 |
| Agya Koo and Osoephagus |
Ghanaian actor, Henry Harding, popularly known as
Pattington Papa Nii Papafio, aka Oesophagus, has sprung to the defence of his
college actor, turned political rival, Agya Koo, in a rare show of solidarity.
Agya Koo recently came under a barrage of attacks
and near insults after he launched the 'Agya Koo Agenda 57 for Nana Addo', and
promised to vigorously campaign for Nana Akufo-Addo to win the polls with 57
percent of valid votes come the December polls.
Oesophagus, on the other hand, has publicly endorsed
the candidature of President John Mahama on the ticket of the National
Democratic Congress (NDC), but says political rivalry should not be a source of
division among creative arts players in Ghana.
“I believe we can all do a decent campaign for our
candidate of choice without the type of attacks going on. The constitution
allows us to associate with any political party of our choice so the personal
attacks on celebrities who declare for political parties show that as a country
we still have a very long way to go in our democratic practice.
“After December, the politics would end and we all
continue to belong to the creative arts sector, therefore, we should not allow
our political differences to divide us. We can disagree on matters of which
party is best for Ghana but what I see is that some people have taken the
issues very personal and are attacking personalities. Mzbel has suffered it,
John Dumelo has suffered it, Lucky Mensah has suffered it, and Agya Koo has
suffered it. It is unfair and should not be encouraged,” Oesophagus told
NEWS-ONE.
The actor, touted as Ghana's king of jargons and
vocabulary, however, pointed out to what he said were factual inaccuracies in
the reasons Agya Koo gave for endorsing the candidature of the NPP.
“I have heard on radio and also read in the dailies
that Agya Koo had said that within the last five years, no movie producer
featured him in a movie because they claim there is no money and he is blaming
that on the NDC government. Look, just last year, I was on a movie set with
Agya Koo. About two or three years ago, Agya Koo shot 'Okomfo Anokye' and ended
up in some controversy so it is false he has not worked for the past five
years. Kweku Manu, Lil Win, Akrobetu and others are all shooting movies and
making money under the same Mahama government.
“But I am happy Agya Koo himself admitted that
President Mahama has worked hard. I am happy Agya Koo confessed his admiration
for the first couple. I am sure if Agya Koo had taken his time to ask the right
questions, he would have been convinced that President Mahama and the NDC ought
to be given time to build on the structures and foundation that has been
established for the creative arts sector,” Oesophagus added.
When asked if he was induced financially to endorse
the NDC campaign, Oesophagus said he was never given a dime.
He explained, “The party has not given me anything;
no one in the NDC came to speak to me to join. Even when I hear the party is
going to campaign somewhere, I look for my own ways and means of getting there.
There are some celebrities who are assisted to get there but I go on my own at
my own cost because I believe in the leadership on John Mahama. I am encouraged
by the initiatives I see being put out by the Creative Arts Ministry and when I
speak to the minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, on what plans the NDC government
has for creative arts, I believe the prospects for the future are bright and
this is my inspiration. I am not only
interested in following the national campaign but even at the parliamentary
level; I am going round helping the MPs to campaign.”
Comments