Irony of Life: The Story of Speaker Alban Bagbin and Hon Andrew Asiamah
The eighth Parliament of the 4th Republic was inaugurated on 7th January, 2021. I shall ignore all the disgraceful acts that bedeviled the process of the election of the Speaker.
After all the shenanigans, Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin – a the longest serving Member of Parliament (MP) was elected as the Speaker of the House. Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu, Member of Parliament for the Bekwai constituency as the first Deputy Speaker and an independent Member of Parliament for the Fomena constituency who comes from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) stock as the second Deputy Speaker.
Now consider the irony of life. The current Speaker somehow worked under the then and current first Deputy Speaker and the two of them served the immediate past Speaker, Prof Mike Oquaye.
Today, Bagbin has become the boss of Joseph Osei Owusu and the third most important person in the country according to the constitution of the Republic. Irony of Life.
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Hon Andrew Asiamah, the 2nd Deputy Speaker, who was sacked by the outgone Speaker now occupies the seat as the third in command in our legislative House. He is also the most needed MP in our Parliament. Irony of Life.
We should all learn lessons from what happened in Parliament on the 7th of January, 2021.
Hon Asiamah, never gave up even when his party and the Parliament disowned him, he didn’t scatter his dream. He pursued it. He was confident that he would retain his seat, because he believed he had served his constituents well and that they would reward him and they did exactly so.
Hon Bagbin contested John Dramani Mahama for the National Democratic Congress Presidential slot, he sadly lost to Mahama. He did not lament, disown himself, he moved on and today his tolerance and patience had also paid off. Allah is indeed great.
Position is not possession.
You occupy today, you leave the next time.
Some of our current Members of Parliament replaced others, they should remember that they may/would be replaced tomorrow. They should therefore eschew arrogance and other forms of misconduct. Humility should be the watchword.
Don not give up. Have faith in yourself. Resist the temptations of pessimists. Pursue your dream and believe in your Creator.
The permanent position possessor is Almighty Allah and every homo sapien is a temporary occupier of the seat.
Therefore, put your faith, trust and belief in Him. (Almighty).
He will never disappoint you.
The stories of Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin and Andrew Asiamah should guide us all.
No condition is permanent.
He is the master of all.
Life is truly an echo.
By Ahmed Osumanu Halid
Nima 441
