an Apostle Jude Hama’s letter
Last week a letter to the Editor from Apostle Jude Hama was published on the Letters page (page 2).
Apostle Hama’s letter was a reaction to my column of August 3, 2018, which had the headline, ‘Reflections on what escaped Mrs Amissah-Arthur’.
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In the letter, Apostle Hama made certain statements which I think I need to respond to.
Also, he appeared to ascribe a comment to me, wrongly. I am therefore publishing his letter again here so that I can respond appropriately.
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APOSTLE HAMA’S LETTER
Mrs Amissah-Arthur spoke needed truth
Dear Editor,
I humbly beg to differ from the views and opinions expressed by Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari in the article in her column ‘Thoughts of a Native Daughter’ in the Friday August 3-9,2018 edition of The Mirror.
We have ample evidence that people think that “Mrs Amissah-Arthur spoke needed truth”.
My attention has been drawn to how Ms Yeboah-Afari ended her article.
Is it possible that her concluding sentence is inaccurate. Does her article need a re-reflective exercise on her part?
Of course, Ms Yeboah-Afari is entitled to her opinion. But it isn’t right for her to cloth people (including other readers and citizens) with her opinion.
What is very worrying to me is whether she was trying to suggest that “politics is a dirty game that you decide to enter and play in a dirty manner or withdraw from a dirty game?” I think clean Christians should enter politics and should practice clean politics.
Thankfully I know a few clean Christian people in Ghana party politics – in the PPP, NDC, NPP and CPP!
Well to Ms Yeboah-Afari’s little credit, she admitted that there were “people who believe she said what needed to be said.
There is too much hypocrisy in the political sphere”.
Indeed, we have evidence that many people think that Mrs Amissah-Arthur “spoke the truth”.
An American Consultant in Politics and a conference speaker who knows life in Ghana well remarked on whatsApp: “Matilda delivered a loving message for her beloved husband at his memorial service and a bold message regarding cheap politics and the wickedness within the political arena.
I am blessed by her faith and exemplary and expression of loving regard for her late husband, as well as speaking the truth”.
It is a fact that many Ghanaian people and Ghanaian women think differently from Ms Yeboah-Afari perspective on the Mrs Amissah-Arthur speaking the truth.
For example, Sylvia a Ghanaian Gender Activist and Children’s worker said, “I listen to Mrs Amissah-Arthur’s speech daily and pray for mother Ghana!”
Rev Akpene, a Lady Pastor remarked the other day that Mrs Amissah-Arthur’s courage to speak the truth was in her view a call to national repentance by key political players and citizens of mother Ghana.
Prof Kofi Anyidoho said at President Atta Mills’ funeral, “he spoke the truth quietly”. Mrs Amissah-Arthur at her husband’s funeral, “spoke the truth”.
Apostle Jude
P.O. Box 7388
Accra-North
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MY RESPONSES
Apostle Hama wrote: My attention has been drawn to how Ms Yeboah-Afari ended her article. Is it possible that her concluding sentence in her articles is inaccurate. Does her article need a re-reflective exercise on her part?
My response: The conclusion of my August 3 article was:“It is sad that Mrs Amissah-Arthur’s unfortunate rant is likely to be what will be remembered about her husband’s life as a politician and on the national stage.”
Three years ago, when Mrs Amissah-Arthur was being castigated for her ‘we won’t give you chalk!’ retort, I praised her courage after her public apology.
I wrote then: “My admiration goes to Mrs Amissah-Arthur … for displaying … rare courage, to say the three little words that Ghanaian politicians and office holders find so difficult to say: I am sorry.
(A look at two actions of courage, issue of July 24, 2015).
Maybe Apostle Hama didn’t see that 2015 article, but if he finds my conclusion “inaccurate”, and that I need “re-reflective exercise”, that is his opinion!
However, I wonder why I can commend Mrs Amissah-Arthur for doing what I think is right, but I can’t criticise her for doing what I see as wrong.
Apostle Hama wrote: What is very worrying to me is whether she was trying to suggest that “politics is a dirty game that you decide to enter and play in a dirty manner or withdraw from a dirty game?”
My response: It is unfortunate that Apostle Hama didn’t tell readers the source of the quotation “politics is a dirty game that you decide to enter and play in a dirty manner or withdraw from a dirty game.”
It was most uncharitable of him to create the impression that it is from my article.
Nowhere in my August 3 piece did I say that!
Apostle Hama wrote: Well to Ms Yeboah-Afari’s little credit, she admitted that there were “people who believe she said what needed to be said. There is too much hypocrisy in the political sphere”.
My response: What I actually stated was: “Anyway, she has her defenders too, people who believe she said what needed to be said, that there is too much hypocrisy, especially in the political sphere.”
Apostle Hama wrote: “An American Consultant in Politics and a conference speaker … (and) it is a fact that many Ghanaian people and Ghanaian women think differently from Ms Yeboah-Afari perspective on the Mrs Amissah-Arthur speaking the truth.
For example, Sylvia a Ghanaian Gender Activist and Children’s worker said, “I listen to Mrs Amissah-Arthur’s speech daily and pray for mother Ghana!”
My response: I, too, could have listed people of stature, and ordinary citizens, who congratulated me on my August 3 column.
But that is not necessary.
Apostle Hama and his supporters are entitled to their views on the matter; we, too, are entitled to ours.
Surely, that is what democracy is all about, that people should be allowed to have different opinions.
In conclusion Apostle Hama is free to disagree with my belief that “it is sad that Mrs Amissah-Arthur’s unfortunate rant is likely to be what will be remembered about her husband’s life as a politician and on the national stage.”
I still hold that conviction. And I’m not “clothing” anybody with my opinion, or compelling anybody to accept my view.