A Matter Of Hiding Behind a Veil To Cover Up His True Sexuality Or A True Human Rights Activist?

THE CASE OF BRIGHT NTOADURO, LGBTQ+ SUPPORTER

On the hot afternoon of December 22, 2022, listeners and viewers who had tuned in to Garden City Radio or Television witnessed the eloquence of a determined young man who seemed to have learned a great deal about the LGBTQ+ community in Ghana the problems its members face under existing laws in the criminal code, their plights, their general life, and the relevant statistics and data.

Mr. Bright Ntoaduro on Garden City Television & Radio

He spoke with precision and energy that not only demonstrated his knowledge of the subject but also made people think deeply about who he truly is. In Ghana, the public only pays attention to the LGBTQ+ community when a member is caught and is being assaulted or arrested. So the question arises: how did he come to know all these things if he is not either a member of the community or someone who associates closely with supporters? As part of its commitment to investigative reporting, Ghana News Today undertook a review of his background, work, and the controversies surrounding him.

Who Is Bright Ntoaduro?

Public opinion about Bright Ntoaduro remains divided.

The majority of those who listened to him speak on the said date turned off their radios and televisions convinced that he was one of the gay people who have managed to veil themselves behind humanitarian activities and a family of three children and a wife. To them, the caller who asked him to tell the world about his dismissal or suspension from secondary school and who claimed to be his classmate but refused to give his name was being truthful when he alleged live on air that Mr. Ntoaduro was a gay person.

The caller managed to convince people that Mr. Ntoaduro was not only a supporter but an active gay man who had since childhood been involved in same-sex relations and had suffered the consequence of being dismissed from secondary school.

The reality, however, is more complex. The truth about his dismissal from secondary school and the boarding house is that it did happen. School records and letters we found in his file at the school confirm that he was dismissed and made to write his final exams from home. This arrangement was made possible because he was a member of several clubs in the school, including drama, debate, and quiz clubs.

However, he was never found guilty, and nobody from the affected dormitory mentioned him as being part of any “gay gang” on campus. He also did not name anybody else or offer testimony before the school disciplinary committee that a particular student was practicing homosexuality in the dorm an action that could have set him free from any consequence. Because he failed to do so, he was punished, but differently.

Mr. Ntoaduro paid the price for a crime he may have had no knowledge of or for which he may have been an unwilling accomplice. He was disconnected from his family and spent about two years with his maternal uncles in a village called Dida. After that, he completed a tertiary education and had his first child, a daughter named Paige. The community where he was accused the community he had grown to love had hated him for something he may or may not have done. However, upon learning of his daughter’s birth, the community accepted him back, and he was able to do well for himself, leading a couple of organizations to help the community move forward. His sexuality never became a question again, and he lived a life free from scrutiny and judgment.

Mr.Bright Ntoaduro

Background and Turning Point

We reached out to several of his family members, who informed us that they had lost a relative in 2018 through mob action after he was suspected of being gay. The victim, Thomas Ababio, was a cousin of Mr. Ntoaduro, and they had spent a significant amount of time living together at Santasi in Kumasi and working together at Hotlink Info System, a company founded by Thomas Ababio. Most people believe that Bright would have been the one most affected by the death of Thomas Ababio, and that it may have impacted his life in various unimaginable ways.

Another question that arose was whether Bright knew his cousin was gay. We gathered that Thomas was married to a teacher who lived out of town and would normally come home during vacations or holidays. People around his wife shared with us that there were some arguments about his alleged involvement in homosexual activities, a situation that cast doubt in his wife’s mind, although she never took steps to divorce him. To the outside world, their marriage appeared perfect.

If Mr. Ntoaduro knew about his cousin’s alleged sexual orientation, then it would not be surprising if many people thought he might also have been involved, especially considering the accusations made against him years earlier. However, people did not make a significant issue out of it at the time.

After the burial and funeral rites of Thomas Ababio, Mr. Ntoaduro began his humanitarian work through his foundation, Access Smile Foundation. This was where most people came to know him, especially as he moved from one radio station to another, sharing the vision of the foundation and the communities they had supported. Their commitment to underserved communities, education, the girl child, and general assistance to poor communities was always a compelling story when he spoke about it on television.

