Chapter 9 Essiam's attack suggested that as a woman who had dared challenge the patriarch, she needed to be corrected. 141 In a different but related development, former First Lady of Ghana, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings was subjected to verbal attacks when she declared her intention to contest her party's flagbearership. While insults are not new on the Ghanaian political landscape, gender-specific insults have been hurled at the former First Lady for her decision to seek nomination as presidential candidate of her party. She has also been blamed for the rift between her husband, former President Rawlings, and current President John Atta Mills(George, 2012). The paramount chief of Gomoa Akyempim requested the former President'to convince his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, to discard her intention to contest the National Democratic Congress(NDC) presidential primaries in July this year'(myjoyonline, 2011). According to the report, the chief stated that the“first lady must abandon her intention to save the image of her husband, who has been a great critic 141 The story'Frances Essiam Comes Under Attack', had several comments. The most relevant to the analysis are reproduced here unedited.'Frances Essiam's lashing was long overdue! While some are suggesting 24 lashes I think she should've been given 48 powerful lashes on her ass. That would have been the best way to recompense her for her services to the Kufour and his professional thugs!''THAT LADY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TRASHED LONG TIME AGO. THE BEATINGS WERE LONG OVERDUE.''His mother is sensible and will not behave like Essiam, that is why we haven't heard of Osei's mother being beaten by anyone. But Essiam deserves 24 lashes on her bare buttocks. It may even turn out to be sexy. You just don't know.''Essiam is devil who has been paid by NPP to infiltrate and destroy our Great party and founder. She need not to live on earth; she must be sent to her ancestors to do that politics for NPP. If she try to do anything that will spoil NDC, then she must prepare to face the music.' For more on this, see'Frances Essiam comes under attack', General News of Friday, 23 December 2005, available at http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsAr chive/artikel.php?ID=96569&comment=1720272#c om Accessed 17 July 2012. It is also interesting to note that some of the comments condoning the treatment of Madam Essiam suggested that she deserved to be beaten because she was a traitor who was working for the opposition New Patriotic Party. However, when the then General Secretary of the NDC was accused of trading NDC information for$3,000 to the NPP, he was suspended from the party. While there were angry comments to the story of his suspension, none suggested the need for physical discipline. For more on the story and the comments, see'NDC suspends General Secretary” available at http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/ artikel.php?ID=72098&comment=0#com. Accessed on 3 June 2012. 294