It was the Ottoman, Byzantime and even Roman empires at varying times in world history. Turkey’s geo-political position stands her apart from many others: part of Istanbul belongs to Europe and the other Asia, with the Bosporus being the dividing landmark.
The world woke up to what showed the symptoms of a movie being unfolded in Istanbul: the bridge over the Bosporus particularly hosting some choppers and military activities.
A coup was said to be unfolding eerily until much later.
When the dust was finally settled, we were hard-pushed not to consider the so-called coup attempt as a creation of Erdogan to descend on his perceived opponents and to lash at Fehtullah Gullen, the Islamic scholar he wishes dead.
Foreign issues hardly make our commentaries but the subject under review is special: the Foreign Ministry of Turkey, through her missions, are chasing their perceived enemies engaged in productive activities such as spreading the message of peace and oneness of mankind around the world for several years.
Recently unknown to many Ghanaians, the Turkish Embassy did what did not fit in diplomatic practices.
It sent letters running down the Turkish Development Cooperation (TUDEC), an initiative of business people from that country.
The value of their work is seen in the educational development of Ghana and other countries where they are active.
The embassy branded the Turkish NGO as anti-Erdogan which seeks to bring down the government in Ankara, a preposterous, baseless and crazy allegation.
The organization is credited with running one of the best educational institutions- the Galaxy Schools in Ghana and elsewhere, which continues to bring quality education to Ghanaian kids from diverse backgrounds.
It brings them together and exposes them to cultures from other parts of the world in an amazing melting pot.
That is how far Erdogan has gone with his paranoia, and it continues to push him to do the despicable such as cooking up a coup.
Ghana and Turkey have had wonderful diplomatic relationship in recent times, the private sector particularly standing prominent.
The cultural dimension of the bond between the two countries is physically evident in the Kanda National Mosque, a project being executed by non-governmentals from that country.
A President with an alleged record of dealing with ISIS elements but now ostensibly fighting them is one who cannot be trusted. A president who descends upon divergent views to the extent of seizing the largest opposition newspaper, Zaman and arresting outspoken journalists cannot be considered for a place in the comity of the politically civilized.
President Recap Tayyip Erdogan’s place is in Africa where such crude traits belong. Hundreds of thousands of Turkish soldiers and other categories of public servants have lost their jobs and freedoms as the clampdown continues.
The President has described the so-called coup attempt as God-sent because in our estimation it affords the sadistic the opportunity to eliminate his opponents.
The Washington Post’s post on recent developments in that country, a portion of which we reproduce, sums up the psyche of the man Erdogan:
TURKISH PRESIDENT Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded to a failed military coup with what amounts to a political coup of his own. Since last weekend, tens of thousands of Turks have been arrested or fired from their jobs: not just military officers involved in the rebellion but also teachers, university professors, judges and thousands of other civil servants.
A state of emergency has been declared; hundreds of schools have been closed; dozens of journalists have had their credentials revoked.