House of 'Demo', Dance, Drama

                                                           Parliament of Ghana

Kofi Yeboah Writes,

Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice nominee Dr Justice Srem-Sai and Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin come face-to-face and suit-for-suit at the vetting of the former by the Appointments Committee, both poised to dive into the ‘Legalistic Ocean’.

But strangely, the two lawyers strip themselves of the dress code that marks their legal identity for unaccustomed cloak that flags their cultural naivety.

Instantly, the vetting proceeding turns into a dance theatre for Agbadza and Akpi amid choruses whose lyrics – ‘withdraw’ and ‘I won’t withdraw’ – are as rhythmic as the two dances invoked and in vogue.

First, Afenyo-Markin shoots at the nominee: “How have you gotten yourself immersed into the culture of your people?”

And I’m thinking: Why must the Minority Leader immerse himself into the culture of a community instead of the legal issues of the country?

But Srem-Sai is the one facing the music (not me), and he responds: “I have lived among my people for a greater part of my life. I visit my people. And as you can see from behind, my chiefs are here with me….”

Just then, and before the nominee completes his submission, Afenyo-Markin slaps him with an injunction, as he shreds Srem’s streaming.

With hand gestures like a music conductor (which will be understood soon), the Minorrity Leader stops Srem-Sai from immersing himself into the culture of his people, as he (Afenyo-Markin) cuts sharply into the nominee’s reference and reverence to his chiefs sitting behind him.

“Honourable nominee, don’t go there; don’t go there. You deal with the issue. They [chiefs] being here is neither here nor there. You deal with the culture”.

I’m thinking the intervention by the Ranking Member is rude to the nominee, disrespectful to the chiefs sitting behind the nominee and contemptuous to the audience in-person and out-person.

Also, I’m wondering: Is chieftaincy not part of our culture? Are chiefs not the custodians of our culture?

I’m totally confused at this instance.

The nominee seems confused too, and he seeks guidance from the Minority Leader, hoping Afenyo-Markin will mark him good this time round.

“I want to know what exactly you mean by how I immerse myself in the culture?”

                 Dr Justice Srem-Sai, Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Nominee

Akpi ‘demo’

It is obvious Afenyo-Markin is looking for detail in his understanding of culture by banishing chiefs and chieftaincy from, and extolling dance in, the coronation of culture.

But his search for detail will soon discover the devil immersed therein, after inviting the nominee to demonstrate Akpi on the floor of the House.

“So Honourable Nominee, we are here to learn about our country. Errm, kindly demonstrate the Akpi dance; a bit; just for a second”.

Oops! Did I hear the Minority Leader well?

My imagination instantly flees with many questions tolling: Are drummers for Akpi in the House and ready for the demonstration of the dance? Will the vetting room be rearranged to create space for the demonstration of the dance? Will the nominee perform Akpi in his suit (comic) or change into traditional cloth that suits the dance (realistic) for the demonstration?

Among the audience, I hear some murmuring; they look troubled too by the invitation to Akpi demonstration, and their spontaneous uproar hits a note of discord and disapproval.

Indeed, the message of disapproval from the audience is loud and clear, and I’m expecting Afenyo-Markin to pick the signal, withdraw from his comical dance mode and look sharp in his suit!

But hey! The Effutu MP, like the late Vice President of Ghana Kow Nkensen Arkaah who hailed from Winneba, is a ‘Stubborn Cat’!

What he, perhaps, does not know is that no matter how stubborn a cat may be, there are so many ways to kill it, and there are a group of people who have mastered the craft of killing a cat and they will demonstrate their skill, whether the cat is calm or stubborn.

                                                Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Minority Leader

Withdrawal syndrome

With a natural deep voice and scarce smile on the face, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, who is also the MP for Akatsi South, in the Volta Region, is cast in an image that even the wildest cat may flee from for dear life.

“Honourable nominee, the question is overruled; you are not going to demonstrate,” Ahiafor is blunt in dismissing the question by the Minority Leader.

