EMAIL TO AN OVERSEAS FRIEND!

Of course you are absolutely right on both counts, Ohemaa. Democracy, with all its faults, is the best system of government known to man - and the yearning for freedom is universal: it beats in the hearts of Africans, no less strongly, than it beats in the hearts of people of other races. Kenya looms large in my thinking, these days - for, this is an election year, here, too. And the situation there, before the post-election violence, bears an uncanny resemblance, to our own situation, here.


The party in power, has favoured one particular tribal Chief, a man whose overweaning ambition and megalomania, offends many fair-minded people in our country - because of his meddling in affairs of state, at the highest levels. The impression one gets, is that as far as the few tribal supremacists (our local version of the odious white supremacists of the Western world!), who dominate the ruling party are concerned, no other traditional ruler matters in our country - a nation of diverse ethnicity. Then there is the unfathomable greed of our ruling elite - which has produced such huge disparities in wealth, in our country.


That beautiful nation could disintegrate if Odinga and Kibaki don't rise above selfish ambition. Most of the other tribes feel excluded and resent the domination of the Kikuyu. I feel particularly sad about the turn of events there, because I lived there for a period, during the late 70's, and have an affinity for Kenyans.


Such has been the rape of our nation by our ruling elites over the years, that ordinary Ghanaians must take drastic measures, if necessary, to ensure that our oil wealth is used for the sole purpose of bringing about social transformation, in our homeland Ghana. The regime in power today has tried to divide our nation, with its blatant and shameful tribalism - because it sees that as a useful weapon to help it stay in power.


But if it were to try to repeat the events that have led to the tragedy we see playing out in Kenya, in order to enable it hang on to power, or conversely, if the opposition NDC were to resort to violence, in order to deny whichever political party, won a majority of the votes in truly free and fair elections, from assuming power, there are enough patriotic young military officers, who will step in to save our country from being set alight, by the greedy ambitions of the hypocritical men and women, who have excersised power since 1992, and many of whom seem to think ordinary Ghanaians are fools. Hmmm, Ohemaa, let either the ruling NPP or opposition NDC, dare try to toy with the lives of ordinary people, by engaging in a violent fight for political power, after the coming elections in December - and "we will see!" ( as local parlance has it.)


And neither will we allow either of them to fritter away our oil wealth either, under any circumstances. We will never allow the windfall that our oil deposits represent, to enrich just a powerful few - the very people whose selfishness, dishonesty and greedy ambitions, has resulted in the impoverishment of Ghanaians and their beloved nation, over the years, since Nkrumah's overthrow, in 1966. Period.


Ordinary people don't want much, Ohemaa - all the average Ghanaian wants is decent and affordable accommodation; access to efficient and reliable utility services; an environment in which public safety is assured; decent and well-paid jobs; access to education and health-care; the right to live in peace in a nation devoid of political violence; and to be citizens of a nation in which officialdom is held accountable: both the career civil servant and elected politician varieties, i.e.


My initial reaction to your previous email was crafted in rapid-fire time - and might have been couched in intemperate language, I agree. But it did inspire the latest posting on my blog, Ohemaa - for which I am eternally grateful to you. A muse is always a treasure for a writer - even one living in far away England!


You must always remember that Africans have no illusions about Chinese intentions - and in their outrageous racism, they are no different, from those who colonised Africa, all those centuries ago and drew arbitrary boundary lines, which dismembered tribal homelands: and turned members of the same extended families, into the citizens of different nations.


The importance of China to the African who thinks, is that they offer investment in infrastructure, on terms we will never get from those Western nations that have made us empty promise after empty promise, in countless G8 summit pledges, which never materialise.


For the thinking African, adding value to the continent's raw materials, by setting up joint-ventures with the very best of the Chinese companies, is the way forward. Ghana, for example, has ambitions to regain its position as the world's number one cocoa producer.

However, thinking Ghanaians would rather that instead of exporting 1 million tonnes of cocoa beans, we struck deals with the Chinese to set up as many processing plants as are needed to add value to the cocoa here, and help get a surplus in our balance of payments, that way.


And rather than getting the Shells and ExxonMobils to rip us off, as the gold mining companies have done over the many decades they have taken wealth out of our country, we would rather our nation set up joint venture deals between our state-owned oil company and China's state-owned oil companies - and get better value from our oil that way.


Gold has been mined here for centuries, yet to date, none of the towns in the gold mining areas of Ghana remotely looks anything like Johannesburg. We will not let foreigners profit from the windfall that our oil deposits represent - and walk away when it is finally depleted: with Ghanaians and their nation, having nothing to show for it.


Ohemaa, we are pitted against a soulless monster, called Capitalism that has not an ounce of pity in it, as its seeks to satisfy the unfathomable greed that drives it. It has charm in abundance in the shape of the smiling Tony Blairs, charming EU presidents, and the countless smoothtalking carpetbaggers, out to seek their fortunes at our expense , by ripping Africa off - but none of the antics of neo-colonialism, fools the thinking African.


Never underestimate Africa and Africans, Ohemaa - the South African Boers, who believed they were the masters of the universe, and thought we were mere draft animals, put on this earth to serve them, no longer hold sway there. We (the thinking Africans!) will prevail in the end - and the African Renaissance will benefit all of humankind - not just Africans: for, we are neither selfish nor racist, as a people.


Stay blessed, dear friend, and write again, when you are not too busy!


Warmest regards,


Kofi.