John Mahama, a Hero I have never met – Maame Afia Densua

When I think to write on person whom I like much, then it takes time. I find I have limited word stock or somehow my write-up doesn’t touch me. I am going through the same situation since yesterday after watching that short video of the former President.

I never had the opportunity to meet him personally when he was the President of the Ghana. I just have the opportunity to observe him from afar. To many of us, he is a very dynamic leader. But whoever had the scope to meet him personally they have explained his personal qualities in many ways. Some of them describes him as a man with a pleasant personality who always remain as the main source of inspiration. Some describe him a very simple and caring person. To some people, he is the last human being who can stand beside them at their well and woe. He is the one to whom we can express and explain, Yes, he is our honorable former president John Mahama. A great personality who is helping us to dream and achieve.

While teaching our kids, we usually introduce to them the Global leaders. We talk about them, bring their leadership qualities to our kids for them to like and follow them. Our former president has now reached such status whom we should highlight to our kids and future leaders. We may have a different ideology and political values, but as a leader and personality, our former president is distinct from others and he achieved the love through his work and personality.

He is a visionary leader, very forward-looking in nature. I personally like his boldness in taking action. We talk about determination and the former president can be the best example here. I have never seen to lose his determination when he decides to take any initiative or action.

Also, timely action is another mentionable trait found in the former president. We heard a lot that a true leader creates a new leader. In Ghana perspective, the young generation has been found very reluctant to know the politics. But with the personal qualities, he won the heart of the young section of the population. Accordingly, he brought the young generation in Government, empowered the youth, placed the women in important leadership roles. He made a combination of young and experienced leaders in his cabinet which is a very rare quality in Ghana.

Emotional Intelligence: A leader must have the emotional intelligence to keep unity and motivate the general people. His down to earth mentality touched and touching many hearts. From kids to the youth population, from general people to intellectual population, everyone like him, can share with him or embrace him with deep love and respect.

Despite his busy schedule, he manages time to learn through constant interaction with Ghanaians. Those who watched his video last night will attest to that.

His charismatic leadership traits have been praised highly in all sector of human development. His popularity has exceeded the national boundary. During his reign, I didn’t need to explain what/where is Ghana while I traveled abroad, I didn’t face unwarranted immigration question, whereas it was the most asked question in other countries.

Mr John Mahama, who has already been adjudged as global icon, earned much appreciation and laurels from world leaders in different international platforms, as they saw in him the rare quality of freeing the once basket case Ghana from poverty and perennial power crisis state to turn it into a golden country with constant and excess power. What was beyond the imagination of the people of Ghana is now a reality only because of Mr Mahama’s government.

The common people across the country will continue to commend him for a tremendous success of his administration in the power sector as load shedding and perennial power crisis, is no more in both rural and urban areas. His government extended electricity to the villages. The villages normally die soon after the dusk into darkness of the night, but the score has now changed as most of the households remain alive at night in rural Ghana. The government under the bold and visionary leadership by the former president progressed towards materialising its targeted vision along with turning the country into a digital Ghana.

Interacting with the people of Asuogyman, the former president showed leadership and command over the issues the fisherfolks and the inhabitants raised and gave them hope.

The common people of the country have expressed their expectation that former president John Mahama should come back, run Ghana further tenure to develop and reach the country in a prestigious position. Restrictions or no restrictions, opened or closed borders, we will be in Ghana this December to vote for the man whose policies and personality have projected Ghana across the world. The new normal as a result of the covid-19 pandemic demands normal leaders.

Author: Maame Afia Densua

Minnesota, US