More than a decade ago, Raymond Archer maliciously and intentionally published false stories, stories that could have easily torn families into bits and did ruin a family, for only God knows why, about and against some families in this country.
His story did hurt a family so bad so much it helped ruin the legacy of one of the most industrious sons of our land.
During the chaos, his libelous articles caused, I was advocating for a lot of things against him. From beating him up to suing him. Thank God for elders! Going to jail because of the likes of Raymond for whatever reason is so not worth it.
An elderly statesman gave me one of the best pieces of advice on how and why to ignore provocateurs and diabolical hirelings. I will never forget his words.
These words: “You don’t allow them to court public attention and sympathy.”
Today, I look at Raymond, with his hands on his waist, totally broken, and somehow, despite everything, I feel the pain I don’t want to feel, for him. I am empathizing with him, despite my inhibitions against him.
So if I, a person who knows him to be an incorrigible despicable fellow, is empathizing with him, imagine how others who don’t know about that side of his personality, will be reacting to this incident. Especially when he is bent on utilizing Ghana’s ultimate “get out of jail free card”; Politics!
My point is, granted he ignored verbal notices both written and oral, and the fact that the landowners had/have the right to take over their land, this demolishing could have been done in a manner that wouldn’t have required the landowners to explain themselves and justify their actions to the public.
It could have been done in stages. Yes it is more costly but it can never be as costly as the negative public perception this has created not even about government as an entity but about us as a country.
I know they have already started the #JournalismIsNotACrime mantra. A mantra that conveniently ignores the fact that yes journalism is not a crime, but journalists can be criminals and some indeed are hypocritical crims hiding behind their pens, notepads, and keyboards.
Initial demolition of a small part of the building would have sent home the message that the landowners are serious about their intention to reclaim their property.
It would have also allowed him to remove his equipment (which now he is estimating at $10 million or $12millions).
Most importantly, it would have robbed him of the opportunity to weaponize victim-hood as he is doing now. Sometimes it is in your interest to ignore the antics of a bolshie to expose such a person as the oppugnant they are. Especially, in a country such as ours where the weaponization of political victim-hood is dangerously abused.
This brouhaha could have been avoided and he could have been dealt with differently. Just saying.
Source: Pearl Asiamah
