Peter Amewu
Today’s write-up is about a mistake in our communication that happens to everyone irrespective of race, religion or social standing. The phenomenon made me lose the love of my life some twenty-five years back. Yes, it is commonly called slip of the tongue.
You may slip up sometimes and say or write things you don’t mean to say aloud. It can be really embarrassing, and sometimes costly, when this happens.
It is known as Freudian slips because Sigmund Freud, the famous German psychoanalyst, described these errors in speech or memory in his 1901 book called “The Psychopathology of Everyday Life.”
Freudian slips may arise from your unconscious thoughts. According to numerous studies, Freud believed error in communication occurs as a result of individuals’ unconscious desires coming to light. He postulated that slips of the tongue were not mere accidents as they represent repressed and suppressed intentions.
For example, if you say the name of a former partner when you are speaking to your current partner or call them by the previous partner’s name, Freud believed it might represent an unconscious desire for your previous partner.
Freud was spot on as that was exactly what happened in my case. My then fiancée and I were busily engaged in a ‘dedrossing exercise’ when I unconsciously called her by my former girlfriend’s name. She was so livid that no amount of explanation could calm her down.
Frankly, I had missed my former girlfriend whose ‘bedmatics skills’ far outweighed that of my fiancée. So I was subconsciously hoping my fiancée could perform like her predecessor, which could have led me to unconsciously mention the latter’s name. My fiancée left me because she could not forgive me for the slip up.
In the case of former President George W. Bush, he was so obsessed with the Iraqi invasion by the US that he mistook Ukraine for Iraq when condemning the invasion of Russian military forces in Ukraine in 2022. Listen to him, “The decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq … I mean of Ukraine…”
I therefore could not help wondering if Hon. Peter Amewu’s slip last week was a genuine error or a Freudian slip. In case you’ve forgotten or haven’t heard, this was what he said at Dansoman on July 4, 2023, “With all honour and respect, I want to use this opportunity to introduce the incoming Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, in the person of Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen.”
Yes, as Alan approached him, he quickly corrected himself saying, “As the incoming president of the Republic of Ghana.” But the obese cat had already been let out of the bag.
As a strong believer in the Freudian slip theory, I strongly believe that what was in Amewu’s subconscious memory was what he unconsciously revealed to the world. Knowing how herculean it is for them to beat Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, it is obvious that they just want to put up an impressive showing in the flagbearership contest so they can bargain for the vice-presidential slot.
The Alan camp may have realised, albeit too late, that 15 years is too long to wait for a competitive presidential slot such as the one in the Elephant fraternity. They may be screaming “it’s Alan’s time”, but they know deep down in their hearts that his best chance was in 2008. That opportunity, however, passed him by because of a certain Nana Dee, who had been the toast of the Osono fans from 2008 till the last elections in 2020.
A new leader has certainly emerged in the Osono camp. There is pure excitement on the faces of the masses anywhere Dr. Bawumia goes. The euphoria is simply a reflection of the sentiments of the rank and file of the party, which is consistent with the Elephant’s tradition of all forces moving towards a certain direction when a new leader emerges.
Hon. Amewu and his ilk may publicly deny it, but the Freudian slip at Dansoman has exposed the thoughts in their subconscious memory: A vice-presidential slot is all they desire. Even that may also elude them because of tribal and religious bigots like Yaw Buabeng Asamoah and Hopeson Adorye.
See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!