I would like to thank all those who have expressed concerns about my feature "Why was Alan against Electoral Expansion"-- pro and con alike. And also, those who responded with phone calls and personal e-mails. I have found it expedient to make my position clear on the crusade on which I have embarked. It is my fervent hope, that, after this piece, those who hope to slow down or accelerate my moves, will understand that I am focused on what I have set out to accomplish, and that burning drive cannot be impacted one way or the other.
All the talk about abstract UNITY is completely misplaced. You unite behind an entity. I don't think there is a single soul in our party who does not believe at some point we have to bury our differences and shred the Umbrella into bits. But realistically, could this be the time? Anytime there are multiple entities with one and only one possible outcome, choice with its concomitant conflict is inevitable. Unless in a Utopian society, which there is none on this earth, anytime human beings are confronted with choice, unity becomes the sacrificial lamb. On the flip side, when there is choice and unity in the same system, REASON is usually victimized. Remember, “There is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood (Hebrews. 9: 22). "If you stand against something, something will stand against you."
The above logic has very deep theological ramifications. God, in his infinite wisdom, created man and gave him free will. Therefore, choice is man's inalienable right, and no one can force anyone to give it up. God, through his pre-determinate counsel and foreknowledge, gave man the choice to worship him or not. Almighty God could have created humans as robots, so that they would be at his beck and call, but he did not. God chose to give man the freedom to choose, though the choice comes with consequences.
I have always been amazed when I see human beings trying very hard to deny themselves and others their God-given right, choice. It is just impossible. My friend, if you are afraid to choose, then you are in the wrong world. You were born to choose. Or should I say, born to win, as Jimmy Cliff sang during our hay days. But you must choose to win. Yes, you might choose and loose, but if you do not choose at all, then you would not have any chance of winning. I have never heard of anyone who won the lottery without staking.
However, everyone has the right under the sun to be a robot, and that is very fine with me but for heaven’s sake, let us not use coercion and intimidation to get others to do likewise. Whether we like it or not, the NPP at this moment is confronted with choosing a flag bearer for 2012, and this has expectedly developed inter camp skirmishes. From time immemorial, conflict has existed in this world when choice is presented. There was a conflict between Lucifer and God, which culminated in Satan being defeated on Calvary some two thousand years ago.
The point I am trying to make is, we can multitask by working together on the broader agenda of the party and at the same time pursue our parochial agenda of having our preferred candidates nominated. And this is something with which no astute politician will argue. All this talk about vacuous unity smacks of insincerity and crass hypocrisy. For those who do not have any preference, it is a perfect time, but for those who have deep-seated preference for a particular candidate, all these talks about unity are mere smokescreen.
In all developed democracies, this period is very critical because the essence of election is to have the best person lead. Therefore, this is the time to place the contestants under the electron microscope to elucidate attributes that may help or discredit the country. One can never accomplish this task without incurring the displeasure of the opposing side. But that is fair. I do not expect that if I am supporting candidate X, supporters of candidate Y, will come to me and put him down. Come on! This is real world. And disagreeing on issues should not make us enemies. Maturity, after all, is that stage of life when we may not see eye-to-eye but we can walk arm-in-arm?
Friends, I will be back very soon, but before I sign off let me share with you a short poem by Pastor Martin Niemoller, a German anti-Nazi activist, who highlighted the evil of apathy, following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their targets, group after group. "First, they came for the communists, and I did not speak up because I was not a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak up, because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I did not speak up, because I was a protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me".
Finally, my interest in the NPP (Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition) is because primarily the party and tradition allows one to express one’s self in a fashion that supports his basic Principles. I have a feeling we should depart from these principles.
The cause endures!!!
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