Critics have slammed President Akufo Addo for his quick condolence to the Buckingham Palace over the death of 99-year-old Prince Philip when he has refused to acknowledge the unprecedented number of people who died during the December 2020 elections that saw him declared President.
Barely 24 hours after the announcement of the death of the Duke of Edinburg, had the President taken to his social media handle to consol the British Royal Family and claiming that the deceased royal had a positive impact on Ghana.
“…Over 750,000 young Ghanaians have benefitted from the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, the great initiative he established in 1956, 65 years ago, to unearth talents amongst young people the world over,” President Akufo Addo wrote.
He added: “The British people have lost a redoubtable public servant, and we wish him peaceful rest in the bosom of the Almighty until the Last Day of the Resurrection when we shall all meet again.”
However, on his comment feed to the post, angry Ghanaians called him out for what they call a colonially enslaved mentality, particularly his curious silence over several deaths in the past few months, including that of a 10-year-old who murdered by desperate teenagers who have been driven into the act by poverty caused by economic hardship blamed on his government.
“Joker!” one commentator fired. Another wrote: “8 unarmed Ghanaians were gunned down in cold blood by your military under your watch…When will you find your voice in accounting to those you serve.”
Another one noted: “Why are you quick to console foreigners before your own people?…innocent lives were lost during the elections at Techiman South, not even words of condolence from you…”
In April 2019, President Akufo Addo exhibited a similar altitude that Ghanaians describe as a betrayal. He was quick to console France for the fire that engulfed the Notre Dame Cathedral, a symbol of oppression and torture by the Catholic Church.
However, just a few days before the Notre Dame Fire, over seven (7) people had died from flooding in Accra caused by torrential rains. Not a single word of consolation emanated from the Presidency, sparking angry criticisms aimed at the President.
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, has been a symbol in Ghana’s colonialism and has been criticised worldwide for his racist and cringe-worthy utterances.
Unlike the glowing eulogy showered on him by President Akufo Addo, a lot
of people globally regard him as not being particularly a “people’s man” for his statements clearly displays his prejudices against people from other
countries
For instance, he is quoted famously as asking an Indigenous Australian Elder during a visit in 2002, “Do you still throw spears at each other?”In another instance, he told a British
exchange student studying in China. “If you stay here much longer, you’ll all be slitty-eyed.”
In 2003, he famously cast a snide remark about Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo’s flowing traditional dress “Agbada”, the tone-death Duke of Edinburg described the dress saying it looked as though President Olusegun was going to bed.