Don’t let your body language prove your critics right – Manasseh advises Akufo-Addo

Award-winning investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has expressed disappointment over President Akufo-Addo’s public snubbing of former President Mahama, advising the President to not let his body language especially in public, prove his critics right.

This is in reaction to a widely circulated video in which President Akufo-Addo is seen heartily greeting other dignitaries except former President Mahama who he shakes hands with briefly and in a manner deemed hostile at the maiden edition of the Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum Wednesday, September 4, 2019.

The redoubtable journalist is full of praise for former President Mahama, describing him as a “true gentlemen.”

“I was one of the fiercest critics of President Mahama but he treated me as if I had never said anything bad about him. He is what one would call a true gentleman,” he underscores.

Mr Azure observes that since politicians are not enemies, they should show their followers that politics is not an “all-die-be-die” affair, heaping praises on them for having excelled at showing us that they are not enemies.

However, he finds the action of the President – snubbing former President Mahama at a public function– unfortunate.

Critics of the President have often criticised him as “vindictive and violent” and Mr Azure argues that the President body language may go to validate this criticism.

Full write up as written on Facebook below

Once upon a time, when John Dramani Mahama was president of the Republic of Ghana, his encounters with fiercest political rivals at public functions were very heartwarming. The men and women who used to call him all manner of names received very warm welcomes and social media used to buzz with these pictures with the advice to followers of the two main parties that politics was not war.

I was one of the fiercest critics of President Mahama but he treated me as if I had never said anything bad about him. He is what one would call a true gentleman.

Generally, our politicians are not enemies. They are not supposed to be. They have opposing views and interests, but when they meet, they should show those of us following them that politics is not an “all-die-be-die” affair. And generally, our top politicians (both NDC and NPP) have played this game to the admiration of their followers.

It is for this reason that I find the video of President Akufo-Addo’s snubbing of former President Mahama at a public function unfortunate. In the short video clip, which is being widely circulated on WhatsApp, President Akufo-Addo is seen happily greeting dignitaries at the Kofi Annan Peace Conference. When former President Mahama stretches his hand, the President gives him the kind of attitude you would give a man who slept with your girlfriend last night.

This is not the way to go, Mr. President. Don’t let your body language, especially in the public, prove your critics right. A friendly act may not be part of your KPI, but it does help to lower the ever-rising political temperature.