When I sit down, I ask myself, where is Mother Ghana heading towards in our political terrain? We must first credit our founders who brought democracy into our politics. Now that we are in the democratic state (Ghana), we must know that our actions, words, and behaviors have consequences for future generations. Though Rome was not built in a day, we must all watch our tongues for what we put out there because what goes around comes around.
Recently, I came across an article titled “Daughter of a Murderer Comment: Have you heard that Rawlings killed someone before? – Asiedu Nketiah” Ghanaweb Politics of Sunday, 16 February 2025.
I do not support the daughter of a Murderer Comment because William Shakespeare (from Julius Caesar, spoken by Marc Antony) once said, and I quote a portion, “The evil that men do lives after them; The good, is oft interred with their bones; So, let it be with Caesar/JJ Rawlings. No matter what wrongs he did, the late JJ Rawlings can never be forgotten in our politics. After all, he handed power peacefully to former president J.A. Kuffour. Please, it is not easy to lose a parent when we consider what happened in the PNDC era, but what can we do? For how long are we going to cry over spilled milk?
Fellow Ghanaians, please let bygone be bygone for Christ’s sake. Let us put politics aside, focus, and see how we can build Mother Ghana because there is no place like home. Please, kindly, let us have a little respect for the dead.
Now, the chairman general, who led the NDC Party into the election 2024 victory, I salute you:well done, sir!
I came across another article titled ASIEDU NKETIA MUST GO! Thur, 13 October 2011 General News/Modern Ghana. The statement, signed by David Forthgill Bentil, Regional Coordinator, and Kojo Koomson, Regional Chairman (FONKAR) at the time, said FONKAR, and I quote: “was under no illusion that the barking dog that scared away people from our party has been tamed; was directed at the founder of the party (NDC). The FONKAR insinuated that Mr. Rawlings, who was credited in the party’s constitution as a founder of the NDC party, was referred to as a barking dog by the then general secretary of the NDC, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia,” now the chairman general of the party.
This statement was made by Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia (General Mosquito) when Dr. Obed Asamoah and his supporters returned to the NDC, claiming that the late JJ Rawlings was not the party’s founder. It was the same venue in Accra that the then general secretary, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, now National Chairman of the NDC party, welcomed the returnees by saying the “barking dog” that chased them away had been tamed.
With all due respect, Chairman General, somewhere in October 2011, you referred to the late John Jerry Rawlings as a “barking dog.” Rawlings’ family knew that especially Dr. Zenator Rawlings, whom you are now defending, you referred to their late father, husband, grandpa, etc., as a “barking dog.” You opened the floodgate for negative comments on the person who had done great service to the party.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” Chairman General, are you now in Christ? With all due respect, when did you become the defender of Rawlings’s family?
I have no moral right to condemn you on your barking dog comment, neither do I condemn the murderer comment, but I do not support any. It is rather unfortunate that in 2025, someone is also referring to the late Chairman Rawlings as a murderer. It is melancholy to refer to a late President as a barking dog and a murderer. I cannot blame anybody. It is how farour politics has reached.
Chairman General, you are a mentor to many people who are looking up to you.
Therefore, all the political party executives, from the current president, formal presidents, Chairman, parliamentarians (honorable), and all the leaders must be careful with what we put out there because it dramatically impacts others, especially future generations. May the Lord bless every one of us and our homeland, Ghana.
Peter Kusi
Asante Agona
