Features
Foray into journalism…. Editor retires
Mr Emmanuel Amponsah
As we grow up we fantasise about being one thing or the other. We want to be teachers because we see them as very knowledgeable. We want to be nurses as they are neatly dressed. Many others fancy being doctors, pilots, engineers and many more.
When I resisted going to school and was asked what I wanted to do, I quickly responded I wanted to be a washerman. But this desire evaporated as an uncle told me I would need to write the names of my clients in case they brought identical items.
As time went on I saw my own prowess in the study of Geography as a subject. I again thought of being a soldier, but in my ignorance I thought it was not feasible since I did not grow a moustache. Teaching did not feature under any circumstance. My Geography improved when I went to secondary school.
Finally, I made up my mind to read either Geomorphology or Climatology. I can proudly say I was easily the best Geography student but the final examination did not favour me in the subject. I was devastated. I ended up going to train as a teacher at the Presbyterian Training College, Akropong.in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
On one vacation in Accra from Madonna school at Koforidua, I phoned the Editor of the *Weekly Spectator* to inquire if I could write a column for the paper. The Editor, a Mr. Kwesi Woode, as he said his name was, asked me to forward three scripts to his office. I told him I could only write on situations as they unfolded and he said he could not help. I knew it was his right to turn me down.
My flair for writing was ignited by a Ms. Elizabeth Suhre, an American Peace Corps volunteer who taught me English Language for three years. Sometime in 1971 there was a national essay competition on the subject, “What should the National Service Corps do?” It was during the premiership of Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia.
My essay was one of two selected for the Keta District. Mine was picked for the Regionals at Ho. Again, my essay was picked to represent Volta Region at the national level. The final draw did not come off before Busia was overthrown by soldiers on January 13, 1972.
As fate would have it, I got my Advanced Diploma in Journalism and Professional Writing. Now I had two professions; a teacher and journalist. I have written quite a bit under pseudonyms, some sermons under pseudonyms and Astrological predictions in the same manner.
Having done radio, television and print I came to the conclusion that anything on radio and television goes with the wind, but the written material lingers forever, even in spite of the fact that with ICT, materials anywhere can be stored and retrieved.
In December of 2020 I presented an Astrological predictions and perspective on Election 2020 to the *Daily Graphic* for publication. As was their right to do, the Night Editor of the paper got my write-up removed from the paper. I admit that our personal beliefs and biases can be brought to bear on our vocations. But it was his right to do what he did.
Then, out of the blue I got a call from a number I did not have in my phone contacts. He identified himself as the Editor of the *Weekly Spectator* asking if I could write a column for the paper. I did not think twice before accepting the offer. He made it clear that the company did not have money and I told him I did not expect payment.
So, on Saturday the 4th of December in 2020 *Random Muses* began on these pages with the very write-up *Daily Graphic* rejected. According to my Editor, some sceptics on the subject of astrology called him after the Election 2020 to express their wonder at the predictions.
Two weeks ago as I got my newspapers delivered to me I saw on the front page that my Editor had retired. I recall he had mentioned before the last Christmas period that he would retire this year, but I thought it might be in December. Let me make a confession: I have never set eyes on my Editor, Mr Emmanuel Amponsah.
We only communicate by phone or email. I can imagine what he may have gone through publishing my write-ups, especially since I state my mind without inhibition on any subject matter. Knowing how toxic our national discourse can be, writing on national issues is one thing, but having the courage to put them on the pages of a national paper is something else.
I usually tell Mr. Amponsah he should feel free to edit or get me to change my write-ups to save his skin from intolerant politicians who may call to rebuke him, but he tells me he would do no such thing as touch my scripts. I salute my Editor for his courage and professionalism and also for his independent mindedness.
This is what is expected of a professional journalist: independent mindedness. Those who buckle under political pressure/influence and those who fear to lose their positions are threats to national development and progress.
Talking about political pressure brings me to respond to a reader who sent me an email asking why I do not appear on television any longer. It was a good observation. True, I used to appear on newspaper review programmes on television until three years ago. At this point I was paired with Captain Joel Kwami Sowu, a nationalist to the core.
One morning, the young, hardworking and dynamic producer called to tell me that his management had decided to split Captain Sowu and me so that each of us would be paired with different panellists. Naturally, I asked if there was a problem. He answered that a call came from the communication department of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) demanding such action.
According to him, the NPP requested that we should be paired with one of their communicators to ‘counter’ whatever we had to say. My first reaction was “nonsense.” What I know of Captain Sowu is that he has an independent mind and has no partisan leanings. A fiercely political individual, Joel is not afraid of stating his opinions without fear.
First, we did not know what the newspapers published until we got to the studio, so how could a political party know what we were going to say so as to ‘counter’ us? It did not make sense to me and I told the young producer that I would get back to him after I had spoken to Captain Sowu.
When I narrated this to Joel, all he said in response was, “Akofa, if you buy into this nonsense, go ahead and appear on the newspaper review programmes.” I have stayed away from that station ever since. If a media organisation wants to dance to political music it is within their right to do so.
I have appeared on programmes with very seasoned and matured minds in the NPP, NDC, CPP and PNC. I can easily recall the likes of lawyers Kwame Jantuah and Tom Mawusi, Hon. Catherine Afeku, Philip Longdon, Bernard Mornah, Kwaku Baako Jnr, Egbert Faibile, Joe Jackson, Professors Nii Noi Dowuona and Nana Essilfi Conduah and many others I cannot recall immediately.
I am glad to stay away because I cringe when I hear some of these young, intolerant upstarts throwing insults at people who hold opposing views to theirs. Imagine calling a Paramount Chief a propagandist of another party and another saying a co-panellist was not qualified to be the president’s houseboy. The simple rule is to state your view and let others state theirs. There are some from the NDC who do no better.
Fortunately, no political party has ever asked me to communicate on their behalf. When I appear on a programme I see the whole nation as my constituency and address issues dispassionately. Let me make another confession: I voted religiously for NPP’s Nana Akomea since 1996 until he decided not to enter Parliament any longer. Even after I left the constituency in 1997 I kept my vote there till he left.
I vote for people I am convinced can deliver, not on flimsy emotional or for sentimental reasons. It is for this reason that I doff my hat to Mr Emmanuel Amponsah. He did not ask my political leaning though he may know now that I am an unrepentant admirer of the Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and his Pan Africanist philosophy.
Once a journalist, I believe Mr. Amponsah will remain a journalist. I welcome him to the Club of Retirees. I wish my Editor the best in any endeavour he undertakes in retirement. I am convinced that his successor will accept me for who I am.
Writer’s email address:
akofa45@yahoo.com
By Dr. Akofa K. Segbefia
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
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