‘Optometrist by day, comedian by night!’ – The signature of OB Amponsah who was criticized, verbally abused and threatened by some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for performing a joke about their flag-bearer John Mahama at Decemba2Rememba 2019, held at the Fantasy Dome.

OB, on the night, had made light of many things, including names and meanings as well as the impact of names on people where he mentioned that the name ‘Mahama’ is synonymous with corruption in Hausa.

Deemed as an expensive joke, a barrage of attacks, threat of assault, hit the comedian on Thursday, December 26 – few hours to his performance at the ‘Night of 1026 Laughs & Music’.

Some argued the attacks were needless taking into cognizance the fact OB Amponsah had on the night of the event stated emphatically that he was joking. They further argued that the comedian had “upon sober reflection” formally rendered an unqualified apology to Mr. Mahama, NDC and persons who might have been “offended by the joke”, hence, the intensification of the backlash exposes the level of hatred for the comedian.

Fanning into flames the criticisms was NDC Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram Sam George’s decision to engage event organiser CharterHouse over OB Amponsah’s appearance on their ‘Night of 1026 Laughs & Music’.

In his Facebook post, the legislator, said he would attend the show and announced his resolve to “stage a massive protest if OB misbehaves.”

“I have just had a chat with Management of Charterhouse Ghana over the appearance of OB Amponsah this evening at Night of 1026 laughs. I expressed my discomfort and strong displeasure at his tribal and partisan diatribes against the person of the former President.

“He is entitled to hold his personal views no matter how twisted they are but cannot use a paid-for platform to disseminate same. I have the assurances of the organizers that they have since my conversation with them had a talk with him that their platform would NOT be used to peddle such material. I have the assurances that Charter House remains a Ghanaian business entity that is apolitical”.

Having been subjected to attacks in diverse ways, some were of the view OB Amponsah would be affected psychologically but the comedian was in his element as patrons were blown away by his performance.

Watch!