Calling A Spade A Shovel
A Touch Of Nokoko by Kofi Akumanyi
James Watt, the Secretary of the Interior, in President Reagan's government has found this fact out to his dismay. Observed the Economist, "he has been in Washington long enough to know what is expected of politicians. Jokes about quotas are simply not on. Flippant boasts about a commission composed of a ‘black, a woman, two Jews, and cripple'’ go much too far”.
A generation ago it might have been the word "black" that got him into trouble; blacks were negroes or coloured then. Today it is the word "cripple" that has crippled him. Had he said "disabled" or "handicapped" the outcry might have been less strident"
As usual in cases like these, President Ronald Reagan (remember the case of Cecil Parkinson and Mrs. Thatcher's initial support?) has come out openly to say that the case is closed. However, White House insiders suggest that Mr. Watt will resign before long.
Many a politician has found out, rather in a late hour, that a gift of euphemistic speech, or the ability to juggle effectively with words is one of the greatest assets in the business. The point is that while there are certain basic facts of life which a politician, in a moment of exasperation, would like the public to understand by saying it in as down to earth language as possible, many a politician has found out that it is an extremely difficult, if not impossible, job repairing the damage once it has been done."
President Carter's government, it may be recalled, had its share of this kind of embarrassment. The Secretary for Agriculture who was well-known for opening his mouth and putting his foot into it, made an unfortunate comment on the toilet preferences of blacks and raised a lot of political dust. Predictably, when it settled, the Secretary had been effectively buried under the debris.
Politics in the Third World also has its share of such importunate moments. In the Second Republic Parliament of Ghana, one prominent politician referred to an ethnic group as "inward looking" during a debate and this phrase has become a spectre that has haunted his political career ever since.
Political jokes are essential elements which keep the otherwise humdrum business lively. But a politician who carelessly tosses out derogatory jokes must know that when the chips are down, he would face the wrath of the offended object of the joke, alone.
Even though Ghanaians have quite tolerable sense of humour and can make jokes about themselves in situations which other people may find unacceptable, one area where scatological remarks do not find ready listeners may be those in the ethnic category.
Imagine this scenario in which a politician is speaking to the public. "This government cannot succeed without the total participation of all Ghanaians. We cannot over-emphasise the point that unless we all-Akans, Gas, Ewes, Brongs and the Fulanis, Frafras Dagombas....... indeed, the whole country, unite solidly behind the government our great experiment would be frustrated....
The government is fully aware that certain elements are exploiting our vast tribal differences to undermine the government...... It is being said that this is a government of Ewes and therefore it is inward looking. Nothing could be further from the truth......
Comrades consider the committee - we've had a detribalised Nzima, one Ga, three Akans and a Sisala - just look at the mess that they left the country in....... In fact, do you know that the Castle walls had to be repainted to remove the kola stain?........
Fantis are comedians, yes, they have been like that since the first white man stepped on the coast and taught them to wear hose and helmet in the colonial days......... We all know that the hardest affected group of people in Ghana today as starvation continues to take its toll are the Gas...... no maize for the kenkey........ (A heckler shouts) "what's that, again?....... Murderers? who are murderers? That's another of those nonsensical lies fed by a section of the public to prejudice the mind of Ghanaians against that tribe". Instead of an applause, an uproar.
Even a politician with political mileage would definitely age prematurely in such circumstances for not calling a spade a shovel.
