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“You were the best father in the world.” “You were my most priceless possession and best friend.” “You were such a treasure to this organization and humankind in general.” These were lines in the tribute of some children, a widower, and an organization, respectively, after the loss of their loved ones. Although there may be some levels of exaggeration during such occasions, they largely represent what the individuals concerned might have lived for.

When the former president of Ghana, in the person of Flt. Lt. (Rtd) Jerry John Rawlings, died on Thursday, November 12, 2020, some rushed to his residence and poured their hearts out, expressing their heartfelt condolences to his family. Many eulogized him as a patriot, hero, mentor, and democrat who loved people. Wow! Some also said, “A great oak has fallen, and he will be missed.” These and many more are to be expected in the coming days before, during, and after his final funeral rites.

Why some of these heart-warming and mouth-watering tributes which can rather encourage people to even do more are not written, read, and discussed to their hearing until they pass on, is the phenomenon this article seeks to examine. The big surprise to many who are tempted to judge some of these tributes as a display of hypocrisy is the motivation for withholding all these positive stuff about people until their demise. This aged-old phenomenon of hoarding and keeping mute on the virtues of people until their passing or exit from office is not necessarily an African thing. Although some cultures, due to their norms and beliefs, are more inclined towards such practices, it is generally one of the human flaws and weaknesses traceable to humankind’s depraved nature. Otherwise, it is incomprehensible, to say the least, why the sudden surge in the realization of one’s importance, good deeds, value, and love for people just after one leaves the scene or is no more.

As a matter of fact, there is a whole dossier of inspiration to pick from tributes people pay to departed souls for the positive impact they made on society during their lifetime. If nothing at all, it indicates what is likely to be penned down about us when we leave this life or the current office we occupy. I equally appreciate the need for certain things to be done in memory of those who paid their dues selflessly to better society and institutions they served. This commendable practice, I believe, can be done at any suitable time after the death of such persons. I am neither advocating nor craving for the appropriation of honours before their due time. What baffles me is the apparent late or missed golden opportunities and the associated helplessness and regrets for failing to acknowledge the admirable and unique God-given virtues of some remarkable persons we encounter in life. I believe some were waiting for what they probably termed as an opportune time to express their appreciation when the unfortunate occurred to those deserving of it. I think that this contributes to why some grieve excessively and cannot just forgive themselves for allowing those opportunities that came their way to slip by. Some regret their inability to at least acknowledge others to their hearing with phrases such as, “You did well” or “You made a lasting impact in my life,” “I admire your talent or gift, etc., before they departed.

Strangely enough, others wait until some are weak, sick, or are at the point of death before piling academic laurels on them or acknowledging their contributions to society. Other institutions and organizations would also not hesitate at all to confer upon people their hard-sought promotion on the day they are laid in-state for the simple reason that they were already earmarked for those decorations. If that were the case, why at that late hour? The question remains; what blinds our judgements and prevents us from making the maximum use of the gifts, graces, and talents of others during the days of their lives? Is it hatred, bitterness, envy, unforgiving spirit, unhealthy competition, hypocrisy, jealousy, or sheer wickedness? Better still, is it procrastination, the fear of being aligned to a group, or the genuine concern that they may be puffed up with pride to their destruction should their good deeds be acknowledged? Whichever way one looks at it, none of the above reasons is tenable, judging from the mutual benefits society, generally, stands to gain from tapping into the people’s strengths and acknowledging them while they are yet alive.

A case in point is when Israel asked for a human king to rule them like the other nations in 1 Samuel 8:19-21. Even though God was not happy with that request, He chose Saul the Benjamite and anointed him through Samuel the prophet to rule them. Referred to as Seers in those days, Samuel positioned himself to offer Saul every revelatory support and guidance needed for him to succeed as Israel’s first human king. Unfortunately, and quite reminiscent of humans accorded with some small power, the more Samuel desired getting closer to Saul, the more Saul opted to do his own thing. At one instance, instead of waiting patiently for Samuel, Saul ignored counsel and offered a burnt offering himself (1 Samuel 13:9-14). The reason he gave for this grave error was the fear of the Philistines and the excuse that Samuel was late in arriving. Out of fear of the unknown, godly counsels by those God specifically sends along our paths to offer us a helping hand is at times ignored and pushed aside.

1 Samuel 15:52b says: “And whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him to his service.” Was he, therefore, selecting his advisers based on his judgment and intuition alone? Could his failure be the result of those he surrounded himself with? In all of this, time was running out for Saul to get the most from the relationship with Samuel, his God-given mentor, when the latter was alive. In another instance, God instructed Saul through Samuel to attack the Amalakites and destroy everything that belonged to them (1 Samuel 15:2-4). Here again, Saul disregarded Samuel’s instruction by sparing the life of the Amalekite king, together with what he referred to as the best of the sheep and cattle. This time around, Saul blamed his inaction on his soldiers. It was becoming evident that he had taken Samuel for granted or thought he could always have him around when needed. Little did he know that time was ticking by the day so far as benefiting from Samuel’s ministry was concerned. These two instances, unfortunately, caused his outright rejection by God as Israel’s King.

