Former musician turned political activist Kwame Asare Obeng, widely known as A Plus, has shared details of a conversation he had with former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
According to him, during a courtesy visit to the former president, he received words of encouragement from the veteran statesman regarding his distinctive approach to critiquing the political establishment.
During an interview on Adom FM on October 8, 2023, A Plus revealed that President Kufuor advised him to stay true to himself and continue his unique style of activism.
He recounted that Kufuor mentioned that his participation in ‘United Showbiz,’ an entertainment program on UTV where he serves as a regular panelist, often keeps him up late into the night.
“Kwame, that is who you are; continue to do what you are doing,” A Plus quoted Kufuor as saying.
A Plus added: “Those that watch UTV, friends of Despite; I can tell you that most of Despite’s friends, such as the East Legon Executive Club, are predominantly aligned with the NPP.”
Background
On Saturday, October 7, 2023, a faction of NPP members staged an intrusion at UTV studios while the ‘United Showbiz’ program was live on air.
Their primary demand was the presence of Kwame Asare Obeng, also known as A Plus, a regular pundit on the show.
Reportedly, this group expressed their dissatisfaction with A Plus for tearing apart a letter from the NPP leadership, which had called for reforms in the ‘United Showbiz’ programme.
Regrettably, the incident led to the assault of some media company staff members before they gained access to the studios.
Subsequently, the police disclosed the arrest of 16 individuals believed to be associated with the attack.
The event has drawn widespread condemnation from political activists and various critics who have deemed it a direct assault on media freedom and the fundamental right to freedom of speech.