Open letter to the President
Death is one of the most painful occasions mankind is made to endure.
The dead person is but gone and we would not pretend to know what goes on hereafter. But the living has no choice than to grieve and mourn the passing of a dear one. The situation is even worse when it involves persons of close family ties, especially the one we share the umbilical cord with.
The death of a mother is indeed a very painful situation every person dreads and as we grow, we wait in awe for the day we would be told that the inevitable has indeed happened.
Many would say you are fortunate, Mr. President, to have said goodbye to your mother at your current age since some lose theirs at much younger ages. Yet, no matter your age, I know that it is a moment of great grieve for you.
It is so also because, as president, you might not have had much time for her since the heavy responsibility of state hangs on your shoulders.
But of more concern is how you have to grieve whilst you still have the competing number of problems Ghanaians grapple with still waiting for your attention.
This puts much pressure on your faculties and makes you feel the grieve the more.
Four years ago, when fate bestowed the presidency on you, it happened in circumstances of grieve and you were made to go through your new duties as president still mourning your dear friend and mentor Professor J. E. A. Mills.
Indeed you went through three months of campaign for the 2012 elections coming fresh from the funeral activities of our deadly departed president.
Four years on, it looks like a similar fate awaits you. Just on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the passing of President Mills your mother passes, and as with the Mills’ case you will be going into another election fresh from mourning.
Difficult as the circumstances surrounding your coming into office was, one thing is clear–that your presidency was trusted on you by destiny and therefore it can only be for the reason.
My simple admonishing to you, Mr. President, is that as you mourn the passing of your mother, pay particular attention to the circumstances that brought you into office, and the circumstances that are characterizing your possible retention of power.
If destiny is anything to go by, then I can only say that you have a good chance, not just to add your name to the list of Ghanaian presidents, but also, like others before you, make a mark that would resonate through out generations.
If Ghana is an example for Africa, it means also that we need to set leadership examples for the continent. This is because the cycle of poverty and underdevelopment that confronts us could only be as a result of poor leadership.
I believe that to be the President of Ghana much is expected of you to help rid the continent of bad leadership.
As we mourn Hajia Abiba Nnaba, know that her memory would be well celebrated if her son succeeds in turning the Ghanaian, and for that matter the African story around.
May Allah keep her soul until you meet her again. Amen.
Source: GNA