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Did
you
know
that
some
of
us
humans
have
extraordinary
eyes?
Well,
I
have
encountered
at
least
two
of
them.
When
I
was
younger,
we
had
a
fried
fish
seller
near
the
Makola
Market.
Her
name
is
Auntie
Deidei.
On
one
evening,
something
tragic
happened.
One
of
our
‘area
boys
’suddenly
fell
ill.
His
condition
became
critical,
thus
was
put
in
a
taxi
and
rushed
to
the
hospital.
After
the
taxi
of
an
ambulance
left
the
scene,
a
few
of
us
stood
bewildered.
To
our
utter
shock,
Auntie
Deidei
muttered,
“He
is
gone-
Dead!!.
I
can
see
him
walking
towards
that
direction…”
She
pointed
to
the
direction
of
the
General
Post
Office
in
Accra.
The
second
instance
is
closer
home.
My
dear
wife
told
me
that
once
upon
a
time,
she
saw
a
woman
at
a
function.
Despite
this
woman
being
all
dressed
up
and
mingling
with
friends,
my
wife
said
she
saw
in
her,
a
corpse
laid
in
state.
Without
any
prior
acquaintance
with
this
woman,
my
wife
walked
up
to
her
and
asked
for
her
hand
in
prayer.
Owing
to
the
theme
of
the
prayer,
the
lady
confessed
to
a
near
death
experience
she
had
few
weeks
before
their
encounter.
The
lady
expressed
extreme
gratitude
for
that
unsolicited
prayer.
Evidently,
there
are
persons
who
see
what
those
of
us
with
ordinary
eyes
cannot
see.
The
selection
of
Nana
Poku
(NAPO)
and
the
arrogant
tag
Our
elders
say
“attitude
is
like
pregnancy,
you
can’t
hide
it,
no
matter
what,
it
will
show.”
They
add
that
“pregnancy
protrudes,
it
does
not
shrink.”
For
this
reason,
of
all
the
adjectives
the
ardent
critics
of
Dr
Mahamudu
Bawumia
have
used
to
describe
him,
they
have
never
had
cause
to
say
he
is
arrogant
or
disrespectful.
Actually,
not
too
long
ago,
the
Asantehene
Otumfuo
Osei
Tutu
II
had
cause
to
commend
Dr
Bawumia
for
not
allowing
power
to
change
him
from
his
‘humble’
self.
Why
then
is
Bawumia’s
choice
of
a
running
mate,
NAPO,
being
taunted
with
the
arrogant
tag?
I
had
heard
this
arrogant
adjective
being
used
to
describe
the
former
Minister
of
Energy
a
few
times,
but
could
not
bear
witness
until
most
parts
of
the
country
began
experiencing
erratic
power
supply,
popularly
known
as
‘Dumsɔ’.
Consequently,
calls
for
a
loadshedding
timetable
by
individuals
and
business
owners
became
rife.
Indeed,
the
regulatory
body
in
charge
of
the
public
utilities-
Public
Utilities
Regulatory
Commission
(PURC)
also
asked
for
the
timetable
as
part
of
its
regulatory
mandate.
Nana
Poku’s
reaction
to
these
calls
prompted
my
article
titled
“Dear
all,
request
for
submission
of
load-shedding
timetable”
on
29th
March,
2024.
Here
is
the
statement,
“If
you
are
comparing
four
years-
four
years,
NPP
administration
is
300
times
better
than
John
Mahama.
Nobody
has
said
we
haven’t
[experienced
dumsɔ,
I
am
just
saying
it
is
far
much
better
than
John
Mahama
ever
did…Ask
those
who
want
it
[load-shedding
timetable]
to
bring
it.
I
haven’t
seen
any
timetable
today.
The
ECG
said
that
there
is
no
timetable
coming
up.
Why
do
you
want
to
bring
a
timetable?
For
what
purpose?
