A lunatic has set up living quarters in the precinct of the J.B. Danquah Monument, popularly known as Danquah Circle, and has literally desecrated the statue of one of the founding fathers of this state. In fact, all indications are that the lunatic has resisted attempts to move him from the precincts of the monument and is working strenuously to bring to naught, all efforts by workers of the Parks and Gardens Department to beautify the premises of the monument.
Two workers of Parks and Gardens who were working on the spot took The Independent round and pointed out some of the "works" of the lunatic around the monument. They are Madam Mary Savi and Baba Mali Tsumanu who have worked 36 and 30 years respectively with the department. The lunatic, they told The Independent, is the one who has used white, pink and green paints over the earth brown colour of the statue. And, it is a task to the imagination trying to figure out how the lunatic did it but, he is alleged to be responsible for the presence of a necklace of dirt sodden cloth around the neck of the over nine feet tall statue.
There is also across the face and chest of the statue a splash of a mix of chopped up cabbage and carrots, obviously soggy with some edible cream before they were thrown up on the statue. A snap inspection conducted by The Independent on the precious of the monument show that the lunatic now lives under one of the four street lights around the circle, the one on the Cantonments side; and the spot is littered with a lot of what is obviously garbage.
According to Baba Tsumanu and Madam Savi, the lunatic was actually living and sleeping under the statue till recently when department officials came in and compelled him to move. But that was not before he tore up by their roots, many flowers grown to beautify the premises and destroy the trap door used to lock up the tap used as a source of water to keep the flora fresh. He has also made chalk marks all over the concrete walk ways around J.B. Danquah's statue. When he was driven away we thought we were rid of him, only for him to return, they lamented. During the day, according to them, the lunatic walks around the neighbourhood and comes back "home" in the evening.
