For the past couple of months listeners of Hot 93.9 Fm in Adakraka, Accra have been conversant with a particular voice which has started a crusade on things that have been hidden from the Blackman on Rush Hour a segment called AHINTA ASEM (The Hidden Fact) and the voice behind that educative and entertaining program is Oheneba Ntim–Barimah the vegan (strict vegetarian who hates animal food and depend on plant food). This is a man who could have been a teacher if he had not found himself in broadcasting granted your authoritative number one entertainment newspaper Weekly Fylla an exclusive interview about his life, why his family rejected him and his subsequent dismissal from Hot Fm 93.9 Fm's morning show-MAKYI and many more as he spoke to DJ Amess.
WEEKLY FYLLA (Thank you for your time Oheneba.
OHENEBA NTIM-BARIMAH: Nice meeting you. I usually don't do this but for your sake I will grant you the interview. (With a short laughter)
WEEKLY FYLLA: I am grateful. Oheneba you were doing or attached to the Good Morning show ( MAKYI) and Nkranman Mputo programs but all of saddened you disappeared. What is happening?
OHENEBA NTIM–BARIMAH: Nothing seriously happened. I was on the Morning Show from day one until last September when management in their wisdom asked me to stop coming to the program. They didn't assign any reason to it, up to date. The same method was applied to retrieve Nkranman Mputu from me. Even that, it was the guy who was going to take over from me who alerted me of the new development, that do I know he was going to host the program, after I have spent time and money to prepare for the program that week.
WEEKLY FYLLA: Were you hurt and peeved? Why do you think they will do this to you?
OHENEBA NTIM–BARIMAH: Of course I am a human being. But I take some of these things as one of those things. To me, I think the best way of dealing with such situations if there is any, is for management to call a meeting to evaluate and assess over all performance and the programs, where there is a problem we solve it and move forward or if I have done something wrong they query me for that and because of this and that hold on until further instructions or something but nay. I am not a controversial person but maybe the way I tackled issues is not in the best interest of the powers that be and they want me out. We live in a society in which people have sacrificed truth for their selfish interest.
WEEKLY FYLLA: So what are you doing currently at Hot Fm?
OHENEBA NTIM BARIMAH: Yeah (with a little smile) I have been given a segment on Rush Hour from 7.15pm to 8pm called Ahinta Asem (the Hidden Agenda). In fact it was through Okyeame Quophi's ingenuity and influence that we have all this important and popular program on our network. I am grateful to him.
WEEKLY FYLLA: What is Ahinta Asem?
OHENEBA NTIM–BARIMAH: Our people, out of ignorance are doing things that may harm them physically, spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. Take for instance; many people eat food which they think is rich. But little do they know that such, foods or the consumption of such food are the courses of most of the non communicable diseases like Diabetes and Impotency which is destroying us today. Through Ahinto Asem program, which deal with multi- purpose social issues, we have been able to use this medium to bring out some of the hidden truth to light for everybody to see, so that they can avoid some of the mistakes we have been committing everyday.
WEEKLY FYLLA: But Oheneba, some people will argue that you are neither a professional doctor nor a student of science at least for now how come that you are been able to argue your way out.
OHENEBA NTIM – BARIMAH: I believe that education does not end in the classroom. I read and spend my money on books and materials the doctor will use. I do a lot of research on herbal materials both visual and audio. Through reading somebody is a doctor, lawyer and what have you. So I am what I am.
WEEKLY FYLLA: You have been a number one critic of the food we eat of late by giving backgrounds to their advantages and disadvantages. For example, just recently you were heard advising the general public about the way they consume eggs. Now currently running on some TV stations is an advert, which is almost countering what you have been saying about consumption of eggs. How do you reconcile these two statements?
OHENEBA NTIM –BARIMAH: Any person or doctor who is worth his salt will not say that. So such doctors or people who recommend total consumption of eggs are doing great disservice to the nation and the people of Ghana. Take the egg issue for example; it contains 250mgs of cholesterol (a substance found in all cells of the body, which helps to carry fats). The body produces about 1000mgs of the cholesterol every blessed day for its inputs functions in the body, so if it could be possible we don't go and add any more since the body has enough. This shouldn't be the case because already the animal products we eat contain a certain amount of cholesterol so we must avoid the excess. The best we can do is to avoid animal foods whose cholesterol levels exceed 300mgs. And if one egg contains 250mgs, two of it is already 500 plus add to the 1000mgs we spoke about earlier on, you understand? The result is the non-communicable diseases, which is killing us today, hypertension, stroke, heart attack and so on. Do you want more .We can take eggs once every two weeks, at least?
WEEKLY FYLLA; Do you think ignorance is killing our people.
OHENEBA NTIM–BARIMAH: Oh, yes and since radio can be a limited medium to reach, the vast majority of our people I need sponsorship that will help me to propagate the good news.
WEEKLY FYLLA: How did you enter into Radio?
OHENEBA NTIM – BARIMAH: I started as a contributor to radio programs on Radio Universe a campus radio station of University of Ghana Legon. Through diligence and my positive contribution I had invitations from the authorities to participate in their news paper review and sooner than later I became so popular that (and don't forget I was NPP activist) John Boadu the National Youth organizer of NPP approached me to do propaganda for the party, that is from one radio station to another. Which I did on TV Africa, Unique Fm, Happy Fm, and other stations.
WEEKLY FYLLA: So all these while, you were identify as an NPP man
OBARIAMA NTIM – BARIMAH: Yes I am an ardent member of this great party in fact my involvement in these radio discussions paved the way for me to become a regular panelist on TV Africa programs up to date. And I am happy to say, that through this, I was recruited and employed by Hot Fm to assist in organizing an effective and strong morning show and a host of other programs like Nkranman Mputo , so that is how I got entangled with radio.
WEEKLY FYLLA: Are you not sure because of your political background that is why you were sacked from the Morning Show?
OHENEBA NTIM–BARIMAH: I am not sure. Since I commenced business here I tried my best to be professional and be fair to all political parties. I speak for and against all parties, depending on the topic on the table. If this is what is provoking my people and they are against me, I am not perturbed.
WEEKLY FYLLA: WHY?
OHENEBA NTIM –BARIMAH: because they don't understand why I should criticize my party and speak for NDC but I cannot do that because that is not how to build democracy and consensus. Praise people where it due no matter who is involved.
To be continued…
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