1 Samuel 15:34-35 could not have described the frosty relationship that prevailed between Saul and Samuel during the latter’s last days any better when it said, “Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again….” Afterwards, a one-stanza harmless song by the Israeli women in appreciation of David for killing Goliath, the Philistines giant infuriated Saul to the extent that an evil spirit started tormenting him. Out of jealousy and in pursuit of his life, David had to run away from him. Meanwhile, David was the one who brought Saul the needed relief anytime the evil spirit was troubling him. The closest Saul managed to get to Samuel again was on his mission to capture David when he was told he had run to take refuge with Samuel. On that destructive mission at the great cistern at Seku, he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” (1 Samuel 19:22). What are your reasons for eagerly looking for that person? Is it to punish, ridicule, avenge or settle an old score or to patch up with him or her? Remember, time may not be on your side or their side.

Whereas David brought Saul relief anytime the evil spirit pounced on him, Samuel was always available to calm down his nerves when gripped with fear. David was, therefore, supposed to be his shield and deliverer whilst Samuel his mentor and guide at least during the days of their lives. Instead of appropriating these God-given gifts both had to his benefit, King Saul allowed pettiness, hatred, pride, and jealousy to take the better part of him. Saul least expected Samuel’s exit to be just around the corner. Around 1,012 BC, the inevitable that occurs to all humans happened when death laid its icy hand on Samuel, the last judge of Israel and the first prophet after Moses. Unfortunately, this was the time King Saul needed him the most. Apart from the absence of Samuel, exiled David had been welcomed by the Philistines who were on a military campaign against Israel.

Saul tried inquiring from the Lord about what to do when the Philistines gathered to fight Israel. God, however, did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets (1 Samuel 28:6). He then resorted to an abominable practice of necromancy [conjuration of the spirits of the dead for purposes of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events] which he had earlier outlawed. Saul finally consulted a witch at Endor for direction and counselling from the dead. Ignoring all associated risk, he disguised himself and visited this lady at her cottage in the night. He starved for a whole day and night lying prostrate and confessing before the ghostly figure or fortune-telling spirit masquerading as Samuel saying, “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams…” (1Samuel 28:15).

Meanwhile, during Samuel’s lifetime, Saul had unrestricted access to sit, dine, and talk to him at any time of his choosing. The time, energy, stress, and cost associated with the fruitless search for departed Samuel’s counsel was avoidable should he have made good use of him when he was alive. Saul finally took his life when he got badly wounded in this very battle he fought against the Philistines without direction and help from God, Samuel, and David (1 Samuel 31:4). If we fail to make use of the grace and gifts of people whilst they are alive; we tend to pay a high price to access their look-a-likes when they are no more.

In another instant in Luke 16:19-31, the rich man who had every opportunity to socialize with Lazarus when he was alive rather chose to leave him at the entrance of his gate at the mercy of his dogs. After they both died and entered their separate destinations in the next world, the rich man attempted to seek help from Lazarus through Father Abraham. In this parable that depicts the next life, Jesus taught and still teaches that across the bridge of this life, all efforts to solicit help, extend reconciliatory gestures, smoke the peace pipe, and socialize do not achieve anything.

Abraham’s final reply to the rich man’s request for him to send special envoys from heaven to visit his five living brothers, so they do not end up like him strikes a chord for those of us who are alive today. He told him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them listen to them.” With these two biblical illustrations, coupled with the uniqueness with which God created each and everyone, it is likely some departed souls carried with them the counsel, direction, relief, peace, and the solution to some puzzles of life others are struggling to unravel. Why must we allow this to continually happen to us? As bitter as this truth may sound, there is no point crying over spilled milk. The simple lesson here is to try and do the needful whilst we are alive. Instead of waiting to visit your mentor, Daddy or Mummy’s tomb at the graveyard, why not get to them and make use of their counsel whilst they are alive? Why wait to lay wreaths on the coffins of others when you can extend a right hand of fellowship and mend that increasingly hostile relationship that has developed between the two of you today? Of what benefit will it be to wait and bow to the dead as a sign of showing your last respect when you denied them their first respect?

Open, therefore, your mouth, no matter your differences and try to acknowledge with much appreciation the strength and virtues of others whilst they are alive. Go to them now; if distance is a problem, pick a phone and call them to tell them their virtues you would have touted should they be laid in-state. This is not to say that they are infallible or faultless. It also does not mean that you do not have a cause or a case to insist on keeping your distance from certain individuals. It is just to suggest that you are not going to be the sitting judge pronouncing judgment on that great day when the secrets of all our deeds are revealed.

