Some Ghanaians will pay whatever amount to become an American citizen. However, at the press conference organized by MultiChoice Ghana, Alex Biney the evicted Ghanaian representative to the on-going Big Brother Amplified reality TV show in South Africa said that he had several opportunities to switch his nationality from Ghanaian to America but refused whenever the opportunity presented itself.
Wearing a T-Shirt with the inscription ‘I Love My People’ with love designed in a heart form in Ghanaian colours, Alex said: “I’m a Ghanaian citizen. I have had numerous opportunities to become a US citizen and I refused them.” He said confidently to show his strong allegiance to mother Ghana.
Explaining his reasons, he said that “… basically, in our house, we have always valued where we came from. I love the Ghanaian culture, the masks, our carvings, our clothing, and the food. Just being in the States and not being Ghanaian was something we couldn’t consider. Like I said I have had opportunities to be an American and it just didn’t feel right. I have always known that I’m a Ghanaian. I have always known that made me special. Ghana for life”.
He denied having sexual intercourse in the house, though he acknowledged he came close to it. He said he had lots of opportunities to go for it but he didn’t because he was thinking about the repercussion for the ladies.
“There were a lot of opportunities, I could have taken it. However, with me I was thinking a lot more about the ladies. With men I have come to realize that we can go on these shows and have threesomes and foursomes and come out looking like a heroes. With the ladies, it’s not like that, they come out looking bad. Their image is tarnished. There are so many backlashes. I really didn’t want them to go through all of that.” He said.
He continued: “Because I come from a family with lots of women in there, they instill a lot of morals into me and my brothers. It may look like I was a player but at the day I was really looking out for the women. I set some standard over there that I hope men will follow on how to take care of their women”.
Alex, the son of a diplomat entered the Big Brother house virtually not known to many Ghanaians but he went in there and came out with a new nickname ‘the ladies man’. Miss P, Weza and Millicent competed for his love; something many people believed was a contributory factor to his eviction.
He apologized later to them for his actions after they took some backlashes. He said in the States, it’s different.
“In the States, it’s different. They will be glorified; they will get magazine office. Get a million dollars in Playboy for doing these things but in Africa it’s totally different. We still value women and we still consider them as part of the community.”
Talking about why and how he got into the Big Brother game. He said: “The reason was simple. At that time I had come from New York – trying to establish here in Ghana and working on my collection and also looking for other business opportunities in Ghana and the Big Brother opportunity is a tremendous opportunity. It positions you in a way that you have more options in life and avenues open to you that in a normal circumstance that you have to be connected or work for it.”
“So the reason for being in the game was simply for the exposure and I just feel I had the strong sense of confidence about myself that I can make it happen.”
Alex has worked for Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def-Jam Records and creator of Phat Farm. Don’t get it twisted Alex won’t go into music like his predecessors. He spent 70 days in the house and hopes Nigerian’s Karen and South African’s Luclay are in the forefront to win the double $200.000 cash prize.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6pVOb1syl8
At the press conference, Alex was presented with a DStv Mobile enabled Nokia handset with one year free subscription from Dstv Mobile Ghana. His eviction party was on Saturday, July 16 at the Aphrodisiac Night Club. Anytime you chance on Alex, just shout ‘Bomaye’ and he’s going to respond back.
Story by Ebenezer Anangfio Jnr./GhanaCelebrities.Com/Ghana
Idiot. Being a US citizen don’t mean you can not be a Ghanaian too..You can fucking have dual citizenship you piece of shit called Alex.. IF you had so many opportunities to fuck the hoes in the house, why didnt you fuck them.. You shoulda fuck all the hoes cuz thats what real man do….lol Fuck you Alex
@john, Why call him an idiot???? I am a USA citizen and it doesnt mean jack. A lot of Ghanaians waste a lot of valued time to become citizens of the US only to wait for opportunity to do other things TO elude them. The only difference between an american citizen and non american is VOTING RIGHTS. Ability to file for a spouse and traveling to places on short term is superficial.
This guy is from a diplomat family. WHY ON EARTH DO YOU WANT HIM TO GIVE UP THE BETTER RIGHT OF A DIPLOMAT TO BECOME ANOTHER COUNTRY’S CITIZEN. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD DUAL CITIZENSHIP IF YOU REQUIRE CLEARANCE OR SPECIAL PASSPORT FOR AMERICANS, IDK ABOUT GHANA BUT I DONT THINK IT SHOULD BE DIFFERENT.
