There is a fine line between a personal preference and a public affront, and the Asante Nation has made it clear that they believe Dr. Lawrence Tetteh crossed that line during his recent appearance on UTV. The renowned man of God, known for his globe-trotting ministry and high-profile connections, has found himself at the center of a brewing linguistic storm. Following his comments, which many described as unfortunate and disrespectful to the Twi-speaking community, a strongly worded protest has emerged from the Asante Nation on Facebook, sparking a national conversation about tribal respect and the reality of Ghana’s media landscape.
The irony of the situation is hard to miss, and the Facebook post from the Asante community did not mince words in pointing it out. Dr. Tetteh often finds himself at the Manhyia Palace, frequently as part of the Ga Mantse’s high-level delegation to pay homage to the Asantehene. To witness a man who regularly bows before the Golden Stool later describe the prevalence of the King’s language as “nonsense” on national television is both baffling and concerning. It raises a question that resonated across social media: can one truly respect a King while harboring a deep-seated resentment for the tongue of his people?
The “Nonsense” of Linguistic Identity
During the interview, Dr. Tetteh’s insistence that the host switch to English was more than just a request for clarity. It was a power move that felt like an attempt to exert a linguistic hierarchy that has no place in a modern, inclusive Ghana. The Asante Nation, in their viral rebuttal, noted that referring to the natural use of Twi as “nonsense” is a sharp insult to millions of Ghanaians.
What makes this even more peculiar is that Dr. Tetteh understands and speaks Twi fluently—a fact he demonstrated throughout the very interview in question. The resistance, therefore, appears to be ideological rather than practical. If UTV is an Akan-speaking media house, its primary medium is Twi by design, not by accident. In a country where Obonu TV serves the Ga community and Zuria FM caters to Hausa speakers in Kumasi, the Asante protest asks why the use of Twi is the only one that attracts such high-profile condemnation.
Convenience over Coercion
There is no clause in the 1992 Constitution that compels a citizen to learn or speak a specific language simply because they have relocated to a new city. As the Asante Nation pointed out in their Facebook address, in this 21st century, languages thrive through love, relevance, and daily engagement, not through the force of law or the dictates of social elites. Language is a choice born of convenience and cultural expression. To label this natural social evolution as something to be “forced” or “stopped” is to insult the intelligence of the ordinary Ghanaian.
From a commercial standpoint, the argument against Twi-speaking stations collapses under the weight of the data. If broadcasting in Twi was not a profitable or viable venture, these media houses would have folded decades ago. The reality that these stations have not only survived for over 20 years but consistently outperform English-speaking counterparts tells us everything we need to know about the market’s heartbeat.
A Credibility Gap at the Altar
For a man of God who prides himself on unity and national peace, such comments breed the very tribal discrimination and language segregation that ministries should seek to heal. The Asante social media post emphasized that when a leader visits Manhyia and sees the beauty of Asante culture in its full glory, only to return to Accra and speak of that same linguistic heritage with disdain, it creates a credibility gap that is difficult to bridge.
The Asante Nation, and indeed the wider Akan-speaking community, finds these remarks to be a bridge too far. Respect is a two-way street, and in the house of the Ghanaian media, every language deserves its seat at the table. This is but the first chapter in a necessary rebuttal to a narrative that seeks to diminish one of the most vibrant threads in our national fabric. The conversation on language respect must continue until the “nonsense” label is firmly retracted.
