Discipline is one of the most important traits in a person’s life or a group. It refers to a set of rules and regulations which are to be followed while undergoing any task or activity. It is a trait that helps individuals and groups to complete tasks within a given fixed deadline. Life without discipline, they say, is like a ship without radar. Therefore, the importance of discipline in life, be it personal or for a group, cannot be overemphasized.
It is the reason I leapt for joy when the leadership of the Elephant fraternity did the needful and cracked the whip on the four miscreants who are now known as the ‘Gang of Four’. The four: Hopeson Adorye, a defeated parliamentary candidate; Nana Ohene Ntow, a former General Secretary; Boniface Abubakar Saddique, a former Zongo Minister; and Yaw Buaben Asamoah, former Adentan MP, had their membership revoked for breaching the party’s constitution as they were seen openly supporting Mr. Kyerematen, a former Osono presidential aspirant who had early on cut ties with the ruling party to form the ‘Butterfly Movement’, following his dismal performance at the Super Delegates Conference to elect the party’s flag-bearer for the 2024 general elections.
The party’s action was apt, as the four had obviously become bad nuts that needed to be separated from the good ones. Any objective observer could tell that the four had all along been engaging in divisive tendencies.
I’m sure you remember the ethnic diatribe from Hopeson, during the health walk in August, last year in Kumasi. In his warped analysis, he argued that Northern politicians in the great Elephant fraternity were only fit for the running mate slot, which attracted a lot of criticism within and outside the party. He later released a statement to clarify his comment. Ironically, the press statement ended up being worse as he extended his bigotry to the religious front. To put it mildly, his apology was an apology of an apology.
He continued on the same tangent throughout the campaign period. He spat fire and brimstone anytime opened his mouth, and one could easily tell that he was an angry man who had a case to grind with ‘the powers that be’. It is therefore not surprising at all that he finally decided to betray the Elephant for the Butterfly.
Buabeng Asamoah was equally reckless in his utterances. He engaged in religious bigotry, not caring about the consequences of his actions. He was so reckless during the Osono primaries that, one was compelled to wonder if he cared for the unity of the party. He was also a peeved man who could not forgive the party leadership for stripping him off the position of Communication Director. It therefore came as no surprise that he too dumped the Elephant for the Butterfly.
Boniface was no different. He was a Minister at the Inner City and Zongo Development Ministry, and was subsequently reassigned to the Office of the Vice-President as Minister of State in Nana Dee’s first term. After losing his parliamentary seat to Zu-za’s Francis Xavier Sosu, and not given any position in the second term of the Nana Dee administration, he too became very peeved.
It was therefore understandable that he decided to go against the Vice-President in the Osono flag-bearership contest; his recklessness wasn’t. It was obvious from his reckless commentaries that it was either his candidate, Chief Alan, or no one else. He even gloated publicly that he had family members in the Zu-za fraternity so he wouldn’t go hungry if the Elephant went to opposition. His decision to fly with the Butterfly instead of riding on the Elephant is therefore not shocking at all.
As for Nana Ohene Ntow, the least said about him, the better. His mischief against Nana Dee did not start today. He has been engaged in disruptive tendencies for over a decade now. Search for ‘Enough With The Nonsense From Nana Ohene Ntow’ by one Rockson Adofo, published in Modern Ghana in 2014 and read more about his malice against Nana Dee.
Yes, he was once upon a time the General Secretary of the great Elephant. But it is no secret that he is one of the least liked folks in the party today. So someone should please tell him to lower his ego because he is not as important as he sees himself. Even, yours truly, a small fish in the Osono ocean, would beat him in any contest in the Osono fraternity because of his persona non grata status.
The party leadership needs to be commended for taking the bold and decisive step. The expulsion of the four bad nuts is good riddance to bad rubbish. History is only repeating itself and posterity shall judge the Stephen Ntim leadership kindly. We saw the difficulties the Freddie Blay leadership had to endure and how they took the bull by the horn for the party to win the 2016 elections. I have a hunch same will happen in the 2024 polls.
In the meantime, let’s all bury our differences, pain and disappointment and rally behind the party leadership for the onward march towards ‘breaking the 8’. For I shudder to imagine the resurrection of the Dead Goat!
See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!