Broadcaster and musician Abubakar Ahmed alias Black Rasta has declared that since old persons easily get tired and fall asleep, President Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo will continue to snooze at public events.
Black Rasta, speaking in an interview with Kofi TV monitored by MyNewsGh.com, admitted that the elderly have wisdom to share, but insisted that the hectic nature of being President leaves elderly persons tired and mostly sleepy because of their age.
“In Africa, we believe that old men have wise counsel. But if you elect some as President at the age of 75, his Senior Minister is 77 years. And they are the ones running left, right, centre, trying to fix the economy…they will end up sleeping.
"They will sleep because old men, old women, in fact, they easily get tired and they will fall asleep. If it is a young man who falls asleep, people will ask whether or not he is sick. But if an old man is asleep, you tell people not to disturb him; the old man is asleep,” he explained.
The Reggae star further argued that elderly persons should be given advisory roles, such as being members of the Council of State, so that they can guide the young to execute demanding jobs such as being President.
“You see, that’s the sense behind it. If you love the old man, let him relax. Why do we have the Council of Elders? We have Council of Elders to have elderly people who are brainy, to be there and give wise counsel,” he said.
He then criticised the electorate for electing old persons to the Presidency which requires of the person elected, a lot of energy to properly function.
“At the helm of the nation’s duty, if you put an old man there, who retired fifteen years ago from the normal public service age, to be President, you are doing Africa a disservice. It is not good. We have to think about it. It is a no-no. That’s it!” he lamented.
President Akufo-Addo has been seen in several viral videos seemingly asleep at public events. The most recent one is a video of him at Prempeh College’s 70th anniversary celebration apparently taking a snooze as a speech was being delivered.