Don’t mislead the youth — Dr Commey Fio to creatives

31 Oct Don’t mislead the youth — Dr Commey Fio to creatives

The Head of Culture at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dr Richardson Commey Fio, is urging entertainers to be careful that their celebrity status does not mislead young people who look up to them.

This is because the influence of creatives goes beyond entertainment. It can shape how an entire generation speaks, dresses and behaves.

He said celebrity status should go hand in hand with good character and responsible conduct because young people have a strong tendency to copy the lifestyles, speech and behaviour of entertainers they admire.

“Society cannot ‘celebrate’ you when your fame rather misleads your followers, particularly young people, to act in ways that undermine the cultural values, norms and virtues of the people,” he said.

According to Dr Commey Fio, creatives, especially musicians, hold an important place in Ghanaian society, not only because of their art but also because of their power to shape public opinion, influence social behaviour and contribute to national development.

Their influence extends beyond their music itself to their fashion, lifestyles, public statements and the way they treat others.

Young admirers often adopt their favourite musicians’ hairstyles, dress and mannerisms, making the example set by entertainers all the more important.

“If a musician uses insults in a lot of his conversations, there is a likelihood that a lot of young people who look up to this musician will also do the same,” he said.

He believes the time is right for a broader conversation about the role of creatives in national development.

“I think it’s about time we have this conversation about the significant role of creatives in our society, in terms of our national development discourse. And most importantly, now that we are looking at involving the youth in every developmental discussion,” he said.

Dr Commey Fio explained that this is hardly new. He pointed to the country’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who relied on musicians to rally support for the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in the 1950s.

He also recalled how Concert Party performances were used to explain government policies to communities, proof of how well creatives connect with ordinary citizens and shape public understanding.