In like manner, if you find others doing the wrong thing or moving in the wrong direction, it is better to visit them and talk to them before it is too late. Castigating them after their demise when you were in a better position to offer a helping hand today is counterproductive. Who knows, you may save a soul from eternal damnation with that line of action. Let us avoid the hypocritical tendencies when people pass on and rather make good use of their gifts, seizing every opportunity to be nice to them and acknowledging their hard work while they are alive.

About the Author:

Pastor James Orhin Agyin is the Projects, Development & Estate Manager at The Church of Pentecost Headquarters.

Opening

Within every civilization, men arise who crave power and a certain glory. A major arena this is seen is politics. Mere men claim to possess a peculiar ability to be able to administer the affairs of society. Diverse views on the best means of running society are sold usually. The crux of political opinions from all angles is the promise of a utopian society. These multiple political views lead to the emergence of manifold political identities, hence multiple political caucuses. If the republic is allowed, it would have an unending number of political parties. The consequence of this is that the republic has to grabble with highly conflicting ideas towards the utopia so promised. Countrymen in their craze over popular votes adopt rather unscrupulous means to winning the masses. The society they vow to make ideal is torn asunder. He who is willing to judge aright would soon discover the real intention of those who hunt for political power. Our very short reflection will call the righteous into government; cajole the republic from drawing the name of God into the mud; rebuke the political campaigns of fallacy, and point out the futility of the power and glory so desired by the architects of bad politics.

 “Under the Government of Worse men”

Many a citizen who looks upon the society that is drained by the deeds of the leaders within the state deems the court of government as the place for foul players. The upright man flees from having a say within the polity. The decadence within the state is made worse for the reason that, those who are burnt on depriving society of its wealth never get enough. Have we become the richer or the poorer because of our abstinence from the affairs of the state? To all who are righteous, must we not give ears to the sermon of Plato? In his iconic dictum, he asserts that “The punishment which the wise suffer who refuse to take part in the government, is to live under the government of worse men.”

Society is threatened by bad governance so he who thinks well of humanity is weary of getting involved in public discussion towards the presumable well-being of society. Though there is the problem of bad politics, the citizens of right morals, right motives, right philosophies; the wise citizen must engage in the democracy. Indeed the sin that plagues the republic gives upright men and women more reason to contribute to the democracy. This platonic counsel, if accepted with the expected attitude, will hew from the mountain of dirty politics, a stone of hygienic politics, to adopt a statement of Martin Luther King.

On the Politicization of the Oracles of God in the Secular Polity

One thing is popular within democracies; this is the invocation of the name of God.  Citizens go beyond political debate into a spiritual dimension by confessing that God is in favour of their political opinion. The politics of prophecy is becoming an institutionalised means of political debates. Persons seeking political power go to do special divinatory consultation on their fortunes in political elections. The awareness that people of the republic are influenced by what seers say concerning political elections, causes seekers of power to make bad use of prophets. Interestingly, oracles from one God can speak of victory in the same elections for more than one party. Bad politics claims God said something, meanwhile he has not.

Though there are several types of governments today, theocracy remains the mother of them all. In those days, society is ruled by ecclesiastical leaders. Many thinkers on politics in the modern world are of the view that today’s government is to be secular. In any case, we see pockets of theocracy in modern governments. In the democratic regime, theocracy is almost rampant. Indeed states that define themselves as secular cannot deny the hand of the Almighty God in their polity. Sadly, the name of God is largely used in vain in the republic. Selling to the masses what God has not said as if he has said it is nothing less than suffocation of society. It thwarts critical thinking and may get worse men into ruling the affairs of the state. The so-called prophets of God in their quest to receive favour, power, and glory have become a thorn in the flesh of good politics in the republic. They claim divine ability and many citizens rally after them no matter their manner of life. They dare to poke a finger at divinity under the cloak of liars. Professor Christian G. Baëta was right when he indicated that men would emerge in society periodically claiming to possess a certain divine power and would get large following despite their blatant crooked life. Is this a pathologic vestige of theocracy within the democracy? Is it that members of the republic are attempting to contextualize theocracy into the democracy? These may be so to some extent but largely this is a mark of foul politics. Thou shall not profane the name of God in the name of politics.

True Political Campaign stands Diametrically Opposed to Ad hominem

Politics is supposed to be a competition of ideas. However, the scene within democracies shows otherwise. Politics of ideas has become politics of insult. It is expected of the good politician to deal with the real issues at hand for the betterment of the republic but to a very large extent, the power-drunk and glory-smitten politician swerves the real issues and devotes his debate to attacking opponents. This is bad politics.

