Adom TV host Afia Pokuaa has expressed concern with the level of attention Ghanaians pay to half baked celebrities and people with little to offer instead of those who actually have a lot to offer.
Afia, in a post on social media after Rashida the Black Beauty’s historic Jigwe awards win, expressed worry that someone like Rashida receives so much attention from Ghanaians yet a female, KNUST medical student who swept home awards received so little.
This makes her wonder, what kind of values we are leaving for our next generation.
Afia’s lengthy piece expressed her concerns with the culture of celebrity worship and academic neglect that can turn people like the Black Beauty into stars overnight.
She wrote…
This trend bothers me and am hoping that as we all discuss this issue I may be settled in my heart about this matter.
On the right, is Rashida black beauty, who has just won an award for her video on “kushmai”.(it went viral)
On the left, is Ama, a medical and dental student who swept about 6 awards at the graduation of the medical school, K.N.U.S.T( she didn’t go viral.) In the middle is me, “bankye wura” from Tema turned media guru ( feel free to disagree).
My question is what values are we leaving the generation after us?
When I heard that Rashida has been awarded, I said oh gosh, so why did we complain when the”Lord paper” video clip came out.
I think as a nation we are losing our values for something which is foreign, all in the name of fame. The other day, the lady in the Lord paper video received a big invitation for a movie premiere while ladies like Ama, never get any at all. The message is that it pays to do a sex video or any viral video than stay in school.A few years ago, we used to compete among ourselves for too grades, best needle work. art work, best athlete or best office girl or best girl in house chores. Now, it’s all about who can pose either half naked or do a crazy video to attract attention.
To the organizers, I suggest that we rather help this young woman acquire new skills to make her better and more valuable to herself and help her get out of the emotional state which forced her to do the video, to put the young man who broke her heart to shame instead of trying to glorify her action because obviously she has something inside her.
Again, I think the organisers should start inviting and celebrating young academic women like Ama to motivate our young people.
Also market women( like my mother) who hustle through thick and thin as single mothers and married women to raise their children to be responsible citizens should be celebrated, instead of focusing on “made up” women who gallivant on social media for attention.
Finally, I believe Ghana is not like the US where Kim K can become a star because of a sex tape so let us not start that revolt.
Let us give our children, nieces and nephews good examples to follow; either you learn a skill with swag or you stay in school and make it big or join kumawood and add your creativity to the industry ( like Ama McBrown) or join the business men and women who are transforming our nation daily from dawn to dusk.
The way things are going, we should not be surprised if we watch live streaming of sex and orgy.
As you try to condemn this piece, as yourselves, if you will allow your daughter son or niece to do a sex tape or video with the sole intention of being famous?
 
Rashida’s Jigwe win has ignited strong debate between those who think her rise shows the lack of seriousness of Ghanaians whilst others believe there’s nothing wrong with it. Afia has clearly shown where her thoughts lie.