A forlorn reflection on Kwadwo KABA’S death

I will begin this write up with the first two lines of William Shakespeare’s sonnet 66. “Tired with all these, for restful death I cry” [the poet was almost invariably exhausted to deal with social evil hinging on him]. “As to behold desert a beggar born” [an important person born into poverty: interwoven social evil].

The foregoing lines mirror a soliloquy (self-talking) in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet: “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” Are we not always shocked by the death of an enterprising young man? Every sentient creature fears to die, albeit a verse in the Bible that it is appointed to man to die once (Hebrews 9:27).

Thanatophobia is a psychological term implying the fear of death and necrophobia implies the fear of dead or a dying person. And where from this, Koo Nimo? “Another colleague of the late journalist known as “Vim Lady” has alleged that Kaba was killed with black magic known in the popular parlance as “juju” ” (Source: GHANAWEB.COM, November 23, 2017).

What is the meaning of all these in the age of medical and scientific advancement? Can’t we leave KABA alone?

We are all astounded by the death of Kwadwo Asare Baffour Acheampong, the host of the late afternoon political talk show program “Ekosii Sen?” on Accra-based Asempa FM.

I am typically stunned by his demise because KABA and I were all products of Techiman Senior High School in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. I was leading him couple of years.

It is only the spirit of Judas Iscariot that will compel an individual to pull down his/her own High School-mate or hometown fellow like KABA at the height of his impeccable career in broadcast journalism! I am not only proud of KABA but have a great deal of fondness for MultiMedia Group Limited subsidiary; Asempa FM’s “Ekosii Sen?” program.

I started listening to the program from the days of Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah. When KABA started, my favorite panelists were Nana Akomea and Lawyer Kakra Essamuah on Mondays.

We are all going to miss KADA so let us spare his soul from broad daylight balderdash and magical and religious hocus-pocus. Ferreting out who might have “juju” KABA cannot bring him back to life. Social conflict is always concomitant with every social relation in places such as workplace.

Someone not on good terms with KABA did not mean that he/she is responsible for his death. We live in a hypocritical society in Africa where beautiful women are coerced to suppress their love feelings for their male co-workers.

To add more injuries to their emotional woes, they are always directed to pray and dream about their would-be love ones! Besides, co-workers are expected to work as a team but not obliged to be friends. Needless to say spiritual attack on KABA cannot be totally ruled out only if not emanating from frustration aggression hypothesis.

I began this article with the two lines from Shakespeare’s fourteen line poem 66. Unlike the other Elizabethan sonnets characterized with rhyme and other techniques repetition, parallelism and synecdoche remained salient literary devices in the above sonnet.

These techniques and the poem reveal the antithetical nature of human existence. My reference to the aforesaid sonnet reveals beyond plausible doubt that I believe in the possibility of the dark side and hypocrisy of human heart or the crazy nature of this world such as life uncertainties, jealousy, selfishness and “pull him down” syndrome.

The evil cocooning human society that could make KABA tired and be beckoning death at the peak of his career! Yes, black magic or JUJU is possible because where there is a competition, there is nothing like a fair play. I personally wrote articles about some individuals that mentioning their names could not be good for a platform like this. I had two dreams one sitting with me to explain himself and the other chasing me in the other dream. Since then, I will have to pray before I publish an article. We must also pray for our insightful journalists!

A journalist is always nudged by curiosity which makes him/her a whistle blower or a gossiper of a sort. The absence of the age-long right to information bill (RTI) compelled some journalists to be lurking around like a ghost looking for information for public consumption. No individual will welcome his/her dirty deals in the media without a heart-wrenching grief. Such griefs could culminate in either physical or spiritual attack on the media man.

An investigative journalist like Anas Aremeyaw Anas disguises himself physically? But is there any spiritual protection for him? I listened to Joy FM’s investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni on Kofi TV as he narrated his experience in uncovering erstwhile President Mahama’s Ford gift from a Burkinabe contractor.

Manasseh narrated how he and his then would-be wife committed themselves into prayers before embarking on such a journey. So journalists must incorporate prayers into their safety measures.

Not all human beings have a good spirit. Journalists must therefore pray and thrive on the mercy of their maker!

Apart from prayers, journalist must undergo stress management training. In psychological terms, a stress is any uneasy emotional feeling characterized with predictable, mental health and biochemical changes. There are two types of stress namely: negative stress otherwise known as distress and positive stress known as eustress.

Psychotherapist and psychiatrist Alfred Adler believed that every individual is socially embedded which motivates him/her to strive from a perceived minus situation to a felt plus situation. Lack of social embeddedness conceptualized as social interest during this strive is harmful to our health.

A struggle between demanding social interest and lacking social interest could lead to unconscious shock which affects our whole being. For example, a journalist trying to please his listeners always is demanding social interest.

The stress the journalist will have to experience before being furnished with a tip of the iceberg information place the journalist within the domain of lacking social interest. Thus, demanding social interest (getting right information) and lacking social interest (lacking right information) could unconsciously stress out a journalist.

This could biologically increase the journalist blood pressure and other psychopathological complications. Stress, thus occurs when social interest is throttled.

Journalists and their employers must factor quarterly medical screening into their employment policies and procedures. Journalists must occasionally leave the suffocating city of Accra and cool themselves in quiet places. They can engage in exercise, fasting and prayers or speak with their love ones. They can have a good sex when applicable.

Journalists can attend a good church, concert or other activities that could really lift the soul. Journalists must monitor their blood pressure, practice YOGA and mindfulness when applicable and eat healthily. They can visit some of the Catholic monasteries to have a chat about what lifts human souls. Muslim journalists can talk with their Imams.

Avoid churches that have treated you unfairly as this could trigger a further stress. Play guitar or piano when applicable. People pay money to attend Strip Clubs in Atlanta Georgia to reduce stress.

Journalists can visit Volta Hall (UG), Adeshye Hall (UCC) or African Hall (KNUST) to interact with the bevy of ladies. All these are stress reduction plans by choice. Let us leave KABA alone with this Juju issues! We must rather take a practical lesson from his shocking demise.

Let me express my heartfelt condolence to the family. KABA you really paid your dues to mother Ghana! We the Old Students of Techiman Senior High School are proud of you! R.I.P KABA!