When Ghana’s former national football team coach and former Sudan national team coach, Kwesi Appiah, decided to write a memoir, he chose a striking title: Leaders Don’t Have to Yell.
When one of America’s most influential presidents, John F. Kennedy, wrote Profiles in Courage, he focused not on physical bravery, but on a subtler form of courage often described as “grace under pressure”.
In recent times, debates around presidential character have intensified in the lead-up to the NPP primaries. Questions have been raised about temperament, resilience, and what it truly means to be a “fighter”. Courage, however, does not always express itself through loudness, aggression, or emotional outbursts. It may instead appear as calmness under pressure, perseverance in difficult circumstances, the willingness to take responsibility at critical moments, and consistency of character.
Within this context, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s record in the NPP reflects a particular form of courage. It has not been defined by theatrics or bravado, but by steadiness and resolve. His political career has involved sustained advocacy, participation in party strategy, and policy engagement, both in opposition and in government. His role has spanned different phases of the party’s development and governance, requiring adaptability rather than spectacle.
Dr Bawumia played a prominent role during the party’s years in opposition, during legal and institutional challenges, and later within government. He has been closely associated with policy initiatives centred on digitisation, economic inclusion, and public sector reform. These efforts have attracted both support and criticism, as is often the case with structural change.
Political history shows that some forms of leadership rely less on confrontation and more on endurance. During the 2012 election petition, when the NPP faced a defining legal and political moment, Dr Bawumia took on a central role in articulating the party’s case. At a time of heightened national tension, this required composure, preparation, and a willingness to operate within institutional constraints rather than public emotion.
It is therefore unsurprising that Dr Bawumia has become a focus of political contestation. Sustained engagement and visibility in political life often invite scrutiny, disagreement, and opposition.
Public commentary on leadership has long emphasised humility and restraint. Reverend Eastwood Anaba has observed that true power is often expressed through humility. Similarly, the familiar phrase “still waters run deep”, frequently cited by Joel Osteen, captures the idea that depth is not always accompanied by noise.
History provides numerous examples of leaders who understood this principle. Figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt demonstrated that leadership often requires emotional control and measured decision-making. Ernest Hemingway’s definition of courage as “grace under pressure” remains relevant. Stuart Eizenstat, writing on the modern presidency, notes that the office embodies national mood and direction, making steadiness and judgement essential qualities for effective leadership.
Dr Bawumia’s digitisation agenda was initially met with scepticism in some quarters, though aspects of it have since become institutionalised. John Baldoni describes courage as the willingness to stand in service of a greater good, even when such positions are unpopular. Throughout his career, Dr Bawumia has maintained consistent positions on economic reform and governance modernisation, reflecting this interpretation of courage.
Contemporary scholarship has also moved away from traditional notions of courage rooted in confrontation. Writers such as Caroline Reichard argue for a definition that values prudence, deliberation, and the ability to compromise when necessary. From this perspective, courage lies not in constant conflict, but in judgement and restraint.
Viewed in this light, Dr Bawumia’s concession following the 2024 election has been widely noted as an important democratic gesture. Mary Anne Radmacher captures this form of courage succinctly: “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”
As the NPP reflects on its future, it faces the task of reassessing what courage means in a modern democratic context. C. W. Reichard’s observation remains instructive: “The deliberate life, not the belligerent, not the tempestuous and not the inflammatory life, has proven to be the heroic life.”
Prof. Etse Sikanku is an Associate Professor of Political Communication and Media Studies at the University of Media, Arts and Communication.
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