The ex- President of Ghana, Mr. Jerry John Rawlings has just achieved a new record for himself. Just 7 days after President Atta-Mills has taken office, Mr. Rawlings has just fired a verbal salvo aimed squarely at the new president. This time, Mr. Rawlings is decrying the "poverty of inaction" exhibited by the new president and his transistion team. First of all, the exact meaning of the phrase "poverty of inaction" is a mystery. Furthermore, the fact that President Mills is being publicly lambasted by the founder of his own party is perplexing. This is also a record because Mr. Rawlings gave ex-President Kufuor and the erstwhile NPP administration a grace period of 6 months in 2001 before launching his first verbal attack on 4 June 2001. Back in 1981, Flight Lieutenant Rawlings apparently gave the former president Dr. Hilla Limann a similar grace period before the 31 December 1981 coup d'etat.
Another classic gem from Mr. Rawlings' speech was:
Are we in power or not, have we taken over or not. They marched us out when you and I have committed no crime. They who have committed crimes and today we have been vindicated by our sense of vigilance we don’t even…what kind of diplomacy is this?” (SOURCE: Joy FM myjoyonline.com)
All I can say is very interesting.
Another classic gem from Mr. Rawlings' speech was:
Are we in power or not, have we taken over or not. They marched us out when you and I have committed no crime. They who have committed crimes and today we have been vindicated by our sense of vigilance we don’t even…what kind of diplomacy is this?” (SOURCE: Joy FM myjoyonline.com)
All I can say is very interesting.
12 comments:
Interesting, especially how well you've chronicled the times (or done your research ;-)). We live in interesting times, no?
Thanks Nana Yaw, but as a "citizen journalist" I should add that the salvos before the 31 December coup were based on accounts from a learned person at work so I added the "apparently". We do live in interesting times...forget soap operas, Ghanaian politicking is much more entertaining!
@Abena,I knew this was coming this secondary school boy called JJ is seriously suffering from NPD (Narcissistic personality disorder)..and what is shocking is having all these ndc guys following every word this secondary school boy says..Characters like this end been shelf destructive to them shelf's.and i like the way he came out with that word Poverty of Inaction hahahahahahahah......jj..My dad told me on a recent call to ghana that Atta Mills will be the one to end jj's bull and he is very sure of that..we go see..
Interesting indeed! "You and I have committed no crime"? I think the families of some judges would beg to differ.
Only to mention a few...
Completely agree with you though, who needs E! News and people.com when there's Ghana politicks and especially the growling JJ to keep us entertained!
Hi Abena,
this is definitely a nice recount!
the records also are interesting to note...
'poverty of inaction' really makes one pause for air... hahahahaha...
by mathematical arithmetic that would mean some measure of ACTION... thus two negatives give a positive (i leave the English language dissection to the queen)!
and so on that score one would wonder what Jerry is then complaining about... how so beautifully language can be twisted inside out!
As for the PUBLIC 'lambasting' of Mills by Jerry i believe it's sweet! very sweet! the particular issues being raised are to be looked at and taken or thrashed as needed... but the public show for me is just sweet! very sweet!
ELSE WHAT IS THE test OF THE DEMOCRACY WE CLAIM... silence???
As for me, I look forward to the day when it would be legal and just alright to just insult leadership in the face direct with whatever words as one can conjure up freely and walk away with a fart to add... (we are different individuals who are collectively represented by whatever leader...president or DCE)
some think he should have called Mills into some corner to do the venting but me think that is neither here nor in my bedroom...
and aaaaahhhh! that quote is another sweet one and JJ may have a problem with some kind of diplomacy but i can say plain and simple to the man Jerry the RAW one that he must know that a president is a president for all but not only for his NDC (which we are being told to believe that he founded) or any other political group!
I'd seek to know if there is really any provision in our constitution that states whether a "political party" assumes power or not (though i understand that for street talk)... i wonder what it means to claim that a political party as a group is in power in Ghana... too many things are twisted in this part of the world...
huh! ... Abena, i need some more air!!!
Patrick, you have hit the hammer on the nail. I just checked the DSM criteria (on wikipedia)for "Narcissistic personality disorder" and unfortunately it appears that Mr. Rawlings may actually suffer from this;
1. Grandiose sense of self-importance
2. Requires excessive admiration
3. Sense of entitlement
However, according to the criteria he should also "lack empathy" which I think Mr. Rawlings does not...well, not sure about that...
Anyway, I'm no psychologist.
Maya, absolutely correct; Mr. Rawlings also seems to have a selective recall problem when it comes to his own actions and legacy.
On a less serious note; may he continue to entertain us! Apparently some of the people listening to his speech were induced to a state of slumber to which Mr. Rawlings retorted "Get these people some coffee!" This is a second-hand account but I totally understand why it would happen :)
Novisi; great analysis! I particularly liked your take on the "poverty of inaction"...I'm not sure I agree that a public lashing was the most prudent course of action. I think it was great for freedom of speech but ultimately damaging to the NDC and the efforts of President Mills....[I think I am the LAST person in the word to JUST discover that I have been erroneously referring to my president as President Atta-Mills instead of Mills.]
I love your comment above - "forget soap operas, Ghanaian politicking is much more entertaining!" - couldn't agree more..!
Been following events closely from a distance (geographical)..:)
*LOL*! Ekua, the Ghanaian political landscape is like a non-stop concert party!
Oh dear! All I can say is HERE WE GO AGAIN with this man.
Indeed, Abbynah, here we go again! But hopefully he will keep more coming :)
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