This day has proven to be a black one by all standards, and its darkness has propelled the "no time to write Efua" to return to her blog....The leader of my country Ghana, President John Evans Atta Mills passed away today. I bow my head and I say a prayer for him, I pray that the good Lord will accept him in his bosom. The bible says the Lord gives and the Lord takes so we can only consider it as his divine orchestration and commit him to his care. I have heard a lot of Ghanaians say people are feigning emotions concerning the president’s death. This is what I personally think, that as a public figure he could not have escaped being talked about, worst of all when he occupied the position of president.
Ordinary people like you and I have people talk about us all the time so why wouldn’t people talk about the president? Human beings can never be pleased so no matter the lengths you go to, people will never be satiated. Lets take Asamoah Gyan as a very current example, he becomes the hero when he does land his ball in the net,his praises knows no limits.. when the ball goes above the net or when he misses that fateful penalty that would have pushed us on to the finals, he is abused from every angle, same person who was being hailed 15 minutes earlier amidst chants of "baby jet, baby jet" but thats human nature at its best. At the end of the day I want to believe this simple truth, that no normal human being wishes that someone else dies and I say this with emphasis on "normal human being". I can’t say we are all normal so for those who actually wished death on him, find yourselves psychiatrists to help deal with your demented minds. I believe most people probably had issues with his political party and the shadows of their past for which President Mills was caught up in and all the drama and the insults that went along with the seat he occupied albeit uncomfortably. Unfortunately that’s just how the world goes, we wouldnt be human if we could be satiated would we? but I don’t believe anyone even in the opposition parties wished death for him. Lets think of him devoid of politics and for once look at him as one person and not a party. Even if people fail to acknowledge this for whatever unknown reasons, be it a different political affiliation or purposeful blindness, he was a humble man.
I remember having blackouts at home and saying "ooooo Uncle Atta", I recall walking through Madina market and hearing people complain about the soaring prices of goods and all I heard was "Uncle Atta" ooo. What of his errors in speech which were even transposed into music? It’s for these same reasons that he will be sorely missed, I pray for strength for his family and above all I pray for peace in Ghana. The timing of his death is frightenly close to the general elections, I understand that Ghana is a relatively peaceful nation, but my prayer is that the peace we enjoy in Ghana now will be sustained. We can only pray that in the quest for political power people will keep their senses in check and their heads screwed on the right way,we all know politics is probably the dirtiest game ever.
I hope no one has forgotten that in this modern age there was a coup in Mali, In West Africa oo, just this past March 2012, who would have imagined it? who would have thought it? Whats that thing Lord Acton said in 1887 again? he said "power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Power seems to be a very intoxicating psychoactive drug with many willing addicts. Prayer is one thing we cannot relent on as a nation, because when we loose everything , prayer will give us peace and bind our nation together. I am indeed at a loss, not because Atta Mills was my best friend, or that we wined and dined together, or shared a few dances but the loss of any human being is something so profound and tragic, especially of a president. He had a troubled rule for a while amidst insults, unneccessary pressure and bouts of sicknesses. I wonder what his last thoughts were as he left this world, I ponder what message he would have wished to send Ghana as he departed...... I wonder if people would have retracted hurtful words they may have said to him even on that fateful day if they knew he was going to pass on, I wonder if he had ample time to make peace with his maker before his demise, I wonder how long we will sit and wait for people to die before we celebrate them....
Death always leaves that numb feeling and the question nagging in your brain, what about you? what do you have to offer? my mom said this to me as we discussed this issue, "wa wie n'aduma k), aka ehen aa yaaka ma ehen so y3b3y3" which translates as Atta Mills has finished his job and he is gone, its left with those of us remaining here to also do ours. Whether his job was indeed finished or not, no one knows but yet he is gone....Maybe its time we revaluated ourselves and realised our time on earth will be over one day but do we know when? no one knows.. I wish him a successful transition to the next life and I pray the peace of God will be with him now and always. Ghana is in a state of mourning, a great tree has fallen and in its wake, the roots and leaves are draped in sorrow. Sleep well great man, sleep well….Ghana mourns you..
No comments:
Post a Comment