Nobody should ever put up a statue of themselves while still alive - Former UK Ambassador to Ghana

Former UK Ambassador to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, has criticized the decision to erect a statue of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his administration.

According to him, such actions are inappropriate while one is still alive or in office.

His remarks follow the vandalism of the Akufo-Addo statue in front of the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in Sekondi on January 13, 2025.

He expressed his disapproval in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on the same day, stating, “Nobody should ever put up a statue of themselves while still alive, let alone while still in office.”

The statue of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has previously been tampered with. A few weeks ago, part of the statue was destroyed and later repaired.

President Akufo-Addo faced significant criticism after unveiling the statue on November 6, 2024.

A section of the public, including former President John Dramani Mahama, accused Akufo-Addo of self-glorification through the statue. Mahama stated that it should not be the president’s decision to erect a statue of himself but rather that people should do so after his tenure in recognition of his achievements.

Nobody should ever put up a statue of themselves while still alive, let alone while still in office.#NanaAkufoAddo #Ghana #statues https://t.co/3Io9zKAvSh

— (((Jon Benjamin)))🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇨🇱✡️ ⚒🇬🇭 (@JonBenjamin19) January 13, 2025