Reflecting on Serwaa Broni’s Questions and the Headache of forming a Campaign Team 

 

I stopped watching, switched my phone off, covered my head with a blanket and asked myself how could a president open himself up this cheaply!!! After a second thought, I relaxed and said to myself, a leader is as good as the people he surrounds himself with.

The NPP in the 2016 elections were so desperate, they pounced on anything for campaign. They were all over the place shouting PAPANU, referring to a comment a celebrity made about her baby daddy who got her a house. I have a better understanding now of the proverbial kejetia thief, who will be the first to start beating a caught thief.

Serwah Broni mentioned some kejetia thieves in her interview. Karma is really on a mission, Hope it finds them well.

Let anyone who thinks he is standing take heed lest he falls, as I humbly share some few lessons I learnt from her interview last night.

YOU NEED A TIWAA ADDO DANQUAH IN YOUR TEAM

Many have wondered how fast Tiwaa Addo Danquah have been promoted multiple times under Nana Addo. She has played her part as a cleaning house for the president. Though she may not be on top of her game, and has been caught on camera a few times. You can’t blame her too much, it is frustrating to work under some principals. New day, new trouble.

Rely on professionals not family and friends

Friends and family may be the first line of support for any endeavor, but remember there are trained people to handle delicate endeavors. Engage them, rather than engaging loud mouths, who pretend they can solve every problem, but later use your weaknesses as bargaining chips. The more family and friends surround you, the higher the tendency to relax security provisions and arrangements.

Solve all problems

There are people in a team who will call people’s bluffs, and dare others. Drop them. They will not suffer the consequences of their action but you. Their names may never even come up but yours. As much as possible, settle all issues.

Choose your handlers carefully

I felt embarrassed,when Serwah Broni said the people who were chosen to clean the mess of the president, were taking facilitation fees along the chain of delivery, who does this? Knowing the neck of your principal is on the line?

After the embarrassing cash for seat saga, it appears the crop of young men around the presidency have not learnt any lessons. They are just money making machines with no principles. Business as usual.

Your financiers must be solid people not Jokers

All that glitters are not gold. Some are noisy metals. Though the negotiated amount is not known, it’s disappointing for some so called rich names that Serwah Broni mentioned could look on for things to get this far. couldn’t they have put up a team to clear the bill of their principal? But you hear them shouting on air, as if without them, the world will come to an end.

Honesty pays

I may be wrong on this, especially when I have never been a big man before, but I don’t know how difficult it is to say I messed up, I got this wrong, giving the opportunity I will not do this or that this way. I thought that makes us more human. Lies has only been a short term tool. It can be so distractive in the long run. See how Bawumia is struggling to remain relevant because of lies.

I intentionally didn’t respond to the actions and inactions of the principal. Character is very important, it is like pregnancy, it can never be hidden. The principal is like an old dog with no morals, you can’t teach him any new trick. With this in mind, the bulk of the job stops with his handlers.

It may be a privilege to be close to big men/women, but the faster we understand it’s a whole job of trust and confidence, the better it will be.

Before you ask to be a part of someones campaign team, find out what you are bringing on. It’s not enough to just add up to the numbers.

Before you criticize someone’s action in a team, first appreciate his role in protecting his principal. There are more to campaigns than meets the eyes.

The character of a principal may be extremely bad, but trust a good team to handle him.

If you have a loved ones in places of authority, pray for them. It is a difficult space to occupy, even with our little positions in the branches, constituencies, region and national with no salaries!!! Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life.

For the lies the NPP perpetrated against us, I would have said it serves them right, but I won’t, but rather pray for better days ahead.

Kun fa Yakun

By Godwin Ako Gunn