THE COLORFUL literature on the Danquah-Busia-Dombo (DBD) tradition and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will be incomplete without a space for Nana Obiri Boahen (NOB).
Contemporaries
Of our generational group of men of history in NPP like Dan Botwe, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Nana Obiri Boahen, Senior Boakye Agyarko, Dr. Richard Anane, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Hans Djaba, Michael Ansah, Asamoah Boateng, Arthur Kennedy, Kennedy Agyepong and others, the first three stand on a different pyramid owing to their exceptional, pivotal roles leading to the formation and growth of NPP. All their working lives have been devoted to the cause of NPP.
For the purpose of this article, I will limit my discussion to that of Nana Obiri Boahen (NOB). Nana Obiri Boahen (NOB) graduated as a vociferous student leader from the University of Ghana in the late eighties, and waged his own relentless war against the then tyrannical regime of Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) from his Brong-Kyempim enclave through his writings, especially in the Statement newspaper, and his profession as a lawyer. This was an era where men feared to be called “men”.
The writer is also mindful of the numerous assistances, especially finance, he had given, and continues to offer, all shades of people in NPP.
Reward
‘By dint of your hard work within the party, you became the regional secretary in the Brong Ahafo Region, and later held the position of Regional Chairman of which you were re-elected. You were subsequently rewarded with National Deputy General Secretary position for eight good years. Your government of then President Kufuor acknowledged you, and made you a Minister of State in his last Cabinet reshuffle.’
Legal Minefield
Of all your numerous contributions to your party, it is the above that your party will hugely miss once you are called to eternity by your Creator. Your legal adroitness reminds us of your great mentor, Dr. J.B. Danquah, the doyen of politics in Ghana who traversed North, South, East and West of Gold Coast defending the poor, downtrodden, the weak and the vulnerable, once their rights were the issues.
There is no legal matter, being small or big, that had not passed through the hands of Nana Obiri Boahen (NOB), if the matter was Republic vrs NPP, from 1992-to date.
Some high-profile cases of our tradition have been intermittently handled by our stalwarts like our current President, Nana Akufo-Addo, B.J. Da Rocha, Ala Adjetey and currently, Frank Davies and his young team, including brilliant Gary Nimako and others, but your role stands tall.
Your pivotal role, as the lonely legal brain of the Abudu family is there for all to testify.
What about being the “legal star” at the Wuaku Commission sittings in Accra and Sunyani, which I watched in admiration afar from London?
You have always been an apostle of peace in the party.
To say you have paid your dues per this tradition is an underestimation.
Untimely Bombshell Interview
It is against this back drop that some of us were taken aback and shocked to our marrows when we heard you on OK Fm making claims which sought to cast a slur on the character of our current Chairman, Stephen Ayesu Ntim.
I am not the Lawyer, Chief Advisor or Spokesperson for Mr. Ntim. However, as a senior member of the party, tracing my patrilineal roots from Brong-Kyempem Federation of Dorma Ahenkro/ Drobo/Japakrom, and a real brother and admirer, I owe the onerous duty of passing a fleeting comment, and leave the rest of the discussions in chambers.
Nana, all that I can say is that never again. Please do the needful. This is not the hallmark of the “distinguished” Obiri Boahen we have known for years, but he who fetches the water always breaks the pot. Perhaps, with apologies to senior Ayikoi Otoo, you were caught by the “Popo biribiri” syndrome that day.
Maturity of Chairman Ntim
Living with the colossus of his great mentor, Ex-President Agyekum Kufuor, who believes only cool waters drown and not hot waters, has decided to allow bygones be bygones.
As a former senior prefect of Asanteman Secondary School, a product of Navrongo Secondary School, then to the University of Ghana and United States of America universities for double post Graduate Studies, he is a very sharp-minded person.
His style of politics, like that of Apostle Nehru and Professor Busia, is being non-violent, but indulgent in dialogue to achieve the desired results.
He has been very shrewd and unassuming, but successful at achieving this ultimate goals.
Balancing Equally Completing Interests
The Chairman was torn delicately between balancing two equally competing interest of Executive and Legislature of the party he chairs. By sheer bravado and intelligence, he decided to see them as individual groups, rather than calling the “already over fired and charged” parties to a common summit. Political party feud, disagreement or fight is like the goat fight. The momentum that attracts the raising of the horns when they go in the air is different from the ones down when the heads appear to crush. They are always in-house matters which are resolved in chambers. Political matters are like “Afisem“. We cannot wash our dirty linen in public.
After nights and nights, things are returned normal since wisdom is always picked from the pillow.
The old saying goes that “Opanyin tiri ho na y3 hon akuma“, to wit, the bald head is always awash with wisdom.
As a great party, which Ghanaians having put their faith and hope in us, let us forge the great unity required of us to conquer again in 2024.
BY Opanin Yaw Baah
The writer is former MP for Kumawu and Senior Fellow of Danquah Institute.