Why
would
somebody
get
up
and
wish
evil
or
bad
for
the
country?”
This
obviously
unguarded
statement,
intensified
his
being
referred
to
as
arrogant
and
disrespectful.
Subsequently,
he
had
cause
to
unrepentantly
state
that
the
erratic
power
supply
that
was
experienced
in
parts
of
the
country
was
not
‘Dumsɔ’
but
‘Dumsie-sie’
(Routine
maintenance).
What
the
ordinary
eye
sees
of
NAPO
For
the
non-New
Patriotic
Party
(NPP)
members,
that
is
those
of
us
with
ordinary
eyes,
this
posturing
of
NAPO
smacks
of
so
much
arrogance
that
if
the
NPP
selects
him
as
the
running
mate
to
Dr
Bawumia,
then
they
might
as
well
throw
in
the
towel
as
far
as
the
December
7
presidential
election
is
concerned.
This
position
has
been
so
rife
among
all
objective
political
commentators
that,
at
a
point,
although
NAPO’s
name
kept
coming
up
as
the
favourite
of
Dr
Mahamudu
Bawumia,
we
could
not
bring
ourselves
to
believe
that
he
is
the
chosen
one.
Our
belief
was
given
some
impetus
when
a
member
of
the
National
Council
of
the
NPP,
and
MP
for
Asante
Akyem
North,
Andy
Appiah
Kubi
said
that
NAPO
is
not
his
preferred
running
mate.
“We
have
not
been
consulted
as
a
caucus
for
us
to
state
our
position,
but
me
Appiah-Kubi,
if
it
was
for
me
to
choose,
I
won’t
choose
him.
Because
he
is
not
my
preference…
I
would
want
somebody
who
will
submit
to
the
presidency
and
who
will
also
bring
Parliament
closer
to
the
Executive,”
he
explained.
As
it
turned
out,
Mr
Appiah
Kubi
was
a
lone
voice
in
the
Council.
That’s
because
on
Thursday,
4th
July,
2024,
we
were
informed
by
the
General
Secretary
after
a
marathon
meeting
that
the
National
Council
of
the
NPP
unanimously
approved
NAPO’s
nomination
as
the
running
mate
to
their
flagbearer.
Upon
hearing
the
news
Nana
Ohene
Ntow,
until
recently,
a
die
in
the
wool
member
of
the
NPP
said
this
about
Dr
Matthew
Opoku
Prempeh,
“Ghanaians
don’t
need
NAPO
as
Vice
President.
He
is
very
arrogant.
NAPO
is
the
least
qualified.”
Actually,
all
the
panellists
on
the
6th
July
edition
of
Key
Points
on
TV3,
where
Ohene
Ntow
spoke,
were
unanimous
in
their
view
that
the
NAPO
they
know
is
not
cut
for
the
job.
They
posited
that
he
(NAPO)
would
need
some
form
of
rebranding
to
erase
the
perception
of
arrogance
against
him,
if
he
will
succeed
in
that
role.
What
the
ordinary
eyes
cannot
see
Despite
these
negative
sentiments
by
those
of
us
with
ordinary
eyes,
those
who
matter
in
the
NPP
(with
extraordinary
eyes)
had
very
nice
words
to
describe
their
choice.
This
is
how
the
General
Secretary,
Justice
Koduah
Frimpong,
concluded
his
address
to
journalists
when
he
emerged
from
the
National
Council
meeting.
“In
conclusion,
ladies
and
gentlemen,
if
you
were
to
ask
me
what
Dr.
Matthew
Opoku
Prempeh
brings
to
the
NPP
presidential
ticket,
I
will
tell
you
he
brings
decades
of
political
astuteness,
trustworthy
leadership,
confidence,
decisiveness,
grassroots
mobilization,
charisma,
patriotism
and
demonstrable
incorruptibility,”
Mr
Frimpong
read
from
a
prepared
speech.
