Radio broadcasters have a job to educate, inform and entertain their audience. Some of these audiences hold their favorite presenters in high esteem and wouldn’t take an issue seriously until they hear it from the broadcasters of their choice. This makes the job of the broadcaster look more or less like that of a preacher who says the good news and shows his or her congregants the way.
I have read and seen radio broadcasters who have used their console to make direct and indirect impactful contributions to their listeners. The likes of Kwame Sefa Kayi, Yaw Adu Boakye, Captain Smart, and a host of others; but one other gentleman who has been in the radio business for over a decade and doing well with his console and microphone is George Opoku Mensah a.k.a Akwesi Agudey.
The young, vociferous, intelligent, and articulate radio broadcaster, George Opoku Mensah who will later gain grounds with his a.k.a Agudey; will woow a lot of radio lovers and critics with his witty and authoritative style of interviewing skills that will make him one of Ghana’s most sort after radio gems.
The radio journey
The Assin Foso Demonstration Junior High School graduate nurtured his dream for radio from the Assin Foso market-based Nkwa FM as a News presenter and later to Arise FM where he again presented the news in style. In the process of getting better, he moved to Dunkwa-On-Offin, where he settled at Dunkwa Zoro’s Solar FM as a Sports presenter until he was approached by Obuasi-based Shaft FM.
At Shaft FM, his interviewing skills and upper hand on current affairs saw him elevated quickly from a news anchor to double as the Morning Show host and News editor. He made the morning show one of the best in the Adansi, Denkyira, and Amansie enclave. He birthed ‘Political Palace’, a news program that saw him interviewing political leaders on human-centered matters that needed answers for the listeners.
Agudey exited the studios of the Kamara Dini street-based Shaft FM when the applause was getting louder. This came as a heavy blow to management but the man needed to embrace other difficult tasks; yes, he needed to enter a new market where competition was rife and more was expected to keep him afloat.
From Golden City to Garden City
After his golden days in Obuasi and impacting both young and old with his job, he was now in the Garden city where he will be the morning man for Class media’s Kumasi FM as the host of the ‘Kumasi Morning Show’.
The Adam-based Boss Fm needed a real ‘Boss’ to run the affairs of the Kumasi morning waves and compete for listeners with other big brands and here was Agudey who has made strides with Kumasi Fm. At Boss Fm, he took over the prime morning show, ‘Good Morning Boss’, and made it his own. As a newbie in the Kumasi radio community, his style won him more listeners and made the nearly dead Boss Fm bounce back to life.
Audrey made the once comatose ‘Good morning Boss’ morning radio one of the most listened to; so he was again given the nod to host ‘Ghana Kasa’.
The Apam Secondary School and Christian Service University College graduate went on a radio broadcasting hiatus to focus on other personal matters until the Manhyia Palace-based Opemsuo radio needed a morning man for their new radio.
The competition was a tough one with household names all pushing to be the first to speak from the beautiful royal studios of Opemsuo and this time around, the multipurpose broadcaster, smart and eloquent Agudey had the nod to steer the affairs of Opemsuo’s prime morning show dubbed ‘Nkwantananso’
Interviews
Radio hene, a name coined for him by his ardent listeners and panel members has been known for some nerve-breaking interviews with very top personalities. One of such interviews was what uncovered the rot surrounding the 40-year-old KATH Maternity building and the misappropriation of COVID-19 funds.
Getting applause from former President John Agyekum Kufour after an interview is no mean achievement and that’s exactly what he got from the Gentle Giant after an interview during his early days on Opemsuo.
His interview with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumiah where he was able to make his rattle in Twi was soothing to listen to.
He is one of the few radio broadcasters who have had the privilege to interview diplomats on his radio or at their residence. He has interviewed Irene Vida Gala former Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana, British High Commissioner Harriet Thompson, and Anne Sophia Ave current France Ambassador to Ghana at her residence.
The icing on his cake was the interview with the President of the Republic, H.E Nana Akufo Addo. This was an interview that was originally timed for 5 mins but with his great talent and mastery over his art, he was able to make it 12 mins.
George Opoku Mensah will continue to have his name written in gold in the radio broadcasting hall of fame.
The writer can be contacted at agyenfra43@gmail.com /233249542342
