The embarrassing flareup last week in Tamale between the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, the hyperactive and petulant Madam Otiko Djaba and the overly temperamental Northern Regional Chairman of the ruling NPP, Mr Bugri Naabu did not come as a surprise.
It was just a matter of time before there was an explosion between the two. Both are firebrands with immense unmatched egos; they are uniquely and breathtakingly arrogant and unspeakably self-conceited.
They are not peaceniks by any definition; compromise and humility are not in their playbook. Confrontation is their style, and intimidation their tool. Their goal? To have people quake in their boots with fear.
Madam Otiko is well known for her pugilistic style; she is a brawler who will counter-punch if punched. She won’t take anything lying down. Ghanaians saw her ugly side during the election campaign last year when she relentlessly rained insults on then president John Mahama. She got personal on some occasions.
No amount of persuasion could get her to put a screeching halt to her charade. She was on a mission, she said, to get her cousin, to make him lose the general elections. Along the way, she acquired a huge number of haters.
Even her appointment to a ministerial position despite the protestations of the opposition NDC, has not softened her rather crass attitude. She is still a loud mouth.
As for Mr Naabu, he is a master show-man in the mold of U.S. president, Donald Trump, given to quick fits of anger and bombastic speeches. Still fresh in our memories from last year’s campaign was his dramatic accusation of former president Mahama and his brother of attempting to bribe him with a vehicle and a bucket load of cash. Obsessed with power, he presides over the northern region’s branch of the NPP like an overlord.
After publicly humiliating themselves with accusations of bribery and murder, and giving their party a black eye, a poor image, in the process, Bugri and Otiko realized the futility of their clearly juvenile actions, and took to the airwaves to profusely issue unqualified apologies to each other, to the president and to Ghanaians.
But Ghanaians are not buying their mel culpas, their public demonstration of remorse; Ghanaians have had enough of their shenanigans. Their apologies are nothing but a farce; a hypocritical maneuver to gain sympathy. Both Otiko and Bugri need considerable attitudinal change if they are to alter negative public perceptions about them.
Ghanaians expect our politicians to conduct themselves well and act above reproach. The blatant disregard for indecent behavior exemplified by Otiko and Bugri does our society considerable harm. This has to stop.
