Attempts to disrupt the de facto two-party system in the fourth republic of Ghana have led to many political party symbolisms from the cock to the broom, and now it seems to be the turn of the afofanto –the butterfly.
Ghana’s political landscape has seen countless attempts to break down the duopoly of the New Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in its 30-year uninterrupted democratic experiment. As it turned out, the elephant of the NPP and the umbrella of the NDC have proven worthy rivals who weed out any unwanted grass.
On the fateful day of 5th September 2023, when the former Trade Minister, timelessly to be remembered in the Ghanaian political terrain as Alan Cash, withdrew from the November 4th Delegates Conference of his party, apart from the disappointment he blessed his ardent followers with, he put the political gardeners into the suspense of his future in the country’s politics.
Many analysts guessed he might negotiate for a role in the 2025 – 2029 NPP government if they won the 2024 General Elections. Some too believed he might as well repeat his 2008 blunder of resignation which many have earmarked as his political suicide day.
Though some believed he might as well run as an independent candidate after resigning, the idea was not strongly a viable option considering his deep roots in the NPP and his six-year service under the Akufo-Addo government.
Fast forward, and to the nation’s surprise, he resigned from the elephant family. Then announced his decision to run as an independent candidate. As though it was not enough morsel for the throat of the young democracy, he formed a quasi-party, the Movement for Change which he says is only a political organization and not a party.
Not a party, Mr. Kyerematen?
Yes, of course, he, could not call it a party when his basis of running for the highest office of the land is that political parties have failed the country hence his independent run.
Like any institution, symbolisms are no mere identifiers. They carry meanings, meanings that encapsulate the pursuits of the entity, its values, its strength, and sometimes what spiritual force protects that entity.
As an Akan, Mr. Kyerematen well understands that more than anyone else. Akans clans bear very strong symbolisms. It is therefore critical to take a critical look at the symbolism of the butterfly and how it may turn out in the future of Ghanaian politics.
The choice of the Monarch Butterfly has caught the attention of many Ghanaians. Over the week following the unveiling of his political organization and the butterfly, Kojo Antwi’s love song Afofanto musical piece has enjoyed free promotion across the media landscape in Ghana.
The song speaks of the enticing nature of the butterfly, stemming from the beauty of the animal. This is very true, looking at the colorful orange and black wings of the butterfly species. The monarch’s wings are structured to naturally warn predators of the insect what a bad taste it is. This has been the defense mechanism of the monarch butterfly.
In the same light, could the choice of a butterfly mean that Mr. Kyerematen is warning his former party of what a bad taste he is if they continue to attack him? The entire essence of his message upon his resignation and the particular choice of the butterfly from the party was to say he had been shortchanged after waiting in line for over 28 years.
However, what has kept many Ghanaians’ minds busy is how long the butterfly survives the predacious politics of the country. The records of breakaways don’t seem to have good prospects, so far. Will the butterfly surprise the political world in Ghana and win power in the 2024 general elections?
For most political analysts, the best the butterfly will do is to live long enough to push the general elections into a second round. Then who will the butterfly support in the second round?
Will the butterfly choke the elephant through its trunk or disturb the holders of the umbrella?
Certainly, the butterfly may not live long enough like the elephant and the umbrella, but while it lives it has a chance to leave a mark on Ghana’s political landscape, one history may never forget. Afofanto – The butterfly may turn out to be the most remembered symbolism of a third force in Ghana’s politics.
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