Guest Columnist
Mahama and I, By Dele Momodu
The most frequently asked question is what’s my interest in Ghana? My first encounter with Ghana was on July 25, 1995, the day I escaped from Nigeria and started my journey into exile. Before then, I had read about Ghana in the writings of Kwame Nkrumah, Ayi Kwei Armah, Kofi Awoonor, Ama Ata Aidoo, Kofi Anyidoho and others. I landed late evening in Accra and was stunned by the level of development and peace that I saw. I instantly fell in love with this former Gold Coast, a country that provided safe havens for Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Professor Wole Soyinka, Fela Anikulapo Kuti and others at different times…
I spent three nights here and managed to trace my good friend, FRITZ BAFFOUR, who had once upon a time lived and made a big name in Nigeria. He took me out to exciting places including the military officers mess near the airport. He also accompanied me through the Kotoka International Airport as I bid farewell to Ghana and headed to London for the next three years (1995-98).
It is noteworthy that PRESIDENT JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS was in power and his reign had witnessed a lot of infrastructure development and cultural revolution. He had clamped down on corruption and indiscipline and this had attracted adulation or opprobrium, depending on how it affected you… I LOVED Rawlings and promised to come back. I found an African country that I labelled LITTLE EUROPE. And I committed myself to using my modest media power to promote her best interests.
Ovation International magazine was my reward from God for the excruciating pains of exile, from 1996 to date.
Fast forward, I came back to Ghana years later and worked actively with various governments (NDC and NPP alike) and the people of Ghana, via a blistering media campaign that opened up, and projected, this great country as a destination of choice for investors and tourists…
Finally, I’m not a contractor. If I needed contracts, ABUJA is the biggest place to be. My love for MAHAMA is predicated on his humility, character and competence… It has nothing to do with pecuniary gains. I survived the last eight years in Nigeria and Ghana by dint of hard work and God’s mercy.
May his tribe increase in AFRICA…