Opinions of Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Columnist: Prempeh, Eric Nana

Tepa linguist must retract unfortunate comments and apologise

TEPA LINGUIST MUST RETRACT UNFORTUNATE COMMENTS AND APOLOGISE

President John Dramani Mahama was in the Ashanti region for an official visit last Friday, the 19th day of June, 2015, where he and his entourage visited the people of Tepa and during a courtesy call on the Paramount chief of Tepa, Nana Adusei Atwenwaa Ampem I.

His linguist, Nana Kwame Poku, known in private life as Kwame Ato, prayed (poured libation) to the gods to ‘kill’ anyone who will become a hindrance to the 2nd term presidential bid of the president.

To quote exactly what an online radio, Starr FM, reported to clarify our points the report stated: “May the wind kill anyone who stands against your (President Mahama) second term bid”. If this is indeed true as was reported by the Starr FM reporter, one Isaac Bediako, as a prominent citizen of Tepa and for that matter, Ashanti Region, I am calling on the linguist to as a matter of urgency, retract such obnoxious statement and apologize to the many oppositions political parties in the country, with the New Patriotic Party leading the onslaught.

The said story, posted on the 19th June, 2015 at 11:37am on the radio station’s website, purportedly stated that, the linguist, Nana Kwame Poku wondered why people were opposing the second term bid of the President, when both John Agyekum Kuffour and John Rawlings were given a second term by Ghanaians.

As a former District Chief Executive, Presiding Member and a proud citizen of Tepa, I am indeed saddened by that particular statement as it has taken away the shine of what our dear Paramount chief said during the President’s visit. What to me is much disheartening is when the overlord, the King of Ashanti, Otumfou Osei Tutu II has expressly cautioned against invocation of curses by his subjects, this linguist impudently went contrary to such directive, a move I consider an affront and an insult to the Golden stool and the people of the Kingdom.

I, Hon. Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh, I’m giving the linguist a 24 hour ultimatum for him to retract and unreservedly apologize to the Tepa Traditional Council, all citizen of Tepa, the Asanteman as well as all Presidential Candidates who would challenge President Mahama in the 2016 general elections.

I humbly appeal to the Tepa Traditional Council, to as a matter of urgency come out and openly distance themselves from such an irresponsible comment, and sanction the linguist for dragging the name of the Council into disrepute.

The linguist is again demanded to undo the invocation on all the aforementioned personalities or I will personally report him to the Sumankwaahene of this Kingdom for him to explain why he invoked such curse on those aspiring to lead the nation as President and government.

To express how devastated I am about this statement, I will personally lead concerned citizen of Tepa to the Sumankwaahene. This is a disgrace to us, as people of this area, and I will make sure we clean such mess by letting him apologize to us and the Paramount stool of Tepa.

I believe the President, John Mahama, once a Parliamentarian, a minister, vice president and now president will be the first person to condemn any move or curse by on any individual or groups of persons championing a crusade against efficient democratic principle in the country.


SIGNED:
ERIC NANA AGYEMANG PREMPEH
FORMER DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
AHAFO ANO NORTH DISTRICT
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