There is a saying that the tongue that borrows money isn’t the same tongue that answers the creditor. The former is often politer and sweeter than the latter. This applies to only a certain group of people, people who forget those who helped them in the past or their sources of power and wealth.
In 2016, I wrote an article asking candidate Akufo-Addo to tell Ghanaians what he had for us and stop begging for votes. The NPP candidate had resorted to begging Ghanaians to try him. On the next campaign platform after my write-up, Akufo-Addo said he would continue to beg because the power he was seeking belonged to the people.
Today, the same Akufo-Addo is commanding chiefs to stand up and greet him because sitting is disrespectful. The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, one of the needless ministries Akufo-Addo created with the people’s power, is justifying the rather awkward and arrogant posture of the president. Even if the chief had to get up, it shouldn’t take the president to issue the command. Leave that to the Iddi Amins of this world.
In this picture, Dr. Bawumia is seen prostrating as an homage to a traditional leader. Bawumia doesn’t appear to have any hint of arrogance in him, but if he’s prepared to submit this way before becoming president, then he should have no problem greeting a chief who is sitting in state.
I have been wondering, though, whether Akufo-Addo would have the temerity to command the Asantehene or the Okyehene to stand up and greet him.