What end does this bring to society? In their resolve to lay hands on glory, the bad politician proceeds in his political discourse to denigrate the glory of the person of opponents. The personality of political opponents is slurred bitterly. At the end of the day, nothing good comes out of the political debates within the democracy. In this vein, horrible politicians fallaciously appeal to the masses of the people at the emotional level. Their thinking is clouded by the wrong debate that is presented to them. The citizens and hence participants of the democracy who are supposed to be the adjudicators of the political debate must be wise if not the dust of bad politics would be perpetually thrown into their eyes and society suffers. Citizens display their folly every now and then by supporting the evil of their leaders. Many are ready to die and kill to support the political ideology they consider as true. Our engagement in democracy must be based on intellect and not on fables. Instead of exchanging ideas for the good of all, they exchange blows, stones, clubs, bullets, and all that maims and destroys. This is unequivocally folly.

It is quite fascinating that people praise the politics of fallacy. Many reckon politics as synonymous with lies thus bad politics that uses ad hominem is held as smart politics. It is not hard to hear within the democracy that a person is a good politician for the reason that he based his politics on fibs. He who wants to be a good politician for the love of society must abstain from falsehood. This good politician must place himself above the low level politics of insult and seek the mandate of society to genuinely seek the welfare of the people. The campaigns of this politician need to deal with the actual issues that confront the republic.

To Conclude: The Verity of the Vanity of Power

But to what extent does the power wrestle for by those who are consumed by it rest with them? Soon the days go by and the reality of human life becomes apparent. Those who maltreat society by their bad politics; stealing from the poor to enrich themselves, denying the innocent people of even their peace and security, and making a fool of the people, will soon be faced with the truth of life. The power and glory will soon come falling and how great is that fall. Failure to learn from history has disadvantaged society greatly. Nevertheless, the lessons are there. Many within civilizations who think they are invincible by their bad politics within a democracy have been mocked by history. Let it be known to all who desired the good of society that democracy encourages them to contribute to the well-being of life and by their hygienic politics society can be spared of bad politics. Civil obedience must be held in high esteem by them. They must exult peace within the democracy and be ruled by the fear of God.

The call for peace and tranquility during general elections is a responsibility of all peace-loving persons and civil society organizations because peace is invaluable while violence is very expensive in its destruction. The negative effect of violence has no particular formula and it is not also a respecter of persons – anyone can be a victim in violent situations. This is why a peaceful society/environment is a very significant factor in every democracy and it must be jealously guarded by all parties involved in any electoral process.

Praying for and promoting peace in the nation is the divine responsibility of every peace-loving person as indicated in Jeremiah 29:7, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (NIV). As our nation heads for general elections on December 7, 2020, the church as a prophetic voice in society considers herself as an agent of peace with a responsibility to preach, exhibit, and model peace and harmony in the Ghanaian society. This is because peace in the nation is peace for our very existence and development as people.

As a nation, there is every cause to thank God for His sustenance of the Ghanaian democratic system since the adoption of the 1992 constitution that ushered us into the fourth Republic. We have had six general elections with the forthcoming polls on December 7, 2020 being the seventh in the series. However, all the previous elections conducted in Ghana were not without some kind of troubles or violence. There are still hotspots and flashpoints in the nation which have always been characterized by violence-related elections. Over the years, reports by the media have also indicated some acts of vigilantism and extreme political activism that infuriate passion during general elections.

It is against this backdrop that peace campaigns have become a critical factor in the preparations towards general elections in Ghana. The ultimate goal is to ensure “peaceful and orderly” balloting and that is why The Church of Pentecost (CoP) and some other agencies are spearheading a nationwide peace campaign ahead of the December 7, 2020 elections. The CoP, for example, with her membership close to three million in Ghana, seeks to add her voice to the ongoing education among the Ghanaian populace by governmental and civil society organizations on the need for another peaceful elections this year.

Activities towards the elections call for other peace-loving institutions to emulate the move by the CoP and to join the peace campaign trail to drive the message of peace across all spheres of the Ghanaian society. The CoP, in particular, successfully embarked on a similar peace campaign during the 2016 general elections as its social contribution towards the peace-building process of the Ghanaian democracy. This year’s peace campaign of the Church was launched on Sunday, 27^th September, 2020 and it was attended by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Mrs. Jean Mensa, the Chairpersons of the political parties contesting for the elections, security services, religious leaders, and civil society organizations. The message of all the stakeholders was to send a very strong signal to the general public that every Ghanaian citizen has the responsibility towards peaceful balloting on the December 7, 2020 polls.  

The Nature of the Situation

The situation of Ghana’s political system, at times, causes unnecessary tension during general elections in the country. Although the Ghanaian democratic system may be considered a “multi-party” system, partisan politics in the country appears to be operating on a dualistic political system that tends to divide the nation behind two major parties – the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). This development appears to affect the social cohesion of the people of Ghana with the tendency to create tensions during general elections in the country.

