Internationally acclaimed Jamaican reggae musician, Eric Donaldson, has opined on live television – ETV that left to him, ganja, otherwise known as wee or India hemp should be legalized.
Undoubtedly, Eric Donaldson is one of the best veteran reggae musicians from Jamaica. Reggae artist Eric Donaldson was born in Kent Village, Jamaica, on June 11, 1947, and launched his music career in 1964 when he recorded some tracks for Studio One in Kingston,
Eric Donaldson is in Ghana for the first time for a concert dubbed ‘Big Man Dance’ to be held tonight, at the plush Mensivc Hotel in Accra for very important personalities (VIPs) as well as February 5 at the La beach, organized by Moscow 1 entertainment and powered by Ghana’s power station, Radio Gold.
Appearing on ETV’s Late Night Celebrity Show on Friday 31st Jan, 2014 to talk about the concert, the host, Dzifa Affanie, asked Eric how he gets inspired to write his songs. Eric replied “well I don’t write my songs. Sometimes I get the songs and the rhythms while smoking and drinking.”
The host followed up; do you still drink at your age? “I used to drink but stopped about 5 years ago. I used to drink Guinness a lot but stopped because I once went to urinate and nothing came out. I went to the doctor and I was told I have gall stones. Since then, I stopped drinking Guinness” Eric said.
Shocked, Dzifa asked Eric what he smokes; “I smoke what takes people to jail. What is that? Dzifa asked. “Yes I smoke what people smoke and go to jail. I smoke ganja. Yes I smoke ganja a lot” Eric Donaldson revealed.
Dzifa asked Eric if the smoking of ganja should be legalized and Eric said “smoking of ganja should be legalized.” Dzifa made the point that ganja is not good and so should not be legalized but Eric reiterated “ganja should be legalized.
“It is good for some and not good for others. Some people can ride bicycles but others can’t. Some drive bicycles and crush but others don’t. Those who crush don’t have what it takes to use the bicycles. I smoke ganja. It’s good! It brings out creativity from the head” Eric said.
Eric went further to reveal that at age 66, he’s given birth to 7 children with 5 different women. He described marriage “as a life sentence” hence, his decision of not marrying any of the women he had children with. He also said at age 66, he has many girlfriends and even currently, he is dating a 19 year old girl. Finally, Eric declared that he does not care what people say about him after his death.
Similarly, on 5th March 2013 Independence eve at the Ohene Djan Stadium, was a concert organized by Charterhouse for RLG to mark the Hope City Concert with American R&B singer Chris Brown as the headline artiste.
During his performance, Chris Brown stopped and asked if there were wee smokers in Ghana. “How many of y’all smoke weed?” he asked. He further advised the audience “if anybody is tripping on you smoking weed, f**k them.”Chris Brown went ahead and smoked (the weed) on stage.
While cheers erupted, the DJ played a voice recording, talking as if it was Chris’ conscience talking, asking him why he was smoking. Chris ignored the voices, pulled out his own blunt and lit up, puffing in front of the audience while the DJ played a medley of songs that promotes smoking or getting high through the loud speakers.
Oh Mother Ghana! Is this how loose our society is? Foreigners come to our soil and without any respect to our legal and societal norms or donts, spew rubbish and get away with it.
The host who should have done the sensible thing by educating Eric that ganja is an illicit drug per Ghana’s laws, kept silent on it and made Eric’s comments seem as though it’s no big deal.
Ghana’s Section 5 of narcotic drugs [Control Enforcement and Sanctions] Act, 1990 stipulates that “a person shall not, without lawful authority or excuse, smoke, sniff, consume, inject into the body or otherwise administer a narcotic drug on the body of that person.’
I blame Eric Donaldson but not much. Big chunk of my blame goes to our organizers who bring foreigners to Ghana but fail in orienting the latter on our legal and moral tenets.
To our event organizers, I say “school foreigners about Ghana before bringing them here, else someday, they get you into serious criminal or civil case by their words or conducts.” Until then…MOTWUM!!
OF COURSE!!! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEGALISED 10 YRS AGO!!
THE VERY THINGS WE CONDEMN AND DENOUCE AND FIND ILLEGAL ARE THE VENTURES BOOMING.
WE DNT WANT PROSTITUTION AND WEE TO BE LEGALISED YET THAT SECTOR IS STILL IN PROGRESS AND BOOMING.
MOST OF OUR LEADERS PRETEND TO BE “CRE-FE” INORDER TO CAPTURE THE ELECTORATES AND THE MASS IN GH BY NOT LEGALISING SUCH SECTORS.
WHETHER LEGALISED OR NOT PPLE WILL SMOKE THE “INTERNATIONAL HERB” , ENGAGE IN HOMOSEXUALITY AND PROSTITUTION.
WE PRETEND TOOOOO MUCH IN GH
TWEEEEEAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!