In what could be part of “Ethics 101” in a Sociology class in the university, ‘Fundamental Officer Training” (FOT) is one of the early subjects taught cadets in any Commonwealth Military Academy about the ethics of the Military profession. We are taught the basic dos and don’ts of the Military profession, as was the case in the early-1970s for us as future career officers.
Apart from basic ethics and proper behaviour among others, we are taught that a “trio” of subjects, are not to be discussed in the Officers’ Mess. What are these subjects, and why are they not discussed in the Mess?
Before that, Nana will not forgive me if I do not briefly heed his strong request/demand of me to educate Ghanaians from time to time, particularly his family of the inky fraternity on the proper use of the terminologies “Police officer” and “Military Officer.”
Terminologies
Both the Ghana Police and the Ghana Armed Forces derive their terminologies/traditions from the British Civilian Police Service and the British Armed Forces.
Like it is in the UK, in the Ghana Police Service, everybody from the IGP to the constable is a civilian “peace officer” or a “Police officer.” So, in the unfortunate May 2023 incident in which an ASP allegedly shot and killed a Constable at Awaso in the Western-North Region, it was/is correct to call both, “police officers.”
However, in the Ghana Armed Forces unlike the Ghana Police, not everybody is called a “military officer.” The military has two categories of personnel - Commissioned Officers, and Other Ranks (Non-commissioned Officers).
Commissioned Officers are commissioned by the Head-of-State/Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (in the UK, by the King) after successfully going through a prescribed period of training.
So, Second Lieutenant to General are “military officers!”
With the “Other Ranks” (Non-commissioned officers), one starts as a private, and hopefully rises to Warrant Officer Class One.
In the Ashaiman case in which a Private soldier was murdered in March 2023, it was wrong to report, “a military officer Private Imoro was murdered in Ashaiman.” This is because a private is not a “military officer.” Here, one can simply call the slain Private “a soldier!”
“Non-discussable Trio”
The trio of subjects we were/are taught as cadets in the Academy could not be discussed in the Mess are/were Politics, Religion, Sex (Women). Why?
One does not need to be a soothsayer to discern that, these three are very emotive subjects, often with no middle ground for compromise. They are devoid of reasoning, logic and sometimes commonsense. They constitute a “take-it or leave-it” situation which often easily degenerates into violence. In the Officers Mess where beer lubricates Mess life after a hard day’s training, discussions on Politics, Religion and Sex can easily become controversial and violent.
I daresay if football had been invented in the C19th, particularly EPL/La Liga/Lega Serie A/Bundesliga, football would have joined the trio of politics, religion and sex converting it into a quartet!
A feedback I had on my article “Spine and Testicular Fortitude,” stated;
“Another solid narrative. One of my mentors says, to be wary of ‘echo chambers.’ So what is an echo chamber” in relation to Politics, Religion and Sex?
Echo Chamber
Echo Chamber is described as
“1. An enclosed space where sound reverberates.
2. An environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own, so that existing views are reinforced, and alternative ideas are not considered.” (Wikipedia).
In effect, one only hears what one says and thinks and wants to hear. Doubtlessly, Politics, Religion and Sex are uncompromising emotive topics for which people are prepared to kill for their beliefs.
In the Mess where drinking takes place with varying degrees of sobriety, it is considered safe to avoid discussing topics which could end up in violence.
Discussion
Unlike some of our West African neighbours, Ghana has been fortunate not to have fought a civil war although we have had coups. Unfortunately, war drums are beaten loudly to herald our elections regularly every four years. So, how has this fortune translated into economic development as compared to our western neighbour Ivory Coast which has fought a civil war? There is no galamsey in Ivory Coast! Neither is there the maritime equivalent of galamsey called “saiko” in which Ghanaians assist foreigners at sea to plunder our fish. Sadly, we import tilapia from Ivory Coast after destroying our water bodies!
Currently in Ghana, politics easily tops the trio of subjects as the number one echo chamber which, “Fundamental Officer Training” teaches us to avoid.
Finally, the last thing any honest/genuine Ghanaian should wish for Ghana is an Armed Forces divided on political lines! Unfortunately, a big man in May 2023 told Ghanaians that, if he comes to power, people in his party will be recruited into the Security Services, just as their opponents have done! This is a sad commentary on how far politicians will go to destroy the Ghana Armed Forces simply for political gain!
In the 26th May 2023 killing of 54 Ugandan soldiers in Somalia, President Museveni attributed it to the poor recruitment process resulting in low-quality soldiers. Is this what any well-meaning Ghanaian wants for Ghana and the Ghana Armed Forces?
Talking to us about military professionalism in 1976 at the Headquarters, United-Nations-Truce-Supervision-Organisation (UNTSO) in Jerusalem, Israel where he was the Chief-Military-Observer, Ghana’s Lt Gen Emmanuel Erskine of blessed memory emphasized the importance of stringent recruitment procedures, and the military’s loyalty to the state. Dividing the military’s loyalty on party lines and allegiance to individuals will only result in an unprofessional military, a recipe for the future destruction of Ghana, and anarchy with an unprofessional military which cannot defend Ghana.
Let not politicians use politics as an echo chamber for dividing Ghana! For, Ghana belongs to all Ghanaians and we deserve to live in peace and harmony, a necessary condition for economic development!
Leadership, lead! Fellow Ghanaians, WAKE UP!
Brig Gen Dan Frimpong (Rtd)
Former CEO, African Peace Support Trainers Association
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