By Isaac Ato MENSAH
Accra- 15 September, 2018.
The late Ghanaian UN Secretary-General, H.E. Kofi Atta Annan, aged 80, was laid to rest Thursday at the military cemetery in Accra.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
At the outset, it needs be stated that debating any protocol breaches that occurred during the historic 3 day funeral does not make anyone unpatriotic.
So let us begin with the ‘postmortem’ comments by Nana Kofi Brewuo III, head of Kofi Annan’s family.
The head of family has a right to speak and he must be allowed to speak.
But when he does so publically, we also have the right to analyse the merits of the substance of his speech in public.
Let us restate what the head of Kofi Annan’s family said to Akwasi Nsiah of Kasapa FM as reported on www.kasapafmonline.com on 14 September, 2018.
‘We were shocked and sad that not a single Ga chief attended the funeral service when the event was held on their land.
The Ga chiefs didn’t need a special invitation to attend the funeral; it was open to all.
Apart from where the heads of state sat which was strictly by invitation, there was enough space to accommodate other dignitaries, but no Ga chief showed up.
Kofi Annan always resided in Accra whenever he was in Ghana.
Even if the organisers did not invite the Ga chiefs, they could themselves being the custodians of the land ask why they were not invited when the event was to be held on their land.
They could have just called the organisers to inform them that they’ll be coming so that they could be catered for, but unfortunately no Ga chief made any such move.
All the other chiefs who attended the funeral informed the planning committee of their intention to come and so they were properly taken care of by the government.
Even we the family, government took very good care of us.’
Eei! Aaarrgggh! Headache…..!
Let us not proceed to ask too many questions and offend sensibilities further.
Let us take a deep breath; then exhale slowly and count up to 100…..yes, 100.
Let us act with restraint and decorum in the face of extreme provocation.
It is enough to say that Ghana has a State Protocol Department.
If the head of family lost his bearing, what about State Protocol Department?
Should they not have provided direction or even act as gatekeeper for all public statements about the funeral?
CV…….Ambassador Hassan Ahmed….career diplomat for 34 years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ghana which houses the State Protocol Department, was the Chief of Protocol at the Ministry during President Kufuor’s administration, worked with the United Nations, was posted by Ghana government to Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Cuba, Japan, current director of protocol at the Jubilee House, bla bla blab…..
‘Wo nim amamrɛ a wonsɛi amamrɛ’, says the Akan adage, meaning ‘If you know protocol, you will never breach protocol’.
Protocol is a very important public relations function.
In fact, if you’re an individual or an organisation with no guidance on the proper way of doing things, then you will always create a mess and unnecessary turmoil.
Protocol is key in any serious or meaningful activity.
Who doesn’t want to be taken seriously?
PR professionals must always get protocol right as it gives them an advantage over their marketing counterparts, and that can set them apart in their practice.
At this point, there is no need to ask any searching questions to embarrass anybody.
Clearly, amends need to be made and unreserved apologies rendered.
Meanwhile let us project Kofi Annan’s own recorded views about culture to show that he always believed that the proper things must be done.
How will you know what the proper things are?
You must be humble and circumspect; research thoroughly, consult widely and verify again and again.
Kofi Annan wrote in his autobiography titled Interventions,
‘[My father] saw no contradiction in being African in identity and European in outlook; a nationalist as well as a traditionalist, a proponent of political change and upholder of values of respect, dignity, discipline and hardwork’.
In other words, both Kofi Annan and his father had respect for all cultures including Ga culture and traditions.
Kofi Annan would never have breached protocol the way it was done; he was too suave and cultured.
We shall urge Nana Kofi Brewuo III, the late Kofi Annan’s head of family to reflect deeply and consult widely before making any further comments.
After all is said and done, Wulɔmɛi, Ga chiefs and Ga Family Heads have not said anything; they have watched quietly all the protocol breaches on their land; they have maintained the peace.
So all the chiefs, civil servants both local and international, and politicians should just go back home safely and reflect on the paradox of Kofi Annan’s life; ‘African in identity, European in outlook’.
Is it not ironic that at the funeral of the man who headed the UN – including the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as well as the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) there were serious elementary cultural protocol breaches?
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