The cause of the tensions may be attributed to the approach initiated by the political parties and their followers to deal with what they perceive to be “inappropriate conduct or actions” by either their political opponents or other agencies involved in the electoral process. Sadly, in some instances, their approaches rather turn out to be problematic and that affirms Albert Einstein’s assertion that “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” The import of this statement is that peace must be sought before it is attained; it is neither commanded nor enforced without recourse to a due process. When peace is enforced without a thorough understanding of stakeholders, the seed is inadvertently sown for societal crises or rancour. How then do we act as agents of peace in all aspects of our activities in the run-up to this year’s general elections? Obviously, each of the following groups of people has a critical role to play in ensuring the attainment of peaceful elections this year:

The Electoral Commission (EC)

The unbiased role of the EC as the main umpire in the electoral process is cardinal in safeguarding the peace and stability of the nation. Prudence in ensuring free and fair elections, as the tenets of its constitutional mandate, has a far-reaching, positive impact on the entire electoral process to avoid violence-related elections. Free and fair elections help to avoid rigging and malpractices that may result in a dispute during or after the elections. For us to achieve our aim of free and fair elections or avoid post-election disputes that could trigger a conflict situation, the EC, as the principal actor and arbiter of the general elections must be seen to be markedly fair.

If the EC excels in its constitutional mandate with transparency as expected, the kind of unnecessary apprehensions and contentions that had characterized our previous elections may become minimal in this year’s balloting. Ghanaians look forward to seeing remarkable progress in our electoral process this year as against those of previous years because we have come far as a nation. The clock must not be rewound backwards – and the EC’s positive role is crucial if we are to progress with our expectation of free and fair elections.

During the launch of the second edition of the agent of Peace Campaign organized by the CoP at its auditorium at Burma Camp, Accra, the EC Chair, Mrs. Jean Mensa assured that Ghanaians, thus: “I must work and undertake all my duties to ensure that it is the will of the people, which is the will of God, that stands. As an Agent of Peace, I should be truthful and not seek to alter the will of God. The Onus is on me to abide by this principle. God being my guide and helper I am confident that I will not let Him and the people of Ghana down; in Jesus name” (Pentecost News, 2020). This statement is very reassuring and Ghanaians are looking forward for the practicability of it in the way the EC will conduct the elections this year.

The Political Parties

Our political parties have the responsibility to maintain the peace and harmony of the Ghanaian society. To achieve this, we urge them to desist from any attitude, action and inaction that may incite the general public to violence during the electioneering campaigns. Whether one likes it or not, our politicians and their political parties might have invested heavily in their preparations towards these elections. The energy and resources they invest in elections may sometimes make a politician develop an audacious passion that he or she must be the only winner of the elections without considering anything otherwise. Their investments notwithstanding, they should also learn about how they must conduct themselves in the event of winning or losing the elections. The principle of “learning to lose” election applies in this context because the elections being entered by two or more contestants may not tie.

Generally, when two or more politicians enter for the polls, one is finally declared a winner of the total votes cast and that calls for political candidates to adopt the principle of “learning to lose,” or “losing honourably”, long before they cast their vote. It is when politicians are adequately prepared to handle losses in an election that they will not hesitate to accept the outcome of the electoral result. The readiness to accept losses, if they happen, must always be at the back of the mind of every mature politician as long as we take into consideration that it is not likely for the election to tie. It is also not likely that the party which is audaciously passionate about winning the elections must, by all means, be declared a winner.

Politicians should understand that the energy invested in preparing their acceptance speech when they win an election, the same energy must also be used to concede defeat because there will definitely be a loser after the polls. It could be Mr “A” or Mr “B”, but the bottom line is that only one person or political party will be declared a winner of the polls in a constituency while the rest will join the losing trail. On the flip side, winners must also be gracious and magnanimous in their celebrations, taking the emotions of losers into consideration; we must do unto others just as we may expect them to do unto us because with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you (see Matt. 7:2). For instance, if you are the loser, how would you have expected your opponent to treat you? This is a food-for-thought for all of us!

The verdict of the ballot is more powerful than the emotional sentiments attached to the energy and resources invested into the electoral process. Therefore, the verdict of the ballot in the light of free and fair elections must have a bearing on the desire of all stakeholders because it is the will of the people; the electorate. It is the verdict of the ballot that determines the result of the poll; not the wishes and the passion of an individual about the polls. The verdict of the ballot may not compliment with the effort of the huge resources invested into the electioneering process. Whenever the verdict is pronounced after the polls, the next expectation of all peace-loving people of losing political actors, or better still, politicians, is to concede defeat (something that all contestants of the polls should have prepared along with their victory speeches long before the elections), congratulate their political opponents for their success in a battle well-fought, and move on with their lives.   

