Mr. Sampson Lardy Ayenini
Iddi Muhayu-Deen asks…
Mr. Sampson Lardy Ayenini, you know, I hold you in high esteem. You are one of the few journalists Ghanaians respect so much because of the enviable niche of professionalism you have carved for yourself. Under normal circumstances, I shouldn’t be questioning your decisions and actions especially in your line of duty. But you have compelled me to make an exception today.
As you can see, your name is being mentioned on almost every social [ads1]media platform for all the wrong reasons. You are probably trending more than the famous “#StopGalamseyNow” campaign by the Ghanaian people; albeit, for the wrong reasons. It is widely reported that you PREVENTED two of the finest communicators of the NPP from representing the party and government on a programme you host on Joy fm, Newsfile, on account that they were below your minimum standard. Like seriously?
Granted this is true, I am compelled to join the rest of Ghana to ask you what that minimum standard is. What is that minimum standard that the famous Nana Boakye and Eric Twum do not meet? Mind you, these two gentlemen have both been appointed by His Excellency President Akufo-Addo to serve in his government. Nana Boakye (soon to be a lawyer) is currently serving as the Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), whereas Eric Twum is the Deputy Chief Executive Director of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority.
So if you tell me that they do not meet your minimum standard, you are not only insulting them, but also, His Excellency President Akufo-Addo, who has appointed them to serve in his government in these sensitive positions? Are you telling me that President Akufo-Addo appoints substandard materials to serve in his government? Come on! Mr. Know-it-all Sampson Ayenini. I am very interested and so, are Ghanaians, in the standard you talk about. What standard does NDC’s Abraham Amaliba of “high rise building” fame and Felix Ofosu Kwakye meet, that, the hardworking Nana Boakye and Eric Twum do not meet?
You allow these NDC guys, whom people have described as babies with sharp teeth, on your Show but you won’t allow Nana Boakye and Eric Twum, who do not have any record of making abrasive comments to have merited the ‘babies with sharp teeth’ tag. Need I tell you that these two men have been representing the NPP and government on all the major political talkshow in the country? Is your minimum standard bigger than the one used by the ‘greatest broadcaster’ in Ghana today, Kwame Sefa Kayi, aka the Chairman General?
If you care to know, Kwame Sefa Kayi (KSK) hosts both Nana Boakye and Eric Twum on his Show, dubbed, kokrokoo on peace fm, which has consistently won “Best Morning Show Award” in the country. Are you also telling us that the likes of Randy Abbey of Metro Tv, Kaba of Asempa fm, Kwame Nkrumah Tek3se of Neat fm, Steven Enti of TV 3, Nana Aba Anamoah of GHOne all use substandard criteria? What at all is your standard Sampson and why can’t you be CONSISTENT in applying your very standard? I asked this because Eric Twum, whom you drove away for not meeting your minimum standard, was once hosted by you on that same show sometime in 2015.
Or, you chose and pick who, how and when to apply your standard? What is so technical about the topics for your discussants that day, that you think Nana Boakye and Eric Twum could not make any meaningful contribution? Is it President Nana Addo’s 100 days in office OR NDC internal wrangling OR the delta force brouhaha OR the galamsey menace? And if I may digress a little bit, what standard allows the host of a programme to talk more than his panelists? I don’t want to call you a host with sharp teeth. Or a lawyer with sharp teeth. I am not sure this is the joy fm standard. I guess I have to end here before I get too emotional and begin to also assume a sharp teeth.
In concluding Mr. Sampson, I regret to tell you that you have just pressed the self-destruct button and if you don’t do the honorable thing and apologize to the two persons involved, the NPP and to we, the ardent listeners of Joy fm, I’m afraid you have taken all the shine away from yourself and Joy fm and you may not be able to withstand the fallouts. Sampson, you must swallow your pride and vanity. Your followers deserve better. The listeners of Joy fm deserve better. Well, if this is a trap, then you have failed, because the NPP, unlike the NDC, will not boycott the station over this. Citizens are talking NOT spectators.
Assalamu alaikum
Iddi Muhayu-Deen
#ForGodAndCountry