OF SILENCE AND SOLITARY: LESSONS FROM ‘MY FIRST COUP D’ETAT’

‘‘My brothers, you are on your own.’’ This is how it ended. Yes, a chapter that compelled me to renounce my reading rule of not repeating a chapter while reading a book for the first time, especially when it is voluminous.

Indubitably, that chapter had made a profound impression on me and as a way of compensating for a well-articulated piece, I was left with no option than to re-read the entire chapter much to the flouting of my own reading convention.

The chapter which is contained in President John Dramani Mahama’s ‘My first coup detat,’ shares an emotional story of three close friends whose courage and personalities got challenged, coming face-to-face with a bully, a dark and stoutly built bush boy of a rich cocoa farmer.

Subtitled, ‘of silence and solitary,’ the chapter tells the story of how a sincere show of solidarity, support and companionship turns into a vicious cycle of emotional and physical abuse.

In the story we are told that Ezra, a green-horn , had taken an undue advantage of the civility of his colleagues, making undue demands on them and using blatant force to whip them into submission.

How these three friends, Dramani, Agyemang and David will stand the ferry darts of an abusive figure in Ezra, is a tale that holds immense lessons for all and sundry.
Ezra’s abusive posturing will not be challenged until he issues a fiat aimed at pillaging the afternoon snacks of his mates. In keeping with his decree, each one of the 9 room-mates were expected to line up with their afternoon snacks for further direction any time they went for it.

While not much was said about how six of the 9 mates planned to scheme their way out of the quagmire, enough was told about how three close pals, Dramani Agyemang and David, confronted the challenge of redeeming themselves from the shackles of impunity.

After several close-door meetings, the three pals resolved to vary the fiat as issued by Ezra. As the rebel leader, Dramani, takes the bull by the horn. He bites into his afternoon snack, in flagrant disregard to Ezra’s fiat.

When he turns to his two other pals seeking similar action, they disappointedly, flinch at carrying out their own resolution. They would not, unfortunately, partake in an act of rebellion against their abuser.
Dramani is betrayed. The cowards in his rebellion thug could not stand up to be counted. As expected, he will be punished for positively defying the fiat of an abuser.
On the second day, the drama of the first day was repeated. Indeed, the actors had kept their roles of the previous day. The abuser had not departed from his hideous ways. The rebel leader, Dramani, is again beaten for his persistence and intransigence. The cowards will still baulk at the implications of incurring the wrath of their abuser and will consequently abandon their leader at the sight of Ezra.
On the third day, however, the story was different for one person. Aware of the implications of Dramani’s continuous rebellion on his authority and control over his eight other subjects, he smartly exempts young Dramani from his diabolic and abusive scheme, granting him full autonomy over he did with his snack.
As the David ,Agyemang and the other roommates file pass him to present their snacks to Ezra in line of his dictates, Dramani, could not hold his breath but intimate: ‘‘My brothers, you are on your own’’.

Idyllically, Agyemang, ’Savior of society’, could have lived up to the import of his name in order to save his other colleagues, but out of fear and doubt, he flinched at doing same. He ended up betraying trust and eating up his own words when the bellows of an abuser rolled.

Again, in biblical times, the story of young David is one that many Christian have taken cover and drew inspiration as they battle the vicissitude of life. How a young boy could defeat an abuser, Goliath, is a tale that heaves relief into the lives of many who are confronted by similar fate. Ironically, the David in Dramani’s rebellion fold could not also live up to the import of his name. Unlike Dramani, David will allow nervousness, fear and doubt to leprous him from throwing the stone of justice at the Goliath that they had in Ezra.

LESSONS
Is there a lesson to be learnt? Certainly, the fact that a lot of people leave below their potential, names and portfolios, cannot be over-looked. Most of us allow fear, indecision and doubt to take the better part of us, rendering as vulnerable and pitiful.
To ease understanding of the many lessons that the chapter conveys, I have decided to use William Schutz’s theory on Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation, as the framework for my observations. I will attempt to analyze the roles of the key characters of the story,-(Dramani, David and Agyemang and Ezra), in the light of William Schutz’s theory.

VARIANT 1(ABDICRATS)
They throw our hands in despair, capitulating to abuses in their homes, work places, and churches, many but for space. They will not stand up to challenge injustice and impunity neither will they support the few who pick up the challenge of doing same.

Most often than not, they delude ourselves into the believe that by remaining silent and pitiful, a celestial body will wrought out a miracle to change a status quo and redeem them from the clutches of abuse and injustice.

Sadly enough, there will always be the Agyemang and Davids in our workplaces, churches and schools who will join in positive conspiracy only to betray the noble course and cow into submission. They are the people William Schutz describes as abdicrats in his Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation theory. They want and seek freedom and power but are not willing to pursue same. Are you one?

VARIANT 2(AUTOCRATS)
They have no power except that which the abused has and will allow. They are cowards who prey on other cowards. Their crave for power and authority is unquenchable and insatiable. This trait was embodied in Ezra, the abuser. He is a master at turning people’s leniency and civility into stepping stones of abuse.
They are smart and can manipulate people’s emotions, even to points that makes them act against their self-dignity and conscience. They are the people William Schutz describes as autocrats, in his Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation theory. Are you one or you have come across one? Let me know.

VARIANT 3 (DEMOCRATS)
Clearly, Dramani epitomizes this traits. He knows his worth. They may face abuse but such will not last. When they seek power and control they are equally ready to fight and pay the price for same. They are hardly intimidated, neither would they take a stand that will pit them against their conscience. People may share their opinions about them but they are not bound by same. They are not afraid to be silent. Positive solitary is their source of strength and uniqueness. Persistence and pain are not barriers to them neither is intimidation. They are the people William Schutz describes as democrats in his Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation theory. Are you one or you have come across one? Let me know.

Freelance Researcher and Content Strategist.(Author,Dates with my Eyes)

Samuel Osarfo Boateng

[email protected]

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