We visited some of these communities, and the people spoke highly of both the foundation and Mr. Ntoaduro. They also shared something that struck most members of our team: during his speeches about the foundation, he consistently spoke about acceptance, tolerance, and respect for all people within the community, regardless of their background. He would visit the homes of individuals whom the community believed to be witches, diseased, or outcasts particularly those rejected for being different on many levels.

He was often seen walking with individuals whom the community regarded as completely unacceptable, and many residents admitted seeing him walk alongside a “kojo besia” (a derogatory term for a gay or effeminate man). This often led onlookers to react strongly and question whether he was aware of the identity of the person he was associating with.

On December 22, 2022, Mr. Ntoaduro appeared on the station’s prime-time programme, dubbed “Fan Zone,” where non-governmental organisations discuss their projects, seek public support, and inform beneficiary communities about upcoming initiatives in the Ashanti Region. However, things took an unexpected turn when the host asked him to share his opinion on the bill before Parliament, which was introduced in June 2021 legislation that would make it difficult for anyone to be identified as gay, lesbian, or anything other than what Ghanaian society traditionally accepts.

This bill, if I am not mistaken, has been welcomed by an overwhelming majority of Ghanaians. It was therefore surprising when Mr. Ntoaduro took a different stance, speaking about how dangerous the bill could be for individuals who are already being persecuted and prosecuted by both the state and citizens.

Incident On Garden City Tv and Radio

A caller, claiming to be his former classmate, became the final trigger that escalated the situation. Shortly after, it emerged that an angry mob was already waiting at the premises of Garden City, although Mr. Ntoaduro did not appear openly. It is believed that station staff managed to take him home without attracting attention. The news quickly spread, and the rest is history. He was later reportedly manhandled and subsequently hospitalised.

Mr. Bright Ntoaduro on Garden City Television & Radio

What we know is that Mr. Ntoaduro is part of another foundation that supports individuals who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. Through that foundation, he reportedly has direct access to them and also serves as a communications officer for them in parts of the Ashanti Region. That foundation is called the Ghana Foundation for Human Rights and Dignity. We are informed that through this work, they learn a great deal about gay and lesbian individuals in the country, which explains why he was able to articulate the statistics he disclosed.

He has also been using his platforms to preach to people to accept gay people and show them lovesomething we find very curious, considering how people will even abandon their own children when they discover they are gay. In most of the schools where they share educational materials, he gives lectures on diversity and on how important it is to accept everyone in the community for the sake of development. Many people believe this is a form of grooming young people and encouraging them to see gays and lesbians as normal, ultimately turning them toward the practice. We all admire the transformational agenda of the Access Smile Foundation and its aim of helping needy communities. However, if indeed they allowed Mr. Ntoaduro to use the platforms they created for him to commit this kind of offense, then we would all agree that they have truly goofed, and that all their efforts will be overshadowed by this very scandal.

Humanitarian Work and Public Perception

Through the Access Smile Foundation, Bright has worked in several communities, focusing on:

• Education support
• Outreach to vulnerable groups
• Community development initiatives

Field visits reveal that many beneficiaries highly regard the foundation’s impact.

However, his consistent message of acceptance and inclusion has also drawn criticism, especially in communities where such ideas are controversial.

Bright Speaks: His Own Words

In an exclusive engagement with Ghana News Today, Bright Ntoaduro addressed the controversy directly.

“When you work in communities where people are rejected, abused, or treated as outcasts, you begin to understand their struggles. That knowledge comes from experience not assumption,” he said.

Responding to long-standing claims about his past, he clarified:

“There are things that happened in my life that people talk about, but not everything people say is true. I was never found guilty of the things I was accused of.”

On his advocacy and public stance, he added:

“My work is about humanity. It is about dignity and respect. No one deserves to be harmed or rejected simply because they are different.”

Speaking on the criticism he continues to face, he stated:

“People will always have opinions, but I know why I do what I do. I focus on helping people who need it the most.”