Prof Gyampo Schools Politicians On Mahama’s ‘Do Or Die’ Misinterpretation

Prof Ransford Gyampo, Lecturer at University of Ghana has waded in on the ongoing debate on former president John Dramani Mahama’s declaration of 2024 elections as a do or die affair.

Mr Mahama had stated that the 2024 polls will be a do or die affair.

According to him, President Akufo-Addo has enrolled thugs and hooligans into the security services ensuring elections in the country are forced to go his way.

“We have learnt our lessons from happenings during the 2020 polls. The 2024 elections will be won or lost at the polling station. It will be do-or-die at the polling stations. The right thing must be done during the polls.

He has since received backlash from Ghanaians and politicians alike with some calling for outright apology.

Defending his stance on Moonlite FM in Sunyani on Wednesday, September 8, Mr Mahama said the comments were harmless and “those who don’t understand English should stop the school interpretation”.

“In English, we have idiomatic expressions. Those who dropped out of school do not understand idiomatic expressions. Do or die means a critical assignment you have and you must do the needful or perish. And so you must do the needful,” he stated in English, changing tongue to Twi by saying: “I meant NDC must not wait to go to the Supreme Court again. What we must do at the polling station and collation center must be done!”.

Several politicians from both the NPP and NDC side have given various interpretation to Mr. Mahama’s comment whether for or against.

However, Prof Gyampo believes that given Ghana’s polarized political system “we must not defend any good idiomatic expression that is susceptible to “bad misinterpretation.”

“At the same time, it is a cheap display of hypocrisy and an insult to the discernment of Ghanaians, if you supported an “all die be die” statement, and are now condemning “a do or die” idiom, without first letting us know of your political repentance.The conduct of politics in Ghana must be tampered with some principles and conscience,” Prof Gyampo wrote on Facebook.