Former Education Minister, Professor Kwesi Yankah has waded into the social media conversation regarding the viral photo of the Inspector General of Police Dr George Akuffo Dampare buying roasted plantain by the roadside.
Following the viral photo, some people have praised the police chief for his humility and ability to live a regular life despite his high position while others have said he is too simple for his status in society.
Commenting on the development in an article posted on his Facebook wall, the academic said he had personally reached out to the IGP on the issue who confirmed to him that buying roasted plantain by the roadside is a routine.
With a catchy headline, ‘The IGP caught red-handed’ Prof Yankah played on words saying the police boss caught on camera buying what most people locally call ‘red red’ or if you like ‘Kofi brokeman.’
“But for vigilant media men and paparazzi who recorded the scene, the gentleman would have escaped unnoticed and spared the charge of ‘dragging his high office into culinary disrepute,’ or rather ‘causing fear and panic by the streetside.’
“It is an offence for big men to behave that way or rather be themselves. This explains my sensational headline today, ‘IGP Caught Red-Handed,’ which could as well cause a stir and haul me before Mr George Sarpong and the National Media Commission.”
“The entire episode puts me on the spot and justifies the several beans I spill in my memoirs, The Pen at Risk, where I expose the pretentious lives of ‘big men’ including professors, and the ordinary world they dearly miss. Let me steal a page from the last chapter: ‘My Parting Confessions’,” Professor Yankah said.
The former Minister argued that a lot of ‘big men’ cannot buy their favourite foods by the roadside for fear of courting public attention.
“I have since made further inquiries from the IGP himself who admits his ‘offence,’ and ‘confesses’ that it is his normal routine, and may have happened in March 2022 when returning from a funeral in the Eastern region.
“The number one gentleman in charge of law and order thus ‘confesses’ being a serial offender, and unfortunately, shows no signs of remorse or repentance. Given another chance the IGP will probably buy roasted plantain by the wayside again and raise eyebrows!!” he said.