Before Chef Smith, there was Dr UN and ‘fraudster’ Mensah

While Ghana is still grappling with the aftermath of the 'deceit' by Chef Ebenezer Smith on 2 July 2024, many could not help but recall another individual who played a similar prank on not just the general public but on well-known personalities in the country.

It can be recalled that in 2020, a man who described himself as an entrepreneur and events planner, Kwame Fordjour, also known as Dr. UN, organised the ‘7th Global Leadership Service to Humanity Awards’ on Friday, 28 August.

The awards show involved the distribution of plaques bearing the inscription "UN Kofi Annan Excellence Awards" to individuals from diverse fields such as entertainment, politics, and business.

The event garnered significant media coverage and social discussions due to the high-profile nature of the individuals involved in the awards scheme.

Notable figures such as the rapper Sarkodie, Berla Mundi, D-Black, and over 20 other distinguished Ghanaians received awards on that fateful night.

Barely a day after, news broke out that Dr UN had no affiliation with the United Nations or the late Kofi Annan.

He had no verifiable achievements; he was unknown to the academic world or the international community.

All he had was a truckload of bravado, boldness, and a rare type of confidence.

The amusing incident left many of those unfortunate celebrities with the trauma of that night. However, it was undoubtedly funny.

Yet, this tale pales in comparison to another case involving Fauster Mensah, alias Atta Mensah, who made headlines in 2014 by claiming to have won a Nobel Prize in the sciences.

He presented himself as Chairman of the African Computer Society and a NASA-affiliated scientist, with elaborate websites and social media accounts mimicking major news outlets.

Several government ministries celebrated him for his remarkable achievements and he earned a spot on Ghana Television's (GTV) prestigious "Moomen Tonight."

However, things took a crazy turn when his interview with GTV host Abdul Hayi Moomen revealed inconsistencies, leading to a social media uproar as citizen journalists sought to unmask Ghana's purported "biggest fraudster."

Ghanaians were ‘shook’ when it was revealed that his achievements were false, the websites and social media accounts were fake, and the images were photoshopped, Fauster Mensah was never at NASA, nor was he a scientist.

Despite being exposed, Mensah continued his deceitful ways, reinventing himself as Professor John Vinzelts.

According to a 2020 GhanaWeb article, Fauster, under this new guise, claimed titles such as Country Head for UN Youth, Commissioner with the World Diplomatic Organization (WDO), and even boasts of a role within the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Most recently, he has been associated with the Consular & Diplomatic Services University in Accra, Ghana, where he purports to be the Vice-Chancellor.

While their motivations remain unclear, it appears these individuals sought fame and attention rather than financial gain.

However, this saga underscores an intriguing lesson: sometimes, audacious confidence can open doors, regardless of appearance or eloquence.

ID/EB

Feature by Isaac Dadzie