Kwesi Pratt Jnr, the Managing Editor of Insight Newspaper, has fired shots at the Minority Leader’s Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin over his opening remarks during the vetting of Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
According to Kwesi Pratt, Afenyo-Markin’s use of a Shakespeare quotation during the vetting was a useless talk and completely useless.
Kwesi Pratt asserted that although he studied Shakespeare and still does, he could not understand the relevance of the quote.
He quizzed the minority leader on how many Ghanaians could understand the Shakespearean quotation he used.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Kwesi Pratt said, “I watched the vetting. I studied literature and Shakespeare. So, when the Minority Leader opened his statement with a quotation from Shakespeare, I was sitting there wondering what he was trying to say. I couldn’t make head or tail of it”.
“Look at the population of Ghana, how many of us are completely illiterate, how many have the capacity even to understand Shakespeare? Me, I’ve read Shakespeare, and I didn’t see the relevance. Useless talks, Parliamentary speeches should be understandable to your constituents. Do you believe even 10% of the population understood that quotation?” he asked.
The veteran journalist, however, noted that the quotation may have been intended to showcase the Minority Leader’s brilliance, but did not contribute meaningfully.
Pratt, quoting the line stated, “First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed”
from Macbeth (Act 1, Scene 7), Pratt admitted he himself could not see the connection.
“Even we have to go and read. Why do you punish us like this? We elected you to serve our interests, but now the language you speak is Greek to us,” he added,
The veteran journalist humorously stressed the need for MPs to use language open to the public.
Meanwhile, some netizens reacting to Kwesi Pratt’s comments stated, “DRAMA!!! Perhaps our lawmakers need training in theatre and, especially, diction!”.
Another explained what the Minority leader wanted to say, “In Shakespeare’s Macbeth (Act 1 Scene 7), Macbeth struggles with the morality of killing a noble king, knowing his ambition will destroy both conscience and order. This mirrors the current moment in the vetting committee(the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo feels like Duncan’s murder: senseless, driven by ambition, and cloaked in legality).
Just as Macbeth’s act poisoned Scotland’s crown, this decision threatens the moral core of Ghana’s judiciary. The speech by Afenyo was a warning that power gained through betrayal only breeds chaos”.
One more X user added, “Big man paaa that admits he studied and still reads Shakespeare books and doesn’t understand this quote for one of Shakespeare’s books. And HE IS LAUGHING. Eiii Massaaa”
“Confused Afenyo Markin is being strategic, just to stay relevant and busy, he resorted to confusing the house with quotes he has no interpretation of, chaff”, a X user adds.
Additionally, a netizen added, “They all understand perfectly, it’s deep and cuts like a sword, and they are all complicit, so they all find ways to make a joke out of it so that the masses will be more confused. Ghana politics”
However, an X user also fired Kwesi Pratt, “Growing up, we all thought Kwesi Pratt was a sensible person, but bcos of biases and his political party (NDC), now he’s useless as a foot soldier, the language u just spoke goes to ur constituency and ask how many understood what u just spoke about? Stop being a hypocrite and foolish”.
Watch the video below:
#CJVetting: Kwesi Pratt reacts to the Shakespeare quote from Afenyo-Markin #GoodMorningGhana #MetroTV pic.twitter.com/FrRYdspknO
— Metro TV Ghana (@metrotvgh) November 12, 2025