Dear Arnold,

I write this letter with pleasure because I have been your fan for sometime now and it gives me great delight to send these few words to you. I first noticed you in the letters section of the Graphic Showbiz newspaper years back and I remember clearly you were a serial letter writer, in fact, you were almost a columnist for that paper and I enjoyed it. I used to admire you and shared most of your views on showbiz issues.

I have followed recent developments in the press and I must be honest that it gives me great cause for concern. The newspaper which you edit did run a story about Kwabena Kwabena’s extra-marital affair, which culminated into a Laurencia Thompson story. Arnold, it’s the Laurencia story that I truly want to share a word with you on.

It is my humble opinion that your attack on Laurencia was a misstep. The fact that she called your newspaper lowbrow doesn’t mean that you should call her names. I don’t think that Laurencia was right when she called the Weekly Fylla lowbrow-that was absolutely unnecessary but for you to attack her back in the worst form possible was a disaster on your part. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Arnold, you bring your journalism career into disrepute and you’d make people wonder whether you are really a journalist or one with an axe to grind. Even if you had an axe to grind, it didn’t serve your cause when you did not make any effort at being sophisticated about it. You implemented the worst case scenario in personal vendetta when you wrote in the Weekly Fylla newspaper, ‘yes my dear, this is personal, very personal’. Unless you have a personal issue with Laurencia that no one knows about, a criticism of your newspaper doesn’t mean an attack on Arnold’s personality. Do you really have a personal issue with Laurencia? The answer to this question will fix a big piece of the puzzle, I think.

Arnold, you have really disappointed me on this case. How many times have you not criticized people’s handiwork? How many times have you not rubbished albums of musicians and movies of film producers? Do they also have to attack your personality on how not so very handsome you are? Do they also have to say ‘an effigy called Arnold Asamoah Baidoo,’ or that ‘he is so inane’ or that Arnold is a ‘phony character’? Do these celebrities you’ve been highly critical of over the years with no fear or favor also have to say you ‘mix business with pleasure’ without proving it or that you’ve had an affair with Naana Ntiri without any substance? I don’t think that will be fair to you-so why don’t you think it’s not fair to Laurencia Thompson?

Will it be right to say to you-Arnold Asamoah Baidoo, ‘this is showbiz and this is how it is done? If you don’t know what entails in showbiz, do learn and if you don’t have the stomach for it and if you can’t stand the heat, you better shut your effing mouth and stay the heck out of it!’
As a writer you’ve criticized a lot of people in this country but my biggest disappointment with you is that you cannot stomach criticism yourself, not even on the newspaper you edit. I think I overestimated you.

Laurencia was right on one thing when she spoke on TV3. The fact that you didn’t get Kwabena Kwabena’s side of the story before publishing it and did not even mention in the article that you made a failed attempt doesn’t speak well of you and the paper you represent as an editor. As someone who has done journalism for eleven years before I got into international relations, it is my humble view that you broke a basic rule of that noble profession.

Your media appearances have not made your case any better. I heard you on TV3 and my God, you were so rude to the presenter and his viewers. You refused to answer all the pertinent questions he asked, which could have won you sympathies and rather answered his questions with questions. Where did all your communication skills go?

You again appeared on Peace FM and your insolent remark at Carlos Sakyi (who is older than you) was most unfortunate. Does Carlos Sakyi have to work at the National Media Commission to know a bad piece of journalism? Or Mutala Muntari has to be a lawyer to ask whether you can prove your allegations in court? Arnold, I think it would have done you more good if you had slaughtered your emotions and spoken in clear terms about your story to win over doubters.

You put your good self and the Weekly Fylla in a very libelous position when you bring in music star Samini, Madhaus chief Ike and others in your article - even TV3 may have a case against you. Arnold, the billion Ghana cedi question is: Can you prove it in court? Do you have evidence of these huge allegations you leveled against these people? Can you stand the test of strict proof? If you know in your heart of hearts that you really have nothing to back these allegations please for Christ sake, retract and apologize to all persons involved.

But if you know there is evidence which you posses that can stand the test of court action-then hold your ground and let’s all see what comes out of it.


Your fan
Kwesi Asamoah
Kwesiasamoah1@yahoo.com