Child rapper, Kosmos Boako aka Tutulapatu who was crowned winner of TV3 Talented Kids last year is only now realising the hard truths about his prize package eight months after the talent contest.
At the final event when he was handed part of his prize package, mini laptop computer and boxes of Indomie, his expectation was that soon, he was going to enjoy the bigger portion of his promised package – an educational trip to the UK and a sum of GH¢ 4,000.
Unfortunately, Tutulapatu was “bounced” when he applied for a UK visa and his GH¢ 4,000 can only be accessed in 10 years time, when the lad turns 18.
Pope Skinny, Tutulapatu’s manager, who is not happy about how his artiste has been treated by TV3, is asking officials of the TV station to come out with acceptable reasons why Tutulapatu was denied a visa to the UK.
According to Pope Skinny, TV3 did not communicate to them when Tutulapatu was denied visa. “I only got to know of Tutulapatu’s visa problem on Adom FM late last year. “I expected a big company like TV3 to do the right thing by communicating to us when they were having difficulty securing visa for Tutulapatu, but no one did”, Pope Skinny told Showbiz in an interview last Monday.
He said he heard from a close source at TV3 that Tutulaputu was refused a visa because he could not provide enough evidence regarding his guardians who took care of him.
Pope Skinny who said he is prepared to take the case as far as he can said “TV3 is always doing such things to innocent kids who cannot fight for themselves.”
But the Production Manager of TV3, Gabriel Asante Bosompem, told Showbiz that Tutulaputu has received all his prizes except his trip to U.K of which he was refused a visa because his parents could not provide enough details of how they were taking care of their son in Ghana.
According to him, it is no fault of TV3 for the UK High Commission to deny Tutulapatu a visa to the U.K. “We provided every document that was required but he was denied on grounds that his parents failed to provide enough document of how they were taking care of their son”
Mr. Bosompem added that, TV3 is not aware of anyone called Pope Skinny claiming to be the manager of Tutulapatu.
“We only know of Tutulapatu’s parents and not Pope Skinny. In fact, Pope Skinny can go ahead and do whatever he likes because TV3 is not in any contract with him.” Mr Bosompem said.
He explained that the GH¢ 4,000 he received as part of his prize package has been kept safely for him until he is 18 years when he can access it.
“The management of TV3 decided to keep the money for him until he is 18 years. We wouldn’t be doing him any good if we gave an 8 years old boy GH¢ 4,000” he said.
Author: Kofi Duah