Blogger and content creator Arnold Mensah Elavanyo has called on the government to honour dancehall artist Shatta Wale with a diplomatic passport.
In a Facebook post following the artist’s historic Shatta Fest at Independence Square, Elavanyo argued that Shatta Wale has done enough to promote Ghana’s name and deserves official recognition that would empower him to represent the country globally.
“A nation that does not celebrate its heroes is not worth dying for,” Elavanyo began. “Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, kindly consider giving Charles Nii Armah Mensah a diplomatic passport as his birthday gift. He deserves it. There is a lot he can do for Ghana in the arts industry worldwide.”
The blogger further appealed to the Ministry of Arts and Culture to allocate a budget for Shatta Wale and his team to embark on a national assignment aimed at promoting Ghana internationally.
He proposed a global partnership between Shatta Wale and Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel, suggesting that such collaborations could project Ghana’s creative industry on a global scale.
“Do this for him and give him a task to accomplish,” he urged. “Like say, by the end of the day, make sure you sell Ghana as the ultimate tourist destination in Africa. It can be made a national agenda.”
Elavanyo noted that other distinguished personalities have been granted diplomatic passports and that extending this privilege to Shatta Wale would not only acknowledge his impact but also strengthen Ghana’s cultural diplomacy.
“He is loved deeply and wherever he goes, the love will follow him,” he concluded. “Let’s use our personalities to brand and strategically position Ghana on the globe. Now that the iron is hot, let’s strike it hard.”
