It is with a heart emblazoned with piercing pain that I mutter this day in honour of the late Ghanaian Peace Laureate, Kofi Atta Annan.
I must admit that I was in a state of incredulity when the world came to a standstill few days ago as a result of the peaceful but sudden “crystal-crack” of my revered ancestor Kofi Atta Annan. Kofi Annan as he is affectionately called by the flurry of charming people from all walks of life was and remains one of the serendipitous discoveries this lovely world ever made.
The illustrious son of Africa had in profusion refreshing ideas and an in-depth stream of knowledge he unendingly offered for drinking to this world of ours.
He had extra cardinal roles to play as far as global peace and security is concerned until his demise. It is therefore very cumbersome for some of us to come to terms with why he had to kiss the dust at this hour. In the end we would give two infelicitous descriptions to this world, a very ephemeral and transient world particularly for people of greatness. I have not lost just a legend but I have lost a special teacher, a mentor and a venerated ancestor.
Perpetually, I have been drooling to have a vis-à-vis chat with him right from the first day I learnt in Junior High school that a Ghanaian was once the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General.
It is quite unfortunate his candle wax had to burn out before I could even consider lighting mine to meet him in person.
Kofi, my prime inspiration, you gave me the effrontery to think I can take Ghana places one day regardless of my humble beginnings. As a student of security, I must confess that you have always served as the fountain stream of precious knowledge from which I have drawn from.
I have learnt to put on the whole amour of you, fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace you preached to this world. I have your belt of courageousness buckled around my waist, your sword of compassion in place, with your shield of faith, helmet of dignity and the breastplate of confidence which you demonstrated to us in your short lived life.
You have carved your name on the endearing hearts of people worldwide, with your impregnable legacy etched into minds of lot of people on the global stage. As human as you were, you might have had your own deficiencies but I am hopeful that those limitations formed the basic building blocks in making you the best gift Africa ever offered to this world. Personally, I believe the death of an individual should not be a moment to screed but a period of reflecting on our own way of life and how we have contributed to humanity as well.
From afar, I admired that alluring sort of inestimable simplicity and incomparable humility trait of yours. You were never in a haste to change your complexion for no reason like some local celebrities that have assumed “rainbow colours” as a result of their diminutive stay abroad.
Kofi maintained his blackness and caused his black colour to “shine” wherever he went. I had seen some arrogant “slay queens” and local celebrities who do not have visa cards but spoke like the “queen of England” or natives of America in their interviews. I had equally met some cocky Ghanaians who grew wings overnight and mastered in mimicking the American accent just because they have had the privilege of staying overseas for short term courses and holidays.
I was therefore stupefied and registered my disappointment the first time I listened to your speech; is that how Kofi Annan speaks? Is that not the former UN secretary General? I quizzed. I was expecting you to mimic the American accent and equally raise your shoulders above the skies as if you chest bomb like some famous Ghanaians I know, having stayed outside Ghana for stipulated number of years, but you kept your basic “Ghanaian English” accent, you were very soft in your delivery as well.
You indeed proved that you are humility and simplicity personified, Kofi. You disproved the fact that illustriousness is unbridled and maintained your simplicity hallmark throughout your stay on this brutish world. I am yet to see any world diplomat of our modern times that would surpass you when it comes to being outspoken on certain “blistering” topics as you have done on several counts.
On the controversial topic of drug for instance, you clearly dissipated how candid you can be as an individual. Kofi Annan, in that open letter of yours which was first published in Der Spiegel International you argued that “Drugs are dangerous, but current narcotics policies are an even bigger threat because punishment is given a greater priority than health and human rights.
It is time for regulations that put lives and safety first.” I could sense your love for human right for all manner of persons from this statement. It was crystal clear through your statement that you saw no need to averse “cannabis users” and the ilk or to make laws repressive on their part.
Unlike other leaders, you showed forthrightness by accentuating that it is time to acknowledge that drugs such as cannabis are infinitely more dangerous if they are left solely in the hands of people who have no concerns about health and safety.
Touching on the medical use of cannabis, you stood your grounds that looking carefully at the evidence from the United States; we would know that legalizing the use of cannabis for medical purposes has not, as opponents argued, led to an increase in its use by teenagers. By contrast, you made it clear that there has been a near tripling of American deaths from heroin overdoses between 2010 and 2013, even though the law and its severe punishments remain unchanged.
