There was much consternation and even more navel-gazing Saturday night about patrons serenading Akufo-Addo with boos and chants of “away” “away” during the Global Citizen concert at the Independence Square.
Some saw it as a rightful comeuppance for the President, while others saw it as disheartening confirmation of the polarization of our society.
But then, there's a twist to this disgusting enterprise.
As President Akufo-Addo begins to give his speech at the Global Citizen concert at the Independence Square on Saturday night, the crowd’s mood appeared normal. Moments later, the boos emerged and as that kindling took light, chants of “away, away” echoed throughout the place.
Quite frankly, in a normal sporting or entertainment events, fans boo. It might not be printed on the ticket, but fans believe the price of admission includes a right to express themselves about pretty much anything that goes on at the ballpark, stadium or arena. They whistle, jeer and taunt, and no one – players, coaches, other fans, even mascots is immune.
To think President Akufo-Addo would be spared that kind of reception, or be outraged that he wasn't, is either naive or sanctimonious.
Truly, politicians don’t expect to be popular all the time. Getting on with running the country is a job where you have to take difficult decisions a lot of the time. There's nothing wrong if President Akufo-Addo goes to an event and receives cold reception. That's a normal occurrence.
But then, to allow politics to take centre stage at such an event and single out the President unfairly for political point scoring raises serious concerns.
To put it more bluntly, it is pure evil and utter disgrace for the NDC to organize its supporters to go and shout down the President the manner it happened.
As a matter of fact, the mean-spirited treatment of President Akufo-Addo, the fact that the president’s appearance prompted loud and sustained boos and jeers from partisan NDC crowd at the global citizen event crossed some bright line.
The question of political civility is a common debate topic in our political economy, to the extent that responses almost feel predetermined. But this relatively predictable moment still felt worrying and, given the venue, particularly a global event of this magnitude, we ought to speak out. Never before in the history of this country has a president, who by the way, has done more than any other president in recent times, and for all demographics been treated so unfair and disrespected.
It’s very difficult to imagine that the political opposition to Akufo-Addo do not recognize the fact fact that this choreographed hogwash they put up last night has the potency to bite them in the arse. When political opposition determines that they have big stomach or taste for the fight, they are encouraging, then we have a huge trouble in our hands.
The Ghanaian partisan politics that became the national status quo since the dawn of the fourth republic needs fine tuning because the political rhetoric and behavior considered acceptable is on a sliding scale. It is time to separate social issues/politics from entertainment and sport.
Source: Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah Bonsu, Deputy Director of Communications, NPP.
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Hahahaaaa, was the invitation sent to only NDC supporters? If yes, what did an NPP elected president want there? Am NPP but let's admit it. The people of Ghana are suffering. If those working are having it tough, you ask yourself what about the unemployed. 2020 to present can be said to be the worse ever for Ghanaians in the fourth republic . The earlier those enjoying from the government admit it and find solutions the better. To continue to accuse the NDC for every mishap is rather infantile. If the NDC can bus it's supporters to go to a public gathering and disgrace the president means the NDC is in control of affairs. The NPP is currently sick, very sick. Now it's difficult for a regional minister, MMDCE or party executives to common places where party supporters sit to invite them when the president or Vice President is to visit a region. Why is it so. How come that a party in opposition with little resources is still very popular on the ground. Now in power with all the resources at it's disposal same party has become unattractive and very unpopular. You don't need any surveys to confirm that the NPP today is the most unpopular party in Ghana. Anybody taking over from akuffo Addo will spend 50% of the campaign period trying to convince NPP supporters to make sacrifices again. A lot of Ghanaians thought the akuffo Addo NPP will be like the kufour one, unfortunately it has turned out to be a direct opposite. The akuffo Addo elephant has very big ears, unfortunately it doesn't listen, at best it hears but won't listen thus the hostile environment the party finds itself now. Never think because you are MMDCE, minister, deputy minister, CEO, MP, vice president or president, you are the most intelligent. When ordinary people make suggestions which will inure to the benefit of all and you ignore them and now want same people to listen when you speak, they won't, after you didn't pay their fares to the event . In any case they voted to make you am MP or president, you didn't vote to qualify them to be voters. That's the difference, unfortunately they soon forget when they taste power, temporary power. The newly elected executives of the NPP have a lot of work to do if the party is to make any impact in the coming years. People have lost hope in the party. I love NPP but not under it's current state. Everything basaaaa, nyamaaaaa, tawiiii, oh.
This Guy paaa. was it only NDC supporters that were there???