Journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni
This is absolutely not a riposte at the behest of either President Akufo-Addo or JOSPONG company to confute Manasseh Azure Awuni’s ostensive idiosyncratic prolix which appeared on Ghanaweb.com on 13/11/2017.
I read with illimitable incredulity amid a gleam of suspicion, Manasseh Azure Awuni’s opinion piece which sought to critique President Akufo-Addo’s recent extolment of JOSPONG for contributing towards the advancement of Ghana. It was, indeed, a pompous critique more than anything else.
I was indeed in puzzled countenance reading the apparent prolixity of exaggerating dignity and needless condescension by the said investigative journalist.
Of course it is a known secret that Manasseh has an issue with JOSPONG’s business approach, and hence the ostensive enmity.
But as the indefatigable Nelson Mandela of blessed memory once said: why must your enemy be everyone else’s adversary?
In fact, Manasseh’s argument is, at worst, infantile. As a prominent journalist, doesn’t he know that a man is innocent until proven guilty? Is he that ignorant?
Throughout his obvious high sounding and lengthy pompous critique of an article intended to censure President Akufo-Addo over his earlier commendation of JOSPONG, Manasseh revoltingly made references to the effect that the president is ignorant on the ongoing JOSPONG corruption cases. But let us remind the journalist that they are mere allegations until a verdict by court of competent jurisdiction.
Indeed, I cannot get my head around Manasseh Azure Awuni’s bizarre line of argument. Did he really expect a lawyer of high-standing like President Akufo-Addo to condemn JOSPONG publicly because, he, (Manasseh) has allegedly found JOSPONG complicit? That is never a reflective thinking, so to speak.
Get it Manasseh: the fact that JOSPONG is allegedly being investigated by the law enforcement bodies does not mean a president of such repute can upbraid and criminalise the said company in the open without any conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Well, no matter how hard you may try, your worst enemies can never be anybody’s antagonists. Why must you harbour such a solipsistic mindset?
In fact, the investigative journalist’s pompous critique of an opinion piece is impugnable. It rather scandalises the intelligence of President Akufo-Addo. Is he trying so hard to take Ghanaians for fools? Well, if anything at all, discerning Ghanaians have the ability to decipher between good and bad.
Rightly so, it is only a fool who does not change his/her mind. So after a carefully considered reflection, I have come to a realisation that Manasseh’s critics are after all downright with their criticisms on the investigative journalist.
In the past, I have stood and defended the gentleman against what I viewed as unfair criticisms on his person, but how wrong I was, after all.
More recently, I posted an article in defence of Manasseh Azure Awuni over the attacks from his fellow journalist, Okyere, on the same JOSPONG’s issue.
Subsequent to the publication of the said periodical, captioned: ‘Manasseh is my kind of an investigative journalist and a true patriot’, which was publish on a number of portals including ghanaweb.com and modernghana.com, I received numerous criticisms from discussants, many of whom accused me of defending the indefensible.
I must confess, though, your pleonastic attributions and gratuitous ballistic missiles being directed at President Akufo-Addo have got me ruminating over your critics line of reasoning. Your critics may have a valid point after all.
In sum, it is somewhat abhorrent that a prominent journalist like you would choose to attack a zestful leader whose only crime was to extend a handshake to an ebullient entrepreneur who is doing his utmost best towards the nation building.
