In psychopathology, there is what the psychologists term it as narcissist’s personality disorders. It is defined as a person who is excessively preoccupied with personal adequacy, power, prestige and vanity, mentally unable to see the destructive damage they are a causing to themselves and others. These people have exaggerated feeling of self-importance. They have a sense of entitlement and demonstrate grandiosity in their beliefs and behavior. They have a strong need for admiration but lack empathy and criticisms. In much simple term, they are referred to as Megalomaniacs. They are found in every sector of life. It is believed that they are worst off in the military or regimental institutions but the most dangerous ones are found in politics. In politics, Megalomaniacs are a big threat to national security since they have the tendencies to throw a country into conflict and it is up to the masses to discern enough to save themselves from troubles and their woes. In actual fact, Megalomaniacs or people suffering from narcissist personality disorders are people who are mad or psychologically imbalanced but seem normal.

These are people who are believed to be in right thinking but in reality, they are not. They wake up in the morning, dress and go wherever they work and become a serious pain in people’s neck. It is very frustrating if you have one as your boss since nothing pleases them and want to have everything done in their own way. What they think is right and what any other person says is bogus. They rubbish ideas and suggestions from others. They run others and institutions down so long as is not in their interest. They see themselves to be intelligent, knowledgeable and better than all others. The politicians among them are so obsessed with power to an extent they do not mind putting the whole country into chaos. They will do everything possible to ensure that they get power, even if they have to kill. It is very dangerous when these politicians have people following them. Since they wake up and dress neatly in suits and ties, hold suitcases to work or drive luxurious cars around, their followers always mistaken them to be rich people and do for them whatever they ask them to do. Followers may be following people who are psychologically imbalanced and self-centered but they might not know because they have never seen their leaders visiting any psychologist in time past or in recent times.

In politics, they consider themselves to be the only solution to national problems. It is worse if they belong to political parties. They misbehave a lot and use their political colors as a shield. Whenever the law catches up with them and they are to be dealt per the dictates of the law, they run take cover under the shield of their political parties. If they are in government, they will employ all the government machinery to escape justice and if they are in opposition, they will court they sympathy of their political members and thus making them believe that they are being persecuted by the ruling government. If you do not belong to their political party, you are their outright enemy. They do not tolerate other opinions and hate criticisms. They are very insightful and inflammatory with their comments and responses. They take entrench positions in national discourse. Only what they say matter. They consider themselves to be repository of knowledge. They belong to league of extra ordinary gentlemen and women. It is them or no one else.

There are many Megalomaniacs or people suffering from narcissist personality disorders in Ghana’s body politics and we need to be very careful as a nation. They can be our lifeline to our deadline. They can destroy us beyond measure. Ghana is sharply divided on political lines and that is not healthy for our peace as a nation. Almost every youth now is a party faithful or card bearing political party member and that is breaking the fabric of peace that ties this country together. Our youths see these Megalomaniacs who have the tendencies to break our country apart as their role models. They cheer them up and applaud them. Our youths are becoming the target tool for violence intended to be perpetrated by the Megalomaniacs to achieve their political ambitions by hook or crook. After using them to achieve their political ambitions, they abandon them to their fate. We have seen many of such cases in our constituencies or localities where people did all that they could to ensure their candidates want to become parliamentarians or whatever position suitable. Immediately after elections and they have won, they put an inscription on their gates “beware of dogs”. You do not see them again until another election comes.

We are living in a country where ruling government see nothing better in parties in opposition and members of parties in opposition also see nothing better in whatever the ruling government does. People criticize destructively instead of being constructive just because it is not about their political party but rise to defend every decision their political party takes because it is in their interests. People argue their positions based on the interest of their political parties and not that of the nation. There are schemes everywhere to retain power by the ruling governments and the opposition parties are scheming everything possible to wrestle power from the ruling government. It thus becomes the story of two elephants fighting and the grass suffering. Most of these politicians will get the power they are looking but would fail to better the lot of their people because they were looking for the power for themselves and not for the people. For Megalomaniacs in politics, it is a dream come through once they have gotten the power. Once they become presidents, parliamentarians, ambassadors, DCEs and MDCEs or any other political appointment that they will lay their hands on, they are satisfied. They do not intend to use the power improve wellbeing of the people. For them, the power is for them.

Election 2016 is fast approaching and once again tensions are rising. We expect it to be like the usual ones we have been experiencing since 1992 but it appears this time there is center for controversy, the voters’ register. Immediately the issue of the voters’ register came up, the Megalomaniacs across the political divide got up and started scheming towards their interests and not that of the nation. Personally I do not see the reason why the voters register should be changed or not. I do not see the effect that it has on me as a person who has just one vote but it has a serious repercussions on me if people cite it as recipe for violence and instability during elections. In that case I must struggle to ensure that the peace we are enjoying now is sustained. When members of the ruling party were insisting on their position that the voters’ should not be changed and the members of opposition parties were also insisting that the voters ‘register should be changed by all means, I quickly realized that some people have seen something in the voters’ register that is of an interest to them alone but not that of our dear motherland Ghana. Finally the Electoral Commission has spoken. Those who see their interests satisfied are happy and those who interests are not satisfied are still citing the voters’ register as a recipe for violence come November 7. The question is, is it in the interest of Ghana to change the voters’ register or not? It is up to those who seek peaceful elections to answer that.

We have been voting since 1992 that we adopted democratic rule. What transformations have these politicians brought to us to an extent that we are ready to throw our country into crisis if the voters ‘register is changed or not? We should be careful as people not to fight for egoistic interests of certain Megalomanias who in reality are nothing but mad people in politics. We know those who are ready to serve the country and the people across the political divide, they are those we need irrespective of political differences. Politics is necessary but it is very dangerous when Megalomanias are deeply involved.

Let us avoid the Megalomanias or people suffering from narcissist personality disorders in our politics because they will destroy us and our country in their quest to satisfy their political ambitions in in election 2016. I am for peace and only peace. God bless our motherland Ghana.

#Ahantadiaries2016

Source: Jonilar.net