Akufo-Addo Pats Himself on the Back via Award to His Second-In-Command

Personifying the lizard in Chinua Achebe's narrative that jumped from the high iroko tree to the ground and decided to praise himself if no one else did, President Akufo-Addo has bestowed the "Order of the Star of Ghana" upon his Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia at the 2024 Ghana National Honors and Awards ceremony.

Really meaning to award himself, President Akufo-Addo had learnt a thing or two from criticisms of self-glorification when he unveiled a statue of himself outside Sekondi last month, and thus, decided to go the route of his vice president this time around.

The award, according to the official citation, is for Dr. Bawumia's "exceptional service, dedication, and contributions to national development," which, given the state of the economy, must have required a considerable amount of imagination, pretty much like giving a participation trophy to someone who showed up at a marathon and walked backwards.

The award ceremony, held at the Accra International Conference Centre, was a veritable who's who of the outgoing administration. Key ministers, including Ursula Owusu-Ekuful and Francis Asenso-Boakye, also received similar accolades for their commitment to nation building – even though the nation now looks more like a building site where the builders abandoned their work in a rush, with all their tools and materials scattered all over the place.

Dr. Bawumia, meanwhile, award in hand, was reported walking awkwardly back to his seat, wearing a mask of confusion and seriously contemplating the disconnect between "exceptional service" and a scanty 41.61 percent in the just-ended elections.