Naturally, any person contesting an election must bear in mind that there are “two six o’clocks” in a day – one in the morning and another in the evening. If one misses the morning six o’clock, one is likely to catch up in the evening one. Politics is a dynamic and progressive process; the loss today can be the win tomorrow. With time, the destiny and the political ambition of every person will be determined by the ballot, so there is no need to resort to violence or utter misconduct when one loses an election. For example, there are politicians in this world who have lost elections on several occasions, but with patience and re-strategizing with a progressive pursuit of peace and development, have won in their subsequent attempts. The antidote to failure, is patience and repeated and consistent attempts. If one is consistent, resolute, and progressive with one’s strategy as one continues to keep faith in God victory will surely be on their side. 

The Media

The media owe us the responsibility to promote peace across the various political spectrum and social groups in the country. Religious organizations and civil society organizations may always talk about the need for peace and national cohesion, but the input of the media is crucial for the sustenance of peace and harmony in the nation. Arguably, some of the keys to peace in the country are in the hands of the media and the Ghanaian media is lauded for using these keys creditably and responsibly over the years towards ensuring the peace and tranquility of the nation. They have demonstrated over the years that preserving the peace and harmony that have existed in Ghana for years is a collective responsibility of us all, regardless of our political affiliations. This is highly commendable and we are proud of them!

Nevertheless, much as the media in Ghana have a very good record, there is the need to be consistent and progressive with their achievement considering the fact that every general election presents itself with its peculiar challenges. Yesterday’s approach may not work properly today – depending on the dynamics on the ground in terms of the political situation in the country so the model of this year’s peace campaign must address the real issues pertaining to the context of the elections. It needs a pragmatic approach and innovations for packaging the ongoing peace campaign. The media, therefore, have a huge responsibility to sincerely be in the forefront of the various peace campaigns launched across the country ahead of the elections. Their involvement in the peace campaigns as agents of peace in Ghana can be a good starting point for the discourse about the role of the media towards the peace-building process in the country. The peace campaign agents need their proactiveness, innovations, and robust approaches to addressing peculiar challenges for this year’s elections.

As has been stated earlier, the whole process of electioneering campaigns is very expensive in terms of investments made and the resources invested. However, much as we exhort our politicians to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner during the elections, the media must also help us to achieve this objective. The media should acknowledge the fact that losing an election is a very disheartening and soul-wrenching experience which, therefore, calls for circumspection in reporting election-related news, particularly during and after the elections. Any distortion of information about a particular political candidate or party may evoke tension.

The onus, therefore, lies on the media to be cautious in exercising their editorial rights during elections. The way the media conduct political interviews, documentaries, or debates must be shorn of all contents that could instigate their readers and audience towards violence. The overriding point here is that the media is a crucial actor in the country’s democratic dispensation, just as elections are vital for every democracy to thrive. Persons on any media platform making wild and unsubstantiated claims or allegations must be asked to prove their allegations beyond reasonable doubt to avoid creating chaos in the nation. It is, thus, a divine call for the media as agents of peace to exercise restraint in reporting anything that is tantamount to causing mayhem in the society.   

The Electorate

In the democratic system, leaders do not impose themselves on their people; they are elected and those who have the constitutional powers to elect leaders through the ballot are the electorate. The electorate in this sense are all the citizens whose names are properly captured in the voters’ register compiled by the EC and have satisfied “all righteousness” to vote in any election in Ghana as per the electoral regulations of the Commission. They are eligible voters because their voting rights have not been disputed by any person while their conduct during the electoral process resonates with the laws of the land. They are law-abiding in their actions towards the elections. The conduct of the electorate is summarized in 1 Peter 2:17, “Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king” (NLT). Equal respect for all, including the rules set by the state for its citizen to be law-abiding, is the recipe for good conduct in all activities relating to the general elections.

With this insight, it is permissible to say that the electorates are the most significant segment of the electoral process. Without them, no political candidate will be declared a winner during general elections in Ghana. Thus, the responsibility of the electorate in ensuring and maintaining peaceful elections is as crucial as that of the political parties, EC, and civil society organizations. While it is the civic right of every Ghanaian citizen to exercise their franchise through the ballot, it is equally their civic responsibility to be agents of peace – that is, to safeguard the peace and harmony being enjoyed in the nation.

There is no dichotomy between the rights that quality someone to exercise their franchise through the ballot and the responsibility on the individual to promote peace in the country – both are legitimate “Rs” that must be pursued by the electorate. If we cannot predict the magnitude of violence, then we must all understand that the best alternative for every Ghanaian in this our peaceful state is to be an ambassador for peace. We must preach peace and talk peace before, during, and after this year’s elections. This means the electorate should go to the poll with two responsibilities – the first reason is to vote to elect their preferred leaders and the second reason is to ensure that the peaceful atmosphere in the nation is protected against disturbance. How can they achieve these two objectives?

