Kumawood movie producer and Kontihene of Adum, Nana Appiah Kubi II, has expressed that he would have been disappointed if broadcaster Afia Pokua were easily forgiven by the chiefs and elders of the Manhyia Palace for her comments about the Asantehene.
In an interview with ZionFelix, he emphasised the need for respect towards traditional authorities, stating that serious consequences should follow those who fail to show it.
“I would be disappointed if they had forgiven her easily because that would mean anyone can come and disrespect the Asante Kingdom and then simply beg for forgiveness.
“So we couldn’t easily forgive her, she had to realise the gravity of her mistakes,” Nana Appiah Kubi II stated.
He argued that quickly forgiving individuals for disrespectful comments could lead to a culture where people feel they can speak without facing repercussions.
He also reminisced past times when respect for chiefs was very paramount.
“When I was young, we used to respect our chiefs; we didn’t talk about them anyhow,” he added.
Nana Appiah Kubi II attributed the current situation to some abroad-based social commentators, who criticise the country’s leaders without fear.
“Even with them, they had to travel abroad to say such things. Now people here are saying such,” he said.
Background
Afia Pokua has since faced backlash for criticising the Asantehene’s handling of tensions between the Bono and Ashanti regions, which have escalated among the youth.
Her comments were met with criticism for not following proper channels to express her concerns.
Subsequently, her apology to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, was deemed insufficient due to the gravity of her offence when she appeared before the chiefs and elders at the Manhyia Palace.
The chiefs indicated that she needed to involve her parents and the TV station owners for her apology to be reconsidered.
See the video below:
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
