Renowned spiritual leader Rev. Dr. Lawrence Tetteh has shared a heartwarming scene in which dancehall superstar Shatta Wale begged for forgiveness for earlier insulting comments he had made against former President John Mahama.
Dr. Tetteh described how, on Saturday, April 27, Wale contacted him mid-flight, motivated by guilt. Wale made a straightforward but impactful request: to help Mahama, who was also on the trip, receive an apology. Following Dr. Tetteh’s instructions, Wale went to the previous President.
When Wale first met Mahama, he showed an uncommon level of vulnerability by bending down in front of the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress and pleading for pardon for remarks he had uttered years earlier.
“On Saturday, I had a ticket to London, and it just so happened that President John Mahama and Shatta Wale were also travelling. We were seated there as if it was scheduled. Next, Shatta Wale approaches me and says, “Nuumo.” Could you please do me a favour? I feel terrible about approaching former President John Mahama because I say certain things to him. Dr. Tetteh stated, “And I said, oh no, he’s your father.”
“So I held his hands and I went to President John Mahama with him. I mean this is no secret. It was on the plane. Publicly. Shatta Wale went on his knees and started crying. I was so touched. Shatta Wale. And then I said this is the spirit that I want our people to do,” he continued.
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Mahama responded with grace, forgiving the artist and lightening the mood with a jest, acknowledging Wale’s bold step in seeking reconciliation.
“We all know how wild Shatta Wale is supposed to be. But he humbled himself to say, ex-president, I am sorry I threw certain words at you the last time, can you forgive me? Then President John Mahama said I have forgiven you, then said, Shatta you are a bad boy, you brought a whole man of God to come and do this to me what do you expect me to say,” Dr. Tetteh recounted during a GTV interview on Thursday, May 2.
Following his apology, Shatta thanked Dr. Tetteh and disclosed that it had taken him four years to find the right words to apologise to Mahama.
Dr. Tetteh applauded Shatta’s deeds and urged the youth to show the same deference to their country’s leaders.
I anticipate that we will act in this spirit as a country. In actuality, I now appreciate Shatta Wale. I apologise for not using their titles, but I want us young people to appreciate all of them, including John Mahama, Nana Addo Dankwa, and Kufuor. This is the attitude I want to instill in them. Let’s hold our leaders in high regard, and if you err, own up to it and apologise,” he continued.