There are good procedures put in place by the EC for the electorate in Ghana to follow and every Ghanaian must be well informed on those procedures. The electorate need to understand that at the end of the entire process, the good news expected by every patriotic citizen is the counting of the total ballot cast and the peaceful declaration of the winners of the elections by the EC, and not necessarily the number of violent situations recorded during the process. The electoral process is not the platform for a person to unleash terror against their fellow compatriots; it is rather the opportunity given by law for citizens to choose the leader(s) after their own heart and desire.

It must be reiterated that no matter how disgruntled one may be, violence is not an option of every democratic system. Violence-related election is an unfortunate incident in the electoral process because it is not expected to occur in any civilized society. We should all bear in mind that violence-related election is not part of anybody’s budgetary allocations or planning activities towards the electoral process and it must be renounced in no uncertain terms during any election. It unleashes havoc on humanity and it is counter-productive with an unpredictable devastation on lives and properties. Thus, it must not be entertained in society, no matter how miffed any misconduct in the elections might have caused a particular individual.

Any person who subtly beats war drums must understand the fact that violence has never been a solution to any legitimate concern. There is nowhere in our constitution that recommends the use of violence to solve a legitimate concern. Violence rather aggravates the situation of people and makes life unbearable to the extent that sometimes even the initiators of any kind of violence tend to regret their actions because in violence situation any person can be a potential victim. There are legitimate procedures prescribed by the legal systems of Ghana to address election disputes and as we prepare for the polls, this must be at the back of our minds.

The NCCE, Civil Society Organizations, and Religious Institutions

Usually, during campaigns in this country, the focus has always been on the politicians and their political parties preparing for the polls, but less attention is paid in educating the general public about some implications in the electoral process. A thorough understanding by the electorate is vital and that can mostly be championed by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and its related organizations. Of all the various areas of educating the public about general elections, one of the things the NCCE ought to consider is to prepare their mind about the outcome of the ballot. The electorate needs to be adequately prepared ahead of time to be aware of the possibility of their candidates losing the elections.

We should not only talk about conducting a peaceful election when some people have not envisaged that losing an election is also part of the electoral process. Those who have not considered this fact may react with shock and frustration when their candidates fail to win the elections, but with an adequate education of the NCCE, and other organizations the electorate will be ready for whatever may be the outcome of the polls. Therefore, every person or social group needs an equal proportion of education about the nature of the electoral process and the need to accept in good faith the verdict of the ballot box. This is important because peace-building during elections is a collective responsibility by all well-meaning people in society. Another area the education process of the NCCE should focus on is capacity building of civil society and religious organizations in the country.  

In the run-up to general elections, these organizations (from the grassroots to the top) would also have to learn much about the procedures for mediating conflict-related elections in the country. The bottom line, however, is that we want to have incident-free elections and every person or social group has a stake in the process which needs an adequate preparation for the process by all.

Consequences of Violence-Related Election

It must be thoroughly understood that violence-related election is not a respecter of a person or the cherished heritage of any society, nor does it have regard for their property acquired over the years. It ought to be reiterated that whenever violence strikes, it has no restriction in terms of its sphere of destruction and that is why every good citizen must sacrifice their resources to promote peace and harmony in society. When we consider the countries that have experienced violence-related elections, it can be noticed that the experience is one of the worse situations to happen to any civilized society.

Victor Frankl is reported to have said that, “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” If we all have the “power to choose our response,” as is evident in this popular quote of Frankl, then let us all use the power at our disposal, including our political and religious impulse, to once again promote peace and harmony before, during, and after this year’s general elections as we have done in the past. Until the December 7, 2020 polls end, we should not rest on our oars – we must pray for the nation and promote peace in every corner we find ourselves in. The Psalmist says, “The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace” (Ps. 29:11, NLT). This passage evinces peace as a blessing of God and we must all tap into it as a nation. Wherever there is peace and harmony, the people abound in God’s blessings.  

Conclusion

There is no doubt that Ghana is a beacon of contemporary democracy in Africa in terms of the free and fair elections the nation has had during this Fourth Republic, freedom of expression, and, above all, the general governance system of the nation. It is important for every peace-loving person to understand that the peace and harmony enjoyed by Ghanaians need to be consciously guarded as we approach the December 7, 2020 polls. This presentation has demonstrated that the peacefulness and orderliness that is expected to be recorded in the elections would be consequential to our existence and safety as a people. Having seen the need for a peaceful election through this presentation, it is felicitous for me to opine that we must all exercise our religious virtues of peace and love as a people in the face of threats, acrimony, and wickedness. The time to put into practice the inherent peace espoused in our various religious organizations is now. When that happens, triumph will be celebrated in the light of God’s will for our nation.

