Vote for My Beloved Papa Alhassan

The book Title: Politics of Deceit, Betrayal and Unkept Promises 

Excerpt of Chapter 7

 

(The biggest opposition party, the NDC is holding its constituency conferences to elect executives across the nation to represent its interest. A general election is held in Tondoria Constituency. The party office is crowded with people)

Agama the Big Lizard: My fellow comrades, let me use this medium to thank you for your hardwork and service to our party. Thank you all! I will be very  brief. I am not going to bore you with lengthy speech. Papa Alhassan, please step forward. In this election, I want you  to vote and retain all incumbent executives (raising the hand of Chairman Papa Alhassan. The crowd could be heard booing at the background. Papa Alhassan is the incumbent chairman for Tondoria). 

(An hour after the general meeting, a conversation ensued between Agama and Little Fly)

Little Fly: Bro, do you think it was a good idea to make that decision. Aren't you afraid there might be backlash against Papa Alhassan and the incumbents. I think some of us are here to help you. Had you sought our opinion, we would have given you our one penny advice. Considering, the booing, I think we are not going to have it easy in this conference.

Agama the Big Lizard: Never mind! Papa Alhassan is going to win. Right now, I am very popular. Like the rest of the incumbents, they will ride on my shoulders to win.

Little Fly: I don't think it is a good idea to repeat this again. I suggest you remove yourself from the contest and play the role of a father for all the aspirants. In the end, you are going to work with whoever emerges as the winner. This haste to take sides and placate Papa Alhassan will in the long term be detrimental to him.

Agama the Big Lizard: (to himself) You idiot! Can't you see that almost all my team members have decided to contest for position? I rather prefer them to remain branch executives where they will help me win my next primaries. If they all resign, I will lose lots of votes at the branch. Again, they are not going to win anyway. (To Little Fly) Don't worry everything will work perfectly.

(Few days after filing of nominations in Tondoria. Papa Alhassan goes out on a tour of branches to solicit for their votes)

Papa Alhassan: My message is very simple. I helped the mp to win the seat. Give me the nod and I will help him retain the seat. (Papa Alhassan keeps talking and some of what he says can't be understood well. All the same he receives applause). Thank you for your time and attention. I have in my hand something small for you (referring to the delegates). Kindly accept this little token from me and my team of aspirants who have accompanied me here. 

(Rumours begin to spread from here that Agama has given huge money to Papa Alhassan without given anything to the other pro Agama aspirants on the team. Some of the team members vowed to sabotage Papa Alhassan henceforth. They also need money. Why did he collect money from Agama alone without factoring them into consideration. Another backlash is unfolding)

(A meeting of delegates and aspirants at Agama's ward)

Agama: Thank you for coming in your numbers to this meeting. I want to reiterate my earlier statement at the just ended constituency general meeting. All incumbents must be retained. Any new comer must be vehemently rejected. (The crowd protests strongly. At this stage, Agama's speech couldn't be heard and was almost cut short. The booing swallowed his voice. Some aspirants left the meeting in anger. Agama runs, chases them and caught up with a couple of them, promises are made to them to come home for more discussion) Hmmm! (To himself) I think I am putting myself in trouble. My dislike for Nii Yomo ( Nii Yomo is Papa Alhassan's main contender) may court unnecessary hatred for me. Henceforth, I will not repeat this message.

Little Fly: Bro (referring to Agama) if you had heeded my advice, this unnecessary backlash and embarrassment would have been averted in the first place. In any case, from observation it is not difficult to see that Papa Alhassan will not prevail in this election. Your message hasn't been helpful and it seems his campaign is not well funded. You have only one option left if you want Papa Alhassan to win. You must double up his funding. He needs a lot of money. He must pay his way through. That's the only option left. 

(Little Fly tells Agama how his supporters who are aspiring thinks he has given money to only Papa Alhassan without including them)

Agama: It is all speculation and lies. "Wallahi" I have not given the man a penny. Every penny he spends on this campaign is from his pocket. I don't know where he has been getting money. All I know is that it is not coming from me.

Little Fly: Interesting! (Thinking aloud) You really mean it? You mean a week or so to the election, you have not given your so-called favourite candidate any financial support yet? Meaning, your so-called support is a mere lip service? Eiii Suro nipa! 

(Agama's Tondoria office. A meeting of pro Agama aspirants is held. He offers financial assistance to the aspirants)

Aspirant A: I got just ¢800

Aspirant B: I had ¢700

Aspirant C: Charley, as for me I got ¢500 

Aspirant A: We are 15 or so in number and he gave us ¢10k to share among ourselves. So far, me alone, I have spent almost ¢20k. What! Is this some sort of a new joke or what? I am disappointed. I will support you, I will support you plenty plenty nu", this is it?  Some of us will advise ourselves in future.

(Constituency conference day in Tondoria. Agama walks to Papa Alhassan and gives him a tiny envelope which is disclosed later to be ¢1000. Further investigations indicate that the ¢1000 was the only financial support Agama gave his favorite Papa Alhassan)

Little Fly: Politics they say is a complex business. If 1k was what you gave your favorite candidate then some of us are dead! This so-called support for the incumbents turned out to be a huge betrayal of trust. The Akans have say "onipa te se akoko. Odidi wie a na ode nano atwetwe fam" (man is like the proverbial hen, after eating it forgets whoever fed her) Today Agama is in a position to betray Papa Alhassan. The man who brought him to Tondoria, introduced him to all those who matter and made him who he is.

Agama: (to himself) I gave him a nice car a couple of years ago. I think he will forever be indebted to me. Even if he loses, he can't talk. If he complains, I will unleash my boys to finish him. I have already psych up myself to work with Nii Yomo. A dying old dog must be helped to die.

(Counting is done. Papa Alhassan loses with a very huge margin to Nii Yomo. It must be emphasized that once upon a time, Nii Yomo served Agama diligently until he sensed betrayal and unkept promises and decided to move out from his camp and his service. You can't progress under Agama. No, you can't!