Freelance investigative Journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has said that despite threats against his life, he won’t relent in his fight against corruption.
The anti-corruption journalist said if personal safety is prioritised over the country’s progress, nothing will get done by the people and everyone would ultimately suffer the consequences.
“I will do what is right and trust God to protect me,” he said Monday on JoyFM’s Super Morning Show (SMS).
His comment comes after he disclosed that he received a death threat following an article he wrote about the country’s recent election and the outcome.
The piece titled, ‘ERRORtoral’ Commission and Akufo-Addo’s coup d’état,’ discussed the anomalies with the Techiman South parliamentary results and the non-participation of the people of Santrokfi, Akpafu, Lolobi, and Likpe (SALL) areas in the voting process.
The two issues, if not resolved before the constitution of the next parliament, could result in what Manasseh Azure describes as a “coup against the legislative arm of government.”
However, someone who was not happy with the article and felt the journalist, through the piece, was siding with the opposition NDC on the two constituency issues, sent him an email on Christmas day saying Manasseh was “lucky to still be walking a free man.”
Mr Azure Awuni, admitted on Joy SMS that he had suffered several attacks in his line of duty as a journalist including various allegations and falsehoods peddled against him.
However, “when it gets to a point where your life is being threatened, I think it is very serious and no one should take it lightly,” he said.
“I have said that if anybody is not suicidal, they would definitely not want to die when perhaps that may not be the natural order.
“So no matter how brave or whoever or whatever you are, if your life is being threatened and you have something to live for, you’ll take it seriously,” he said.
Amidst all the threats, Manasseh Azure is also optimistic that no man can take his life against the will of God.
“If God so wills that I die standing for what is right, then I’ll die a death of nobility even if no one appreciates what I have done,” he said.
He further noted that the fight against corruption though difficult, becomes more difficult if “the very people you are fighting for don’t even appreciate that you are sacrificing for them and they join the oppressors to attack you.”
“If you are living your life and you know there are people out there who want you dead, obviously you would be afraid. So courage in my own view is not the absence of fear but you sometimes need to tell yourself ‘I will not be cowed by that fear,” he added.