I was surprised at the news of Akata-Pore’s emergence in London not only because hitherto it had been rumoured that he was in prison with a deteriorating health, but also because of the choice of London as his place of exile.

Why London? Why not Cuba or Libya? I couldn’t help asking myself. We saw Chris Atim exiled himself in London. Now it is Akata-Pore. Will Rawlings and Tsikata also come to London when their day of reckoning comes? We all live to see.

It would do Akata-Pore some good if we should tell him that Britain is a country which believes in parliamentary democracy, where the rule of law operates, where it is the unquestionable right of its citizens to vote for a government of their choice within every four to five years. Are these not in marked contrast to his political beliefs? Will Akata-pore now be prepared to live under such a system knowing that it is this same system that he had so violently helped to crush back in Ghana?

It will interest Ghanaians to hear Akata-Pore declare in an interview with the BBC External service that he “was never interested in power at all”. My question is, who are the “people of Ghana” who told him they needed this which he detests, and that he should overthrow an elected government and hand over that power to them?

I wish to advise Akata-Pore that it would have been better for him (considering his political beliefs) if he had gone to Cuba or Libya. However, if he is now convinced that this Western Parliamentary Democracy is the best form of government any country could practise, where one could live without fear of being killed, then he must feel at home. He is most welcome.

George Amo, Hendon.

Read Akato-pore’s 1984 interview here