Forget the gbeshi theory, either hold your tongue or your opinions

Why make offensive utterances and apologise for it in the next second? Well, most people have said that they made such comments in the heat of the moment. Maybe the theory of “gbeshi” propounded by legal practitioner Mr. Ayikoi Otoo comes to play here. He defined it as that “higher spirit” which possesses a politician to say anything at a political rally, that he would normally not say. He propounded this theory in the defense of his client, who was then the general secretary of the NPP. To make this “gbeshi” theory more relevant to happenings of today I will say the theory does not only apply to politicians but the most Ghanaians who have the media space at a point in time, or have anybody willing to listen to them.

In two weeks we have had two apologies making the news. First was an apology from one of Ghana’s finest rappers Sarkodie. Lawyer for Sarkodie, Moses Foh-Amoaning rendered an unqualified apology on Accra based Adom FM to Ghana’s textile company (GTP) after Sarkodie mentioned the brand in his diss-track to M.anifest. The two rappers have been at each others neck finding out who is the best Ghanaian rapper. When M.anifest released ‘godMC’ which was supposed to be the attack on Sarkodie he did not attack any brand. As coaches will say when they believe their players have been wrongly punished “he only went for the ball and not the man”. This time M.anifest only went for Sark and added no other brand to it. But leader of the Sark Nationa did not do same. Sarkodie dropped a “punchline” which attacked the fashion sense of M.anifest.

“Obi b3 diss me a na 3nye rapper a )de GTP ntoma pam kaba…Me no me rap y3 authentic” meaning “if someone would diss me, not a rapper who uses GTP cloth to sow Kaba.”

And then an apology followed. Lawyer and brother-in-law of Sarkodie Moses Foh-Amoaning apologised on his behalf for any damage he might have caused. Let me add here, thanks to “gbeshi”.

Let’s move to the threats on judges on Accra based Montie FM by some panelists who are members of the governing National Democratic Congress. Nelson and Ako Gunn are said to have incited the general public against the justices of the Supreme Court during a discussion on a political show. The comments were made on July 29, 2016. After these threats were issued it took calls from institutions such as the Ghana Bar Association, Media Foundation for West Africa, Ghana Journalists Association among others for the panelists to render an apology. Meanwhile the “gbeshi” theory was still working in and on the management of Montie FM. They saw no need to apologise or distant themselves from the comments until the Supreme Court cited them for criminal contempt together with two panelists. Management apologised a week after the threats were made on their platform. The station’s general manager, Murtala Mohammed described the comments by the panelists as “regrettable”.

“Management condemns absolutely the said statements which it considers regrettable and dissociates itself from those statements” he said. Now their “gbeshi” had disappeared. Why wait till there is an action that can destroy your institution before you apologise?

But before these two there has been another incident. Even though I don’t side with him, I like the fact that he is standing his grounds not to apologise: Kennedy Agyepong! Yes Kennedy Agyepong. He accused the EC Chair Mrs. Charlotte Osei of granting sexual favours to some bigwigs in the NDC before earning the appointment as EC Chair. I wasn’t happy with his assertions though. He made his comments at a rally in Kumasi whiles addressing NPP supporters. Here the original “gbeshi” theory is exhibited in full swing. Numerous people called on the Member of Parliament of Assin North to apologise but to no avail. But he is reported to have said on Accra based Oman FM that he would not apologise for his comments.

“Apologise to Charlotte my foot. Why should I apologise? I won’t apologise today, I won’t apologise tomorrow. Ghanaians are hypocrites. Charlotte is a wicked woman. It’s important that I make Ghanaians know about her personal life too. Those calling on me to apologise to her are wasting her time,” he said.

I will reiterate here that I do not support his comments. But I admire the fact that he has decided to stand by his “gbeshi” comment. Just as the EC Chair said on new logo of the Commission ““We like it, we picked it, it makes us happy”, Agyepong also 'thought of it, he said it, it makes him happy'.

Ghanaians now delight in saying anything in the name of freedom of speech and only apologise after a good “bashing” by the general public. But for how long are we going to continue this way? For how long are we going to let the “gbeshi” theory rule the people who have access to media platforms and social media?

Why come back with an apology if you cannot stand by your statements. Before you speak or write anything which the public can access think through it carefully, when you decide to say or write your thoughts please stand by it even in times of chaos. I am tired of weekly apologies because the “gbeshi” at a point clears from their mind. If you claim to have “gbeshi” please let it remain with you, don’t apologise.