NDC mocks Nana Addo and the NPP with a casket

by Kofi Ayim

When the NDC met at Sunyani on September 17 to launch its 2016 campaign manifesto, the main “attraction” at the event was the carrying of a coffin bearing the images of main opposition leader Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. Coffins or caskets carry the ominous image of death, or a finality to life and the shameful spectacle where members of the ruling NDC, including President John Dramani Mahama, Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur and chairman Kofi Portuphy as well as the executives of the party gleefully watched. Coffin, is a symbol of death, and there is nothing funny about death. Most people interviewed for this short commentary opine that even though it could signify the NDC’s own prediction of the end of the Nana Addo’s political career the act was in bad taste. And following the ruling party’s oft referenced ill health of Nana Addo the symbolism of the casket predicted doom for the NPP leader. Other observers, including Irbard Ibrahim, peace ambassador of the 2016 general elections and a security analyst said, “In a campaign era of ratios, allegories and symbolisms, it is important to take note of the limits to which such political jests can go, and wishing any flag bearer dead is way above the tolerable threshold of wholesome politicking.” A group called The Movement for Kingdom Image (MFKI), has also condemned the act describing it as barbaric in modern times. Other people also condemned the act as un-Ghanaian and un-African. Ghanaians and for that matter Africans hold in high regard the sanctity of human life and it is deemed unacceptable to mock anyone with death, and especially in public. Mustapha Hamid, Nana Addo’s spokesperson condemns the act as diversionary and unnecessary. “Elsewhere young people are playing key roles in political campaigns in formulating policies to provide alternative direction to build their nations. In the NDC the young people are trained to be dispensable buffoons, used and dumped and used again when it is elections. I bet 100% of these guys are jobless. Even after carrying this coffin, they’ll leave Sunyani jobless,” he said. Meanwhile, the leadership of the NDC has downplayed the dreadful significance of the act. Kofi Adams, the NDC’s national organizer posits that it is a political act that is done by both parties even in their internal politics. The leadership of the NDC should have stopped the dastardly act there and then, but alas! it didn’t.

Posted by on Oct 14 2016. Filed under Commentary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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