Impactful Radio Broadcasting: The Akwesi Agudey Factor

Radio broadcasters have a job to educate, inform and entertain their audience. Some of these audiences hold their favorite presenters in high esteem and wouldn’t take an issue seriously until they hear it from the broadcasters of their choice. This makes the job of the broadcaster look more or less like that of a preacher who says the good news and shows his or her congregants the way.

I have read and seen radio broadcasters who have used their console to make direct and indirect impactful contributions to their listeners. The likes of Kwame Sefa Kayi, Yaw Adu Boakye, Captain Smart and a host of others; but one other gentleman who have been in the radio business for over a decade and doing well with his console and microphone is George Opoku Mensah a.k.a Akwesi Agudey.

The young, vociferous, intelligent and articulate radio broadcaster, George Opoku Mensah who will later gain grounds with his a.k.a Agudey; will woow a lot of radio lovers and critics with his witty and authoritative style of interviewing skills that will make him one of Ghana’s most sort after radio gems.

The radio journey

The Assin Foso Demonstration Junior High School graduate nurtured his dream for radio from the Assin Foso market based Nkwa FM as a News presenter and later to Arise FM where he again presented the news in style. In the process of getting better, he moved to Dunkwa-On-Offin, where he settled at Dunkwa soro’s Solar FM as a Sports presenter until he was approached by Obuasi based Shaft FM.

At Shaft FM, his interviewing skills and upper hand on current affairs saw him been elevated quickly from a news anchor to double as the Morning Show host and News editor. He made the morning show one of the best in the Adansi, Denkyira and Amansie enclave. He birthed ‘Political Palace’, a news programme that saw him interviewing political leaders on human centered matters that needed answers for the listeners.

Agudey exited the studios of the Kamara Dini street based Shaft FM when the applause was getting louder. This came as a heavy blow to management but man needed to embrace other difficult tasks; yes, he needed to enter a new market where competition was rife and more was expected to keep him afloat.

From Golden City to Garden City

After his golden days in Obuasi and impacting both young and old with is job, he was now in the Garden city where he will be the morning man for Class media’s Kumasi FM as the host of the ‘Kumasi Morning Show’.

The Adum based Boss Fm needed a real ‘Boss’ to run the affairs of the Kumasi morning waves and compete for listeners with other big brands and here was Agudey who have made strides with Kumasi Fm. At Boss Fm he took over the prime morning show, ‘Good Morning Boss’ and made it his own. As a newbie in the Kumasi radio community, his style won him more listeners and made the nearly dead Boss Fm bounce back to life.

Agudey made the once comatatose ‘Good morning Boss’ morning radio one of the most listened to; so he was again given the nod to host ‘Ghana Kasa’.

The Apam Secondary School and Christian Service University College graduate went on a radio broadcasting hiatus to focus on other personal matters until the Manhyia Palace based Opemsuo radio needed a morning man for their new radio.

The competition was a tough one with household names all pushing to be the first to speak from the beautiful royal studios of Opemsuo and this time round, the multipurpose broadcaster, smart and eloquent Agudey had the nod to steer the affairs of Opemsuo’s prime morning show dubbed ‘Nkwantananso’

Interviews

Radio hene, a name coined for him by his ardent listeners and panel members have been known for some nerve breaking interviews with very top personalities. One of such interviews was what uncovered the rot surrounding the 40-year-old KATH Maternity building and the misappropriation of COVID-19 funds.

Getting applause from former President John Agyekum Kufour after an interview is no mean achievement and that’s exactly what he got from the Gentle Giant after an interview during his early days on Opemsuo.

His interview with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumiah where he was able to make him rattle in Twi was soothing to listen.

He is one of the few radio broadcasters who have had the privilege to interview diplomats on his radio or at their residence. He has interviewed Irene Vida Gala former Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana, British High Commissioner Harriet Thompson and Anne Sophia Ave current France Ambassador to Ghana at her residence.

The icing on his cake was the interview with the President of the Republic, H.E Nana Akufo Addo. This was an interview which was originally timed for 5 mins but with his great talent and mastery over his art, he was able to make it 12 mins.

George Opoku Mensah will continue to have his name written in gold in the radio broadcasting hall of fame.

The writer can be contacted on [email protected] /233249542342