My attention has been drawn to a front page story in the Thursday April, 7 issue of the The Alhaj newspaper with the above headline. The said publication states that “according to the former Chairman of the National Media Commission, in the run up to the 1998 congress of the Danquah –Busia-Dombo family to elect flag-bearer, then candidate Akufo-Addo accosted, threatened, bewitched and abused him for granting editorial space to Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor in his Independent paper”.
The paper claims I made this “disturbing revelation in my book-FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM-THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN AFRICAN JOURNALIST.
The paper ostensibly quoting from the book states that “CANDIDATE NANA ADDO ATTACKED ME WITH THREATENING LANGUAGE OPENLY AT A GHANA JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION (GJA) PROGRAM OVER MY NEWSPAPER, THE INDEPENDENT, ENDORSING HIS MAIN CONTENDER, CANDIDATE JOHN AGYEKUM AHEAD OF THE 1988 CONGRESS”, the former Ghana Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire narrated in his book.
My attention has been drawn to the publication of the story under reference on the same Thursday on Ghanaweb with this headline-AKUFO-ADDO THREATENED TO KILL ME-FREDDIE BLAY’S BROTHER- and the consequent commentary on social media.
There is indeed reference to some exchanges between me and Nana Akufo Addo with regard to a publication in the Independent in August 1998 which is captured in my own words in my book-FIGHTINGFOR FREEDOM-THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY, but the twist and spin given to event by the paper are mischievous and calculated to drag me into politics.
For the records, at that said event CANDIDATE NANA AKUFO-ADDO NEVER THREATENED TO KILL ME, NEVER THREATENED, BEWITCHED AND ABUSED ME FOR GRANTING EDITORIAL SPACE TO MR JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR OR ENDORSING HIM.
The reported verbatim quotation from the book cannot be found in any page of the book and can only be a creation of the paper; and is a departure from my own account, that indeed refers to some exchanges between me and Nana Akufo-Addo; his graceful apology a few hours afterwards, and my own remorse for giving the event front page banner treatment. That a newspaper will put words in somebody’s name baffles me.
As a witness and chronicler of Ghana’s history in the last four decades, I have written five books to date and over 500 articles. Nana Akufo-Addo and other protagonists of the political process have been severally mentioned in all or some of my writings.
These books and writings are now public records which journalists, researchers and scholars are entitled to quote from, but for the sake of the truth, literary integrity and the reputation of writers, it is expected that journalists in particular respect the old-time saying that FACTS ARE ALWAYS SACRED AND COMMENTARY FREE, anytime they seek to use the published works of others.
I would have maintained my usual silence and detachment from politics and journalism since 2001 when I made the transition to diplomacy and chairmanship of the National Media Commission, but knowing that my silence will be interpreted as an endorsement of veracity of the publication, I feel compelled to come out so that those who seek the truth can have another side of the matter in order to make informed commentaries and interpretations.
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