I didn't attend the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demo because I was occupied at the time but it’s not obligatory —Edem

Ghanaian rapper Edem has asked people to stop forcing public figures to take part in political protests.

According to the award-winning artist, demonstrations rarely change anything in the country.

He maintained that while protests are frequently used as a forum to voice disapproval on a national issue, they rarely result in leadership changing things for the better.

In response to a question about his absence from the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration, Edem said he was in Kumasi at the time for a show.

He stated that a celebrity cannot be forced to support a movement against his decision.

"I was in Kumasi for a performance and people asked me why I didn't show up, I am tentative, you have to be a leader and not a follower.

“What I have understood is that from Nkrumah’s time, there have been about 16 demos, and usually, power changes hands. If that happens, and we have demos again, then it means we need to find new ways to address these issues… It’s a way for young people and a group of people to register their displeasure about something,” Edem stated.