Dear Prof,
I read with sorrow but not surprise a story published by some news portals attributed to you.
If truth be told, such news does not really astonish me. The attitude and characteristics of some prominent Ghanaian pastors and peace crusaders today bear increasingly alarming semblance to that politician, with selfish interests playing a greater role than the message of hope and salvation. Playing to the whims of the populace and political leaders in a bid for fame and finance, the lust for materialism has sent the moral compass of many pastors and peace crusaders uncannily askew, resulting in a hypocritical divergence of words and deeds.
I listened to your interview on Radio Gold. Your call on Ghanaians to stand up for what is right is commendable but your inability to boldly make public your candid opinion on this dangerous issue seems to contravene the principle of which you so passionately preaches.
When the pulpit and sensitive offices like the National Peace Council become platforms for condescension and condemnation of the righteous and opposition leaders, and wicked and corrupt political playmakers sit in church pews and your offices placing fat offering and inducement bribes while brutalizing political opponents and perpetrating corruption, can such be qualified as a love of nation?
Prophet Isaiah condemned the hypocrisy of his day: “The Lord says, These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men (Isaiah 29:13). Centuries later Jesus quoted the same verse, aiming the same condemnation at the religious leaders of his day (Matthew 15:8-9). John the Baptist refused to give a pass, telling them to produce fruits worthy of repentance. Jesus too an equally staunch stand against sanctimony -He called hypocrites Wolves in sheep’s clothing, whitewashed tombs, snakes and brood of wipers.
Prof, Muslims see hypocrisy as a serious sickness and great crime. To them, it means making an outward display of Islam whilst inwardly concealing kufr. The Qur’an teaches us that hypocrisy is more dangerous than kufr (disbelief) and the punishment for it is more severe. “Verily, the hypocrites will be the lowest depth (grade) of the fire: no helper will you find for them (al-Nisaa 4:145).
You are always confused, always supporting evil deeds and plots by the President and his party by being soft on them and justifying their misdeeds with references to events of yesterdays. Suddenly, you’ve found your voice condemning the former President. Where were you and the organization you’ve politicized when Kennedy Agyepong made those reckless statements about the Tiger Eye and Ahmed, when the President openly insulted Ghanaians for criticizing the US – Ghana military cooperation deal. Our nation is drifting and gradually assuming the status of a failed state because of the hypocrisy being exhibited by some of you. The failure of the President and his surrogates including you is whittling the confidence of the citizens in their nationhood. But now, the sadness and pain have turned to deep anger at the hypocrisy, dishonesty and sheer cowardice that has characterized the reaction to happenings in the country.
Ghanaians are angry at you and others who are knowingly and deliberately taking the country along a course that they themselves believe is profoundly wrong. You danced around the Vigilantism issue, you were soft on the perpetrators and made those who condemned their activities, looked silly and cheap lamenters. As the head of our peace council, you are supposed to be apolitical and should be telling leadership what to do or where things are going wrong. You are like the press too, you are supposed to be neutral in your presentation of facts and reactions to national issues.
President Akufo Addo came with the promise to fight corruption, tackle insecurity and improve the economy and provide jobs. Can you score the performance of his government so far? Look around you and tell us whether we are enjoying what the man and his team promised Ghanaians
Are you not worried about the dangerous precedents this President and his government are setting? Vigilantism has become part of our conventions, using crude methods to remove state officials whose tenure are stipulated in the constitution, nepotism, shielding corrupt officials have all become divine governance practices. Why are you not commenting on these evil practices?
Prof, we cannot be hypocrites, hiding facts because of Akufo Addo. Why are you shivering because of him. Let’s do what is right , say it as it is and point out the wrongs to our leaders, if not, we will destroy ourselves. We cannot be victims to these rascals. If you think attacking the former President and discerning minds who openly condemn activities of your failed government will deter them, then rethink over that. There is problem with and in the government. People are dying, things are not good and we cannot continue this way.
Instead of protecting the 30 and over millions lives in the country, you protecting your job by endorsing wicked acts being perpetrated on Ghanaians by the President and his party. The politicians have started speaking this way because of the weakness people like you have started exhibiting. It is the responsibility of the NDC to protect its supporters and workers if the state fails to do that. The former President’s call is appropriate and right at this point.
A fine and patriotic journalist, Ahmed, who made various sacrifices towards the security, unity, development and stability of our nation was mysteriously killed by hoodlums, you didn’t speak strongly against it as you doing now. We yet to read your organization’s statement on the killings and maiming going on in the country, we yet to hear your voice on the inhuman treatment being meted out to former appointees and their families, we yet to hear you on the kidnappings.
Prof, you have issues with the former President’s “boot for boot” statement but didn’t see anything wrong with
-Importation of South African mercenaries into the country by the NPP
-The Serbians who were brought here to train their guys
-their pre-election statement that they will not accept any result apart from victory
-Declaring themselves winners before EC’s declaration
-The lies they told Ghanaians about the Gitmo 2
-The All die be die pronouncement
-militants on our side
-y3n akanfoc
-Kill school children etc etc