Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture Mark Okraku-Mantey has praised the late highlife musician Nana Tuffour as the best artiste he has worked with in terms of professionalism.
In an interview on Adom TV that went viral on November 23, 2024, Okraku-Mantey reflected on Nana Tuffour's discipline and punctuality, describing him as a model of professionalism in the music industry.
"Nana Tuffour was the only artiste I worked with who had the best work ethic. He was incredibly professional. Even when he was alive, I said this to him, and he knew it. If you gave him a specific time to show up for a project, he would be there 30 minutes ahead of time," he said.
Mark Okraku-Mantey explained that he is a disciplined professional who doesn't mix business with pleasure.
"When it comes to my job, I'm a different person. I can be a monster or even an animal, depending on how lazy you are. If you're hardworking, we'll have no issues. I can be jovial when needed, but when it's time to work, I don't mix the two," he stated.
When asked which artiste he regretted working with, Okraku-Mantey disclosed that former rapper Lord Kenya is on that list.
According to him, Lord Kenya tarnished his reputation publicly, leaving a lasting negative impact.
"A lot of artistes in the country have hurt me, but the one I can't easily forget is Lord Kenya. I took him like a brother; we even slept in the same room back then. He's apologised on radio before, so I don't want to go too deep into it, but he tarnished my reputation to the point where people in Kumasi were approaching me saying, 'You're the one cheating the musicians,'" he added.
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