Letters
The military in Africa
Please allow me to make a few observations on the conduct of the military in African politics. I have been reading your magazine avidly since it first appeared on our newsstands in Cameroon, and give you a pat on the back for taking such a bold stand against military adventurism and making the point fearlessly every week in your magazine.I have followed all the articles on the subject and could not agree with you more on the point that the military should be kept where they traditionally belong, the barracks. The case of Cameroon, which just missed the unfortunate fate of joining the numerous other African countries that are currently playing musical chairs with politicians is there for all to see.
It is my view that even though at the time of coming into power the military may have some genuine reasons for taking over power, history has proved beyond all reasonable doubts that they invariably forget their mission and regard the opportunity as a stepping stone to enriching themselves.
One dangerous effect of rampant take-overs in my opinion, is that many bright young men have declined entering politics for fear of the military who, on overthrowing a government, always incarcerate politicians for long terms or jail them for crimes both real and imagined. In effect politics is now regarded as a dirty game which only fool-hardy individuals play.
This situation has led to many countries being managed by sycophants of the military bosses and opportunists who see the military as the only avenue to power.
Bobga A. Emmanuel, Tiko, Cameroon
How Chad war is financed
I have read the excerpts from the proceedings of the International Chamber of Commerce Arbitration in the Hague which awarded Chief Francis Arthur Nzeribe, described by your magazine as "the colourful and controversial Nigerian businessman and a senator in the short-lived second- term Second Republic in Nigeria" and must register my disapproval of the way the people of Chad would have suffered if the deal had gone through.Every man of good conscience should condemn the greed of an African businessman who wants to reap profits from the plight and agony of innocent people caught in-between the rivalry of two leaders.
I may be speaking from the wilderness but I sincerely believe that if people like Chief Nzeribe would not see business opportunities in such a tragic situation like Chad's, the horrible internecine war may probably have not gone on for this long.
One would have been more sympathetic with him had he lent money to buy food and medical supplies instead of arms to prolong the conflict. As the situation stands, I doubt whether he would get one brass farthing from the impoverished Chad government, anyway.
Dan Williams,
Naa Polkuu Konkuu Chiri
Your writer in Whispering Drums column of November 5, 1984 asked inter alia: was the old man, Na Polkuu Konkuu Chiri 'pushed' or did he go a natural way in a long article which attempted to shroud the death of the former PNDC member on September 2, 1984 in some mystery.It is known for a fact that the old man was flown to Britain for medical treatment and his death was assigned to cancer, a disease which Maigani cannot be inferring was inflicted on him through some mischievous conspiracy of some unnamed people. I admire Talking Drums for many reasons but this kind of journalism with clearly mischievous intentions is unpardonable. I hope the Editor would take the opportunity to correct the mistake.
Abdul Karimu, Woodford
Ghana's Socialists
As a regular reader of your paper, I would like to comment on some points you raised in your issue of October 29th, 1984. In the article on Ghana's Universities, the writer said among other things, that "about forty per cent of the current PNDC appointees and many Secretaries of state were at one time or another officials of the National Union of Ghana Students or SRCS of the three universities. What is painful is that these groups of people are now presiding over the possible decimation of free higher education." As someone who was interested in student politics during the 1977-1980 period, I would like to clarify a few Issues.I am no socialist and I was opposed to the domination of the NUGS by the socialist students. But I would like to say that within the NUGS we had two groups, the socialists and those of us who called ourselves capitalists. But within the socialists camp, we had the purists (the scientific socialists) and those who had opportunistic tendencies or were simply calling themselves socialists because it was fashionable to do so. Some of this group vacillated between socialism and the good things of life. It is important to note that the socialist opportunist always had problems with the purists, if I may call them so.
NUGS leaders like H. P. Akrofi, Annor Kumi, (whom I hear are now working under Kojo Tsikata's security network, the bureau of national investigations): Kofi Totobi Quakyi (Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Surrey Information); Steve Akuffo, Ato Dadzie and others like that belong to the 'socialist opportunist' group. They preached both socialism and capital- ism, so it is difficult to know what they really are. I am tempted to suggest that they are capitalist-minded. So your correspondent should not be surprised that they are helping to groom our newly converted revolutionary-capitalists.
But what surprises me is the role of people like Ndebugre and Gertude Zakariah. They enjoyed more than free higher education as northerners. And they were known to be strong socialists. So one expected that they would join their colleagues like Chris Atim, Zaya Yeebo, Kwesi Adu and Nicholas Atampugre who we hear are now in exile in capitalist countries. As for Legon-based socialists like the two Tsikatas, the Ahwois and others like Kwame Mfodwo, Akoto Ampaw, Ato Austin, Adu Amankwaa and other 'comfortable socialists', no one should be surprised. Rawlings has given them the opportunity to prove how they can conduct themselves as socialists. I hear they are all over the world preaching world revolution after their Own revolution has failed to impress the people. But I must say that even though I do not agree with the scientific socialists now based in Britain, I admire them for having the courage to say 'no' to something they think is against their idealist dreams.
Also allow me to call on all opposition leaders to come together and fight for the restoration of democracy in Ghana. Too many splinter groups will not help us to oust those who relish in bloodshed and tribal politics.
Kwabena Yeboa Sokoto, Nigeria
