REFRESHING THAT MUNTAKA HAS EATEN HUMBLE PIE

Ghana is not only a democratic state; it is also founded on traditional and religious values, regardless of the communities we find ourselves from.

That is why, regardless again of where we stand politically, our religious and traditional roots have an influence on our political thought and action, except for those who have a pathological disregard for constituted authority.

Little wonder that, when politicians excessively engage in crazy posturing, we have the traditional and religious communities calling them to order; and which is why Ghana is a beacon of peace in a turbulent sub-region.

Muntaka disease

Unfortunately, the Muntaka disease afflicts our typical politician; and it shows during serious political calendars like the last voter registration exercise, the Ghana Card registration, political campaign seasons, and party primaries.

Unfortunately, it also shows up during crucial events like the 2012 and 2020 Election Petitions.

But it also shows up during solemn Ministerial Vetting ceremonies, when the supreme interest of the state – not political parties – is what should be considered above everything else.

Without mentioning names, we may cite occasions, where leaders holding revered, independent positions have been unruly, attacked when all they were doing was putting Ghana first.

Unfortunately, such victims have included our eminent Ashantehene, Speakers of Parliament, National Peace Council leaders, and, now, our eminent Supreme Court Law Lords and Ladies.

Again intriguingly, some of the perpetrators have been half-literate graduates hoping to catch the eyes of their equally warped and warts chieftains, who hide in the dark and goad these misled youth on in their acts of mischief.

Content of letter of apology

While in certain paragraphs in the letter, he needlessly attempts to explain the inexplicable, the consensus generally is that he has been realistic with the issues and been bold to admit that he was wrong and had been misled by peer political pressure.

As a Muslim and as the son of a Zongo community, he has been taught to respect elders and that, we believe, maybe more the reason for his decision to move away from his initial pigheaded stance to a moderate and honourable position.

The long and short of the story is that he has apologized and in that, he has endeared himself to the electorate. At least, he has admitted that taking our political theatrics and clowning to our Supreme Court judges is like dipping your finger into your Zongo community chief or Makaranta teacher: and the consequences could be – even physically.

Particularly in Muslim communities in the Sahel, it could attract lashes or a more violent punishment under their Sharia Law.

Commendation

While we commend the honourable Member of Parliament therefore for the courage to act in line with his conscience rather than the credo of his party’s madding crowd, we would urge all politicians, regardless of their philosophy and colour to lead in showing respect to constituted authority.

This is because the nonsense about Democracy being jaw-jawed per se, regardless of the issues and layers of authority, is not founded on any credible and civilized body of laws and statutes anywhere in this world – not even the civilizations we borrowed our tenets of constitutional rule and Democracy from.

It is time, therefore, for delegates, communicators, MPs on both sides, media personnel, and, more importantly, party chieftains, to show some respect to all those who matter as they ply their fleeting vocation.

Bizarre reality

After all, we know MPs, MMDCEs, Ambassadors and Ministers from nowhere, who join us back on the streets AD 11, when their glory is departed and they lose access to our tax monies, Nissan Patrols and Toyota PRADAs as well as Range Rovers and Lexuses