A lot of people would not be in consonance with you on this subject but you still went ahead and made your views known, a palpable depiction of a man who is a symbol of forthrightness. You stood for the human rights of all as such our brothers from the “high” side of the world for instance would sourly miss you for this thought-provoking argument, Kofi.
Africa would remember you, our black star that gave light to other parts of the world by crusading on the need for holistic peace and security, rule of law and respect for human rights as well as an all inclusive development. In the triumph of your sweat lots of countries have enjoyed peace, love and harmony including countries within the “armpit” of Mama Africa.
You would go down in the annals of the world as a black star that lighted up everything around him with his tireless and heroic peace negotiation skills which always birthed sustainable peace. Our friends from Kenya would particularly hail you forever for the immense role you played to broker the Raila-Kibaki accord that ended the 2007/2008 post electoral violence.
To the Kalenjins, the Luos, the Kambas, the Luhyas and the Kikuyus of Kenya you are simply a “Peace Messiah” from Sub-Saharan Africa. Your selflessness and overwhelming contribution to humanity through the promotion of world peace caused Asanteman to confer on you the Busumuru title. You were very instrumental in raising funds to usurp the devastating prowess of Malaria, AIDS and Tuberculosis across the globe.
The world would have you in mind as one who devoted your all for Peacemaking, Peacebuilding and in Peace keeping processes. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the first African to have been the UN secretary general would be proud of you for holding on till date his Agenda for Peace. The ELDERS would forever miss a precious stone who offered timely and efficacious advice in handling various festering problems in contemporary times. I cannot go on without acknowledging that you were that great pillar in the recent healing process of the long-simmering divisions between the Rohingya Muslims and the Buddhists in Myanmar. You taught this world how to be loved and to love, to be understood to understand and finally to be consoled so as to console.
In times of despair you offered confidence, you cause justice to roll in place of injustice, you gave hope to the hopeless, offered voice to the voiceless, when fear was crippling you made trust available, you gave minority groups a live wire to breathe amidst majority groups and converted the war songs of most countries to peaceful chorus. On the bossom naught of the great pacifist with a goatee grey, the world obtained its calmness. He was a medic who healed this world with his presence and unalloyed smiles. Kofi, when ever you smiled the whole world stared for a while because you made the lives of humanity worthwhile.
His death would be of relevance to us as a people if we continue to make ourselves ambassadors of peace wherever we find ourselves. He would feel honored if our politicians begin to see themselves as servants of the Ghanaian people and serve us wholeheartedly devoid of the use of chicanery in achieving their parochial interest. He would be very glad if we come to give economic security, food security, health security, environmental security, personal security or physical security, community security and political security a place in our land.
We would honour him more if and only the growing youthful population would turn their energies into useful ventures rather than making themselves vessels for perpetuating violence by politicians in the form of political vigilante groups. The youth would equally make Busumuru proud if we discontinue sneaking to other countries illegally.
Government would also place smiles on Kofi’s lips by way of not just organising a state burial for him but by doing everything possible to make Ghanaians have the best of what this rich land of ours has gotten to offer us. He would feel grateful if and only those found guilty of white collar crime would be similarly prosecuted like other criminals regardless of their social status. I think Kofi would feel honored if Ghanaians would desist from corruption, ethnocentrism, discrimination and bigotry towards certain class of people.
A state burial for such a figure would be more valuable if it is followed by the uninterrupted fight against poverty, child labour, human trafficking, illiteracy, inequality and unemployment. Let us continue to reach out to the poor and needy in our localities, we should not wait till they die before we shower them with money and swanky gifts. I humbly pour out my utmost condolence even as I pray that the bereaved family would have the grits to sail peacefully through these turbulent times. The good Lord should offer the entire family particularly Nane Maria, Kojo, Ama and Nina a very quick remarkable equanimity following this shocking demise.
We continue to find solace in the indelible foot prints he has left behind globally. One thing I know for sure is that though he is gone the embers in his legacy would continue to flicker from generation to generation. Rest well, Ghanaba Busumuru Kofi Annan, my supreme ancestor ever, you died a hero.
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By: Osei Godfred Amankwah (Mphil Peace & Development studies, UCC)
E-mail:godfredoseiamanwah@gmail.com