Appiah Kusi Adomako
31 July 2008
opinion
Kumasi — The greatest evil in this world is not death; what is evil is to be outside God's purpose and plan for your life - Rev Martin Luther King Jr
If there is a particular news programme on radio that I do not want to miss, it is the Joy 99.7FM mid-day news and news night. It was on Joy FM mid-day news, when the news of the death of Peter Ala Adjetey was broken to me, and perhaps those hearing it for the first time.
I received the news of his death with great shock. The news of his death struck me like a thunder bolt. I could not hold my tear glands when I heard of it. Tears drenched my eyes, such that I was put out of equilibrium.
I have known Peter Adjetey, the Second Speaker of Ghana's Fourth Republic Parliament, since in my childhood days as a distinguished lawyer, freedom activist, and an elder statesman. I would never forget his favourite quote he said to me. He quoted it from Winston Churchill that 'the difference between a politician and a statesman, is that the politician is only concerned about the next election, whilst the statesman is concerned about the next generation.' He said to me that he did not want to be referred to as a politician, but rather a statesman, and indeed he led a life of statesmanship.
LEADERSHIP OF PARLIAMENT
When Peter Adjetey became the Second Speaker of Ghana's Fourth Republic Parliament, he worked hard such that parliament could function as it should. He never allowed parliament to be used as an extension of the executive arm of the government. Though he was a former chairman of the ruling party, he never succumbed to the pressures from within and without, in allowing the executive to control the legislature. He has always been quoted as saying that parliament was an independent arm of government, and that the work of the parliament cannot be interfered with or dictated to, by the president or any minster. He had the boldness and firmness of purpose, for the job which he was doing. In a nation where a minister has always been appointed, to be responsible for parliamentary affairs, you ask yourself this question: Who is the head of parliament? Is it the speaker or the minister? Peter Adjetey wanted the record to be put straight, as to who was the leader of parliament. His thunderous voice, 'ORDER IN THE HOUSE,' would forever be used to remember him.
He won a bipartisan appeal in parliament, such that parliamentarians liked him for his fairness. Even, at the last minute, rather unprecedented in our parliamentary history, he was nominated by the opposition National democratic Congress (NDC) to be considered for Speaker of Parliament, something which he narrowly lost to the president's favourite -Honourable Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes.
In quoting Rev Martin Luther King Jnr., that 'on some positions a coward has asked the question is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position, that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right. He had the courage to take decisions, which were not popular within his own party. The greatness of Peter Adjetey lay in the fact that he was both tough-minded and tender-hearted. He was characterized by incisive thinking, realistic appraisal and decisive judgment. His strong austere qualities made for his firmness of purpose, and solidity of commitment.
Few are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues and the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle, or great intelligence. Yet, it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world, which yields most painfully to change.
The death of Ala Adjetey is rather sad to the family and a loss to the nation. No handkerchief can wipe away the tears of the deceased family. As the nation mourns the death of its illustrious citizen, who throughout his life committed everything in serving the nation, we should not weep, rather we should celebrate the life of Ala Adjetey.
In this world, there are some people, who when they die, their spirit is so great that it cannot be interned with their bones. Ala Adjetey was one of them. He is dead and gone, but he lives with us through the ideas, and the good things he brought to the nation, Africa and the world in general. Today, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, everywhere you can find the silhouette picture of a Latin-American guerrilla leader - Ernesto Che Guevara. I would not be surprised to see in the coming years, T-shirts bearing the image of Ala Adjetey, because of his selfless devotion to the country.
Now, I want to hold on to my tear glands, because I can identify myself with Rev Martin Luther King Jnr., that the greatest evil in this world, is not death, but rather to be outside God's purpose and plan for your life.
Peter Adjetey led a good and sincere life.
Beyond this, I also know that death is not the death of life. It starts the journey called eternity, which everybody would trek on. Paul, the Apostle, said that 'except a man dies once, but after death there is judgement'. As an evangelical Christian I believe in what the Bible calls resurrection, and that one day, one day, we will meet on the beautiful streets of New Jerusalem.
May his soul rest in peace
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