Letters
The whole world loves a winner
The article in the January 13, 1986 issue of the Talking Drums titled "Of brave men and failed coups" was an interesting piece. And the observations made by the writer are commendable. I do, however, think that the writer should have been more explicit in his observations.It is not surprising that most daily papers and by extension, most people in Nigeria now denounced the coup plotters as men of no principles. Remember the "Bay of Pigs", when Fidel Castro successfully crushed the Cuban exiles, who with the active support of the US government tried to overthrow him in 1961? Many people in the US denounced the Kennedy administration. This prompted John F. Kennedy to remark that "while victory has brothers and sisters, defeat is an orphan".
And so it goes with the coup plotters in Nigeria. Which brings to mind the role of a free press in a free society. Of course Nigeria, like most African nations, is neither free nor does it have a free press. But it seems that the Nigerian press sees its role to inform as a role to promote government policies. Most of the newspaper editorials have become the mouth-organs of the government. The press also sees itself as a cheerleader for every Dick and Harry that seizes power by force and claims that he understands Nigerians better than the Nigerians understand themselves.
If that coup had been successful, we would be reading rosy profiles of the plotters in the press, and how they fought bravely to keep Nigeria together, as if the people of Nigeria did not pay taxes to prosecute that war. The editorial writers will give us all the reasons in the world why the new government is the right one for Nigerians.
In Nigeria, like most African countries, every Tom or Dick is a potential head of state provided he is in the army. Every military man becomes an expert on how to be a Nigerian. Simply put, the press in Nigeria should be more helpful in the cause of freedom for Nigerians. Gone are the days of pre-independent press in Nigeria.
Bola M. Kadiri, Maryland, USA
Coups and rumours of coups in Ghana
I read with interest a recent article "Coups and rumour of coups in Ghana" in the Talking Drums magazine, the issue of 23 December, 1985, and I would like to take issue with a matter of fact in the article. An extract of the article stipulated that there had been several coup attempts in some West African countries like Liberia, Nigeria, Guinea Bissau and Ghana. But when we consider the case of Ghana, we could see that there are certain things going on that are not in the interest of Ghanaians."Why are there so many coup attempts in Ghana?" According to the latest report by the PNDC government, the latest coup attempt would have been the 13th attempt to topple the PNDC government headed by Fit-Lt. J.J. Rawlings. "There is no smoke without fire."
I am of the opinion that some Ghanaians are not always hungry for coups but they want it to get rid of the man who does not think of the interest of the people but broods over the tightening of his borders for fear of invasion.
Since the PNDC government took over power from the Limann administration, there has been an increase in tribalism and we are all aware that every tribalistic state normally suffers setbacks.
I should therefore like Rawlings to examine himself critically and know why there are attempted coups and rumours of coups in Ghana. When he first assumed power he made it clear that he believed in accountability and accessibility. Could he therefore come forward and give an account of his stewardship for the whole population to know his achievements so far for the period of four years he and his PNDC government have ruled Ghana.
I would like to draw Rawlings' attention to the fact that so many patriotic Ghanaians are suffering in other strange lands for political and economic reasons. Most of these people would like to go back to Ghana and help build the country, but they fear the possibility that they would be victimised for no reason at all.
I therefore conclude with an advice to Rawlings and his men to hand over power to a properly elected democratic government or change their policies for the betterment of our country, Ghana.
D. Busumuru, Stuttgart, W. Germany
