A young man, who identified himself as Bongo during a street interview in Takoradi on January 21, 2025, admitted to being involved in the mob that vandalized the statue of former President Akufo-Addo. The visibly shaken individual, in his early thirties, expressed that he has been unable to find peace since participating in the incident just over a week prior. He clarified that while he did not initially bring the statue down, he contributed to its further destruction.
He reportedly stated, “When I arrived, the statue was already down, and I went over to damage it more, but now I cannot sleep. I see him (the statue) every time I close my eyes, and I regret my actions.”
When asked about the motivations behind his decision to destroy the statue, Mr. Bongo struggled to provide a rational explanation.
“It was fun to do it, and I felt proud to be among those who toppled it, but upon returning home, I was plagued by nightmares. It was distressing. Just picture a statue, like a human, blinking and laughing.”
As attempts were made to photograph him, he resisted, citing fears of intimidation and potential arrest.
“Massa, I have endured enough. Do you want the police to come after me? I simply seek peace. Akufo-Addo should forgive me,” he concluded before walking away.
The statue, a gift from the Upper Dixcove Traditional Council and funded through voluntary contributions from its members, faced significant backlash following the widespread sharing of its images on social media. Erected at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region, it was unveiled on November 6, 2024, and was completely destroyed by unknown individuals on January 13, 2025, an act that received mixed reactions from many Ghanaians.