<<Print>>

These are weird times indeed. Who would have thought that former President Jerry John Rawlings would suffer such unthinkable tribulations at the hands of persons he ushered into local politics? The former president and his Friends of Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings (FONKAR) grouping and others associated with the organization of this year�s chapter of the June 4 celebration should be grateful for the massive and perhaps unprecedented publicity the event has attracted ever since the government�s behind-the-scenes manoeuvres to scuttle it commenced. Tempora mutantur, a Latin adage to wit �time changes�, comes in handy in the unfolding interesting but ironic political developments as the attention of the country shifts to Aflao, Volta Region. These are times when very educated persons have allowed themselves to be entrapped in a political circus created by desperate and confused politicians manning the control room of state. For those who have doubted the impression held in some quarters that President Mills is unusually vindictive, the actions of the Aflao chiefs on the June 4 celebration offer ample proof. The chiefs have unwittingly told us all that they fear that if they support the June 4 celebration in their part of the Volta Region, they would be denied the development which they badly need. It stands to reason therefore that knowing who President Mills is, according to them, he would starve the people of Aflao the development they are yearning for. What an impression about a President who claims to be a father for all regardless of party affiliation! For us however, there are many lessons to be learnt from the drama which we need in our future political permutation. The need for us to critically examine our prospective leaders cannot be overemphasized, especially when these personalities come knocking on our doors with sugar-coated promises. Must we vote for people who have showed without doubts their unflinching support for vindictive politics? We are disappointed that those behind the Aflao drama have suddenly become oblivious about the regulations guiding the holding of public events and would subscribe to such infantile manoeuvres upon the dictates of the Castle. A seeming fiat stopping the organizers from holding the event in Aflao does not sound as a smart thing to do. It would be a bad precedent in the country for a group of chiefs to unilaterally order that a public activity be stopped in their traditional domains even when the Police have been duly notified and their protection assured. With no state of emergency in Aflao and no threat to security, succumbing to the Castle arranged-position of the chiefs would not be in the interest of the growth of our democracy.