Letters
Generation born to die?
Poku Adaa's article 'A generation born to die?' published in the 3rd January issue of this magazine made very interesting reading. His observations on the attitude of some international institutions and business in developed countries which cash in on the plight of developing countries were quite appropriate.The UNICEF report, 'The State Of World's Children in 1984' leaves no doubt in one's mind about the vexing problem of 15 million children who are likely to die from diseases like whooping cough, measles, tetanus, polio, diarrhoea, diphtheria and tuberculosis.
However, in the course of providing drugs and other supporting services to eradicate the diseases an unsavoury commercial blitz submerges the issue under a debris of useless side products.
I watched the World in Action programme on television in which the double-cup spoon was shown. I totally agree with you that there is absolutely no need for this product. Apart from the extra expenditure involved, as sure as the day follows night some Third World country's officials would also make money on the side through inflated bills for the purchase of the spoons.
Let us keep the basic issue in perspective and with education and perseverance a generation would be born to live and not die.
John Arthur, Bristol
The heart of the matter
Your comment on the coup in Nigeria touched the very heart of the matter, and that is there is no guarantee that once the military which thinks it has the solution to the country's problems-corruption ineptitude, economic malaise - goes back to the barracks, the new civilian administration would not be susceptible to the same faults again.We all thought that with all the faults of the civilian administration the military would stay out and give the new democratic experiment a chance to work. But once again the guns are back power these two women are wielding at and with a magic wand they expect to solve the problems but then would they need to hand over at all? Whatever the Shagari administration did or didn't do and therefore precipitated the return of the soldiers, one only hopes that the military would finish whatever they also came to do and hand over as soon as possible.
Peter Oshogbo, London
Who are the leaders of Ghana?
In an article entitled as above, a correspondent of this magazine attempted an analysis of Ghana's leadership crisis in the 3rd January issue.One is left with the impression that there are no committed politicians in that dear country of ours. The older politicians have done their duty to the country and the names mentioned are all very well-known personalities, who have been in the country's politics whenever the soldiers allowed party- politics to operate.
It is about time the new generation got up and became actively involved in the country's politics. If there is a shortage of younger politicians of leadership quality, the reasons are not very difficult to find. The lack of continuity and stability in Ghana's civilian administration has effectively deprived the youth from developing the skills needed in this field.
I agree with the writer, however, that the politicians both young and old in exile who are keeping a low profile for one reason or another, should get involved now because it is not a profession which can be relegated to a second place or practised on the side.'
Kwame Ankoma, Surrey.
Letter to Mrs Ababio & Sackey
It was with sadness that I read both Mrs Valerie Sackey and Mrs Ababio's letters in the Talking Drums' magazine. The sadness stems from the fact that women who should have been 'harmless middle-aged ladies' have now turned into opportunists who are not shocked anymore at things that would make their counterparts in Europe faint.As Mrs Sackey is a teacher it is most likely that she will be familiar with Joseph Conrad's famous novel - "The Heart of Darkness.' Actually the Osu Castle reminds one of Kurtz in this novel.
My prayer for them is that at one time in their lives, like Kurtz on his dying day, the ladies will come to the realization of 'the horror, the horror' which they have actively helped to cause in Ghana.
I also want to remind them that the poor people of Ghana are not at Nima at all. I throw the revolutionaries a challenge to visit villages like Adumasa in the Ashanti Region and Abounu in the Central Region. It is there that they will have slight glimpse of the abject poverty and deprivation that the average Ghanaian is experiencing
The two ladies should keep quiet and bask in their new found power. As for criticisms from free-minded journalists, everyone who suddenly finds himself or herself in the limelight must expect it all the time.
Mrs Agatha Agyeman, Clapham Junction, London
Africa's day of redemption
Your comment - Africa's Day of Shame (Talking Drums Vol.1 No.15) on the Nigerian coup made interesting reading. As usual, it contained traces of your decided views about military rule and government. In your attempt to condemn military rule you stood much of the facts, circumstances and logic on their heads to defend the indefensible.In the first place it should be noted that the preponderance of the military in governments in Africa has come about through a lot of factors and circumstances, much of which are always weighted in their favour. The merits and otherwise of military regimes are relative. In other words for such interventions to be condemned the circumstances should form an integral part of such an exercise.
On a continent where elitist misrule and exploitation, corruption and emasculation of opposition, self aggrandizement and election manipulation, to mention a few, take the place of the finer aspects of democratic ideals and where the whole purpose of government is sacrificed in order to satisfy the interests of a few, the overthrow of such continental stereo types - whether civilian or military come with a welcome relief. More so, when such a government appears quite bent on perpetuating its rule.
An undefended paragraph in your comment struck me as being astonishing: 'Countries only learn through experience and acquiring that experience can only happen if elected officials are allowed to make mistakes and are voted out of power by their people.' How do you rationalise such a statement with the fact that in most cases the only experience that African leaders acquire when voted into power relates to the distribution of largesse, exploitation of the masses and perpetuation of class misrule?
In the case of Nigeria, it was quite evident that for four years the leaders had become more adept at election rigging, looting the treasury whilst an unfavourable world economic situation, made the more acute in Nigeria's case because of mismanagement, ravaged the masses.
Nobody would wish to live under a military regime under normal circumstances but the fact remains that African democratic experiments have almost always ended in a cul-de-sac: one-party dictatorships.
This does not mean to suggest that military regimes are always welcome per se. The fact is that the track-record of the popularly-elected governments makes a mockery of the whole democratic process. The fact that the ballot box is rendered ineffective means that a recourse to arms is necessary if a government of kleptomaniacs is to be removed. Hence the military. That is the bitter experiences of Africa and the Third World generally should be pre- pared to live with if its elected leaders are quite willing to misrepresent what government is all about.
Finally you wrote: "There is a certain amount of arrogance involved in the action of General Buhari and his friends in taking up arms against the elected representatives of Nigerians and arrogating to themselves the right to judge their performance.' The performance record of the Shagari regime was there for all to see: economic mismanagement, entrenchment of corruption and indiscipline as a way of life, ineptitude and electoral malpractices. The right to judge the performance could only be reflected through the ballot-box and that was what had been rendered inoperative.
It is quite true that 'for one brief moment Nigeria seemed to hold out the hope to the rest of the African continent that Africans can also make the democratic system work', to use your words. But it is also true that by their actions, the operators were not quite willing to let it work. Democracy means and connotes more than the preservation of democratic institutions and the preservation of a few. It has never been known to be synonymous with misrule.
As it is, 31st December 1983 can not go down as Africa's Day of Shame. It can only be 'Africa's Day of Redemption', when a huge embarrassment and disgrace to Africa was removed.
Seth Andoh, Mitcham, Surrey, London