The only thing in American is to be RICH, your citizenship or place of birth in America is JUNK IF YOU ARE PPPOOOOOORRR. THIS IS WISDOM.
@ka,Well spoken love your feedback
@ka,
If Alex refused so many opportunities to become an American citizen good for him but this is nothing for him to make it public..refusing an American citizen doesn’t mean the whole world should know about it…Fuck USA.. Im moving to Canada..It’s much peaceful
@ka, Actually its very easy to get Dual citizenship…Ghana and America have that type of relationship…it only costs about 200 bucks to carry the placard that says yous a dual citizen. The process takes about 4weeks if you apply in Ghana (dont go through a Ghana Embassy abroad)
To each is own though, Alex Biney clearly had a goal and if it did not include American citizenship, kudos to him, he comes from a financially stable household so it makes sense.
@Kin,
Dual citizenship is more of a disadvantage because you get recognized by both countries if allowed but you lose benefits based on where you are at anytime and what country has control. If you are both american and ghanaian and you are in ghana or around ghana and there is evacuation of american citizens you will not be covered because ghana has authority over you there. Being a dual citizen mean you can not work for government in the US for the most part because of SECURITY CLEARANCE (canada may be exception, not sure). I believe you cant hold some public office in gh too if you hold other citizenship unless you denounce the other. You are in other words limiting yourself from the same benefit you have over permanent residency status.
At the end of the day why would you want to complicate yourself with the FOOL’s PARADISE called dual citizenship. If you want to become an american, there is nothing wrong about that, if you want to remain a ghanaian too there is nothing wrong about that too.
What you have to know is that these counties approving dual citizenship are not fools. In most cases they wont even allow that but for people having parentage of different nationalities and therefore natural right to both. I rest my case but will be glad if you can enlighten me on the benefit of dual citizenship over single citizenship.
@ka, I have a feeling you are speaking from hearsay, fears and lack of facts. Why do people assume all abroad living Ghanaians or people of Ghanaian ancestry want to return home to HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE? To satisfy your appetite Ka, yes you are indeed right here are the public office posts that we as dual citizens cannot hold as per Interior Minister of Ghana……. ” Dual Citizenship Holder
Shall qualify to apply for a Ghanaian passport or travel document beside the Passport of the other country he / she holds.
Shall be permitted to remain in Ghana without limitation provided the the person entered Ghana on a Ghanaian passport.
Shall not qualify to be appointed as a holder of any of the offices specified below: –
– Chief Justice and Justice of the Supreme Court
– Ambassador or High Commissioner;
– Secretary to the Cabinet
– Chief of Defence Staff or any Service Chief;
– Inspector-General of Police;
– Commissioner, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service;
– Director of Immigration Service;
– Commissioner, Value Added Tax Service;
– Director-General, Prisons Service;
– Chief Fire Officer;
– Chief Director of a Ministry;
– A rank of a Colonel in the Army or its equivalent in the other security services; and
– Any other public office that the Minister may by legislative instrument prescribe.”
Please allow me to refer you to the US Millitary views on security clearance as it pertains to dual citizenship:
“Dual citizenship is associated with two categories of security concerns in the United States: foreign influence and foreign preference. Contrary to common misconceptions, dual citizenship in itself is not the major problem in obtaining or retaining security clearance in the United States. As a matter of fact, if a security clearance applicant’s dual citizenship is “based solely on parents’ citizenship or birth in a foreign country”, that can be a mitigating condition. ” …….plus dual citizen Ghanaians carry a simple placard that says they are indeed a child of Ghana either by birth, ancestry or perhaps expatriot, they dont necessarily have to carry a Ghana passport.
My dear for me , the benefit is that you can work in both the nations in the private sector or non-profit sector, yes of course i will have pay twice as much taxes but at least I will not have to renew a visa every 2yrs or is it 6months.
But the reason I like Alex Biney’s stance is that he is proof that if you come from a financially stable Ghanaian household you have no need for a dual or foreign citizenship.
