WHO NEEDS PEACE?

The message of peace is incomplete when the story of justice is untold- Fanny Brew Smith. The problems we create today cannot be solved at that same level of thinking we at when we created them- Albert Einstein. Suffice to say if you were in a foolish thought before creating problem A, there is no way you can solve problem A when in a foolish state. Ghana is fast approaching her 2012 general elections. Everything seems to be set and clear. Men and women of God are praying for the peace of God for the country. Those who are of no beliefs are also of the utmost view that Ghana needs peace. Children and mothers especially those with their babies at their back, and those few pregnant who are yet to get their seeds delivered are showing a high sense of emotion, in a way as if to tell their husbands that they are the most vulnerable and that they shouldn't soil their clothes from a splash from the spilting of the only little amount of milk they have been enjoying all this while. I am not praying for the country. Naa, I am just monitoring what is happening and shaking my head intermittently. Because, one thing, one thing, which saddens me so much is our refusal to call- the pot black--the hipopotamus an ugly animal-- for the lid of the food if we want to save it from the early cold. What am I saying? So many people are talking about peace but just a handful of people are talking of how to practice it, work towards it and how to earn it. Rome, my mother told me when I was just a little boy, wasn't built in a day. He who loves peace loves justice. And he who would build a mansion loves asking of the price of a brick. Unfortunately the problem of not talking about justice has also come to add up to the already existing numerous problems of Ghana. If Ghana was my girlfriend I would say She is a burdened girl. This is the girl who wants to look beautiful. A girl who wants the whole world to see her as great. However, knows nothing about beauty. Yet, expects men to whistle her name day and night. How do we expect the whiteman to respect this girl if she's not willing to dis-associate herself from absurdity. Ghana has now advanced to the stage where She shows no regard for the clergy--men and women of God. And now hurl and spew uncontrollable insults at them, for sharing their concerns on the progress and the development of the country. The easiest way to solve a problem is when people talk about it. Shall we all now bow down our heads in shame and remember where we come from and what we are made of. The electoral commission will sooner or later add 45 constituencies to the existing 230 constituencies. There are no qualms about their constitutional mandate. In fact we are all of the view that this step will go a long way to help the nation, if not political at all, economically, we will all benefit. However!however!! however!!! the timing is what we are all concerned of. Many groups, Civil Societies have come out on the same view that the timing for the creation of the constituencies is too short. Because we only have three months to the general elections. Apparently, we are yet to put into practice the biometric voting, what we as a nation have never used before since Adam. People are of the fear that this year's election is going to be one which is never seen before. And that if we do not take heed the nation will run into jeopardy. But, it is as if the E.C has sealed its pinna with sticks and is unwilling to listen to the plight of the people. The Sovereignty of Ghana resides in the people of Ghana in whose name and for whose welfare the powers of government are to be exercised in the manner and within the limits laid down in this Constitution (1992 constitution, chapter 1(1). What appals the most is the recent trend that this discussion has taken. The clergy is now insulted for sharing its opinion. To the extent of insulting the moderator of the entire congregation. So the question I ask myself is that what do we think would have happened to the nation by this time assuming it was the chief Iman (Sheikh Osman Nuhu Shaributu) who was been insulted? Don't you think our muslim folks, I may be a Muslim someday, who hate no nonsense at all would have pulled down some government institutions? And those who hurled the insults, you think would have gotten home soundly without they not having their heads chopped off? The whole issue is somewhat flimsy. The National Democratic Party claim they are not supporting the E.C., just that they are doing their duties as parliamentarians. And according to them one of the duties of the parliament is to accept or reject whatever thing tabled before them. But, from the look of all angles they are undoubtedly supporting the E.C. Because, the rebuttal comment from the two NDC officials alone (Mr. Allotey Jacobs and Mr. Asiedu Nketsiah) that, ''the clergy is for the Bible and the politician is for the constitution so the clergy should shut up when it comes to issues relating to the constitution'', shows that they are supporting the E.C for an unknown motive. Upon all these insults hurled at the most honourable clergy, the former moderator of the Presby church, Rt. Rev. Dr. Frimpong Manso came out and on his part, for peace to prevail, asked the P.R.O of the church to render an apology to the politicians (names aforementioned) for saying that he probably thinks that, the general secretary of the NDC, Mr. Asiedu Nketsiah has taken some hard liquor if not he wouldn't have made such comment. A comment which sought to ridicule the intelligence of the clergy when it comes to issues of national concern. Christians are always portrayed as the soft ones but Jesus wasn't soft at all. The time he needed to flog he flogged. When he needed to reply the elders back with a scorning wise statement he did reply. The church and the state, in theory have been separated but not in practice. Some day I may be a Muslim. Regardless of these skirmishes the E.C is still displaying some level of elderly stubbornness. Now the bottom line is drawn in my face that the clergy has no right or whatsoever when it comes to issues of national interest, lest they be politicians, full stop. "When we give food to the poor, we are called Saints. When we ask why the poor have no food, we are called politicians. When we pray for peace during elections, we are called men of God. When we demand integrity from our leaders, we are called hypocrites. Politicians want our prayers not our wisdom" - Rev. Dr. Mensa Otabil (Daily Graphic, Saturday, March 26, 2011) Sometimes I regret the day of my out-dooring. On that day I was given two drinks, wine and water. I was told never to substitute one for the other. When I see wine I should take heed so I don't say water. Or when I see red I should not say white. Unfortunately they didn't tell me the truth. They told me the exact opposite of what the society was made of. The society takes wine for water and water for wine. You are always tagged as been a faithful of the other side if you speak the truth. Very few people want to hear the truth. Who needs peace? Ghana is not prepared for the story of justice. And if this is what we are engaged and if this is what is going to continue then we should forget about development for now. So that someday when we the new set of generation take over the affairs of the nation, we will then know what's best for our burdened girlfriend. God bless the youth first, and Ghana second.