Anita Akua Akuffo and Ama Governor
A section of Twitter users have descended heavily on Ghanaian media personality and brand influencer, Anita Akua Akuffo after sharing her opinion on matters surrounding the denial of Ghanaian YouTuber, social media influencer and ‘lawyer-in-waiting’, Elorm Ama Ababio, popularly known as Ama Governor, admission to the Ghana Bar Association.
On November 6, 2022, Ms. Ababio was not called to the Bar over an alleged complaint from some concerned citizens to the General Legal Council (GLC) for her lack of good behaviour, as she wears nose rings to school and wears a nose mask to cover them.
Anita Akuffo, who joined the many people who have applauded GLC on the suspension of Ama Governor for her misconduct, was tagged “hypocrite” for not supporting her fellow woman in distress.
Speaking on the Ladies Circle Show on TV3 on the topic “Can Social Media Influencing Limit Others Career Paths” the affable presenter stated that Ama Governor’s misconduct on social media may be accepted elsewhere but not at the Ghana Bar Association.
“I do not judge and whatever anybody decides to do with their lives is up to them, but you also have to consider the terrain you find yourself. Because every single thing that you do has a repercussion, and you may think that you are living your life and doing what pleases you but at the end of the day the institution will try and teach you a lesson and it will be a bitter one,” she said.
An excerpt from the video of Anita’s opinion shared on TV3’s Twitter has attracted divergent views.
@KorpisahA wrote, “I’m trying to understand what they’re saying. She shouldn’t be a lawyer because of her personal life. The hypocrisy is funny. Have you seen some Ghanaian lawyers with piercings and tattoos and they’re practicing.”
Payoll also tweeted saying, “I thought Anita was an open-minded person until today. If you want to talk about morality let’s start with you and what you are doing when the camera is off. Such a hypocrite.”
“Being open-minded doesn’t mean she has to have your set of thinking styles. Why does anyone need to be open-minded like it’s the best thing in the world? What she does when the camera is off is her business and has every right to do it. Every action has consequences,” Ekow Amoasi replied to Payroll.
Liam Sarpong also wrote, “Ama Governor brought this upon herself, whichever way you look at it. Her sex life should have been private. You think there aren’t homos in the Middle East or Russia? Keep it in your room. Our society and culture are against it, she’s not the only homo lawyer.”
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has justified the GLC decision to deny Ama Governor’s call to the bar.
“I was taken aback by the uproar surrounding the call to the bar of certain individuals. Is this the kind of behaviour we consider acceptable in the legal sector? It’s intriguing.
“To become part of the legal profession, one’s conduct must not be obscene or offensive. Your activities on social media and any ex parte communication with a judge hold immense importance,” she justified.
In response, Ama Governor on Twitter wrote: “Respectfully, I am still waiting to be told what my improper conduct was from the 6th of November, 2022 till date. I cannot handle this tarnishing image and spread of false information about the facts of events that took place for much longer. This is cruel.”
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke