Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is unquestionably a man of immense competence, capacity, and character. However, the strides he has attained thus far can be attributed not merely to these traits or his sheer willpower, but to God’s spoken word upon his life – that is embedded in divine grace, destiny, and providence. The power of these divine forces is undeniable when it comes to leadership. Leaders such as President Barack Obama have trodden these pathways to success.
On his first run for the presidency, President Barack Obama defeated bigwigs and veteran politicians such as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former Senator John Edwards, Senator Christopher Dodd, Senator Joe Biden, and Governor Bill Richardson to win the Democratic Presidential primaries. In extraordinary circumstances, he went on to become President of the United States. Through a combination of hard work, fidelity, and perseverance, he became the President of the United States. He launched an effective campaign focused on the values of hope and change, inspiring and motivating millions to vote for him. President Obama believes in the power of divine grace, providence, and destiny, and he attributes his success to the ‘God factor’.
The narrative of the Biblical David and Solomon constantly reminds us of how one could reach the pinnacle of leadership through divine grace, providence, and destiny. Their accession to the throne was uncommon. God chose an unconventional choice for a leadership role above what was traditional.
These divine energies have been a source of strength for many great leaders throughout history who have used them as a foundation to scale Olympian heights, and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is no exception.
I will concentrate on some striking episodes in Dr. Bawumia’s life that have become significant considering his extraordinary rise and accomplishments. These episodes offer us an insight into how divine grace, destiny, and providence can shape a person’s life and career, as well as be a catalyst for societal impact. At every opportune time, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has maintained his belief and faith in God to provide him with divine guidance and advantage. He has never held back in recognizing the ‘God factor’ in his public and private discourse.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia at the Bank of Ghana
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia began his career as an Economist at the Bank of Ghana in 2000. He then progressed through the ranks to become a Senior Economist, and Chief Economist, where he served as the Head of the then Monetary Policy and Financial Stability Department. He also became the Special Assistant to the Governor of the Bank of Ghana within the same period.
What is remarkable is that all these milestones were realized in a record-breaking five (5) years. In the normal course of events, it would take 12 years or more to reach such a career height at the Bank of Ghana. More importantly, he rose to such a height ahead of his contemporaries and seniors he came to meet at the Bank of Ghana.
In 2006, President Kufuor appointed him to serve as the Deputy Governor at the Bank of Ghana.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Politics
It will be recalled that with the emergence of Nana Akufo Addo (as he was then) as the Presidential candidate for the 2008 Presidential elections, there was fierce lobbying for the position of Vice- Presidential Candidate among several party stalwarts and power blocs. Alhaji Boniface Sadique, Ambrose Derry, Hajia Alima Mahama, Alhaji MND Jawula of blessed memory, Alhaji Mustapha Iddrisu of blessed memory, and others were among those keenly lobbying for the role. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who was then serving as the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, was conspicuously absent from the list of those lobbying for the position. It was not something he had contemplated or advocated for.
As fate would have it, his name emerged as a probable running mate to Nana Akufo Addo (as he was then). Dr. Bawumia has previously stated that Nana Akufo Addo’s decision to name him his running mate caught him off guard and that he had just a short time to accept or decline the offer when it was made to him. He finally accepted the offer and ran with him in the 2008 Presidential elections, which they led in the first round but lost by about 24,000 vote margins in the second round.
Since his entrance to the front lines, Dr. Bawumia has emerged as a political force to be reckoned with and a household brand in Ghanaian contemporary politics. He had been through the mill and understood the rudiments of politicking faster than one could envisage. He has gained a huge acceptability rate within the rank and file of the NPP, and the generality of Ghanaians.
He is the longest-serving running mate in the history of our fourth (4) republic, having served twice as a running mate to an opposition Presidential Candidate and twice as a running mate to a sitting President.
It is by no means a coincidence that he had run with President Nana Akufo Addo during this epoch. It would not be out of place to suggest that he was chosen from among the rest to fulfill a divine mandate and to help the NPP through tough times in the party and government’s life. Who could have better represented the NPP as its star witness during the 2012 Elections Petition? Who could have better changed the political narrative or rhetoric to issue-based politics? Who could have better provided us with the level of electoral value required to break the electoral jinx in Ghana’s northern regions? Who else could have taken the political and economic battle to the NDC and has been their nightmare? Who could have been a better Vice President to President Akufo Addo at this time? And who could better articulate or stand on the successes of the Nana Akufo Addo government at the next elections than him?
Conclusion
The belief that certain leaders are chosen by divine forces or fate is not new, but it is becoming more widely embraced as more examples of leaders attaining success by a blend of skills, divine grace, destiny, and providence are emerging. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, like President Barack Obama and others, is an example of a leader whose stories exemplify how these divine forces may work together for their success and the common good of society.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has divine grace in addition to his skills and will be the NPP’s next Presidential Candidate and, ultimately, the President of Ghana, as destined.
By: Chief Obosu Mohammed, LLM MA PGDPM ACIArb LLB DPA
