Korle Klottey Member of Parliament(MP), Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has said she has no respect for people who lack the courage to confront her directly.
Speaking on JoyNews’ podcast Talk No Dey Cook Rice, she declared, “I have no respect for people who are cowards.
“If you have something to say, own up and say it. Let’s know that you have said it and you are owning what you’ve said.”
She explained that leadership requires humility, decorum, and respect, not callousness.
“I don’t appreciate people who feel that they should be callous because they can,” she said, stressing that those who hold public office must set an example of restraint and decency.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings reflected on the abuse she has endured, both as a child and in politics, often because of her father’s legacy.
She recalled how, even in primary school, classmates would make comments at her expense.
During a parliamentary session on February 4, this year, there was heated discussions commemorating the 60th anniversary of Joseph Boakye Danquah’s death.
As Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin addressed the House, an unidentified male voice from the parliamentary backbench interrupted, shouting, “Daughter of a murderer, sit down!”
The Speaker of Parliament apologised to Dr Zanetor and her family.
Aside from the apology, the Speaker also announced the launch of a formal investigation to identify the MP responsible for the statement, and warned that failure by the MP to show up will result in stiffer punishment when the person is found out.
Responding to such abuse, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said, “In society, when you have people who feel they must have a swipe at the child of someone because of their disdain for the parent, I’m not quite sure if it shows a certain level of maturity.”
The MP said she has chosen to deal with such attacks with focus and prayer.
“To a large extent, I do pray a lot. You just surrender certain things and pray for the grace to move on and keep focused on what your purpose is.”
She believes God alone defines destiny and that distractions from critics cannot change it.
She recalled her father advising her not to inherit his enemies.
“I remember my father actually saying to me, ‘Don’t make enemies of your parents’ enemies. It stayed with me, and it’s something I’ve lived by.”
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings acknowledged that her father had apologised for the excesses of the revolution, even on behalf of people whose actions he did not know of.
She said many people who know the truth about that period remain silent for reasons best known to them. But she maintains she will never turn her back on her parents.
“I will not publicly or privately turn my back on my parents, because I know what they did. I’m also aware of the sacrifices they made.”
She said her approach to politics has been shaped by these experiences. She does not tolerate abuse on her platforms.
“I do not take kindly to people on my platform abusing or assaulting other people. It’s not something I like to endorse, because I understand what it’s like to be on the receiving end of something you may have had nothing to do with.”
Despite the hostility, she said she has learned not to react in ways that would derail her path.
“You can choose to rise above it and be who you will be, rather than be a reaction to how people are behaving. Each of us has a destiny. When you start looking too much at what somebody else in their path is doing, you may lose your path.”
For her, those who try to discourage her only expose their fear of conviction.
“Sometimes people see the level of conviction you have. They know that perhaps if they attack you enough, they can get you to move away from what you believe in.
“So you have to try not to be reactionary so much that you lose your pathway. Then they’ve won.”
Source: Abubakar Ibrahim
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