Tags
army, Ghana, Illegal mining, Maxwell Mahama, Military, Mob Action
Captain Maxwell Mahama, a young commander of a military detachment on a mission to curb illegal mining in a part of the country that had been under siege by this canker, was lynched and his body set ablaze by residents allegedly on suspicion he was an armed robber. His painful death threw the country into a state of shock with a large section of the public condemning the dastardly act.
FOR CAPTAIN MAXWELL MAHAMA – OUR HERO
Oh no!
What have we done?
why did we do it?
he was so young, full of life
brave and selfless
so loving, a doting husband
a caring father, a patriot in uniform
What have we done
Like fickle wind
so sudden
we snuff out his life
with sticks, stones, missiles
He could have shot his way to life
the mob but child play
he who wielded missiles of justice and peace
but opting to be the sacrificial lamb
on the alter of galamsey
What have we done?
we decorate and garnish
our greed and avarice
we gloss our wanton desecration
of all that we hold sacred
with paints dripping sugar and bile
words, words and words
all meaningless
even as we sleep with the Chinese
on beds crusted in gold
dredged from the pits of earth
oh yes, on golden beds
we sell our youth, our future, our souls
And Maxwell, beautiful Maxwell
the sacrificial lamb
on the alter of galamsey
the hero who has become the blight
on our nation’s conscience
Rest, Maxwell Rest. So long!
© Celestine Nudanu
(31/05/17)
- Galamsey – local term for illegal mining activities in Ghana
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I’m very sorry for the loss to your country and military. Your poetic verse is beautiful, a tribute to a man obviously so loved and appreciated. Like I posted on my site for our veterans and troops on Memorial Day recently, we can never repay what they have done for us to win our rights to freedom, but only remember their gallant service and never forget them.
Thank you for your words, Joyce. Indeed we can never repay these heroes. Captain (now Major, posthumously) was laid to rest today in a sorrowful military and civilian atmosphere. 🙂
So sad. Is there anything scarier than a mob?
So very tragic, Brenda. Reminds me of the mob in Julius Caesar. 🙂
Yes, despite history’s warnings, we don’t seem to grow up. We keep making the same errors over again.
Very powerful words.
Thank you Elaine. 🙂
I heard he was buried today. It was a very sad way to die. I pray the killers would pay for their crimes!
They are paying for their crimes now, Sandra. 🙂 They are in a long process of being jailed 🙂 LOl
That’s good!
May his memories and sacrifice be for future blessings.
Hopefully mob justice will be a thing of the past. 🙂
Unfortunately some of that mentality still exists.
Too true. 🙂