Kofi Bentil: The Chamber Pot Seller

Kofi Bentil’s credibility and reputation have suffered a severe dent in the past few months. The opprobrium and ridicule he has brought upon himself are like a Kumbungu man being floored at the market square by a pregnant woman. The shame is the talk of the town!

As someone who genuinely admires his depth on many national conversations, I feel truly flummoxed by his degeneration into an internet hashtag, trolled unabatedly for his dishonest and toddler-like attempts to gaslight Ghanaians. As a matter of fact, Bentil is in a rabbit hole, excavating the hard earth to arrive at novel ideas to market Dr. Bawumia as a credible candidate to Ghanaians. And that’s how his credibility too is fast depleting, for some of his kindergarten examples and scenarios cast doubt on the intellectual capacity of Ghanaians.

Let me burst Bentil’s bubbles with a popular Dagbani saying. “Kuraba yuli puŋ saɣila di malibu shee,” loosely translated as “the name of a chamber pot is already spoiled at its point of manufacture.” I know Bentil would not like his freshly prepared jollof to be served in a new chamber pot, but he wants Ghanaians to serve their mandate in Bawumia, whose very “point of manufacture” is no different from the chamber pot. Does Bentil think that Ghanaians wash their face upwards?

Does Bentil truly believe that his Bawumia can probe and prosecute all the gory and obscene scandals that happened under the government in which he was the vice president? Look, if Bawumia is not a criminal protagonist of all the Ivy League corruption in this NPP government, then he is certainly an accomplice. An abettor! Or a friend whose silence, in the voice of MLK, Ghanaians will remember come December 7.

Anyone trying to separate Bawumia from the NPP government or the NPP government from Bawumia is like trying to extract sunlight from daylight. Bentil should respect Ghanaians and come to terms with the fact that not everyone in his social media circle is an NPP foot soldier. Bentil, if you care to know, Bawumia is the second gentleman of the land, the chairman of the police council, and the chair of the economic management team (he even boasted about its solid membership). How can you be so disingenuous to say that a mere minister has more veto power than him? This is so bambino-ish.

Again, how convenient to attribute every positive thing to Bawumia but quick to separate him from the grand failures of this government. Inflation up, Ken Ofori-Atta and his mafia! Inflation down, the knowledgeable Bawumia! For instance, the first computer was made in 1945 (two decades before the birth of baby Bawumia), but today Bentil and his kindred are behaving as if Bawumia assembled the first computer in Ghana.

It is important to state that Bawumia is nothing but a paper tiger and he has nothing new to offer Ghanaians. If he had anything game-changing, he would see to it to boost his chances of being elected as the President of Ghana by Ghanaians. Besides delivering utopian lectures, throwing shades, and setting questions he can’t answer himself, Bawumia is a classic NATO (No Action, Talk Only).

Even if Bentil were to attend Harvard and return with dual Master’s degrees in marketing expired goods, he would still struggle to promote Bawumia as a credible and competent leader capable of steering Ghana out of the quagmire he has actively contributed to pushing the nation into.

By the way, Bentil should glance behind himself. The circle that once placed their trust in Akufo-Addo and Bawumia to lead Ghana to prosperity has been deeply disillusioned. Some among them have even offered sincere apologies to President John Dramani Mahama. Presently, certain members of this circle, who are benefiting from this administration, hesitate to endorse Bawumia as the saviour. Even your own IMANI associates doubt Bawumia’s ability to bring about any meaningful change. You’ve been criticised by your peers in the CSO community. You’ve become the poster child of Bawumia’s dirty laundry. Don’t you feel embarrassed in your futile attempts to treat erectile dysfunction with paracetamol?

Kofi Bentil, I wish you well in your chamber pot business. However, I can assure you that it will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to separate Bawumia from NPP failures, and then proceed to sell him as the Second Coming we have all been waiting for.

By Hanan-Confidence Abdul