Ghanaian Hiplife legend, Okyeame Kwame, has revealed his reasons for declining to be a member of the Manifesto Committee on Creative Arts for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Dr. Bawumia’s team in February this year released a 16-member committee chaired by Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante, the CEO of the National Film Authority to oversee the drafting of manifesto policies for the creative arts sector.
The members include musicians, actors, entrepreneurs, academics, and government officials involved in the creative arts sector, including Okyeame Kwame and actor Prince David Osei.
A day after, Okyeame Kwame issued a statement in which he declined the position, citing his decision to maintain an apolitical stance.
The ‘Yekoo’ hitmaker narrated to YouTuber Kwadwo Sheldon, how he had first consented to the position which was introduced by an undisclosed individual.
But upon reflection, he recalled some contractual duties to maintain objectivity. He then told the person in question that he had decided to merely provide ideas rather than formally join the committee.
“Somebody called me and said that they wanted me to be part of the team. I said okay at first. Even my children were excited. It felt good.
“But then I remembered the contracts that I signed with various organizations and in those contracts, I was supposed to remain ‘apolitical’ or ‘neutral’.
“So I called this person and said that I would not officially be joining the team, I could only put my ideas forward. I remember telling that person twice. The person didn’t say anything,” he disclosed.
Despite his objection to officially being a member, his name appeared on the list of selected individuals, prompting him to issue a clarification letter stating his non-partisan terms.
“A few days later, my name was on the list of individuals selected to be part of Bawumia’s manifesto committee on creative arts.
“That is why I had to write a letter to say that I had not agreed to do this on my terms as a non-partisan participant,” he said.
Okyeame Kwame blamed the situation on the volatile political landscape in Ghana.
He juxtaposed it with that of the United States, where creatives could support a political party openly but the same was not the case for Ghana.
“Does our democracy allow that? In the US, artistes can openly support a political party but still get patronized.
“In Ghana, it’s different here. You can’t support a political party and move on normally. There is no such thing as political neutrality in Ghana,” he said.
