Bleached ‘Banku’: Midlife crisis; or cry for help?

It is easy to satirize every single issue in Ghana—one of the main reasons why I love this country so much. Everything can be broken down to its atomic humour. Of course, in a country like ours, it’s a great asset to find humour in the strange and awful. Our sense of humour I can say has prevented us from going the way of many-an-African-country. Humour is the glue that binds us where politics, tribalism, and perhaps extremist religious sentiments have sort to divide us.

‘Bukom Banku’ as we’ve all come to know and call him, (real name Brimah Kamoko) has entertained us both in the boxing ring and in showbiz circles with his numerous attempts at breaking into the industry.  The much-publicized ‘Banku Vs. Powers’ bout remains my all time favourite fight.  I don’t know why. Maybe like all Ghanaians, the entertainment it provided (and perhaps also because I was in media practice at the time) tattooed it firmly in my memory. The pre-fight drama, the banter between the two, the change of date, all provided for a memorable game.

‘Bukom Banku’ as we’ve all come to know and call him, (real name Brimah Kamoko) has entertained us both in the boxing ring and in showbiz circles with his numerous attempts at breaking into the industry.  The much-publicized ‘Banku Vs. Powers’ bout remains my all time favourite fight.  I don’t know why. Maybe like all Ghanaians, the entertainment it provided (and perhaps also because I was in media practice at the time) tattooed it firmly in my memory.  The pre-fight drama, the banter between the two, the change of date, all provided for a memorable game.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Nothing ‘Banku’ does ever surprises anyone. Well… me. From serially beating family members at home to assaulting other people at events and all manner of inexplicable behaviour… but this time, it has gone a bit too far I think.

For a manly man… to wake up one day… and decide… he wants to change the shade of his skin, because his wife allegedly requested that he did so… and also because the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Mahama, has promised to give him an ambassadorial position in Germany, if and when, he wins his second term in office… is unthinkable!

This is where I begin to worry about the man and I think we shouldn’t satirize this one.

Has anyone considered that ‘Banku’ could need help?…  Really!?!?

Perhaps this is the opportune time, for someone… anyone… to take real interest in this man, and, to take it upon him/herself to take Braimah Kamoko for a thorough psychiatric exam to make sure, that one of our national boxing treasures is not losing his mental faculties.  And I can’t emphasise this point enough.

If we have something to do for him as a nation, as friends, and family, it will be to seek his holistic wellbeing now before it is too late. We are so fond of waiting till we have no remedy for situations before we rise up and do something.

I’m sure a lot of us, including those who may chance on this post, may have various stereotypical justifications for his behaviours .i.e. the parts of the capital where he hails from is synonymous with such behaviour. We should and I’ll implore us to categorise Banku’s as a special case given that: 1) he was once a national asset, and 2) that maybe and just maybe all the knocks he took to his head has affected him in a way. Its only fair and safe to assume the later.

I certainly won’t want the inevitable to happen—God forbid—for someone to bring me my stone.  A stitch in time after all they say saves nine.