“At length, I remembered the last resort of a great princess who, when told that the peasants had no bread, replied: ‘Then let them eat brioches’.”
— Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s in Confessions, Book 6
As Queen of France in the 18th century, Marie Antoinette is said to have heard the peasants rioting one day. When told that they were up in arms because they had no bread and were hungry, she is alleged to have said, “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche” or “Let them eat brioche!’
That statement has morphed into “Let them eat cake” over the centuries”.
However, all evidence points to the fact that Marie Antoinette never said those words and that they were mischievously attributed to her during the French Revolution to further reinforce the image of her as an uncaring, extravagant, out-of-touch aristocrat.
The phrase has stood the test of time and has come to signify insensitivity and a lack of understanding on the part of the ruling class for the suffering and realities of life of those less fortunate.
Recently, Ghanaians witnessed such a “Let them eat cake” moment.
Just over a week ago, the then acting Chairman (and now Chairman) of the ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Freddie Blay, took delivery of 275 mini-buses that he had ordered for all 275 constituencies of the party. The buses arrived just before the National Delegate’s Congress on Saturday, July 7. Mr. Blay was one of the men contesting for the chairmanship position.
The purchase and delivery of the buses to the party shortly before the election of a party chairman reeked of vote buying. Further, it was ill-timed and much worse, demonstrated a degree of insensitivity to the plight of most Ghanaians that is breath-taking.
Since the death of one Mr. Acheampong in his car last month due to the “No Beds” phenomenon, there has been a raging national conversation about the need for an Emergency Response Service that is well equipped with things like ambulances. The pitch of the conversation went a notch higher when a few weeks ago, the former Vice-President collapsed in a gym and had to be transported to 37 Military Hospital in the bucket of a pick-up truck.
It is into this contentious national milieu that Mr. Blay took delivery of 275 mini-buses for his party. It is worth noting that the whole country of 30 million people is served by 54 ambulances.
Sure, the buses were ordered probably months before this debate about ambulances gained center stage and by all accounts, it was purchased with private funds.
However, when the whole country is up in arms about the lack of ambulances, taking delivery of 275 buses that seek to serve the interests of a party is a classic “Let them eat cake” moment.
It was insensitive and cruel. It depicted a party that does not listen and does not hear what the people are crying out for.
Those mini-buses should have been sold and the proceeds used to get ambulances for all the country. I do not care how it could have been done but for the sake of wisdom and good governance, that is what the NPP should have done. A wise party, looking at the outcry about ambulances and the death of Amissah-Arthur in the bucket of a pick-up truck, would not have taken delivery of those buses. Not when they did!
Lord Acton once wrote that all power corrupts. He was right. When you are power-drunk, you feel invincible, always right and everyone else is a fool and needs not be heard.
It is not too long ago that Ghanaians voted Nana Addo and the NPP into power. Expectations were so high. Optimism flowed in the streets and most looked towards a new beginning.
Alas events like this “bus faux pas” makes one wonder if Ghanaians made a mistake and they have been had.
Shakespeare writes this quote for Brutus in “Julius Caesar”, Act 4, Scene 3:
“There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
The NPP was afloat on a sea of opportunity, riding a current that allowed them to serve this country and its people. Alas, I fear they lost their venture among mini-buses.
Unlike the French of the 18th century, Ghanaians do not need to attribute false statements to our leaders to paint that as uncaring and insensitive. They do that to themselves with their actions.
Then even as Ghanaians cry out for ambulances, all they hear from Nana Addo, Freddie Blay, and the NPP is, “Laissez-les monter dans les bus” – “Let them ride in the buses!”