Several times on several media platforms have the issue of the right age of a person being a president of Ghana been played. This was intensified ever since Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo declared his intention to contest the presidential elections in 2016. Statements were made and insinuations were cast as to the reasons why an aged president is not only good for the NPP but also the corporate entity, Ghana. It is based on this that I begin my short article on the irrelevancy of age in who becomes a president and at what age the presidency will better serve a person or vice versa. History and relative current events will therefore be my guide in this regard.
My first point of reference is Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal. Wade, born in 1926 contested his first elections as a president in 1974. After repeated defeats, he finally won the presidency at the astonishing age of 74 in the year 2000. I mean the advance and aged age of 74! This was significantly his fifth trial for the presidency. President Wade successfully served two terms and was finally defeated in 2012. Many Senegalese consider him one of their greatest post-colonial presidents if not the greatest.
Another point of reference is the home of modern democracy, the USA. In 1980, a 70 year old man not only won the Republican candidacy but also the US presidency. This old man, Ronald Reagan, born in 1911 successfully served his first term and was re-elected in 1984. In 1989, he handed-over power to H.W Bush.
Still in the US, had Senator McCain won the presidency in 2008, he would have won presidency at the young age of 72. Though he lost the elections, my main input is the fact that throughout the campaign, the issue of age did not play any significant role. In fact it was irrelevant and immaterial. Had it not been the unnecessary, reckless and costly invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, Senator McCain will have been the president of the US by now.
Similarly, Jacob Zuma won the presidency of South Africa in 2009 at the age of 67. Though he did not reach the 70mark then, he is now over that age and still kicking. He won the elections because he suffered and struggled a lot for the ANC and South Africa. Despite the challenges of the presidency and his problems with Julius Malema, the former ANC vibrant Youth Organiser, he is still adored by many South Africans.
Also in South Africa is the legendary Nelson Mandela. After his imprisonment, he won the South African presidency at the young age of 76. He ruled peacefully and gracefully, establishing peace and unity among the various races hence, the RAINBOW nation.
Equally significant is Mohandas karamchand Gandhi, the revered Indian freedom fighter and leader of the Indian Independence Movement. He led this movement until he was assassinated at the young age of 78 in 1948. He is undoubtedly the greatest peace icon of the 20th Century and perhaps the early parts of the 21st Century.
These are the few among the many uncountable presidents I discovered won elections in their old age. Equally significant is the fact that they ruled with determined will and achieved astonishing successes for their parties and governments.
The NPP in reality should have capitalized on this golden opportunity and market Nana Addo effectively with it, after all, didn?t our people say, old age is a sign of wisdom?
Those systematically attacking Nana Addo?s age should rather concentrate on issues and think of what to say or do to market their candidate(s) instead of attacking irrelevantly the age of Nana Addo. In fact, they are giving unhealthy ammunition to the clueless and uncaring NDC government whose specialized gifts are lies, mischief and as they themselves call it, PROPAGANDA.
I shall In Sha Allah be back??
Fuseini Abdul-Fatawu
Acting Secretary of Young Patriots in the Sissalaland and a NPP Polling Station executive
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