Coup is no child’s play – Ghana’s Veep says in his new book

By Kofi Ayim

The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana John Dramani Mahama said he used to think that the phrase “coup d’etat” was a game that children played. But he found out the hard way that “coup d’etat” was not a child’s’ play for a second grader. That was in 1966, when the father of the Veep was arrested alongside several government officials of the CPP regime of Ghana’s President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory. John Mahama made this comment at the launching of his maiden book “My First Coup d’ etat” at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Harlem, New York City July 10, 2012.In a Word Rapport and Conversation with Andrew W. Solomon, an author, John Mahama described the period between the 1960s and 1980s as “the loss of a decade” of Africa. He quickly added that that “loss” eventually set up a renaissance for Ghana and Africa in general. With that, he emphasized, military intervention and dictatorship have become things of the past in most contemporary African countries. He pointed out that the era of coups d’ etat in Africa was a learning experience that eventually paved way for civil societies to develop. John Mahama admitted that his student-day socialist ideas and leanings were in stark conflict with his father’s, who after political incarceration had become a successful rice farmer. However, the dichotomy of dissonance was settled once and for all when he visited the quondam U.S.S.R. as a student during the period of “glasnost” (openness), “perestroika” (rebuilding), and “democratizasi” (democratization), in 1986. “I’m still left of center but now more pragmatic” he added.The astute politician who read excerpts from his provocatively titled book, assured the packed house that, notwithstanding the steaming hot political temperature currently brewing in Ghana, the country is well endowed with the necessary shock absorbers to contain any imminent and rocky bumps in the upcoming national elections. “Ghana will continue to be the pride of Africa” he beamed with assurance. The Vice President hoped his book would calm political tempers with its humorous and satirical prose and poetry. Dressed in simple jeans and a coat and an open shirt, the affable John Mahama indubitably won the hearts of many with his potent communication skills. He skillfully parried off politics during the Q & A session. The book was sold out during the signing session. Supplemental copies brought were sold out immediately leaving a long line of people who could not get any.Present at the function were Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States Ohene Agyekum, Ghana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Ken Kanda, literary consultant Nana Ama Danquah, staff of Ghana’s Consulate, and a cross-section of the Ghanaian and African-American communities in New York and New Jersey.

Posted by admin on Jul 16 2012. Filed under Community News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry