Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur

...the new Vice-President

Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur -- the Vice-President

By: JAMES HARRY OBENG

Prior to his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday and his subsequent approval thereof, Mr. Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur had probably never dreamt of ascending the high seat of the Vice-President of the Republic Ghana in such fashion.

Very much likely also, Paa Kwesi (or Pee-Kay) – as his peers call him – may neither have contemplated that office nor any other responsibilities that came with it, especially when he occupied the position of the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

Those who have known him inside-out admire his unassuming disposition and impeccable credentials as an economic technocrat and as a such, would have wished that he still held on to the fort as the main man at the country’s central bank.

But this, however, was not to be, as the nation required his services in that much higher position, particularly at a time of national emergency necessitated by the demise of a sitting president, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills!

By this inexplicable twist of fate (and luck), Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur is today the Vice-President of the country, the fifth since the break of the Fourth Republic in 1992, after Kow Nkensen Arkaah, John Evans Atta Mills, Aliu Mahama and John Dramani Mahama.

Nonetheless, the rise of Paa Kwesi to the Castle brings to the fore, an unprecedented cocktail of chilling historic facts. To begin with, Paa Kwesi becomes the first Vice-President in the annals of the country to step into office because a sitting president died, and as such, was sworn into office at a time that the entire nation was enveloped in grief.

Again, he becomes the first Vice-President to deputise a president who himself was the vice-president to a departed president, but had to constitutionally relinquish his vice-presidential position for the presidency within 24 hours without going through an election.

This invariably also makes him the first Vice-President to be sworn into office, following the approval of Parliament – but not coming out of an election in which the candidate he partnered won.

In fact, all these conditioned by the 1992 Constitution, which indicates in Article 60 Clause 6, that: “Whenever the President dies, resigns or is removed from office, the Vice-President shall assume office as President for the unexpired term of office of the President with effect from the date of the death, resignation or removal of the President.”

Clause 10 of the same Article adds that: “The Vice-President shall upon assuming office as President under Clause 6 of this article, nominate a person to the Vice-President subject to the approval of the Parliament.”

This accounts for why Paa Kwesi was sworn into office on Monday as the second Vice-President under the current administration by the Chief Justice, Mrs. Georgina Theodora Woods, having earlier been vetted and approval by the Appointments Committee and Parliament, respectively.

But aside the constitutional details, Paa Kwesi’s rise has also enjoyed its fair share of the speculations, criticisms and opposition from a cross-section of Ghanaians, both within and without his own party – the National Democratic Congress (NDC)

First, as characteristic of such developments, the choice of a new Vice-President had seen its own speculation in media, wherefore a number of popular nominees who were advertised by the media eventually lost the position to Paa Kwesi whose name never made such a ‘shortlist.’

This had been preceded with criticisms from elements and interest groups within the NDC, who initially opposed the president’s choice of Paa Kwesi on the grounds that he is not a strong party-man – whatever that means!

Others also, through various covert and subtle means, tried to find ways to discredit his professional competence, punching holes into his exploits as a former deputy Finance Minister (1993 – 1997) and Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

But in the face of all these, Paa Kwesi has remained unruffled till his swearing-in as the Vice President last Monday which, in effect, also signalled the end of his tenure as the Governor of BoG.

The Man Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur

Born 29 April 1951 in the Central Regional capital of Cape Coast, Paa Kwesi has worked in various capacities and fields which cut across education and finance.

He attended the Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast, where he obtained the GCE Ordinary Level and GCE Advanced Level certificates in 1969 and the 1971, respectively. He continued to the University of Ghana, Legon, graduating with his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Economics in 1974 and 1976, respectively.

Paa Kwesi then lectured at the Department of Economics at the University of Ghana between 1980 and 1988, having earlier worked as a research assistant at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research between 1974 and 1975.

At the Economics Department, he had been a teaching assistant from 1977 to 1978, and becoming an assistant lecturer in 1979. He has also lectured at the Department of Economics, Anambra State College of Education, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria from August, 1981 till July, 1983).

He has a rich political background. Between 1983 and 1986, Paa Kwesi was a Special Assistant to the Secretary (or Minister) for Planning and Economic, Dr. Kwesi Botchwey, in the erstwhile government of Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) headed by Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings. Here, his main responsibility concerned the management of multilateral assistance in support of Ghana’s Economic Recovery Programme.

From February 1986 to March 1993, he rose to become the Deputy Secretary (deputy Minister) of Finance and Economic Planning, with responsibilities that included the preparation of the annual Public Investment Programme, management of the budget, as well as the management of bilateral and multilateral assistance to the country.

Between April 1993 and March 1997, Paa Kwesi was the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in the administration of the Rawlings-led NDC, involved with the formulation, design and implementation of the budget, management of revenue agencies and supervision of government expenditures, among others.

He worked as a Consultant for the World Bank in The Gambia (November – Decmber 1997), and as a consultant for the Netherlands government Education project in Ghana (May – December 1997).

Paa Kwesi then worked as Senior Economist for the Sigma One Corporation in Ghana between 1998 and 2000, in addition to many other economic and finance-related engagements, home and abroad.

He was appointed the Governor of the Bank of Ghana in October 2009 by the late President, Prof Mills, a position he has held till last Monday, August 6, when he was sworn into office as the Vice President of Ghana.

A Christian with the Calvary Methodist Church at Adabraka in Accra, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur is married with two children. We, of ‘The Spectator,’ congratulate him on his new position and wish that he brings his rich wealth of financial experience to bear on enhancing the country’s economic development.

Miss Ghana ‘12 Visit IPMC

The pretty contestant entering the IPMC office

Finalists of the 2012 edition of the Miss Ghana beauty pageant have paid a day’s visit to the national head office of Information and Communication Technology provider, IPMC, in Accra.

The 20 finalists familiarized themselves with the working environment at the Adabraka office to of IPMC, which is one of the sponsors of this year’s event.

They were led on a trip of the company’s facilities by officials of IPMC, who took time to explain the work routine and functions of the various departments and staff, who also seized the opportunity to interact and wish the finalists well.

The team was later treated to an afternoon’s lunch at the Paloma Restaurant, after which they paid another visit to the Ring Road Branch of the company.

The CEO of IPMC Mr. Amardeep S. Hari reiterated his outfit’s commitment to the Miss Ghana brand which, according to him, offers a unique platform for IPMC to support an initiative that gives hope to the youth of Ghana.

IPMC, he said, will continue to identify with the vision of the Miss Ghana event, promising that his outfit is committed to ensuring that Information Technology education remains a priority for every young Ghanaian.

The contestants thanked him for the support thus far, and promised to make his outfit proud.

For her part, Inna Mariam Patty, the CEO of Exclusive Events Ghana, the pageant organizers, described IPMC’s sponsorship of this year’s Miss Ghana as “very exciting. This is mind-blowing.”

As part of the prize package for Miss Ghana 2012, all the 20 finalists will receive IT products from IPMC. Already, the 500 young ladies who turned up for the national auditions in Tamale, Kumasi and Accra, are to benefit from a special discounted I.T training with the company. Vouchers for the training have already been presented to the beneficiaries. 

Malta Guinness Street Dance Clears Zonal Finals

2 Black 2 Strong dazzled the audience and judges with the dance skills

After weeks of strenuous auditioning sessions around the country, celebrity judges Reggie Rockstone, Bee Arthur and KOD have ended the zonal finals of Malta Guinness Street Dance Season 5 in Accra --- writes JAMES HARRY OBENG

The Accra Zonal finals, which came off at the GH-One studio in Accra last Saturday, attracted quiet a number of MGSD fans who gathered to support their favourite group and to enjoy some good quality dancing from the participants.

Each of the nine groups was given one chance demonstrate their well-choreographed dance skills, as the Judges looked out for good coordination and innovation and exceptionality in skills, among others.

At the end, five groups made it to the elimination stage. They are: Revolution, Rockerz, 2 Black 2 Strong, 4Bent and One Spirit. They now join the five groups who made it from the Ashanti Regional zonal finals – Heroes, Bradez Dance Crew, Cash Liners and Lil Flippers – to the next stage.

The 10 finalists will next week engage in three weeks of intensive competitions among themselves, where the judges will look out for the best group to represent the country. The winner will take home a GHC 15,000 and a unique opportunity to participation in the World Dance Championship in Germany.

The MGSD, organised by Malta Guinness to provide a platform for youthful dance talents to showcase their exciting dance skills, trains and grooms them to become even better dancers, in order to effectively build a lucrative career in dance. It currently airs on Metro TV and Multi TV at 3 pm, and on GH-One entertainment TV on Saturdays at 3 pm. 

11 for Miss Tourism ‘12

The 11 finalists pose for the camera

Eleven finalists have been selected to represent the 10 regions of the country at the 4th annual CLUB-Miss Tourism Ghana pageant, reports JAMES HARRY OBENG.

At the final auditions held at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra last Saturday, a panel of judges grilled the contestants with questions about the tourism industry in the country and the world.

Some were also asked to demonstrate their local dances, all as part of the preparations towards the final event on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at the National Theatre.

The eleven finalists include: Bernice Aniagyei (Ashanti Region), Ellen Tsetse (Brong Ahafo Region), Natasia Ampiah (Central Region), Roselyn Appiah (Eastern Region), Selina Korletey (Greater Accra Region), Nancy Antwiaa Baah (Northern Region), Joy Attah (Upper East Region) and Clementina Okyere (Upper West Region).

The rest are: Emmanuella Esinam (Volta Region) and Rosemond Kwofie (Western Region), with one standby contestant step in the unanticipated event of casualties in the house.

The ultimate prize package at stake this year includes a car, monthly stipend, and trips to England, Germany, Zimbabwe and China to represent the country. Sponsors include Accra Brewery, Darling Hair, Voltic, Chic Accessories and DaViVa, among others.

‘Big In Ghana’ Tours Four Cities

The FOKN Bois -- Wanlov and Mensa (right)

By James Harry Obeng

Effective Friday, August 24, at the Jubilee Park in Takoradi, the ongoing ‘Big In Ghana’ talent hunt will kick off with a series of outdoor music concerts in the major cities of the country to, among other reasons, avail the selected finalists to the experience of mounting the bigger stage.

Already, the finalists, numbering nine, selected through auditions held in Kumasi, Takoradi, Accra and Tema, are busily rehearsing with a live-band at a secret location where they have been housed in Accra by the organisers – the FOKN Bois.

The concerts form part of a four-city tour put together by the organisers to take the finalists to interact and play for their fans ahead of the D-day when the winners of the talent hunt will be crowned.

This was announced during a press conference held at the popular Rockstone’s Office last Thursday to brief the media about the progress made so with the talent hunt.

It was addressed by members of the FOKN Bois squad, including Mensa, Wanlov da Kubolor, Panji and Deborah Vanessa, popularly known in showbiz as Debbie, who answered questions from the entertainment media.

They announced the names of the finalists as follows: Anass, King Lucas (Takoradi), B. Brain, Ohene Amoako (Tema), N.T.4, Blakz (Kumasi), Richie, Taurian Deveaux and Bryte (Accra).

Throwing light on the four-city tour, the organisers disclosed that following the concert in Takoradi, others would be staged at the Tema Chemu Park (August 25), Kumasi Cultural Centre (August 31) and the Accra Holy Gardens (September 1).

In each of their performances, the finalists would be assisted “by one talented artiste from each city,” aside the main performances by the headline artistes – Efya, Yaa and the FOKN Bois squad, made up of Wanlov and Mensa.

According  to the organisers, the ultimate winners of the talent hunt, to be decided with the public (via SMS texting), will take home a GHc 20,000 worth of prizes, made up of GHc 3,000, a recording and publishing deal, professional video, management and promotion.

Fati Shaibu Ali

….e.tv’s award-winning Senior Business Editor raises concern with news-anchoring in Ghana

Fati displays the GJA award she won in 2011

By James Harry Obeng

In the estimation of some people, especially those who would never afford to miss a single news bulletin on television, e.tv Ghana’s Fati Shaibu Ali may not have become an authority in journalism yet, for her to start prescribing remedies for certain developments that she currently thinks nauseate news-castering in the country.

“After all,” they would murmur, “how many years has she practiced journalism to start telling what is wrong and right? She should p-l-e-a-s-e give us a break and let us be!”

Yes, it is true that Fati has not chalked a century in media practice, and yes, she does not consider herself as the Christina Amanpour on Ghanaian television. But the fact with her now is how she sees things. She believes that every work must be executed in their best possible ways, and not how people deem necessary because of the flexibility they derive from it.

Having sat on television herself as a news-caster, trained and inspired other fellow journalists with her attitude to work and, above all, risen through the newsroom ranks to become an editor, there is a particular sickening “thing” that Fati has observed about television news-anchoring in the country.

This “thing,” she observes, has commonly got to do with the attitude of news-casters in the country, especially the new-comers, who now appear on television to read the news, but end up “swaggering.” Yes, swaggering, but not in the perspective of the Oxford English dictionary!

Rather, when Fati refers to “the swag”, she means a different thing altoghetr. In fact, the Senior Business Editor of e.tv Ghana explained to The Spectator on Wednesday what she means: “We are taking the ‘swag’ too seriously, to the extent that we seem not to attach seriousness to the news we’re reading anymore. We should be careful of the ‘swag’ so as not to continuously shortchange our listening public with our attitude and mistakes.”

She explained further: “In the past, when some of us were growing up, we realized a particular way of news-castering on TV. This was the time when GTV was the only TV station in the country, so they tried to do things with all the strictest professionalism required.

“So you’ll see a news-caster appear on TV, sit straight to the camera and read the news, sometimes without even blinking an eye, giving it all the seriousness needed. Such readers hardly made mistakes with their pronunciations and diction. But then, other TV statitons began to spring up and so, a new form of news-anchoring emerged.

“So now, you’ll see a subtle deviation from the traditional style of GTV, where news-casters can now, for instance, swerve their chairs occasionally and share pep-talks in the course of reading the news, etc. Indeed, some of these changes have brought flexibility and style, which is good anyway! But it also appears to lower the standards because news-casters now take things for granted whilst reading, and as such, they sometimes make unpardonable mistakes in pronunciation and diction which could have been avoided with a little seriousness.

“We then end up short-changing our viewers and listeners who, because of our own-made swag, are unable to even hear what we say most times. With this, we also step on the cultural sensibilities of people and viewers who really get insulted. One such observation I made recently when President Mills passed away, and a news-caster announcing was smiling. You can’t treat such news this way; it’s wrong and we must check it,” Fati explained.

She added that it was important for journalists to begin to act seriously in every area of the profession, so that relevant issues, and not pettiness, would be brought to the fore, in order to advance the development of the country.

The Real Fati Shaibu Ali

With the profound dream to become a journalist, Fati has done everything possible within her power to realize her childhood passion. Today, not only is she held as one of the promising youths in the inky profession, but she has also won a couple of enviable honours and awards.

One such award is the Best in Education Reporting (Electronic) which she picked at the 16th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards held last year, with a news report she filed on the inherent challenges of the country educational system.

That story, titled “Going to school in rural Ghana,” recounted the challenges pupils and teachers in rural Ghana encountered on a daily basis to acquire and impart knowledge, emphasizing the sharp differences with schooling in the cities.

“I feel some kind of an overwhelming satisfaction when I put out credible information, tell someone’s story or expose an ill in society. I hope to do more stories, write better and do more investigative stuffs,” Fati said, as she shared her feelings about the award.

Touching on how she entered journalism, Fati said she encountered her first baptism of fire somewhere in the Central Region at the age of 16 and still in secondary school, “but I managed to land my first job at a Radio Valco, a campus-based radio station.”

She narrated how at that time, when most of her peers were still undecided about which career paths to pursue, she went for an audition alongside about 500 others, including graduates and under-graduates, and was eventually picked as a radio-presenter cum news-reader.

“When this happened, I knew for sure that the pen and paper was my future. As at that age, I managed to marvel the interview panel with my zeal, and straightaway I was convinced myself that journalism was my thing,” she quipped.

After completing the University Practice Senior Secondary School in Cape Coast two months later, Fati was given a slot to host the ‘Lunch Time Rhythms’ show on the radio station, and soon gained admission to read Journalism and Media Studies at the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) in the United Kingdom via long distance.

During vacations, Fati would spend time at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in Cape Coast, where she subsequently did her national service. She then moved to the Skyy Power FM in Cape Coast as a reporter and news-reader, from where she joined Metro TV in Accra in 2005.

“I think I am who I am today because of the training I received from Mary-Ann Acolatse at Metro TV. Like all other journalists who have passed through her hands, Mary-Ann pushed me really hard that I sometimes wondered the kind of person she was.

“But I am a person who welcomes criticisms, so I took hers in good faith, and today I am also a different person altogether. I really thank her because I owe most of my progress in journalism to her,” she said, adding that at Metro TV, she was assigned to the Castle as the correspondent in 2007 “where I had the opportunity to interview the late president, Prof. JEA Mills.”

Fati indicated that after Metro TV, she needed a bigger platform to explore her talent, so joined e.tv Ghana – where is now the Senior Editor in-charge Business News (e-business journal), having earlier worked as a producer (of ‘News Extra’) and news-anchor, among others.

In the years ahead, Fati hopes to contribute more towards making the e.tv Business Desk the strongest any person could find anywhere, in the sense that “I never stop learning and welcome opportunities to better myself and others, so I want to bring the Business Desk to a point where nothing can compare! The station is only two years and I believe we will soon get there!”

Fati takes cooking and braiding as a past-time, for which she even owns a beauty salon, Fasha’s Palace. She also picks Banku and Okro stew as her favourite dish. But there is also another part of Fati that many have not known, at least until now.

She started off as a movie scriptwriter and actress, but decided to “kill” that part of her because “I come from a strict moral background and as a result, my family do not approve of a trade that will one day require me to kiss or go nude on set. That’s why I quit the movies, even though I acted roles in films like ‘Sisterhood.” Fati wrote the script for such local movies as ‘Brenya,’ ‘Kyeiwa-ba’ and the ‘Last Virgin,’ all produced and directed by the popular filmmaker Socrate Safo. 

Gifty Osei Installed Dev’t Queen

Gospel sensation Gifty Osei - Now a queen-mother

By James Harry Obeng

Four months after picking three awards – including the coveted Gospel Artiste of the Year – at this year’s Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (V-GMA), sensational gospel songstress Gifty Osei is set to be decorated with another honour by the end of this month.

This time around, the Fefeefe hit-maker will be installed as a queen-mother (or ambassador) of development by the chiefs and people of the Senya Beraku in the Central Region.

Her installation, slated for Sunday, August 26, will be performed by Nenyi Kwaw Bentum IV, the Tufuhen of the Senya Beraku Traditional Area (SBTA), during the celebration of this year’s Akomase festival from August 24 to 28.

Gifty Osei, who broke the news to Spectator Agoro on Monday, expressed her profound joy and appreciation over development, assuring that she would use her new position to engineer and spearhead more development projects for the area.

She also disclosed that as part of her installation, the traditional council has allotted 10 plots of land to her, which she intends to use to build a school and a filling station at Senya Beraku in the immediate future.

Gifty announced that her installation would be climaxed with a musical concert, dubbed Gospel Music Explosion @ Senya Beraku, where a host of gospel artistes in the country would perform, such as Cecilia Marfor, Supt. Kofi Sarpong, Mary Ghansah, Opiesie Esther and Grace Ashy, among others.

Touching on the reasons for her installation, Gifty Osei explained: “I hail from Senya Beraku and I’ve never turned back on the town since I hit the music limelight. I’ve used my work to, as consciously as possible, project the town wherever I go, especially through my songs and most of my music videos which I shot there.

“Additionally, I recently raised funds to support the victims of the recent Senya Beraku accident in which 27 people died and another 27 sustained grave injuries. So, I think, all those could be contributory factors,” she noted, as she discounted suggestions that she hails from royalty.

We, of the Spectator Agoro, congratulate Gifty ‘Fefeefe’ Osei on the honour done her and wish, just as she has already assured, use her new position to champion the objectives for which she has been honoured. 

‘Question the pastors, not me!’

...Socrate Safo fires campaign with ‘Amen’

Socrate Safo -- Controversial

By James Harry Obeng

At a time most film-lovers are expecting a response to the chilling reports of sexual explicitly levelled against his latest movie ‘Amen,’ controversial filmmaker Socrate Safo has rather thrown aboard an intriguing campaign which seeks to urge the media to critically probe certain developments presently gaining roots in the church.

Prominent among these developments is the rate at which many Ghanaian pastors (or men-of-God) are increasing marrying celebrities, especially top gospel musicians, in recent times.

Much as Socrate says he does not begrudge pastors who settle for showbiz stars, he is nonetheless unconvinced with the modus operandi that some of them use to eventually land their celebrity-wives.

He, thus, expects the media and larger Ghanaian society to take active interest in the development, and begin to question how come it has now become “so fashionable for pastors to marry music star.”

In an exclusive interview with the Spectator Agoro on Monday, Socrate indicated that the incidence whereby some pastors in the country waited till their “wives” become music stars before marrying them, raises a lot of concerns that needed to be interrogated.

He suspected that there might be something more to the situation now, unlike in the past when pastors married wives (Asofo-maame) who were otherwise unknown before tying the knot.

“I want to know how these men-of-God manage to marry gospel musicians, when and how they meet, whether or not the ‘wives’ had their own boyfriends before meeting the pastors, and how come they always get them to marry?,” a very emotional Socrate questioned, adding: “Are you trying to tell me that all these ‘wives’ knew or were dating the pastors before becoming celebrities?”

Socrate blamed the entertainment media for increasingly becoming “lazy” over pertinent issues affecting society, but rather concentrated on recycling sensational and unfounded stories “that will not help our arts and entertainment industry to grow.

“It is about time we investigate and find out why it has become so and at the same time, educate the people and Christendom about how some of these pastors are manipulating the masses,” he said.

A cross-check by the Spectator Agoro revealed that indeed, a couple of celebrities – or gospel musicians – are married to pastors, though it could not be confirmed whether or not they were star at the time of their marriage.

They include: Diana Hopeson, Gifty Osei, Akosua Adjepong, Florence Obinim, Herty Borngreat, Ceccy Twum and Mavis (formerly of Mentor fame). Others, such as Obaapa Christy (formerly Christiana Love), Esther Smith and Agnes Opoku-Agyemang, were also once married to pastors.

...Amen – facts and lies

Socrate Safo also responded to matters arising out of the release of his latest movie, Amen, which some media reports have said contains sexually-explicit content. (NB: This reporter has watched the said movie, and says the film contains no such explicit content).    

“Frankly, I sometimes wonder what is wrong with some media-guys. I’ve done a new movie and even before they watch it, they write and say it is porn. Who has ever done porn in this country before?

“They write whatever they like and make people give me all sorts of unmerited names and descriptions, but I don’t care! It is God who’ll judge me, so I don’t mind what people call me – devil or Satan,” he said, describing the new movie as fulfilling the mission of Jesus Christ “that we should preach the truth at all time.”

The movie, he added, “reminds us that there’s something we should check out for about the activities of some pastors in the world today. That’s all!”

The Synopsis: Amen tells a story of a pastor who advises a church-member to leave his girlfriend (a film star) few months to their marriage, then turns around to woo the girl into marrying him (pastor). He then coax the girl – now his wife – into aborting a pregnancy belonging the ex-boyfriend.

Consequently, the wife is unable to conceive again, whereby the pastor now turns his attention onto their househelp in search for a baby, leading to a number of devastating consequences.  The film, copies of which are available at all respectable CD and DVD stores across the country, stars Baby Blanche, Fred Amugi, Roselyn Ngissah, George Berthou and Pages, among others. 

PROF J.E.A MILLS

…. “My brothers and sisters, m’ara me dze me p3 asomdwee…”

By: James Harry Obeng

For many in the country and elsewhere, the death of the President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, has brought Ghanaians together like never before. Certainly, nothing can be said to the contrary, considering the spontaneous outpouring of grief and national mourning that greeted the rather unanticipated announcement of his demise, through to his funeral and internment at the newly-found Asomdwie Park in Accra.

                                                                                                

Indeed, for some people, like myself, the death of the man popularly regarded by Ghanaians as the Asomdwie-hene (King of Peace), will forever remain one of the fondest memories to go into the nation’s history. This is not because this is the very first time in our nation’s history that a sitting president has died in office. No, far from that! Rather, it is because of the unprecedented oneness that Ghanaians exhibited in mourning and also putting the president to a befitting rest.

That was the period when the entire country actually became united, though by a rather not-so-joyful reason – death! That was the time that a country called Ghana was born, whose nationals were indeed called Ghanaians, and not Kukrudites or Akatamanseurs (or whatever you want to call it). I hope you know what I mean – those two guys who are so opposed to each other that anytime they zoom into action, with their characteristic boom and nyafunyafu antics, everybody run for shelter. And that was time that, perhaps for the first time since only-God-knows-when months, Ghanaians forgot about a particular national court-room drama called Woyomic….and its other sibling, gargantuan! That, surely, was the time that Ghana became Ghana and proudly flaunted all of her true characteristics thereof. How I still so desperately fancy that that Ghana was still alive today.

Sadly enough, it is evident that that united Ghana was buried with the Asomdwie-hene at the Asomdwie Park. In fact, in just two days after the Prof’s burial and all the (cosmetic) laying of ‘beautiful’ wreaths and tributes, the Kukrudites and the Akatamanseurs were back in action, having laid siege on the entire airwaves and the print media, and throwing missiles at each other in gargantuan dimensions. It is obvious; they have started campaigning ahead of December 7. They all so desperately want acquire possession of something called power, with which they’ll rule the so-poor Ghanaians, whereby they’ll say “go and sleep” and there’ll be no opposition. Yes, that’s power, which is so commanding that it can even reshuffle peoples’ bedrooms and all other activities that go on behind-closed-doors. Yes, they want power, and it could be acquired through different means. The modus operandi is so vast that sometimes they cannot stop contemplating and marshalling all-die-be-die and Ghana-will-turn-into-Burundi techniques. Yes, power sweet, my Nigerian buddy Ogochukwu will tell you!

But the point is, can’t we preach peace in our campaigning for power? After all, isn’t it what the Professor we all mourned some days ago stood for, for which we all felt the excruciating pain of grief pierce our hearts the very moment his death was first announced? I mean that unbearable announcement on that black Tuesday, July 24, 2012, which indicated the president had died in the afternoon of cancer at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra. Then followed the funeral arrangements, including the setting up of a funeral planning committee! Then the funeral proper, which was attended by several heads of state from across the globe! And finally, the saddest part of it all, the burial!

Certainly, controversies arose at each stage of the aforementioned, from different angles and with different understanding, such as the debate about where the Prof should be buried, the so-interpreted unsavoury comments passed by Papa Jay on the BBC (or was it CNN?) about the Prof’s health and death – and even the content of the Book of Condolence he subsequent signed, issues about how the Prof. was said to have been left to die by his aides, the call for a coroner’s inquest into the death, how his son was also said to have not been allowed to read his tribute at the funeral, how much the funeral planning committee spent, the TB Joshua and Duncan-Williams statements, and the so many others that occurred in-between.  

But in all of these, the united Ghana that was born following the Prof’s death never got swayed by the events, as she maintained control of issues and went straight ahead to lay the Asomdwie-hene to eternal rest, peacefully!

So, why can’t we, therefore, as one people of a united Ghana planted in different political parties and traditions, remain focus now, and campaign on issues and stop spreading inflammatory messages that can easily mar the beauty of our forthcoming December 7 political exercise. It is a democratic practice we must jealously guard and protect. At least, that is the only thing we can do to honour the departed Prof who – I saw in a dream – is watching us from a higher place somewhere, and shouting with his soft voice: “My brothers and sisters, m’ara me dze me p3 asomdwee…”

Yes, the Prof still wishes us well in his rest, and so expects us to use his death to FIGHT AND LIVE FOR PEACE AND UNITY. I am for peace! What about you? May his soul rest peacefully! 

Welcome to my blog

The truth, it is said, sometimes hurt badly, for which reason people, especially those in authority, tries all within their power and means to hide it. But regardless of how cautious people try to cover up the truth, it pops out all the same. That brings into the picture why I am here. Call me a sleuth-hound or the discoverer and you'll not be far from it. But who are the people I will be pursuing? The celebrities, be they actors and actresses, musicians, or wherever they find themselves in the Ghanaian arts and entertainment industry. You are thus welcome to my blog where we talk and write everything entertainment in Gh...