MANASSEH WRITES: The undiplomatic diplomat and the hypocrites

The first time I heard about Jon Benjamin was in November 2014. I was in the United States participating in the International Visitors Leadership Programme on Investigative Journalism, but I was constantly monitoring developments back home. When I went online one morning, I was greeted with a needless storm of confusion on social media. There was an outrage against a certain British High Commissioner who had been in Ghana for only six months but would not mind his own business.

The man at the centre of the controversy, Mr. Jon Benjamin, was invited to speak at IMANI Ghana’s10th anniversary programme. His topic was “Integrity in public office.” After greeting the audience and other diplomats present, Jon Benjamin began his speech: “I’m not sure, Franklin [Cudjoe], about what you have me sitting in: it looks like you are having me enstooled. But, at least, this chair was definitely made in Ghana.”

This was in reference to the rather senseless decision by the leadership of our parliament to import MPs’ furniture from China. While in the US, I visited the Senate and I was shocked to find the senators, including the likes of John McCain, using desks and simple chairs that looked like what some of our basic school children use here. While our MPs need comfort, someone should have been wise enough to give that job to the local manufacturers.

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