Honourable Inusah Fuseini’s Video Is A Political Conspiracy

Inusah Fuseini

The politically mischievous commentary that has greeted the video of honorable Inusah Fuseini and the latest Dagbong lyrical sensation Don Sigli, is not only unfortunate but a storm in a tea cup. The video which has gone viral on social media and even merited some media attention was filmed at the auspicious ceremony in Tamale to outdoor the latest digitalized intellectual property of the music icon, titled Wumpini in Dagbani, loosely translated to mean “God’s blessing”.

The launch of Wumpini, which has become a smashing record and blockbuster, at least in our context, is small way by which people in responsible position can contribute to those who can use their voice to create self-employment, instead of relying on central government. The entertainment industry in Dagbong is in transition and needs support from all quarters to survive. This is one way by which the economy of Ghana can be diversified, and by extension put money in the pockets people with intellectual property.

It is difficult to fathom the motive for filming the occasion and subsequently uploading it on social media. But, if is a deliberate ploy to add the content of the video to our criminal code, then we are in for trouble. This is because in Dagbong, singing, drumming and dancing are an integral part of our of our custom and traditions and social gatherings like weddings, naming ceremonies and funerals will be incomplete without being flavored with these.

During such revelries, people dance in turns and it is customary that people in the audience show affection, love and felicitations to the one dancing or singing by placing money on the forehead of the singer or dancer. Of course, the amount varies and depends on the wherewithal of the person who chooses to show love to the singer or dancer. So all MPs, and ministers from Dagbong, be careful, for a precedent has been set, criminalizing what has been along held tradition of Dagbong.

Per my last check, drumming, dancing and singing are not criminal offences in our statute books. One can therefore, safely proceed from the assumption that this is the work of political adversaries within to portray honorable Inusah Fuseini as a prodigal person oblivious of the challenges facing the economy, hence, subtly urging the president to show him the exit. This will not fly in the face of fertile minds and will crumble accordingly, Inshaa Allah!! The showbiz industry in Dgabong is still young and needs all hands- on-deck approach to incentivize those in the industry.

I am sure my reader will agree with me that the showbiz industry has been revolutionized with advent of digital recording technologies, sealing traditional sources of revenue for musicians. Undoubtedly, this state of affairs is even dire for musicians in Ghana and Dagbong in particular. The only refuge taken by musicians to enjoy the fruits of their labor is through music launches, tours and endorsement deals.

It only through music launches, such as the one honorable Inusah attended that the musicians in Dagbong can make something for themselves, the rest of the avenues are not opened for them yet. Remember, musicians in Dagbong are not on salary, nay even musicians in the whole country. I am not musician, neither I’m a showbiz czar but I can state without any scintilla of compromise that the music infrastructure in Dagbong is weak, even in the best of times. Now that the proliferations of digital technologies have conspired to impoverish our musicians the more, it behooves on us as a society and indeed responsible people to proactively salvage the infant lyrical profession in our part of the country.

It is therefore, in tune with this thinking that this government tinkered with the ministry of tourism to give it a creative and arts flavor. With your kind permission, it is now called ministry of tourism, culture and creative arts. This is a clear manifestation of the acknowledgement by government that the entertainment industry is challenged and needs ministerial attention. Refreshingly, this government has made some budgetary allocations to the entertainment industry to revamp it. Per my checks, government made an allocation of GHC 2 million to the music industry in 2012. If government makes frantic efforts to shore up struggling segment of our society and a minister accentuates that, what is criminal about it to warrant media attention and the needless ensuing ridicule in the virtual world?

The name Inusah Fuseini, is a man of many parts; a lawyer of rich legal resume, Member of Parliament, minister and staunch philanthropist. Needless for me to concentrate on the first three parts of this man for the irrefutable and concrete evidences are available for those in the constituent who have eyes and want to see. Instead, concentration will placed on the philanthropic wing of this man. His generosity has been felt in many areas: young intellectual have benefited from this man; religious institutions have not been left out; young contractors have also been touched and lately those in showbiz, which is widely misconstrued by faceless detractors. Mr. MP and minister, stoically maintain your composure, your position and seat are as stable as king’s throne.

I have no doubt in mind that this is the work of political insiders, not outsiders and largely born out the so-called political binary system that has been foisted down our throat. The plank of this political binary system is driven by sheer antipathy and also accentuated by “we, against them” syndrome. In this so called political binary system, a political adversary is better than your own kind. It is about time our political leadership woke up and save Dagbong NDC in particular from this self-destructive impulses, that is taking as nowhere. What is happening in our party today, in Dagbong, is not part of the ethos handed down to us by our political forebears.

The youth of the party have a lot to do in this regard. We must aspire to be at the forefront of progress and vanguards of peace. Hence forth, we must refuse to allow ourselves to be used as conduit to promote content on social media that will collectively come to haunt us in our political journey.

We have stood by the party through thick and thin and have toiled uncomplainingly like dutiful slaves to ensure victory in the last two elections. We deserve something better, to reflect the transforming lives mantra of the president. We have challenges that must be addressed earnestly. Unemployment continues to be our bane and we cannot afford to allow ourselves to be used by misguided politicians for their over blown egoistic interest and dump us like political pawns. We must refuse to promote ourselves like condemned slaves ready for the gallows.

What we deserve instead, are opportunities to become masters of our own destinies that will make it possible for us to enjoy the rarest of food and the finest garments from the finest designers around. May I, humbly refer you to a statement once made by Emperor Haile Selassie of Eithiopia “throughout history, it has been the in action of those who should acted, the indifference of those who should have known, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most that has made it possible for evil to triumph ”. Let’s work together as a united front to prosecute the transforming lives agenda of His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama. Remember, what goes round, comes round. I conclude with a Dagbong adage that when digging a pit for your adversary, be wise to make it shallow else, you may be the next victim to fall in it.

By: Abukari Abdul Jelil,
Director of Elections,
Tamale Central Constituency.
(024 3839 440/ 020 7490 009)