WHEN LEADERSHIP IS CAUGHT IN THE WEB OF SURPRISE

"I promise you, I will work with your documentary"; this is what the Chief Justice told me this morning when I was invited to her office for a short meeting on my documentary , Locked and Forgotten". via Seth Kwame Boateng’s Facebook page

Yesterday, Joy FM’s senior reporter, Seth Kwame Boateng was granted a privileged audience by the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, Mrs. Georgina Wood following a broadcast of  his documentary on Joy FM and Joy News titled ‘Locked and Forgotten’.

The documentary investigated the dehumanizing conditions in our prisons and how some remand prisoners have been locked up for years without sentencing by a competent court of jurisdiction.

The documentary led to the granting of relieves to some prison inmates who have been on remand for years. So, in the normal scheme of things, such wonderful, people focused journalism should be applauded and celebrated.

Seth Kwame Boateng (R) with the Chief Justice

The work put in by Seth Kwame Boateng and the reprieve it had brought to some prisoners could potentially land him the coveted Journalist of the Year accolade at the 2015 Ghana Journalist Awards.

However, what is surprising is the expression of surprise by those who should know better about the flaws in the judicial system and the dehumanizing conditions existing in the prisons. I am talking about the head of the Judiciary, the Interior Minister and others who have direct access to information(s) about the prison system.

This is not the first time such an expose has been carried out on the state of affairs at our prisons. I recall some years back, Metro TV carried out an investigative documentary about life within the four walls of our prisons, bringing to viewers shots of prison cells, inmates infected with various skin  diseases and the poor food they get served.

http://www.myjoyonline.com/…/interior-minister-applauds-mul…

Other journalists have written extensively on prison conditions. Ex-convicts have complained bitterly, whenever the opportunity had granted itself, about the worst form of treatment they endured at prisons. Lawyers who have visited the prisons have worrying testaments to share about prison life. The CHRAJ and other human rights bodies have complained on many occasions about the inhuman conditions in the prisons as well.

The Chief Justice have made trips to the prisons and seen and heard about the conditions, challenges and complaints. The Interior Minister and many before the current one had been there also. So, for them to express surprise about the system which keeps people on remand for years as well as the dehumanizing conditions at the prisons is utterly surprising.

Yes, I know about the Justice- For- All Programme-where prisoners on remand and others whose sentences are considered absurd per their crimes are given reprieve or amnesty. The programme, instituted in 2007, was to de-congest the prisons. So far, it has achieved an appreciable success rate but then, more should be done to help prisoners on remand.

Human right institutions have on numerous occasions called for prison reforms and on the courts to commit petty criminals to community services instead of full blown prison terms. 

Others have called for improvement on the conditions at the prisons. The prison, as we understand it, should be a reformative institute. However, that purpose seems defeated in the midst of tales of how it is easy for ‘soft’ criminals to become hardened criminals by the end of their prison terms.

The Chief Justice and the Interior Minister have expressed commitment to cause a change within the prison institution and we can only wish them all the best. Measures to improve the lives of inmates is crucial and important and a welcoming news.

The fact that these unfortunate individuals are behind bars does not make them less humans or citizens. It is the responsibility of the state to care and protect the rights of her citizens including incarcerated souls. This should have happened long ago but as the cliché goes: better late than never.

Watch Locked and Forgotten documentary here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxsoOK3uXVM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmdWBzMtwkY&spfreload=10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2AY2F7ixfo&spfreload=10

STAR WARS: ACCRA-TEMA BEEF?

INTRODUCTION:        

           What organizers of the annual NIGHT WITH THE STARS (Joy FM) show anticipated to be a blissful, engaging and exciting moment nearly turned grey following an ‘artistic miscalculation’ by one of the stars billed to perform.

        Many watchers, mostly on social media predicted, prior to the show a ‘bizarre’ night. Their predictions or fears was not about the show going ‘flat’ rather how the chosen theme, ‘’Accra Vs Tema’’ could be (mis) interpreted by a section of the populace and some of the artiste themselves.

       Though the organizers might have chosen the theme based purely on the growing popularity and competition (musically) between Accra and Tema based artistes, the fear of critics was somehow informed by the West Coast-East Coast senseless feud in the US hip hop scene, which ensured that 2pac and Biggie never lived to see their 30^th birthdays.

PERFORMANCE:

             The melee arose following Kwaw Kesse ‘outrageous’ performance. The Abodam Man came on stage along with 7 girls clad in bra and panties, with each letter of his record label MAD TIME inscribed on each on each one’s bum. He had a moniker heavyweight belt and the girls carried a banner with VIP embossed on it.  

                                

Photo by Afroholic.com (Kwaw's Girls showing their bum lettering to the crowd)

            The provocation was not much about the VIP banner which he put on the floor but he stepping on it. His performance was thrilling and remarkable. The audience, who up to that point were feeling bored, had to stand on their chairs to catch a glimpse of him. He virtually brought ‘heat’ to the DOME. (kwaw pix)

photo by afroholic.com    Kwaw Kese fixing his belt on

        Then came VIP who minced no words in pronouncing their disgust at Kwaw’s behaviour. For them, his antics were scandalous and contemptuous to them, their teeming fans, the show and the genre.

        Their performance felt short of what they are known for, which many attributed to the ‘disrespectful’ actions of Kwaw Kesse. (pix VIP)

        Things came to a head backstage when the entourage of VIP attacked Kwaw Kesse and his team. Sources backstage speak of bottle throwing and ‘near brawls’ moment. Thankfully, the allegation of gun pulling or touting by the crew of the artistes was discredited.

                                           VIP (L-R) Lazzy, Promzy, Prodigal felt 'disrespected'.

PULL OUTS:

        Two of the artistes billed to ‘shake’ the DOME refused to perform. Their reason, as unprofessional as it was, was to show solidarity or loyalty to their friend and Tema-mate, Kwaw Kesse. It was unprofessional in the sense that they- R2Bees and Sarkodie- should have respected their contractual terms with the show organizers (JOY FM) and more importantly the attendees who bought those tickets to come and watch them.

      Despite those ‘hitches’ the show proceeded with Samini shutting it down. His performance, as it is been said saved the show.

  

      In my view, this fracas could have been avoided if the show had been scripted or each performance or stage discussed. Kwaw Kesse could have gone on to do what he did. VIP could have countered that by for instance pulling on stage someone in the make of Kwaw, put him on a table and mimic a smacking for that ‘disrespectful’ act of his.

APOLOGY:

         The ‘instigator’ of this whole sour episode Kwaw Kesse was on Joy FM apologizing to VIP, the fans and attendees. In his view, his ‘dramatization’ was an attempt to add excitement to the show and not to demean VIP.

         He went further to tweet ‘so far about #5ive threats in two days but I’m a soldier of #Peace. With the fans of @VIPpple understand that it was a stage battle not war’.

 

                                          Apology tweet from Kwaw Kese

CONCLUSION:

          VIP should in the name of peace and for the sake of the music industry accept Kwaw Kesse’s apology and rein in their ‘boys’. If they need a unqualified apology, Kwaw can be asked to issue a statement. This should ‘kill off’ any bad blood between the two camps.

         Beef in itself is not bad. It enhances competition between those involved. It makes them sharp lyrically-punch lines, metaphors, story line, intelligence etc- and research well.

        But with the cruel end of Tupac and Biggie and how things came to a head between Ex-Doe and Chicago, it should not be encouraged.

       

         Despite all these fracas or heckling that marred the show to a degree, there exist no BEEF between Accra and Tema artistes. A one-off case should not be stretched to that extent.