Media veteran Kwami Sefa Kayi has issued a stern warning to Salam Mustapha, the National Youth Organiser of Ghana’s New Patriotic Party (NPP), during a recent broadcast, emphasizing that political debate must avoid descending into personal insults.
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The admonition, “Don’t let me lose my cool on you”, came after Mustapha allegedly repeated statements that triggered strong reactions from Sefa Kayi, who demanded respect for fair discourse on radio and beyond.
Tension Builds on Air
The heated exchange unfolded live, when Mustapha interrupted a guest on Sefa Kayi’s Peace FM show. According to sources, the youth organiser persisted in speaking over others, despite being repeatedly asked to allow the guest to finish. Frustration evidently mounted, prompting the respected broadcaster to issue his warning.
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Sefa Kayi accused Mustapha of engaging in what he described as “insults” rather than constructive political engagement. The host’s pointed remark – “Don’t let me lose my cool on you” – served both as a warning and a call for civility.
The Core of the Dispute
At issue is the manner in which Salam Mustapha allegedly handled his role as NPP youth organiser by making unsubstantiated claims about the opposition and refusing to allow others to respond. As the broadcast unfolded, Sefa Kayi singled out Mustapha for failing to respect basic rules of discourse: allowing guest speakers to complete their statements, avoiding personal attacks, and grounding arguments in evidence.
Sefa Kayi’s admonishment reflects growing tensions in Ghana’s political media space, where debates often become heated and the line between criticism of policy and attack on character blurs.
Implications for Political Discourse
The incident is more than mere momentary drama: it raises broader questions about how political actors engage on public platforms and how media figures manage those engagements. For one thing, it underscores the responsibility of party representatives to engage with respect. For another, it places on broadcasters the role of moderating debate—not merely as arbiters of airtime, but as guardians of tone and fairness.
Moreover, viewers and listeners look to such interactions to judge both the character of the speaker and the health of the democratic process. When political debates degrade into insults or unilateral monologues, public trust in politics and media suffers. Sefa Kayi’s warning is in this sense a plea—not just to Mustapha, but to all political actors—to maintain civility in public discourse.
Salam Mustapha’s Response & Public Reaction
At the moment, a formal public response from Salam Mustapha seems limited. Supporters of Mustapha argue that political debates are by nature contentious and that opponents sometimes take disagreement personally. Critics, on the other hand, have praised Sefa Kayi for insisting on accountability, and for reminding political figures that public platforms carry obligations beyond partisan point-scoring.
Social media has lit up with mixed reactions. Some users believe Sefa Kayi’s warning was overdue, citing what they see as a pattern of aggressive rhetoric from Mustapha and others. Others claim Sefa Kayi’s tone was unnecessarily sharp. Regardless, many agree that neither must Public Office Bearers nor media personalities allow political disagreement to degrade into insult and chaos.
Why This Matters: The Bigger Picture
Ghana’s political and media landscape is vibrant and, at times, volatile. Tensions are high, especially leading up to elections or major policy changes. When public discourse is dominated by shouting matches rather than reasoned debate, important issues can get lost in the noise—issues like education, healthcare, unemployment, corruption.
In this case, Sefa Kayi’s warning serves a dual purpose:
- A call for decorum – insisting that even in heated debate, there must be rules: let people speak, respond factually, avoid personal attacks.
- A reminder of media ethics – broadcasters and hosts have a duty not only to report, but to moderate truthfully and fairly.
Kwami Sefa Kayi’s admonition—“Don’t let me lose my cool on you”—is more than a sharp retort; it is a reminder of what should underpin public political engagement: respect, truth, and restraint. As Salam Mustapha and other political figures engage on public platforms, the challenge is clear: the strength of one’s arguments should stand on evidence, not volume, and civility should not be the first casualty of political passion.
As the debate continues, all eyes will be on how Mustapha responds—and whether voices in the media will push for a higher standard of dialogue.
