O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? - The Bible, 1 Corinthians XV 55 Birth is a beginning and death a destination And life is a journey: From childhood to maturity and youth to age; From innocence to awareness and ignorance to knowing; From foolishness to discretion and then perhaps to wisdom. From weakness to strength or from strength to weakness and often back again; From health to sickness and we pray to health again. From offence to forgiveness from loneliness to love from joy to gratitude from pain to compassion from grief to understanding from fear to faith. From defeat to defeat to defeat until looking backwards or ahead We see that victory lies not at some high point along the way but in having made the journey step by step a sacred pilgrimage. Birth is a beginning and death a destination And life is a journey; A sacred journey to life everlasting ---Anon One of the inevitable, inescapable realities of life is that we will all die. Everyone will die someday. The human race has, however, not come to accept this fact of life. We not only fear to die, but we dread losing loved ones. That is understandable, though. Albert Einstein once said, however, that the fear of death is the most unjustified of all fears, for there’s no risk of accident for someone who’s dead. Maybe Einstein was right, but is it that easy to accept? I believe we all fear the sting of death, because when you live with and get accustomed to someone, it is difficult to come to terms with the fact that you will, one day, never see that dear one anymore. Human beings are precious beings who make things happen. The thing called “life” can be very sweet and bitter, but we live it. As human beings we can’t live without others. That is why it is very difficult, if not impossible, for people to live in isolation. More importantly, the human race adores good people and appreciates their contributions to life. Thus, it is more painful when good people die, even though people, who were considered to be not-too-good, are also mourned. That is life, isn’t it? Kwadwo, just as many other people have said, I received the news of your death with shock and trepidation. “This can’t be!” was my initial reaction. Unless, of course, the condition that led to your death was an unknown, growing condition, your departure was too sudden. From what I knew about you, you had more to give and, therefore, died too young. We can, however, take consolation from the saying that everything happens for a reason and God knows why. The best memory I have of you was when you carried a briefcase with a Ghana flag stuck on it, as you went to parliament to present the 2008 budget. You were an epitome of patriotism, honesty, and courage. You were a breath of fresh air in our body-politic at a time, in the country’s political life, when such qualities were and have been rare. As the presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo rightly said, you were the only man in the NPP without an enemy. One can say, by extension, that you were a man who was admired by all sides of the political divide. Your bi-partisan approach to issues both in parliament and in other political circles was exemplary. I am, therefore, not surprised at the unreserved manner messages poured in, immediately, from the other side of the political divide including former president Rawlings and Prof. Atta Mills genuinely expressing shock at your death and sympathizing with your family. In one of the first emails I received from friends who expressed some surprise at your death, the writer wrote: “As I’ve always said, he's the only one in the NPP pack that I admire.” Though I believe that there are other good people in the NPP, my friend’s thought is both reflective and microcosmic of the affection people had for you. You were down-to-earth and humble even as a Cabinet Minister. Such qualities are rare in our part of the world when the gulf between those in power and the average person immediately widens when people enjoy a little bit of power. Thus, I agree with former president Rawlings’ statement that throughout your political career you exhibited an element of humility which is lacking within our current political dispensation, and which endeared you to your colleagues and political opponents alike. Kwadwo, you were a good man, whose infectious demeanor cooled tempers even when they (tempers) were justified. You were an exceptional parliamentarian, and an outstanding Finance Minister. You will be most remembered for your decency, patriotism, approachability, diligence, and humility. Your death, like all others, is a tragedy. It’s a huge loss to the nation. However, we can take consolation from what Samuel Johnson once said that “it matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time.” In fact, the measure of a man is not the road he travels, but the choices he makes along the way. You have made your mark and your name will live on. Your good works should be enough to inspire a younger generation of politicians and Ghanaians. More so, as Plato said “No one knows whether death, which people fear to be the greatest evil, may not be the greatest good.” We never can tell what the good Lord had in mind! As the Bible says “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” - Job, 1:21. Rest in Peace, Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu. Damirifa Due! By Godwin J. Y. Agboka [presidoo@gmail.com]