Letters
The eternal critic
Publish this letter if you dare!WHAT DOES Elizabeth Ohene want? Right from when she burst on the Ghana journalism scene, she has done nothing but complain, complain, criticize, criticize, howl and howl. What kind of woman is this that nothing satisfies her?
Many people either do no know or have forgotten or have chosen to forget deliberately that she started the public outcry against the Busia people not having declared their assets with her editorial in the Sunday Mirror entitled "Day of Reckoning" I still have a copy of that 1970 editorial.
This from her who had high connections in the Busia regime and must have been enjoying. When Busia fell, she then had a running battle with Acheampong throughout that regime. She criticized every move of that government, no wonder she was sacked for some time.
When Akuffo overthrew Acheampong, she continued with her criticisms and making fun of the government until June 4 when Mr. Rawlings entered the scene in June 1979. She criticized the AFRC throughout their four months in power. She criticized them everyday.
As for her battles with the Limann Administration, they are well documented and known to everybody; she fought the government all the way to the Supreme Court. Every single day she criticized Dr. Limann. If it were not for this same Elizabeth Ohene, all that hoolabaloo about Security people chasing Captain Tsikata around would never have been the headline matter it was.
She exposed what was supposed to be a security operation with her treatise about human rights and personal freedom; giving the impression that Captain Tsikata was some law abiding citizen being harrassed by the government. Ökay, so on December 31, 1981, Dr. Limann was overthrown and anybody would think Elizabeth Ohene would now be satisfied; after all, the government she had dubbed the "do nothing government" was no more.
Oh no, not Elizabeth Ohene, from the first day she led the Daily Graphic to oppose the coup. No wonder Mr. Rawlings was angry and sacked her, he must have been disappointed, surprised and angry that she did not welcome the revolution.
Anybody would be right in thinking that if there was one Ghanaian who wanted Limann overthrown, it was Elizabeth Ohene; but right from December 31, 1981, she has done nothing but abuse Rawlings and the PNDC on the BBC, in West Africa and now she has started Talking Drums, she is still abusing Rawlings and the PNDC. Tell us Elizabeth Ohene, what kind of government do you want so that every time you are criticizing. Why are you in exile and not in Ghana with the PNDC; I think you belong with them.
What will satisfy you? I think that all of us Ghanaians must agree to give Ghana to Elizabeth Ohene for two years and see what she does with the country, then we shall know and maybe she will then stop criticizing. T. Boateng, Hendon, London
Elizabeth Ohene Writes:
Thank you, Mr(?) Miss or Mrs Boateng for your letter and also for having taken such a keen interest in my career since 'bursting on the Ghana journalism scene'. I would appreciate a copy of the 1970 editorial you made reference to.I am afraid I will have to plead guilty to many of your charges even though I will hope that there has been something more to my endeavours than 'criticize criticize'. I will however reject outright that I have 'abused' or been abusing the PNDC or its leader Flt-Lt Rawlings that, you must accept, is not my style. Need I say more than quote part of the quotation that appears in 'Talking Drums' every week: 'we need critics education. too, for dissenting is a serious, worthy and honest pursuit". That is my belief, and I rest my case.
Eagles Fly High
I read Ebo Quansah's report and assessment of the African Cup of Nation Competition in 'Talking Drums' of November 7th, and I share his anxiety over the degeneration of Ghanaian football.The two defeats suffered by Ghana's two national teams have opened up vast possibilities for Nigeria to win the cup. It must be said, however, that Nigerians have worked hard to reach where they are. With money and all the goodwill that the country can muster, the Green Eagles had to fly high or face the wrath of their countrymen who, over the years had agonised over defeats by the Black Stars. On the Ghana side, inspite of the obvious problems at home, the Black Stars had fought on with obstinate determination to maintain their supremacy in African football. One can even say that in the middle of political and economic upheavals the successes of the team had kept the spirits of Ghanaian football public high.
We expect very keen competitions in the coming years now that Nigeria is on the 'warpath'.
A. Opoku, Middlesex
New Universities for all
From 'What the Papers Say' column of your magazine, I read an editorial of the Daily Times of Nigeria about the establishment of private universities in the country.It is my opinion that university education, and for that matter, education in general is a right to which all human beings are entitled. Nigeria's population is big enough to absorb more than the universities currently available.
However, like anything being adopted from the west, certain strict regulations are needed to ensure that the noble objectives do not backfire.
In this respect establishment of new universities by private citizens ought to meet certain basic requirements in order to avoid the situation prevailing in the United States and to a lesser extent, Britain, where bogus universities and colleges con students to part with huge sums of money and I will however reject outright that I hand them diplomas and degrees not worth the paper they are printed on.
The National Assembly should legislate against these foreign universities establishing campuses in Nigeria before more harm is done to education.
Ken Ogunde, Hackney
CORRECTION
The second sentence of the article - "Reflections on Grenada", page 13, third column, published in the December 5th issue should read "Charles II invited not "Charles I invited..."Our apologies.
EDITOR
