The day was Friday, May 11, 2007 and the time was about 1.45 p.m. Yes, that was soon after the ‘not guilty’ verdict had been pronounced in London in favour of the popular Ghanaian musician Daasebre Gyamena.

And suddenly, the radio stations in Ghana started jostling with each other to be the first to announce the good tidings. Within Accra alone, at least about eight FM radio stations interrupted their normal programmes to break the good news to the good people of Ghana between 1.45 p.m. and 2. p.m.

You all know the story already, I believe. When Daasebre Gyamena arrived in London some time last year from Accra, a parcel alleged to contain cocaine was discovered in his hand luggage so he was arrested. He claimed that a friend in Ghana gave him the parcel to be delivered in London, when he was about to leave Accra.

The rest is history. Trial and adjournment; retrial and adjournment; further retrials caused by disagreement amongst members of the jury etc, etc. And that went on for close to a year.

But as Machiavelli the Italian Prince, said several years ago in his famous book "The Prince," the end justifies the means. And so, after being kept on remand for all that period, Daasebre has been found "not guilty."

And judging from the spontaneous calls to the radio & TV stations, and the statements made by Ghanaians generally, his release was very welcome.

Daasebre actually had a triumphant return to Ghana last Tuesday, May 15, 2007. Some stations including Peace, covered the return live. Kwasi Aboagye interrupted Agya Abrefa’s Tuesday evening programme to report the scene at the Kotoka International Airport.

The crowd of fans and supporters was so big that no reporter was able to get the musician to say even a sentence. According to Aboagye, the musician was whisked away by security personnel towards the VIP Lounge. Who says the VIP Lounge is reserved for special people, mainly politicians?

When Kwasi Aboagye had a live chat with Daasebre’s Manager Fred Nuamah at the airport, he said the whole management team of Daasebre including himself Fred Nuamah had been dissolved with immediate effect.

When pressed by Kwasi to explain the sudden rush to dissolve Daasebre’s management team, he was unable to tell the public anything concrete. This was on Tuesday night, May 15, 2007.

Daasebre’s experience is a big lesson to Ghanaians who receive parcels at the airport from supposed friends, to be taken outside Ghana for delivery to some people, without first opening the parcel to know exactly what it contains.

It is a very risky thing to do. In a small way, it has also salvaged the image of Ghanaian musicians who travel abroad. Correctly or incorrectly, there is a general perception by the public to the effect that many musicians, especially those who travel abroad quite often, could be connected with drugs.

Just imagine the news that came out on Radio and TV just last weekend, which was confirmed pictorially by some newspapers on Monday 14th May 2007! A four-hectare wee or marijuana farm near Nsawkaw in the Brong Ahafo Region, had been uncovered by the police and the farm burnt down. About 20 suspects had been arrested. Now comes the important point.

The alleged owner of the farm is reported to be one Alex Kufuor Frimpong. Now hold on. Who is he? He is alleged to be a very popular ‘Music Producer’ known in the entertainment industry as ‘Lexis’. You see? He is said to be a Music Producer, and even though he is still on the run, his picture was in the papers on Tuesday 15/5/07.

He looked just over thirty (30) years old. Clearly a lot of people know him, a popular music producer! There you are. So, it is a warning to all such people within the music industry. To Daasebre, we say welcome back home. I know his next album will be explosive.

But what is the meaning of the increasing vehicular carnage on our roads? Hardly a day passes without innocent passengers being slaughtered on our roads by some irresponsible drivers. Over the past week alone, about 50 people have been reported killed.

One accident near Okyereko in the Central Region involved 7 vehicles at a go. And 41 people (from Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire) lost their lives on the spot! Several others who were reported to be seriously injured, were sent to the Winneba and Cape Coast hospitals for treatment.

And according to police investigations the driver who caused the accident must have suddenly fallen asleep, thus causing the multiple accident. All callers have expressed big shock at the carnage.

Are we going to allow the hundreds of articulator trucks that ply on our roads in the night to continue the carnage?

Can’t we go back to the old system whereby articulator trucks, petrol tankers and overloaded charcoal vehicles etc were not allowed on our roads between 6.30 p.m. and 5.30 a.m.?