It is rapidly becoming normalized and accepted; it plays out on a regular basis these days and, indeed has become a regular feature of the political landscape. But it does not augur well for the progress that we all expect from participatory democracy.
I am referring, of course, to the youth wings of the two major political parties who throw temper tantrums and behave appallingly when political decisions at the highest level fall short of their expectations.
Instead of properly channeling their anger and disappointment through established protocols, unwisely they take to the streets in a cowardly display of pure immaturity and youthful exuberance. In that fleeting moment of frenzy, they invariably resort to violence, burning and looting public and private properties.
And, shockingly, they get away with a mere slap on the wrist; the behavior is not punished as the laws of the land prescribe. Emboldened by official indifference, this behavior is repeated over and over again across the country. It has become, to be brutally honest, contagious.
So, it was no surprise that the youth wing of the NPP in Savelugu last week in an apparent outburst of anger with President Akuffo Addo’s nomination of Hajia Ayishetu Seidu as the district chief executive, stormed the party’s office, tore down party paraphernalia and took to the streets to register their disgust.
The reasons advanced by the young men — Hajia Ayishietu is not a Savelugu native, and she can not successfully execute the party’s agenda — were as absurd as they were misleading.
Needless to say the demonstration against the appointment of Hajia Ayishietu was a clear case of misogyny — a hatred of women. How unfortunate.
Women, it should be pointed out to the young men of Savelugu, are good leaders and excellent managers; they are just as good as men in running the affairs of municipalities, regions and even countries.
Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany is in her 12th year as leader of that rich and industrialized country and she is a prime example of the qualities women bring to the leadership realm.
Closer to home, our last elections which earned the praise of the international community for its fairness was conducted by an electoral commission headed by a woman, Mrs Charlotte Osei.
Of course, the actions of the boys in Savelugu did not ignite anger and outright castigation; there was the usual tepid response from the NPP hierarchy; and tellingly, no forceful condemnation of the absurd behavior has been forthcoming from the party’s regional authorities.
And to add salt to injury, the party’s Savelugu communications director Mr Abubakari Sadik inexplicably gave a full-throated endorsement of the demonstration with the caveat that the boys should have found other means to register their discontent. How disappointing. Even though eleven of the demonstrators were reportedly arrested, you can bet your last bottom cedi that they won’t see prison time.
I am not in the least agitating against the right of the boys in Savelugu to demonstrate in public against decisions coming from the very top. After all, every Ghanaian is guaranteed the right to free speech and free assembly by our national constitution.
But there comes a time when open defiance of authorities, especially the president, should be reconsidered by those who delight in it. It amounts to taunting Mr. Addo and a lack of faith in his agenda if a segment of NPP supporters continue to have qualms with his appointments.
It is a sad commentary on the state of our politics that the president who has the right under our constitution to select anyone he deems fit to exercise authority on his behalf cannot seem to have his way.