Author: Vincent Anane Denteh (Rev.)

Email: vadentcop@gmail.com

Mobile: 0555874497

© 2020

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.  Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. (Psalm 115:1-3 NIV)

On 12^th March 2020, the Minister of Health in Ghana, Dr. Kwaku Agyemang Manu announced to the Ghanaian public of the first cases of the novel corona virus infection recorded in the country. This was after weeks of uncertainty among Ghanaians regarding the spread of the virus in neighbouring countries. This was due to the devastating effects Covid-19 has had on superpowers like China and Italy. In the minds of most Ghanaians, countries with excellent medical facilities and emergency response systems were being “humbled” by the novel virus and thus, Ghana “stood no chance” in dealing with the situation if a case was recorded in the country. The government of Ghana initially banned travels to Ghana from countries with more than 200 cases of the coronavirus. In a press conference, the Minister of Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah stated, “All travel to Ghana is strongly discouraged”. Citizens and resident-permit holders were required to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. This did not stop the importation of the virus. After recording 137 cases, the president declared a partial lockdown of the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi Metropolis to help curb the spread. This did not however stop the spread as more cases were reported through routine surveillance and contact tracing embarked on by health professionals.

A post supposedly attributed to the Italian Prime Minister, Minister Giuseppe Conte reads; “We have lost control, we have killed the epidemic physically and mentally. Can’t understand what more we can do, all solutions are exhausted on ground. Our only hope remains up in the Sky, God rescue your people.” The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic at a news briefing on March 11, 2020.

On 19^th March 2020, President Nana Akufo-Addo called on Christian leaders to seek the face of God amid the spread of the coronavirus pandemic across the country. He again declared 25^th March 2020 a National Day of Prayer and Fasting against coronavirus. He also re-echoed the words of King Jehoshaphat when he was overawed by the enemies, “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12). This was greeted with mixed sentiments among the populace. Some Ghanaians made mockery of the declarations. In the comments section of a popular news portal in the country, one poster said; “Ghanaians need economic stimulus package to save businesses and lessen the burden on our livelihood. Not fasting and praying at this time. We need to be Serious. Selfish and Greedy Leaders”. Yet another posted, “We need to change our attitude. We don’t need prayers but need to care for humanity”. Another posted, “Mr President, we are very pleased with your words but let us face the fact with honesty, prayers we know won’t do anything…”. A popular musician in Ghana, in an interview during the lockdown said, “It is now time for pastors and Christians to show that indeed their God is real by calling on Him (God) to heal just ten of the infected people.” The naysayers increased by the day.

But the church did not relent. Most church leaders declared fasting and prayers for their members. The Church of Pentecost in particular declared Friday as a day of fasting and prayers to call on God to intervene. After one such prayer sessions, the Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye declared, “The roots of the virus have been uprooted and burnt.” This was also greeted with mockery when the cases kept going up each day.

Fast forward to 28^th September 2020, Ghana had recorded 46,444 cases, 299 deaths and 45,646 recoveries with an active case count of 499. In percentage terms, only 0.15% of the population have been infected with the virus. 0.6% of those infected passed away while 98.3% have been clinically discharged. Only thirteen (13) countries in the world have better recovery rates than Ghana. In Africa, only Djibouti has a better recovery rate (98.7%). Djibouti however has 0.55% of its populace infected with the virus with 1.1% of those infected passing away. The total cases worldwide stand at 33,585,750 with 24,903,199 recoveries (74%) and 1,007,196 deaths (3%). In as much as we praise the government for its interventions, we cannot deny the hand of God in the impressive statistics stated above. Indeed, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a recent address to the nations bemoaned the fact that most Ghanaians were not adhering to the safety protocols put in place to help curb the spread such as the wearing of nose masks and social distancing. However, the number of active cases keep reducing although testing is still being carried out.

This might be an indication that the fewer active cases is not entirely the work of government and its agencies but something else is involved. That “something else” is God in action. Contrary to the mockery and doubts, God has shown again that “…the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16b). This should increase our faith in Him and increase our appetite for prayer in our personal circumstances and also intercede for others. People will not stop ridiculing the church but the church (you and I) should stand strong, “so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10).

And so it has been today through the pandemic. When sceptics ridiculed and scorned at Christian leaders and the church saying, “Where is your so-called God who heals?” The answer is and has always been this: He is always with us and answers our cry anytime we call. We are His witnesses to the world. And we join voices with the Psalmist to sing;

The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory. (Psalm 97:1-6 NIV)

By Elder Eric Sitsofe Akude (eric.akude@yahoo.com)