When one hits 60 years of age, having accumulated a lot of experiences in life, some put the 60+ candidates on “the sixth floor of life.” So, this column will be contemplating on “the sixth floor,” examining issues of local, national and international relevance and importance for the benefit of society.

The column begins with a flaming issue of “stupidity” charged on the Special Prosecutor (SP), Mr Martin Amidu, by former President John Dramani Mahama. Mr Mahama is said to have described Mr Amidu’s recent conduct as “stupid” at a forum at the Commonwealth Hall Conference Room at the University of Ghana in Accra. The reason? Mr Mahama says the SP has confirmed in a statement to President Akufo-Addo that elected Government Official 1 in the global corruption-riddled Airbus scandal is no other person than former President Mahama himself.

According to Mr Mahama, the reason adduced by the SP for not inviting him for questioning on the stinking Airbus issue, because he has been elected flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, is not only tenable but also “stupid”. Mr Mahama contends that there is no law protecting any “suspect” elected presidential candidate of any political party in the country, and that, such “suspect” can be investigated or prosecuted. Mr Mahama says, the SP should have restricted himself only to the risk assessment of the Agyapa deal assigned to him, but strayed into the Airbus scandal and roped him in to equalise the corruption scandal, thus, describing his conduct as “stupid” and “cowardice”.

Former President Mahama then challenged the SP to investigate the Airbus scandal and present a comprehensive report on it, assuring that he is ready to appear before the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to assist in the investigations, if the SP has evidence to suggest that he (Mahama) is complicit in the shameful scandal. The words stupid, stupidity, coward and cowardice are ringing bells in the statements used by Mr Mahama to address the SP for confirming him as the elected Government Official 1 in the Airbus scandal.

The New Edition of Chambers Dictionary defines “stupid” as, senseless; deficient in understanding; showing lack of reason or judgement; one wanting in wisdom; a person of weak mind and wanting discretion. The same dictionary defines “coward” as, a reprehensively faint-hearted person; one without courage or one who is timid.

”Interestingly, Mr Amidu has responded to the stupidity and cowardice description of him by Mr Mahama, punching him instead, that Mr Mahama lacks understanding of issues of security and intelligence. According to Mr Amidu, his long public service of over 25 years, spanning various aspects of security and intelligence, makes him more experienced in determining when it is not conducive to the national security interest to foolhardily take certain law and order actions.”

The SP says, he owes that exercise of discretion to his vast experience and his responsibility to maintain national stability and his conscience, stressing that “there is no question of stupidity or cowardice about it.” According to the SP, any person aspiring to be President of Ghana for a second term who does not know that the cardinal principle in security and intelligence is that, caution is the better part of valour, not worth the votes of the people.

In a statement issued on November 9, 2020, by Mr Amidu, however, he challenged former President Mahama “to man-up, wise-up, and be bold and brave enough” to voluntarily visit the OSP with two lawyers of his choice to be cautioned and interrogated to demonstrate his valour and wisdom as not being the elected Government Official 1, and also as not being the first guarantor to Samuel Adam Mahama’s forged passport application.

Indeed, I will urge Mr Mahama to swallow the SP’s bait and see what will happen to his campaign to the Jubilee House.

Meanwhile, is it a mark of “stupidity” for the SP to ask Mr Mahama to voluntarily go to the OSP with two lawyers of his choice for questioning on the Airbus scandal?

Will it also be a mark of “stupidity” or “cowardice” for the SP to subpoena Mr Mahama to the OSP for questioning on the Airbus scandal?

What “wise” method would Mr Mahama prefer the SP to use to invite him to appear before the OSP for questioning on the infamous Airbus saga?

Is it the case that the good citizens of the Republic of Ghana are still not aware of who the elected Government Official 1 is?

Readers, what do you also think of the tone and structure of the language employed by the former President to express his disagreement with the SP on the subject under discussion?

Dear readers, from the foregoing, can you tell which of the two characters is really “stupid” or “wise”? Please, this is “homework” for you.