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The rise of Joseph, son of Jacob in the Old Testament of the Bible to prominence in a foreign land was part of The Lord’s master strategy to preserve the Messianic line.

The temptation he suffered at the hands of Potiphar’s wife was at the time Hades greatest weapon of mass destruction with a 120% kill rate. Joseph the dreamer survived because of Grace. William (Billy) Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo, like Joseph has just survived. Their dreams could only be delayed but certainly not denied.

Like Joseph, Nana-Addo made known his Presidential ambitions (dreams) to his countrymen at quite an early age and suffered for it. He was vilified and demonized both from within and without. Young and old men alike made a carrier out of insulting Billy.

Some were rewarded with ministerial and deputy ministerial portfolios just for sending the dreamer to the cleaners. Some Journalist friends and acquaintances of old lost faith and joined the fray of doomsayers and drove off with plush V8 vehicles and more. Some even turned into cancer experts overnight. But Billy never gives up. He is a fighter who never quits. His determination is cast in steel. Nana; you do all.

7th JANUARY

I watched the Presidential convoy graciously move into the inauguration grounds on 7th January amid pomp and pageantry, class and elegance, surety and grace. I could not help but recite the words of Newlove Anang’s song, saying “Adom ne ahumobro, ne de madu n3 yi......Your grace and mercy has brought us thus far, ”. Indeed, it does not lie in the mouth of your detractors to decide your destiny. The battle is the Lords and His only!

At 72 years, His Excellency President Akufo-Addo is older than all his ministers and handlers. Professionally, our President is experienced and grounded in the law than most if not all of his appointees. In-fact, some of his appointees benefited from his training at his law firm many years ago. Financially, the President is fairly resourced than most of his appointees.

He carved and owns his vision of integrity and modesty in governance. Nana Addo decries public display of opulence and the wanton dissipation of state resources. In short, he is leader who walks the talk and leads by example.

The President therefore has a commanding grip on his government. He is however mindful of the corruptibility of the power he wields and the extremely slippery nature of the proverbial material used in flooring the tiles of an African corridor of power. He is determined not to slip by not wielding power capriciously.  

His Excellency has all the necessary ingredients required to succeed as an extraordinary leader even in Africa. He has momentum and goodwill on his side. Nana has long been purged of the craving and trappings for lavish cars and expensive mansions.

It is even revealing to know that our President has no personal bank account, be it in Ghana or outside the shores of Ghana. He is an ardent believer in the tenets of multiparty democracy and prostrates before the rule of law.

Nana Addo is selfless to a fault and believes in the can do spirit of the Ghanaian. As we witnessed in his readiness to accede to the rather controversy saddled request from the Ex-President, Nana  Addo is not vindictive. He uses power to build and not to destroy; create friends and not make enemies.

In his Vice, Dr. Mahammoud Bawumia, Ghana has a dinosaur of an Economist and a colossus of an academician with in-depth understanding of the intricacies of the Ghanaian economy.  Together, Nana and his Vice, lead a competent team of doers and achievers with a burning desire to re-write the African story.   

Building bridges...

The President said in his inaugural speech on 7th January, 2017 that ‘for myself, I am in the unique position of being able to draw on the wisdom and experience of three former Presidents of the Republic, their Excellencies Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor, and John Dramani Mahama.

They represent the continuity of the institutions of our Republic, for which we thank God’.A statement that got His Excellency Jerry Rawlings nod in approval. “Our best days still lie ahead” he said.  WE HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR FAILURE.

Nana assembles Team in record Time

In strict adherence to the constitutional provisions, the President has appointed his staff and recommended for parliamentary approval his choice of Ministers in record time. He has also created six new ministries. About 95% of his ministerial recommendations were spot on in my candid view.

The rest lack clarity in roles and seems duplicitous on some occasions, but the oracle of wisdom in governance has spoken, I am unworthy to question his judgement. I can only wish them well and rest in the full assurance that President Akufo-Addo will not hesitate to crack the whip on any non-performing appointee/Minister.

With a Team of Crack Ministers including my favourite, the Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation in place, nothing is going to escape the scrutiny of the President. WE HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR FAILURE.

The African Project

Africa has suffered mightily mainly because of bad leadership. It is almost as if the leadership conveyor belt in Africa carries only bad, corrupt, selfish and emotionally unintelligent leaders.  So pathetic has been the African story that if any African President steals a few million dollars, we honour and glorify them for showing mercy.

From Mobutu Sese Seko to Sanni Abacha, Charles Taylor to present day Yahaya Jammeh, the symptoms of Africanisis has been the same; create, loot and hide. We are one people with one common destiny; victims of bad leadership.

We have had a few bright spots in Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara, Mandela and a few others, but the totality of the gloom as perpetuated by the majority of African leaders blots out the brightness of the few noble leaders and only adds to the doom on our continent.

Africa has been at the crossroads for far too long. We have become content with fishing at the banks of the Red Sea. But the realization of the Lords promise lies beyond the vast expanse of the scary waters. We cry for a different kind of leadership; a bold and courageous man of wisdom and empathy, a man born into royalty but forged his guts for leadership on the tough deserts of disappointments.

Like Moses, President Akufo Addo has been born for just one mission; lead the disillusioned masses of the Dark Continent into the glorious light of self actualization and redemption. President Akufo Addo has stepped into a great piece of history.

A Beam of Hope

The masters and chief architects of the ‘African project’ were all here in Accra on the 7th of January, to bear witness to the investiture of His Excellency the President Nana-Addo Danquah Akufo Addo.

They carried good tidings. From Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia to Alpha Conde of Guinea, Alassane Quattara of Cote d’ivoire to Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, they all wished Ghana well under President Akufo Addo because, when Ghana does well, Africa will do well and President Akufo Addo was born just for this purpose; lead the renaissance of a dying continent.

Through his veins runs the pure unadulterated blood of what a true African leader stands for: Courage, Fierce Honesty, Hard work on the cart of Intellect, and Selflessness. The Lord has gifted him with the acumen and the heart to shoulder the herculean challenge on his modest frame. 

Divinity has invested so much time and resources into the preparation of President Akufo Addo for this stage. His Presidency is heavens last chance to Africa to realize her enormous potentials. Billy, take the shot from your heart and don’t miss the mark even though the goal keeper is experienced and has stopped Africa on all previous attempts.

Exorcise the ghost of Gyan and secure Africa a seat at the ‘table of men’ in the global geopolitics. We have absolute confidence in your leadership. Where do you think the 1.5 million votes came from? God bless our homeland Ghana. God bless our continent Africa and God bless President Akufo Addo.