@Kin,
Thanks for the info but i think it is more of just personal preference of insecurity or meaningless bragging rights to people who dont know what they want. A green card holder can enjoy all the benefit you have stated.
You havent said anything new that a citizen can have but a green card holder cant have. If by birth or parentage you have multiple citizenship it is not the same as changing your citizenship. It looks like you dont understand what you wrote. It is not reasonable to denounce your citizenship and go back to pick it up and come back for a security clearance. Americans for this matter are not that naive.
The fact is you LOSE THE KEY BENEFITS THAT SEPARATE YOU AND A GREEN CARD HOLDER WITH THE EXCEPTION VOTING RIGHT WHEN YOU GO FOR DUAL CITIZENSHIP.
@ka, papi if you want to agree to disagree then please lets call it a truce cause i dont want to take away your thoughts on achieving he ghananian dream with no need for preservatives such as green card/citizenship of a foreign land.
And yes you might be right, a nice majority of us who give birth to our kids in a foreign land instead of holding our pregnancy to give birth to our kids on ghana soil is based on our insecurity <—– :-/ does that sound right Ka….hmph Im not sure why you feel dual citizens have somehow denouced their nationality but you better think again, Ghana is one of few nations in sub-saharan Africa in which all that is needed is DNA(as is the case for blacks in the Americas who learn of their tribal affiliation via scientific tests) proof that you are of Ghanaian origin to be granted dual citizenship. if you want to believe that being a green card holder is superior fine, but please dont rob those of us who hold pride in both their Ghana and non Ghana roots. Medaase.
@ka, You have your facts wrong. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of lucrative federal jobs here in the US that non-citizens cannot gain access to.
Also, a lot of companies that have contracts with the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, etc are not allowed to employ non-citizens.
So there are a lot of benefits to being a US citizen other than just VOTING RIGHTS as you stated.
Just my own two cents. I admire Alex for not choosing to be a US citizen, but even that I highly doubt that it was ever offered him.
I know there are a lot of different ways to naturalize to become an American, however, I don’t think its ever offered to people as he stated, unless you are some kind of incredible genius, a nobel laureate, a great inventor/ investor.
I hate it when people brag in this manner.
All the best.
@ka,Well said. I wouldn’t drop a diplomatic passport to get a US one. Diplomatic passport gives you almost “free pass” through lots of red tapes worldwide.
And the diplomatic immunity. That’s something not many people get to experience that.
@john, what be your sweat self?i am a ghanaian i hold a ghanaian passport but live in Germany,i can get a german passport if i so desire,but i have chosen not to because i have all rights just like a german should have,so i dont need to have a german passport its only a papper.you dey insult the guy as if you get personal issues with him,my guy cool down,your blood is too hot.
@maame,Nice
@maame,
Alex is stupid refusing to become an American is not something to braodcast to the whole world
@john, i believe during the interview with him,something came up that made him mention USA and citizenship thing but if am wrong then he was just being too known,I dated one Alex back in Ghana he was too known,bragging everywhere yet he had nothing,if i no buy him waakye for one day,that means hunger strike be that,but i liked him because of the POLICE ABAA,you know what i mean,hahahahhahaha.
@john,….u such a douche…go fuck yaslf hater…gyiminiiiii
@kk,
douche bag
@john, no more insults yeah?lets be matured here and say our mind without adding insults.
@john, I do agree with John, the only thing wrong your comment is the insults.it’s really bad. other than that, he’s right. These wannabe celebrities from outside, come to Ghana, toot their horn to get followers. u out of big brother, y not talk abt. ur experience and life in the house, instead of talking unnecesarily. Lots of our actors wants to be in hollywood, if Alex gets that chance, is he telling me he’d let it slip…yeah ryt… if u didn’t want to be a U.S citizen, y did u even accept their green card or be there in the first plc….? y didn’t u stay home? i’m wondering he jump’d to the ceiling when he first had the opportunity to go 2 america. it’s rediculous how they come to america, go bk. and tries to get the exposure becuz ghanaians will fall for them and their stupid akata life….. think we lost.
@kwabena edusei,
Thanks man..Alex just want attention..i insulted him cuz i felt like this guy was being an idiot..Why go to America in the first place if you love motherland so much?
