The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, has made two statements in time of difficulties which continue to sooth my soul. These statements always brought the country together for a collective fight against calamities and God, who delivered Israel from Egypt, also listened to the call.
After losing the 2012 Presidential Election through a decision by the Supreme Court, Mr. Akufo Addo told Ghanaians that even though he did not side with the decision of the Supreme Court, he was not going to challenge the decision at the Appeal Court. He went further to admonish supporters of the NPP to accept the decision of the Supreme Court and move forward. Supporters of the party reluctantly agreed with their leader and bided their time. He then hit the road to thank Ghanaians who accepted his campaign message.
The main problem of the Israeli army in conquering Jericho was the fortified walls surrounding the city. The strength of the Israeli army could not bring down the walls nor open the strong gates for the Israeli army to enter and fight their enemies but when Joshua prayed to God, the Omnipotent instructed Joshua to tell the Israelis to go round the walls with the Ark of the Covenant while they blew their horns unceasingly. This seemingly simple action brought the walls of Jericho tumbling down. The Israeli army entered the city and conquered Jericho. The mighty, unseen and strong hand of the God of Israeli was at work. I can imagine how surprised the people of Israel were when that miracle happened before their own eyes. The older generation among them who witnessed how the Lord parted the Red Sea for the people of Israel to pass through was undoubtedly, not surprised because they knew the battle was always the Lord’s.
Gideon was a great Israeli general who led the Israeli army to battle. Because the enemy was strong and had great multitude of soldiers, General Gideon thought he had to marshal a great force for the battle. Before the battle, the God of Israel told Gideon to reduce the size of his army to the barest minimum. The General was surprised but the Lord told him that the battle was not for him, Gideon to fight but it was for the Lord. Gideon took a small army to face a great and strong army and prevailed.
By the time, the NPP agreed to push Nana Addo into the arena to contest again, the war chest of the party had run dry. Supporters of the party had lost hope because they thought with the NDC still in power; it would be difficult to unseat them since they had the money and resources to prosecute their campaign. It was then that Nana Akufo Addo told the NPP supporters that “the battle is the Lord’s.” The man accepted the fact that even though the party was at a disadvantageous position, the Lord would fight the battle for the party. Believers from all denominations and religious affiliations believed in the slogan because, indeed, the battle, no matter how hard it is, has always been the Lord’s. Christians and Muslims could not help but to believe in the slogan because there are several examples in their Holy Books to prove that the battle is always the Lord’s.
And so it came to pass that in the 2016 General Election, Nana Addo led the party to a massive defeat of the NDC. It was then that the doubting Thomases in that party believed the battle was in deed, the Lord’s. During the 2020 General Election, the slogan was repeated and the Lord raised His mighty hand again for the NPP to carry the day.
Before the 2020 general election, Coronavirus raised its ugly head on the shores of Ghana and people started dying like flies. The pandemic traumatised the whole world and scientists across the globe raced against time to fine a vaccine to stop the pandemic. It was then that President Akufo Addo, during one of his many ‘fellow Ghanaians’ addresses to the nation told us that “This too shall pass”. The government put certain measures in place including the COVID-19 protocol which Ghanaians followed religiously. They say heaven helps those who help themselves. Today, even though COVID-19 is not totally gone, many lives which would have been lost were saved.
Just when we were gradually uncoiling ourselves from the grip of COVID-19, the war in Ukraine came knocking on our doors. The effect of this unfortunate and senseless invasion of Ukraine by Russia has sent economies of the whole world reeling under difficulties. The war has derailed the world’s economies which were recovering following the COVID-19 pandemic. Inflation continues to rise even in the developed countries and developing countries like Ghana have no space to breath. Times are hard indeed. Embargos imposed on Russia has led to the shortage of wheat and other cereals as well as fertilisers, not to talk of crude oil and gas. The world is facing a war of attrition in Ukraine and if care is not taken, it could lead to a Third World War, a subject I shudder to broach. Shall this too pass? Yes, indeed this too shall pass by the grace of God.
Almost every Ghanaian is complaining of hardship and they are right. This is not the fault of the government as narrated above. What we should all do is to eschew politics and work together to find ways and means to survive while the war rages on. If Ghanaians were able to survive in 1983 when famine did strike the land and literally brought the country on her knees, I see no reason why we will not survive this time around. Those who are reading politics into this calamity should remember that if even there is a change of government today, no new government can surmount this burden which has been laid on the shoulders of the world by Putin. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, chaos and peace have always been at war and we know that God is not neutral between them. This too shall surely pass. It is a matter of time. Mark my words!
Check the list of presidents, celebrities, kings, billionaires and men and women of substance all over the world who smoke cigar and you will always sing my praises for doing same.
Ericbawah2022@Gmail.com
From Eric Bawah