I was utterly convinced with the wise sayings of Socrates who contended that “Ordinary people seem not to realize that those who really apply themselves in the right way to philosophy are directly and of their own accord preparing themselves for dying and death”. Many are the political friends of the late Hon Kwadwo Baah Wiredu , Minister of Finance, who did not understood the philosophy of this man as he serve his nation with total honesty and humility.
A member of parliament he was and rightly deserved in all terms to be called Honorable. I was astounded by praises from the various political parties in the country expressing the shock and sorrow for the Ex-Minister of Finance who passed away to join his ancestors far away in a strange land yes Mandela’s South Africa.
Yes, even the leading opposition party in Ghana, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) whose sees nothing good about the NPP lead administration never missed words describing the late Kwadwo Baah Wiredu as a man of Integrity.
It is believe by some section of society that most ministers serving under the Kufour government have amassed huge wealth for themselves both at home and overseas and should any misfortune happens to them they would not be shown any compassion or empathy. But in the case of Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, because of his philosophy that one must serve his nation whole heartedly without taken undue opportunity of the system he served under to steal and loot state coffers. He was hale as a hero and an outstanding statesman by a cross section of Ghanaians and foreigners for his exemplary role he played in government when he was alive.
This is the man I have met personally and interacted with on several occasion, this is the man who really stand tall among his contemporaries, and this is the man who believe in the fundamental rights of every human being.
“We are in fact convinced that if we are ever to have pure knowledge of anything, we must get rid of the body and contemplate things by themselves with the soul by itself. It seems, to judge from the argument, that the wisdom which we desire and upon which we profess to have set our hearts will be attainable only when we are dead and not in our lifetime”… Socrates.
I strongly believe the late Kwadwo Baah Wiredu have had chance of reading this wise saying of Socrates when he was alive and that might have convinced and influenced him to live a selfless life which will forever be a legacy worth emulating by all sons and daughters of our great country, Ghana.
It is my hope that some day, in Jehovah’s promised new world, Kwadwo would be raised back to life again under a new government where death, sickness and pain will be no more.
1 comment:
Baah Wiredu tried to bring my dead laptop to life!
Kwadwo Baah Wiredu was a gentleman and honourable.I met him while covering Parliament for Radio Ghana many years back, when the NPP was a minority party in the House.
He never had problems with the media. He was hard working, built himself up in Parliamentary work.
I had to do some some work at the State House many years after leaving the House. It was only a handful of the old MP's I could recognise me. Most of the old ones did not make me out. It is understandable because of the long years I spent out of the out of the Press Gallery and he lobby of Parliament as a Parliamentary correspondent. The large number of people MP's meet, one should not expect them to remember every face and name.
So, when I was at State House that sunny day, I was not expecting the most MP's and staff to recognise me. In fact, some of us enjoy anonymity and love walking by without being seen or heard. But on that sunny day at the precincts of Parliament, when I did not want to be seen or heard, no less a person than Honourable Baah Wiredu did see me and called me. I had walked several meters away from his parked car. (He might have been reading something on his car). I impulsivley asked him 'Honourable, so you could remember my name all these years?'
'Why not, Kumah Drah?, he asked with a radiant smile.
As we parted I remembered how helpful he was to me many years ago. I had bought my first used laptop from a visiting African America which went dead. Mr Baah Wiredu was so concerned that he took the machine for diagnosis. Though the machine never came back to life, I appreciated what he did in trying to help me or empower me 'ictcally'
Nice guy, Ghana's ICT would always rememeber him. He was quite instrumental in MIT Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child Programme in Ghana.
May he rest in peace.
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