The Mahama-Otumfuo Video - Facts & Opinions

by Kojo Yankah

It has been very tempting responding to various interpretations, effusions, observations and comments on a rare President-Asantehene boogeying session to the Yenntie Obiara tune. From a journalist's point of view, this was 'news'. From a public observer's lenses, this was 'wow'. To a 'commoner' the dilemma would be 'to tell or not to tell'.

From the FACTS I have, it was a public officer/participant who, among all those who pulled out their phones and iPads, out of excitement, that dawn, WhatsUpped a portion of the session to a friend in the United States of America. At 2am in Ghana, it must have been 10pm in America, so the distribution and sharing began, and the 'news' spread like wild fire.

What was the context ?

After midnight on that fateful day, the President, accompanied by Asantehene, commissioned floodlights at the Kumasi Airport to allow night flights to the Garden city - a major development that was significant in many respects, particularly for travelers from all parts of the world.
Then, after the event at which Daddy Lumba and Amakye Dede performed their popular songs live, Otumfuo invited the President to late dinner.

It is after this private dinner for only about 25 - among them some Board Members of the Ghana Airport Company and Ghana Civil Aviation Authority - that the group repaired to another room where a live band was performing. The various pieces of hi-life music being played were inviting and drew the two eminent men and other guests to the floor. It was all fun - but it was when the band hit the popular Yenntie Obiara that instant ' 'cameramen' pulled out their phones and iPads, security notwithstanding.

Freedom of speech and freedom of expression have guaranteed positions in Ghana's Constitution, and most people have chosen various channels to exercise their freedoms and comment on this piece of news.

I have not heard every single comment, remark or interpretation on this 'exclusive' story which has become widespread. I am not interested in what anybody says about a masterful creative combination of rhythm and lyrics in Daddy Lumba's composition. That is their Opinion !
But when an opinion turns to insults based on a parochial and dangerous path of destruction, and particularly when it comes from somebody who is a PhD holder and professor in a university, I have a concern. One Professor Okoampa-Ahoofe in a university college in New York, commenting on this 'exclusive story' above writes on GhanaWeb of January 20, 2015 : " Why would Otumfuo stoop so low as to host a partisanly private party at the Manhyia Palace to which only a handful of the most hardened political cynics of the ruling NDC including decidedly anti-Asante President John Mahama would be in attendance, and then heartily dance with the latter to the most politically insensitive of Ghana musical lyrics - the infamous Yenntie Obiara. "
The 'learned professor' goes on to claim that "but for the fortuitous leaking of a videotape of this most culturally and politically sickening affair by a Manhyia orderly who felt it to be imperative for Asanteman and Ghanaians at large, to witness this...."(the rest is all insulting).

Whatever hatred and personal detestation Okoampa-Ahoofe has for the Asantehene, the FACTS must be told : It was not an orderly of Manhyia Palace who 'leaked' the video. The gathering at Manhyia was NOT a partisan private party. President Mahama is NOT anti-Asante. The Yenntie Obiaa song is not the most politically insensitive Ghanaian music. Daddy Lumba never had any politician in mind when composing that song.

More FACTS : Asantehene has held 'private dinners and parties' with ALL past Presidents. Asantehene has held private parties for professional bodies and clubs, associations, and organizations who have visited Kumasi. The people of Kumasi know too well that he freely dances at private dinners and parties organised for chiefs, keep fit clubs, church groups, visiting dignitaries and many more.

If Ahoofe intends to incite disaffection for Otumfuo and denigrate all the positive attributes of the Asantehene because he dines with Presidents, and particularly the sitting President, then he woefully failed. Tearing Ghana apart on the basis of tribe, religion or ethnicity is a dangerous path which Ghanaians will not elect to tread.

(kojoyankah60@gmail.com)