President Abraham Lincoln once said: “ A nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure”. This profound statement made by the man credited with the classical definition of democracy is much true for political parties and social groupings that make up the Nation. And how can a Nation or a political party remain relevant with endurance if the youth does not know the sacrifices it’s forbears went through? And how much more if some of their descendants don’t see reason in celebrating them and refer to them as “detractors” instead of heroes?
This is the unfortunate state of some people within the NPP. They think the easiest route to attaining their nearly impossible political heights is to mud-sling hardworking leaders like the illustrious Dr. Bawumia even if the only way of achieving that is to denigrate founding fathers of the party. Haruna Nuako who is always lying in wait for an opportunity to pounce on Dr. Bawumia with all his venoms has in another failed attempt used the launch of the book on the biography of J. A. Braimah as a conduit for his usual despicable attacks.
I doubt if he is a true patriot because what he thinks is an attack on the venerable Dr. Bawumia is actually an attack on the very foundations of the NPP which he claims allegiance to and an attack on the President of Ghana H. E. Nana Akufo-Addo. This is so because the launch of the book event was one sponsored by the NPP as a party in honor of the achievements of J. A. Braimah. In a publication dated May 20, 2021 and published on the official website of the NPP, the party announced that it will “honor the legendary J.A Braimah, a co-founder of the Northern People’s Party, one of the political traditions from which the New Patriotic Party takes its root.” at an event scheduled on the evening of May 20, 2021.
Furthermore, the event was chaired by a stalwart of the NPP Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo who played key roles in the founding of NPP and also played several functions in all the NPP Goverment’s in the 4th Republic. In addition, the event was also attended by top party functionaries like John Boadu who is the secretary of the NPP. President Akufo-Addo who was out of the country on official assignment placed an order for a purchase of the first 10 copies of the book at 50, 000 cedis whereas the party purchased 4 books at 20, 000.
Thus, for someone who claims to be a patriot to ignore all these facts and to attack Dr. Bawumia claiming he is “fixated” in honoring “detractors” of the party is very unthinkable and unfortunate. In fact with these details, it will not be wrong to describe him (Haruna Nuako) and anyone who sponsored his write up as people who are fixated in attacking H. E. Dr. Bawumia by any filthy means they deem necessary. They wear the crown as the real detractors of the party and not the likes of J. A. Braimah who was rightly celebrated by the party.
The founding of the Northern People’s Party (NPP) by the likes of Yakubu Tali, J. A. Braimah, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, Imoro Salifu, Adam Amandi, S Dombo et al which all historians agree was one of origins of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is ENOUGH reason to celebrate these heroes. Their stories and biographies should be read by the youth of our party. The fact that some of these people worked with Nkrumah back in the day should not be reason to overlook their sacrifice which is the fruit we are enjoying today as an NPP Government under H. E. President Akufo-Addo. In fact those that worked with Nkrumah still maintained their identity as members of the UP tradition and that is how come people like J. A. Braimah worked with Busia’s Government as a regional commissioner for Northern region when it came into power in the second republic. So working with the Government of your opponents does not mean one is a detractor otherwise our beloved President Kufour who worked under the PNDC regime as a junta would be described as a detractor by people like Haruna Nuako. Or better still he will classify President Akufo-Addo as “fixated” with honoring detractors because his uncle Ofori-Atta was Council of state chairman under Liman or for honoring C. K. Tedam who also worked with Nkrumah as a CPP member of parliament with a University under his name. There are other stories of several others like Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia who at one point or the other worked with the opponents and these instances need to be properly understood in context rather than used as a yardstick to deface our heroes just like what Haruna Nuako and his likes are doing. In fact a true patriot will be left with no explanation but to excuse these great men like Yaw Osafo Maafo did for the likes of J. A. Braimah. He said J. A. Braimah worked with all Governments from Dr Kwame Nkrumah to Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, because most people saw in him as a man of integrity. He added that “most people saw in him someone who was standing for the truth; so, people wanted him their governments”. These are the words of a true patriot and not the disrespectful comments by Haruna Nuako and his sponsors.
In conclusion, H. E. Dr. Bawumia does not need to re-write history or stand on the shoulders of the gallant heroes of the Northern People’s Party to be elected as flagbearer of the NPP In 2024 as Haruna Nuako feebly suggests. On the contrary, Dr. Bawumia has carved an enviable niche for himself as far as the success of the NPP is concerned. He earned this by dint of hardwork, selflessness and ingenuity which have been one of the fuels that have propelled and continue to propel the NPP as a party and Government. No amount of mudslinging or hatred from his detractors can bring him down. H. E. Dr. Bawumia remains calm, the People’s favorite and is poised to lead NPP to break the 8 in 2024 In Shaa Allah. The earlier Haruna Nuako and his likes abandon their train of negativity and hatred to join Dr. Bawumia’s train of positivity and love the better for them.
Thank you
Written by:
Dr. Issah Imoro
(issahwuni@gmail.com)
