Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Wednesday, May 6, Kwesi Pratt said he is often approached by people who believe he has the qualities of a national leader, but insisted he does not take such comments seriously.
He warned that allowing such praise to influence personal judgment could lead to misplaced ambition.
“That’s the matter. But there is nothing wrong with that. If you allow these things to get into your head to the extent that you now begin to play the machine for becoming President because people are praising you, then there are, what the hell is wrong with all of you?” he said.
Kwesi Pratt Jnr added that people must be careful not to confuse encouragement with suitability for high office.
“If I were the President, I would have been a fool. I am not a fool,” he said.
He said it was not unusual for members of the public to express political expectations of him, but insisted he does not act on such remarks.
“Somebody meets me in the street and says I should have been President.” he said.
Kwesi Pratt Jnr stressed that ambition is not a problem in itself, but said it must be realistic and grounded.
“There is nothing wrong with ambition. Ambition is one of the things that drives us from a lower level to a higher level,” he said.
“But there is something called unrealistic ambition, an ambition fuelled by egocentric stupidity.”
Kwesi Pratt Jnr concluded that while citizens are free to hold political opinions about individuals, those views should not be mistaken for fact or used as a basis for personal ambition.