NDC support cost me deals — MzBel cries

Ghanaian musician and entrepreneur  Belinda Nana Ekua Amoah, popularly known as Mzbel, has opened up about the professional and personal backlash she says she faced after publicly identifying with the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In a recent interview with Kafui Dey, the musician said her decision to openly campaign for and defend the NDC resulted in the loss of fans, events and business opportunities.

“Before I came out fully as an NDC member, showed my face as an NDC member, I had followers and fans from NPP. But then I boldly came out and started talking for my party. So automatically I’ll lose all those people,” she said.

Mzbel said her political affiliation also affected her access to events she had previously performed at regularly.

“I was blocklisted from some events that I used to get every year. They were organised by NPP people. And even when NPP came to power, I lost a lot of their deals,” she disclosed.

She cited one particular occasion when she was reportedly dropped from a show shortly before she was scheduled to perform.

“I remember there was a show at Mervyn Peak I was supposed to perform. A few days before the show, they called me and said their guest of honour is one big NDC woman, an NPP woman. And because of her, they have to take me off the show,” she recounted.

According to Mzbel, the challenges were not limited to Ghana, as she said some international performances were also cancelled after she had advertised them.

“Not just that, even shows outside Ghana. They will cancel me later after I’ve posted the flyer. So if I didn’t come out to say that I am NDC, defending my party and all of that, I would have been doing well,” she said.

The musician also reflected on the effect her political involvement had on her fan base.

“I lost half of my fans. I lost half of my fan base. And the party I followed too, well, it didn’t do me any good,” she stated.

She further recounted what she described as attacks and threats from some people associated with the party.

“People in the party physically and verbally attacked me, insulted me, called me out on social media, threatened to beat me and all of that,” she said.

Mzbel attributed her long-standing affinity for the NDC to her upbringing in Jamestown and her admiration for former President Jerry John Rawlings.

“It was Rawlings and Jamestown. It’s all about Rawlings and NDC. It became like a religion for us,” she said.

Despite her past political activism, Mzbel said she now considers the experience a lesson and has chosen not to identify with any political party.

“It’s not even about the party, but it’s a lesson I was supposed to learn. And I have learned that lesson,” she stated.

Mzbel concluded: “I’m not NDC. I’m not NPP. I’m not. I’m nothing. I’m just a Ghanaian. And I decide whether I want to vote or not.”