This (over)ruling will mark the ‘26th February Cross-swords’ between the Chairman and the Ranking Member at a venue about 500 metres away from the spot of the ‘28th February Crossroad Shooting’ to be marked two days later, except that the latter is historic and the former is pathetic.

Afenyo-Markin’s demeanor clearly shows he is not happy about the overruling of his dance demonstration agenda; his ego has been badly bruised, and with a stern look at the Chairman, he pounces at him like a wild cat to get his pound of flesh.

“Chairman, if you decide to be whimsical and capricious, it will not advance the work of this Committee”.

At this moment, smile is no longer scarce on the face of Chairman Ahiafor; it is actually banished, as he promptly demands from the Minority Leader a withdrawal of the words “whimsical” and “capricious” directed at him.

I’m expecting Afenyo-Markin to withdraw those harsh words in the interest of progress.

In fact, I admire his character to render apology whenever he gets something wrong, and he earns my respect after apologising to Srem-Sai in reference to the nominee’s law firm as ‘Ghana Legal Practice’ instead of ‘General Legal Practice’.

But as I’m looking forward to him withdrawing the words “whimsical” and “capricious”, he is also looking straight into the face of the Chairman and swerves me.

“I will not withdraw. You were whimsical and capricious in the way you overruled my question. I will not withdraw,” he fiercely rebuts.

                                     Bernard Ahiafor, Chairman of Appointments Committee

Ahiafor trots back onto the floor and reiterates his ruling, leaving no doubt in word and deed (notably facial expression) about his frown on the invitation to dance:

“You will not demonstrate any dance,” he tells the nominee, adding, “This is not a demonstration forum. This is Appointments Committee. So I insist that you withdraw the word that I’m being whimsical and capricious”.

This must be vehement attack on the ego of Afenyo-Markin and he does not look enthused about the attendant hilarious atmosphere, parrying the Chairman’s withdrawal order and launching another punch of his own, heavy and straight in the face.

“Chairman, I will not withdraw. I’m sorry. I will not withdraw; you rudely overruled me. I will not withdraw”.

Now, egos have bolted; tolerance and magnanimity have fallen apart, and the centre of the House cannot hold.

Chairman Ahiafor has more rag tags to contend with than just “whimsical” and “capricious,” as he pushes the Minority Leader to withdraw the new tag: “I will again ask that you withdraw the word ‘rudely’”.

But the Minority Leader is unfazed by the stern face of Ahiafor: “Chairman, one more time, I will not withdraw. I’m sorry”.

Then, in a rather commanding tone, Chairman Ahiafor descends on Afenyo-Markin: “Will you withdraw?”

“Chairman, I’m sorry, I will not withdraw,” the Minority Leader stands his grounds.

I’m thinking the Chairman must be more tactful and diplomatic in his (over)ruling.

In fact, the Chairman has failed to tactfully address two previous complaints made by the Ranking Member – one against the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and the other against the Majority Chief Whip.

“The learned Attorney-General knows he is somebody I respect. And I don’t want him to be on this table, when I’m asking questions, he says what is the relevance…. And Chairman, these things must stop. Let’s stop all these side comments and let’s focus. Yoo!”

With such concerns and warning early on, it appears Afenyo-Markin is already pumped-up for sword-crossing.

Now that the Ranking Member, who hails from Winneba, has proven to be a ‘Stubborn Cat’ and will not beat a retreat, I’m wondering what the Chairman, who hails from the Volta Region, will do to this ‘Stubborn Cat’.

Chairman Ahiafor decides to end it all but not without gathering his ruffled authority.

“Well, to demonstrate to you that I am the Chairman of this particular vetting committee that may be your last question”.

He then proceeds to acknowledge the guests who accompanied the nominee to conclude the vetting.

And I also proceed to conclude that the ‘demo’, dance and drama exhibited at the vetting on this fateful day is a big disgrace to Parliament.

Shame!

END

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Writer's Email: kofiyebo@yahoo.com

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