Almost
immediately
(Between
4th
and
9th
July),
they
unleashed
NAPO
onto
the
electorates,
not
just
as
Dr
Bawumia’s
running
mate,
but
the
messiah
to
deliver
the
Ashanti
Region
votes.
This
motive
was
lucidly
touted
by
the
flagbearer
himself.
“I
needed
someone
with
experience
with
a
legislative
branch
to
provide
me
with
complementarity.
I
needed
someone
who
could
support
me
to
win
the
election.
I
combed
throughout
Ghana
for
someone
who
could
help
me
tour
the
Ashanti
Region
and
there
was
one
person
I
could
find
and
he
is
Dr.
Matthew
Opoku
Prempeh,
a.k.a.
NAPO,”
Dr
Bawumia
said
in
his
typical
rally
voice
tone
at
the
unveiling
event.
The
presidential
candidate
of
the
NPP
spoke
after
the
President
of
Ghana
and
NAPO’s
benefactor,
had
spoken.
“I
have
trust
and
confidence
in
the
two
of
them
to
do
the
work.
I
have
worked
with
the
two
and
I
know
what
they
can
do,”
President
Akufo-Addo
reassured.
Indeed,
the
giant
screen
at
the
rally
displayed
the
inscription,
“Election
2024:
The
Perfect
Pair
for
Ghana.”
Clearly,
those
with
extraordinary
eyes
see
in
NAPO
an
ability
to
help
in
the
quest
to
‘break
the
8’-
Win
the
presidential
election
for
three
consecutive
times.
The
premonition
of
a
custodian
of
culture
and
tradition
As
for
our
elders,
they
say
things
oo!
‘What
the
elderly
person
can
see
sitting
down,
if
the
young
climb
the
tallest
iroko
tree,
they
won’t
see”
is
another
of
their
sayings.
The
aforementioned
mammoth
unveiling
rally
was
attended
by
all
those
who
matter
in
the
party
as
well
as
the
not
too
important
ones.
Before
then
though,
as
part
of
the
grand
strategy
to
win
the
Ashanti
votes,
NAPO
was
formally
introduced
to
his
uncle-
Asantehene
Otumfuo
Osei
Tutu
II.
The
eminent
King,
who
is
known
to
have
close
relationship
with
NAPO
and
his
new
boss’
main
opponent,
John
Mahama
(Remember
the
‘Yentie
Obiaa’
dance?),
minced
no
words
in
his
address
to
the
audience
at
the
politico-royal
gathering.
Here
is
what
the
‘otikokorsuor’
said
to
a
frowned
‘Otikorkorsuornana’
in
the
presence
of
all.
“This
my
nephew,
I
have
advised
him
in
private.
Whatever
I
told
him,
I
will
say
it
in
public.
I
have
heard
people
saying
that
you
are
arrogant
and
disrespectful.
I
don’t
know
how
that
came
about
because
I
personally
nurtured
you.
I
urge
you
to
prove
the
critics
wrong.
Don’t
let
Dr
Bawumia
regret
choosing
you.
Follow
his
lead
with
humility.
Do
only
what
he
asks
you
to
do.
May
God’s
will
prevail,”
Otumfuo
said
with
a
raised
tone.
The
troublesome
words
of
a
running
mate
Few
moments
later…
The
duration
of
the
outdooring
rally
proved
to
be
far
shorter
than
anticipated.
That’s
because
the
speeches
were
short.
President
Akufo-Addo
gave
a
brief
speech
followed
by
the
introduction
of
the
ticket,
Dr
Bawumia
told
us
why
he
chose
NAPO
and
the
microphone
was
handed
over
to
the
man
of
the
moment.
With
the
unveiling
of
his
counterpart,
Prof
Jane
Naana
Opoku
Agyemang
in
mind,
I
expected
a
vision
statement
from
NAPO
the
dentist.
