This year Ghana celebrates 50 years as an independent African nation.

As part of the celebrations, Ghana's top stand-up comedian Kwaku Sintim-Misa was asked to perform in front of an audience of foreign guests, dignitaries and ordinary Ghanaians.

Kwaku targets the complacency of Ghanaians

Kwaku told the BBC he was surprised to be asked because he is not at all "politically correct".

He has made a name for himself by challenging Ghana's leaders. On one famous occasion he tackled ex-president Jerry Rawlings on his record in office in front of a live audience ? and he got away with it.

J.J. Rawlings was game for a laugh and actually responded with a good natured quip of his own.

Ghanaian pride

In this show Kwaku targets the complacency of Ghanaians who, he says, are happy to accept low standards.

For example, Ghanaians will cheer when the light comes back on after a power cut, when they should be shouting with indignation.

Light is their right, says Kwaku, not a special treat.

He makes fun of parents who take pride in the fact that their children only speak bad English, not their parents' languages, and he criticises Ghana's media which he says is so split along party lines that it does not report the facts.

Huge potential

Kwaku considers himself an optimist

However, Kwaku also has a lot of affection for Ghana and its quirks. Where else on this earth can you find Cake-Bread, for example?

He says the only reason he is critical of Ghana is that he is an optimist and sees the huge potential the country has.

Kwaku ends his show imagining what the father of the nation, Kwame Nkrumah, would think of the country he lead to independence fifty years on. Would he be proud, or disappointed?


Kwaku slips into Nkrumah's shoes and has the crowd in stitches of mirth with his impersonation . . .

Listen to Kwaku Sintim-Misa perform