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Opinions of Tuesday, 26 September 2017

Columnist: Dodoo Zongo Adil

The police has made a hero out of an idiot - Appiah Stadium as a case study

Frank Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as Appiah Stadium, popular NDC serial caller Frank Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as Appiah Stadium, popular NDC serial caller

My limited time of late doesn't permit me to write as much as I should ordinarily. I am too busy doing other things that it may not be too important though.

But, a trending issue about one Appiah Stadium's accusations and insults directed at the president and him being arrested by the police has 'forced' me to write something and share an unsolicited view.

It should be placed on record that, It is morally and culturally wrong for anybody to insult his fellow human being much more persons who occupies high positions in our societies; those who embodies the spirit of the nation.

Hence, the insults hurled at the president by Appiah Stadium is condemnable and deserves to be condemned by all well meaning Ghanaians.

I am however, against the manner in which the law enforcement agencies have gone about dealing with this issue. Their Rambo Styled arrest and handcuffing of that guy is not not not. It creates a very bad image of the police and their competence in dealing with such a minor issue often comes up for discussion. But, I will leave it for another discussion.

My position on this issue is clear and unequivocal. The arrest of Appiah Stadium was highly unnecessary. The police or those who ordered for his arrest have done a great disservice to all Ghanaians. What they have succeeded in doing is to waste our time and the media space.

My position on this issue should be considered within the kind of political climate we are used to in this country.

We live in a country were political rewards or political recognitions go for those who can hurled the most insults.

We also live in a country were people are always hunting for any opportunity to be known or probably to occupy an underserved place in society.

These kinds of people go to any extent imaginable to achieve this desire. They can even kill for it.

Appiah Stadium or whatever he is calls himself falls within this category. He is an opportunists and if I am allowed to be a little harsh, he is like an idiot. And idiots are often ignored.

The arresting body or those who ordered for his arrest failed to apply social intelligence in their dealings. They should have anticipated the outcome of their action.

They have created a hero out of an 'idiot' who does not deserve all the attention he is currently receiving.

They have succeeded in turning the nation's attention from the success of the implementation of the FSHS policy and the President's excellent speech at the UN to an unproductive discussion about someone's arrest.

The opposition party, the NDC, who appears dazed with the performance of the president appears to have been given a life line by the police. At least, they will hold a press conference to discuss the arrest of Appiah Stadium tomorrow.

What the police should have done is to treat this matter like a small wound. And small wounds are left alone. They cure themselves naturally.

The president, Nana Addo, I know won't bother ordering for someone's arrest on the basis of an insult. It is still a record that, the president holds the record as the most vilified and most insulted person in the nations history.

Our President embodies tolerance and free speech. The police should have spared him all this brouhaha.