Instead,
it
started
with
an
ethnocentric
statement
that
when
the
late
Professor
John
Evans
Atta
Mills
first
used,
he
got
chastised
by
members
of
NAPO’s
party-
‘Adze
wo
fiea
oye’-
to
wit,
“it
is
good
to
have
one
of
your
own
in
the
right
places.”
He
confirmed
his
mission-
help
galvanise
the
party’s
base,
by
telling
them
“mudi3
na
abayi”-
‘This
one
belongs
to
you.’
He
asked
for
an
unprecedented
percentage
of
votes
from
the
residents
of
the
region-
85%.
Therefore,
in
what
turned
out
to
be
an
Ashanti
Region-focused
speech,
Nana
Poku
could
not
hide
his
true
self.
It
was
when
he
said,
‘en3
m3ni
agyi
paa’-
‘Today,
I
am
so
happy’
that
my
eye
brows
got
raised.
He
went
on
a
praise
singing
spree-
showering
commendations
on
President
Akufo-Addo.
Then
he
slipped…
“I
can
boldly
say
that
if
the
history
of
Ghana
is
told
from
1957,
we
have
never
had
a
president
that
has
helped
Ghana
more
than
Nana
Akufo-Addo.
I
mean
from
1957,
even
including
your
Kwame
Nkrumah,
none
of
them
has
protected
Ghana
and
developed
the
country
more
than
Nana
Akufo-Addo,”
he
said
in
harsh-toned
Twi.
In
the
process,
he
negated
the
advice
by
the
revered
King,
thus
vindicated
his
critics.
The
groundswell
of
public
backlash
that
this
generated
can
all
be
read
on
3news.com.
It’s
time
to
go
Social
media
commentators
won’t
kill
me
ooo!!
See
the
comment
I
found
on
a
story
I
wrote
on
NAPO’s
faux
pas-
“Character
does
not
pay
lorry
fare,
so
it
follows
you
everywhere.”
Very
akin
to
the
pregnancy
anecdote
mentioned
earlier,
isn’t
it?
And
when
he
spoke
thereafter
on
the
matter,
NAPO
said
he
was
not
trained
to
be
a
coward.
A
subsequent
unsigned
letter
of
apology,
supposedly
issued
by
his
campaign
team
on
July
12
underscored
his
opinion
of
Dr
Kwame
Nkrumah-
“The
statement
reflects
my
personal
opinion
about
President
Akufo-Addo’s
impact
relative
to
other
Presidents
we
have
had.”
No
wonder
there
has
been
a
call
from
a
representative
of
the
Convention
People’s
Party
(CPP),
the
party
Dr
Nrumah
founded,
for
NAPO
to
apologise
verbally,
preferably
on
another
political
platform.
Very
much
so,
because
as
for
this
unsigned
letter
he
can
easily
deny
authoring
it.
Against
this
background,
the
question
that
begs
for
an
answer
is
whether
this
gaffe
will
be
the
first
and
last
of
NAPO
as
a
running
mate
of
Dr
Bawumia
or
we
should
brace
ourselves
for
more
as
he
has
already
hit
the
ground
running
without
any
polishing?
I
have
no
doubt
that
by
this
singular
act,
NAPO
has
given
credence
to
the
credo
that
“the
leopard
does
not
change
its
spots.”
If
this
is
anything
to
go
by,
and
it
is
true
that
presidential
elections
are
won
by
the
votes
of
floating
voters,
then
it
is
looking
like
what
the
ordinary
eye
cannot
see
will
be
a
mirage.
Zaìjiàn-
That’s
goodbye
in
Singlish
(Singapore).
Let
God
Lead.
Follow
Him
directly,
not
through
any
human.
The
writer
is
the
Ghana
Journalists
Association
(GJA)
Columnist
of
the
Year-
2022.
He
is
the
author
of
two
books
whose
contents
share
knowledge
on
how
anyone
desirous
of
writing
like
him
can
do
so.
Eric
can
be
reached
via
email [email protected]