A usually somber and serious affair took a surprisingly hilarious turn on Friday, June 20, 2025, during the vetting of Supreme Court nominee Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo. The solemnity of the occasion was briefly overshadowed by a collective memory lapse as the nominee and some members of the vetting committee found themselves comically fumbling their lines while attempting to recite the national pledge.
The light-hearted exchange was sparked by Justice Ackaah-Boafo himself, who, during his submission, passionately urged citizens to embrace patriotism. Seizing the opportunity, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin promptly challenged the nominee to demonstrate his own patriotic fervor by reciting the national pledge.
A moment of genuine embarrassment, coupled with a wave of laughter, rippled through the room as Justice Ackaah-Boafo candidly admitted, “Mr. Chair, I am not sure I am able to recite it.”
Committee Chairman Bernard Ahiafor, ever quick to defend, jumped to the nominee’s aid, stating, “He’s right to say he cannot recite it; why insist on it?”
Afenyo-Markin, with a playful glint, clarified that he simply wished for the Justice to share any part of the pledge he could recall. Taking up the gauntlet, Justice Ackaah-Boafo managed to articulate the opening line with confidence, only to falter and stall thereafter.
In a commendable effort to assist, Afenyo-Markin then embarked on reciting the pledge line by line, prompting the Justice to repeat after him. However, the unexpected twist came when Afenyo-Markin himself, midway through the revered lines, stumbled and lost his place.
Observing the slip, Chairman Ahiafor, with a mischievous grin, couldn’t resist a playful jab: “But you are struggling too.”
Afenyo-Markin, maintaining his good humor, retorted, “At least I made an attempt.”
Ahiafor, quick with a quip, responded, “That’s exactly why I didn’t try, I didn’t want to struggle!”
The witty banter between the two prominent figures ignited widespread laughter across the room, providing a much-needed moment of levity in what is typically a very formal and high-stakes vetting process. The incident, while momentarily distracting from the serious business at hand, served as a delightful reminder that even in the most formal settings, a touch of human fallibility and good humor can create memorable and genuinely funny moments.
Source: http://thepressradio.com
