Veteran filmmaker, Socrate Safo, has said that Ghanaian comedian, Funny Face, has a problem and therefore recommends that help be given to him.
Appearing on the March 30, 2024, edition of the United Showbiz programme on Accra-based UTV, Socrate was of the view that Funny Face has fully not recovered from his mental issue and as a result, the need to extend help to the comedian.
According to the filmmaker, psychologically and mentally, there is something wrong with Funny Face which needs immediate attention.
“Let's be truthful to ourselves. We all like Funny Face. I am telling you that I have had personal encounters with him and anytime we meet, he tells me about his problems, we talk about everything. Funny Face is not our enemy, we all like him because he hasn’t offended any of us but let's say it as it is.
“There is a problem, we need to help him. Whatever he did, I am telling you... if I were to be the lawyer, I'd go for his medical records and find out if within that time he was doing those things, they were as a result of his mental issues.
"Psychologically and mentally, there is something wrong with him. He was taken to the mental hospital and was being treated. At that point, there was a day while at the hospital, he was still using a phone and people were saying and asking why someone in the mental hospital would still be using a phone. Where is the supervision?”
He added that the way the comedian was treated while at the facility could have also contributed to how his recovery was.
“Sometimes, when you are a star and you go to places, there are special ways you are being treated but for someone with such an issue, there should be some form of management.
"This is where I'm still asking questions about it if for real what we know, that he had a mental issue and that, he was diagnosed by a doctor how come he was not barred from driving?" Socrate Safo quizzed.
Socrate said he believes that mental issue is not something curable but instead manageable.
“I have been saying this since last week. We need to take such things seriously and check, especially with the doctors at the mental hospital... who deserves to own a driving licence? Someone with a mental issue? Let’s be truthful to ourselves. It will help all of us... because do you know that people with mental challenges can hit you with something and once the person is declared to have a mental challenge... you can't do anything about it because medically, he has been declared and nothing can be done about it, and from the little we’ve learnt and heard from experts about mental challenges, you don't cure it but instead manage it and part of the management is that you advise the person and take him or her out of harmful things and bar them also."
He further advised that people with epilepsy, or mental issues should not be allowed to drive and operate any machine, adding "I am wondering why the doctor didn’t prescribe, recommend or warn that he should not be driving.”
Watch his submissions below
VKB/AE