@john, Please can u expalin to me why the Rich Amercans and Europeans come or live in Ghana?
They make money from our soil and even destroy our lands. Just see who is going to suffer if 10 African Nations cut off total relationship with those countries. We need each other but u guys make it loojk that it is Africans alone who benefits from the relationship with those countries.
.
They are there for the tools and equipments to live a better llife in their rich countries.
They have never decided to become Ghanaians and no one bothers them.
Where do they get the Gold, Timber and other resources to open those off shore accounts to evade taxation from their govt.
It is no crime or shame for Ghanaian to remain a Ghanaian .in those rich developed nations.
Why should the rich leave his mansion to live in the poor man’s hamlet?
@john…u such a douche…go fuck yaslf hater…gyiminiiiii
@kk,
man ur a douche bag..u dont know shit
John is boiling with rage and mad at Alex because he has probably tried all he can and spent all his money just to get American visa to no avail. He simply cant fathom how Alex can refuse American citizenship, something he John will kill his own mother for…
John you are the IDIOT in this case from the way you sound. Looks like you are very jealous of Alex. He has refused things you can only fantasize about. American citizenship and women throwing themselves at him…
@Celebrity,Well spoken
@Miyagi,
bitch boy
@john,Thank you happy now
@Celebrity,
man I’m a canadian citizen but i live in New York.. you wanna find me, come to Calgary, Alberta, Canada..Im moving there next week..Bitch ass nigga
@john, You aint shit my friend. You are just a stupid azz wannabe. You know you cant have US citizenship so you’re claiming Canada now. Poor you…hahahahaha LMAO
@Celebrity,
lol hahaha Man I lived in Montreal for 4 years and then moved to New york in 06.. I dont have nothing to prove to you.. Like i said if you wanna find me, come to City: Calgary, Province Alberta, Country Canada
@john, u’re callin someone out and u give the address to a whole community?????? so whts he supposed to do, come der, stand in the middle of the road and shout ur name??? u aint got balls to face nobody…idiot.
@john, so AMERICA no be heaven after all.
@maame, yes o my sista america no be heaven at all. maybe it used to be some years back but not anymore. at least in my experience here
@madam social
America is nothing.. Innocent ppl die in my hood everyday..Drive by, gang violence and full of idiots like Sarah Palin, George Bush, Michelle Bachman and others..Its much much better to live in Canada or even Ghana
@john, but u’re happi scoopin snow and cleaning glasses to make ’em greens right????u’re a much bigger idiot than i thought.
@maame…police abba y3 wo d3 paaa lol hihihihihhhi
@miyagi…kudos to u ok…….much respect…..
@beautiful, braaaaap
@Miyagi,
the only reason i diss you all the time is cuz you are always here on GC.. Get a job.. I mean get a real job and stop coming here all the time..
@john,Diss me hahahahah young blood your funny you call that a diss even my little sister is more pro than you is it your concern if I come 100x on GC keep your sad comment to your self and do you okay I pay my contract to use the service feel me but thank you for your comment I don’t have your time once again just do you
@john, has it occured to u dat anytime u diss Miyagi or post a comment, u’re actually on GC???does it mean u also don’t have a job??? get ’em screws tightened up bro.
what the hell do u people think u are,where from the insult he just spoke his mind,love his country n u are telling him shit get the fuck of you all
@Frank,Instead of given a good example your here insulting as well why?
don’t know why ppl are makin such a fuss about dis……the guy says he was presented with many opportunities to become a US citizen and he didn’t take it…we all know how our ppl outside do everything possible to obtain citienship status…people impersonate,go through marriages of convenience, pay huge sums of money etc jst to get dat paper…he didn’t want it tho it was presented to him on a silver platter..
I like wht Alex did in the house and it’s very true wht he said about females and how africa “sees” them..I always tell ppl dat when a guy says to his friends dat he’s slept with 100 girls, he’s hailed and society sees him as a real man but when a girl tells her friends dat she’s slept with even 5 guys, she’s seen as a whore.
welcome home Alex, ganster music forever..i beg try den invite Weza over ok. here.BUMAYE
Wait, I don’t really get what he meant by he was presented with many opportunities to become a citizen. What does that mean?
@Nana, his Dad was a diplomat…….does it mean anythin to u?????