Yesterday felt deeply un-Ghanaian.

I cringed watching people circulate clips and hurl insults at Franklin Cudjoe over his hand gestures and movements during a TV interview. It was cruel, ignorant, and unnecessary.

I kept asking myself: when will my uncle tell his own story? Parkinson’s is still poorly understood by many, and public figures often bear the unfair burden of speculation when silence meets ignorance.

If you’ve been observant, you’d notice that Franklin began changing in the final year of Akufo-Addo’s tenure. There also comes a point in life when neutrality gives way to clarity, when you become more vocal about what you value and what you reject.

This is a man who has built arguably the most successful think tank in Ghana’s history. His work is cited globally. His ideas are a Google search away. International media has relied on his voice for years.

The phrase “we are growing to die” once struck me painfully, but it’s a brutal truth. The least we can do as humans is lead with kindness. When you see something unfamiliar, educate yourself, especially when it relates to health.

That heart beating in your chest as you read this is a timer. It can pause, stop, or fail for reasons even the best doctors may never fully explain.

Franklin, we love you.

You have served this nation with strength, intellect, and courage. We understand this phase of your life, your condition, your mindset, your reality.

Like Muhammad Ali before you,
I wish you strength, peace, and fulfillment. Whatever makes this journey easier, financially, emotionally, mentally, you are not alone.

Abi you know Dada
We’ve got you. ❤️

By Barnabas Nii Laryea