President John Mahama has jokingly advised married men to avoid arguing with their wives if they want peace in their homes, stating plainly: “You’ve already lost.”
“Never argue with your wife,” the President said, sparking laughter from a gathering at the Jubilee House. “You’ve already lost.”
He gave the advice during a courtesy call by the Western Regional House of Chiefs, led by its President, Nana Kwabena Nketia V.
The visit happened to coincide with Mahama’s 33rd wedding anniversary, for which the traditional leaders presented him with gifts to mark the occasion.
Sharing a humorous personal experience, the President recalled a moment that taught him the wisdom of choosing peace over pride in marriage.
“I’ll tell you a very funny story,” he began. “When we reached 30 years of marriage, we had a big celebration. After church, we were in our pastor's office discussing it. My wife said, ‘Pastor, can’t you see? This marriage survived because of me. Otherwise, who would marry this man?’”
Mahama said he tried to take credit for the longevity of their marriage by saying it was due to his calm and patient nature.
“I made the mistake of saying, ‘Oh, it’s because of me.’ My pastor gave me a look.”
He added that after the meeting, his pastor pulled him aside and said, “Why were you wasting your time? You know you can never win that argument.”
The following year, on their 31st anniversary, the President said he handled things differently.
“My wife brought up the same thing. I remembered what my pastor said, so I simply said, ‘Yes, it has lasted because of you. I thank God for your life. I couldn’t have asked for a better wife.’”
He said Lordina’s playful response was, “Are you correct? Did you wake up well?”
He then advised, “So never argue with your wife. You won’t win.”
Earlier in the meeting, Nana Kwabena Nketia V praised the President’s enduring marriage, saying it was a rare achievement in today’s world.
“These days, marriages last one year, five years at most,” he said. “For the past 10 years, marriages haven’t lasted long.”
