Feature: Free Geman!

Nana Akwasi Agyeman aka Gemann, a one-time acclaimed afro-pop artiste was adored and revered by many. Not only was his music enthralling, his dancing skill was sublime which earned him the nickname, the Michael Jackson of Ghana. If his dance moves are comparable to the present day Usher and Chris Brown, then his movie star looks would be akin to Denzel Washington or Blair Underwood.

His kind of music did spread like cancerous cells and it was felt by all throughout the world. No human is infallible, and most celebrities get entangled with the law for the very wrong reasons. Gemann was an excellent artiste, but like many others, he got intoxicated with fame, money and power condescended to others. Not holding brief for him though, I think he did the most senseless and inexplicable act by shooting and killing a taxi driver at close range. His reason for the shooting was absolute piffle which won’t move any judge, but then, hasn’t the poor man paid the price. The man has been incarcerated for eight years, and for me, a person who had no records of misdemeanor or felony before the unfortunate incident, he has done enough time.

For the past eight years in jail, he has exhibited that he is a Saul-turned –Paul, conducting himself very well and becoming a born again Christian. He masterminded the formation of a gospel related band with an album to their name. With the inception of the band, the first of its kind, he’s helped transform former armed robbers, rapists, and thieves to realize their latent talents and sing and glorify God. Even in his incarceration, he is making good use of his God-given talent and rendering unconditional service to the nation.

Gemann’s victim, the taxi driver was said to have left behind a widow and one or two kids. The kids have been fatherless and depend on their mother, who is probably not earning much. Now, wouldn’t it be prudent and beneficial to let Gemann out, make him work and then made- under a bond- to pay monthly or yearly wages to the victim’s family. Is there nothing like parole in our legal system, where a prisoner is allowed to leave prison before the end of his term on condition of good behaviour? Such a move will always ease congestion in our prisons. Should we only wait for Presidential pardon to let some prisoners who’ve served enough time off the hook?

I was gutted that his second or so appeal for pardon was rebuffed. But in all these, I blame the Union of Ghanaian musicians for the lack of camaderie supposed to prevail at the Union. Everyone cares for himself and himself only; not giving a hoot about befalls the other. In the other countries, artistes are jailed every now and then, but their fellow musicians do whatever they can in their capacity to advocate for the release of their fellow musicians, and interestingly- it works.

The G-unit rallied support for the release of Tony Yayo, Roca-fella did the same for Beanie Sigel , the southern rappers for Pimp C, by wearing tee shirts with inscriptions such as FREE YAYO, FREE PIMP C or FREE WACKO JACKO etc in their music videos, concerts and award shows. What then prohibits our own musicians from doing it for others? It’s never a crime to seek for the release of a friend using the right channel. It’s about time we let our friends’ burden be our burden, because you never know when you stumble. FREE GEMANN, FREE GEMANN.

Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo
arniebaidoo@yahoo.co.uk