Dr. Michael Kpessa-Whyte
The University of Ghana is currently in the limelight, as one of its lecturers, Michael Kpessa-Whyte, has found himself in hot waters over a recent tweet.
The university lecturer, who is also a failed parliamentary aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), posted a tweet on May 19, 2023, that has caused a stir in the legal and political circles of Ghana.
In his controversial tweet, Professor Kpessa-Whyte accused the judiciary of partisanship and lack of common sense, further stating that they have turned a Supreme Court into a Stupid Court.
“They have succeeded in turning a Supreme Court into a Stupid Court. Commonsense is now a scare commodity. A major element in the death of democracies is partisanship in the delivery of justice. Our judges need lessons in political philosophy and ethics. Time will tell !” the tweet read.
The tweet drew widespread condemnations with many people accusing the lecturer of attempting to undermine the credibility of the judiciary in the country.
The university teacher cum politician later took to Twitter three days after to belatedly clarify his comments, stating that his tweet was not specific to Ghana’s judiciary but rather a general observation of the state of the judiciary in many countries.
He also said that the tweet was more about developments elsewhere, including the US.
Professor Kpessa-Whyte’s tweet caused a stir among Ghanaians, claiming that many people have been expressing concern over his safety. The university lecturer took to Twitter again to assure people that he was fine and that his tweet was not meant to point fingers at Ghana’s judiciary.
“Thanks to all who have asked questions about my May 19th 2023 tweet. For the avoidance of doubt I follow judicial decisions in many countries and so the said tweet cannot be pinned to Ghana. It has more to do with developments elsewhere including the US. We live in a global village.”
“Folks, a number of you have called to express concerns about my safety following my recent tweets. I want to make it clear that NONE of my recent tweets about judicial decisions are in reference to Ghana’s judiciary. My focus currently is on developments elsewhere outside Ghana,” he attempted to clarify.
The controversy surrounding the tweet highlights the fragility of the justice system in Ghana and the importance of respecting the decisions of the judiciary. The judiciary is a pivotal institution that ensures justice and fairness in any country, and any attempt to undermine its authority is unacceptable.
The University of Ghana has yet to comment on the incident, but many Ghanaians are calling for an apology from Professor Kpessa-Whyte for his statement.
Others are also asking the university to dismiss him with immediate effect for embarrassing the academic institution.
The issue is likely to continue to generate public interest in the coming days, and it remains to see how the situation will be resolved.
By Vincent Kubi