In a startling turn of events on Saturday, October 7, 2023, a group of individuals purportedly affiliated with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) stormed the studios of UTV, causing an abrupt halt to the live broadcast of the popular show, United Showbiz.
The shocking incident unfolded approximately seven minutes into the program.
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Host Mzgee, visibly bewildered, introduced the show, but the atmosphere quickly grew tense as voices of agitation emanated from the background. The confusion on the host’s face was palpable, and the production went on an extended break before eventually being taken off the air.
Reports that emerged following the disruption of the show suggest that the intruders had entered the studio with hostile intentions. Their primary objective seemed to be confronting Kwame Asare Obeng, widely known as A Plus, a regular panel member on United Showbiz.
Subsequent videos shared on social media portrayed a chaotic scene within the UTV studio, with several men loudly demanding A Plus’s presence.
“We are waiting for A Plus today… A Plus has to explain to us why he tore our paper from the NPP party. We are here, we are waiting for A Plus. We are protecting our party property,” one of the men can be heard shouting in the studio.
The incident is apparently a fallout from an episode on September 30, 2023, when musician and activist Kwame A Plus took to live TV to publicly shred a letter addressed to the management of UTV by the NPP. In this letter, the NPP had called for reforms to the United Showbiz program.
During the broadcast, A Plus, a vocal panelist on the show, not only read the contents of the letter but also vehemently criticized its substance and the propriety of its issuance. He labeled the letter as “useless” and argued that such actions continued to damage the NPP’s reputation, potentially undermining principles of media independence.
A Plus went further by tearing his copy of the letter into pieces and emphasized, “This letter is revolting because we have received calls from people threatening to shut down UTV United Showbiz.”
He also pointed out that a significant portion of UTV’s viewership consisted of NPP supporters, who were appreciated for their contributions to the station. He urged NPP members to refrain from similar actions, emphasizing that nobody could dictate the show’s content in a country led by a President who believed in the rule of law.
In light of the developments on October 7, 2023, A Plus who was obviously very angry revealed that he had received information suggesting that NPP’s Owusu Bempah was the one who mobilized the individuals to disrupt the station. He also issued a stern warning, stating that he would take action if such incidents recurred.
Also, Mr. Logic and Vida Adutwumwaa, who were also guests on the show spoke about how they got scarred when the whole incident was unfolding and expressed their disappointment in the alleged thugs affiliated to the NPP.
Well, it will be recalled that Owusu Bempah, in a recent discussion on Wontumi FM in Kumasi, described the United Showbiz program as “useless.” This ongoing controversy underscores the escalating tension surrounding the show and its place in the political landscape of Ghana.
