Prof Kwesi Yankah Writes: The Gospel according to St. George
This week the little sleep allocated to my age group by Providence has been disturbed and I have woken up at dawn, towel around waist, with chewing stick and all, crosschecking what could as well be, the Gospel according to Sam George.
Easily a future leader, I have admired Sam from my last days as Vice Chancellor of Central University, when we first met at Miotso; he being my new ‘landlord’ as MP for Ningo Prampram.
That day, we had been brought together for a formal event along with Hon Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, then Minister for Fisheries who is a proud old student of Central.
Since our personal encounter I have proudly followed Sam’s progress, and admired his public comportment in and out of parliament occasionally whistling in admiration, until a few days ago when he dropped a bombshell that now requires a mouthwash, or rather a Zoomlion, to undo.
After emerging as hero in the LGBT something something debate, where he proved his mettle as a cultural ambassador, Sam George now sinks to the bottom of honor ratings, when in full glare of cameras he spits an unprintable at the second highest gentleman of the land, calling him a religious prostitute.
I have since tried to put myself in Sam’s oral cavity, and wondered what morning garbage could have stirred the nausea, that has swung him from hero to zero. Ataa Naa Nyumo! (Pardon my Ga 101).
I have just concluded that the recent national event by the ruling party that produced Dr Mahmoud Bawumia as flag bearer and led to wild jubilation in places, must have gone as far as triggering nightmares in other camps.
What was Bawumia’s offense? In the name of peace, a Muslim Vice Pee has given his all, and found himself in every nook; moving in and out of no-go areas, entering churches, dining with Christians and Muslims alike; the old and the young, the highest and lowest; chiefs and lepers, the destitute. Like the exemplary Chief Imam, he has dramatized the wise sower’s tradition, planting the right seeds to produce ‘the most peaceful country in the subregion.’ But if the likes of the Chief Imam would not disturb George’s sleep, how different was the Vice President?
The gentleman was described as just ‘tolerant’ when he was Vice President; simply ‘flexible’ moving in and out of churches; a ‘pure’ Muslim when he expressed interest to be flag bearer; ‘tolerant’ when the presidential primaries were in the offing; still a ‘tolerant’ Muslim when the primaries began and ended; ‘fine’ Muslim when results started trickling in.
As soon as the Electoral Commission pronounces the gentleman as winner of the NPP presidential primaries, the Vice President loses his status as religiously ‘tolerant.’ He now attracts a damning verdict at the altar of St George. Tolerant as Vice President; Harlot as Flagbearer.
It simply means St George’s ‘religious prostitute’ label is not applicable until the accused moves dangerously to becoming President. The audacity of a harlot to be president.
The last time I checked, St George himself is Christian. If so, one wonders how qualified he feels crossing the line into the Muslim world, to declare a fatwa of no consequence.
November 4th; the flow of adrenalin countrywide; hearts pumping; a party’s passion to make history; fears of a showdown; a country hooked to social media; the nation Ghana convulsed in suspense. Then a final verdict mumbled by a confused announcer.
All said and done the dreaded November 4th has come to pass, and may have predicted outcomes one year ahead of the war. Who knows if St George’s nightmare becomes a reality: the dreaded conservative party led by harlots, producing the first ever Muslim President.
kwyankah@yahoo.com
