Ghana is not only a democratic state; it is also founded on traditional and religious values, regardless of the communities we find ourselves from.
That is why, regardless of where we stand politically, our religious and traditional roots have influence on our political thoughts and actions, except for those who have a pathological disregard for constituted authority.
We believe it is in this spirit that the MP for Asawase, Mohammed Muburak-Muntaka, found it expedient to issue a letter of apology to the Justices of the Supreme Court after scandalising them with bribery allegations in respect of the recent election of the Speaker of Parliament.
Muntaka disease
Unfortunately, the Muntaka disease afflicts our typical politician, and it shows during serious political calendars like the last voter registration exercise, the Ghana Card registration, political campaign seasons and party primaries.
Unfortunately, it also shows up during crucial events like the 2012 and 2020 election petitions.
It again shows up during solemn ministerial vetting ceremonies, when the supreme interest of the state – not political parties – is what should be considered above everything else.
Without mentioning names, we may cite occasions where leaders holding revered, independent positions have been unruly attacked, when all they were doing was putting Ghana first.
Unfortunately, such victims have included our eminent Ashantehene, Speakers of Parliament, National Peace Council leaders and, now, our eminent Supreme Court Law Lords and Ladies.
Again, intriguingly, some of the perpetrators have been half-literate graduates hoping to catch the eyes of their equally warped chieftains who hide in the dark and goad these misled youth on in their acts of mischief.
Letter of apology
While in certain paragraphs of the letter the MP needlessly attempts to explain the inexplicable, the consensus generally is that he has been realistic with the issues and been bold to admit that he was wrong and had been misled by peer political pressure.
As a Muslim and as son of a Zongo community, he has been taught to respect elders and that, we believe, may be more the reason for his decision to move away from his initial pig-headed stance to a moderate and honourable position.
The long and short of the story is that he has apologized and, in that, he has endeared himself to the electorate. At least, he has admitted that taking our political theatrics and clowning to our Supreme Court Justices is like dipping your finger into your Zongo community chief or Makaranta teacher.
Particularly in Muslim communities in the Sahel, it could attract lashes or a more violent punishment under their Sharia Law.
Commendation
While we commend the MP for the courage to act in line with his conscience, rather than the credo of his party’s madding crowd, we would urge all politicians, regardless of their philosophy and colour, to lead in showing respect to constituted authority.
This is because the ‘nonsense’ about democracy being jaw-jaw per se, regardless of the issues and layers of authority, is not founded on any credible and civilized body of laws and statutes anywhere in this world – not even the civilisations we borrowed our tenets of constitutional rule and democracy from.
It is time, therefore, for party delegates, communicators, MPs, media personnel and, more importantly, party chieftains to show some respect to all those who matter as they ply their fleeting vocation.
