadu contesting the president has energize the party’s  roots.

Gbovuga, some have laughed off with the number of votes she received but not me. Yes the number was ninety representing 3.1 per cent but, hey was her 3.1 per cent not better than some members of the elephant party who had single digits in vote in their delegate congress prior to the 2008 general election. 

Gbovu, such is elections and that is why I call it the politicians’ bitter pills. All kinds of people will join your train the moment you announce your interest in contesting and all of them have their own reason for coming to you. In a continent or a country where poverty can be seen even in smiles, many people see elections and the campaign train as an opportunity to cash money after all the politician will forget about his promises the moment he wins.

The congress at Sunyani in my opinion would strength the NDC if it leaders would see the opportunity the congress had provided for the party to position itself positively in the minds of floating voters. Gbovu, the reason is this, the NDC whether accept it or not has many image problems. Some perceive the party as one that was born with blood on its hands due to the PNDC era before the metamorphosis ushered in.

Some believe it is the baby of the Rawlingses and for that reason some people who in terms of policies and ideology would have preferred the NDC reject them and see nothing good in the party. With that myth of the Rawlingses swept away at Sunyani the party has a great opportunity to strategies on how to make the party attractive to such floating voters.

Gbovuga Saturday was not just the NDC’s day but in fact would go into the history books as the people of Southern Sudan had their independence a day that many Sudanese must have thought would never come.

Gbovu, after several years of dialogue Southern Sudan is now a nation that can enjoy freedom and liberty.

Southern Sudan experience civil war with the north that began in the 1950s. When it finally ended with a 2005 peace deal, it was almost immediately threatened by the death of the south's leader, and Sudanese vice-president, John Garang, in a helicopter crash. But, finally, after six years of disengagement, the climax arrived with the overwhelming vote for separation in January and now with the grudging acquiescence of Khartoum, the birth of a nation. It is a significant achievement and it is great for the South Sudanese, whose lives have been cursed by two generations of insecurity with 2 million dead and many displaced.

It’s believed that the country could become a world producer of wheat and meat for its less fertile neighbours like drought-stricken Ethiopia and Kenya to the east. And as well as its agricultural resources there are large oil reserves, gold, and other minerals.

There is a relatively small population, newly swollen by many highly educated returnees. Their expectations are limitless Gbovuga but only if they don’t fall a victim to imperialist and greed. They are a new nation and can easily avoid the mistakes of other African countries after independence.

Gbovuga, I would like to leave you with an interesting extract from Chuck Lorre the creator of ‘two and a half men’ and the ‘big bang theory’ sitcom. “Dead is the new unambiguous. Bipolar is the new undecided. Heavily armed is the new born again. Bald is the new head and the new crotch. Hairy is the new face. Sheepishly admitting to having an STD is the new flirting. Purell is the new face of fear. Finding the time that’s right for you is the new impotence. The smiley face emotion is the new ‘sincerely yours’. Smoking is the new outdoorsy lifestyle. Looking forward is the insanely expensive private schooling, a thousand dollar a week nannies and soccer is the new yuppie birth control. Misinformed is the new patriotic. Veganism is the new ‘taste like chicken’; serotonin uptake inhibiting is the new crowd control. Texting is the new talking. Talking is the new singing. Singing is the new hubris. Gay marriage is the new ‘be careful what you wish for’.”  Think about it and see you next time.