Kevin Taylor Criticizes Location of Despite’s Automobile Museum in Accra, Calls for More Development in Kumasi
US-based Ghanaian political commentator Kevin Taylor has stirred public debate with his criticism of the recently inaugurated automobile museum in Accra, established by business mogul Dr. Osei Kwame Despite.
Speaking on his show With All Due Respect, Taylor argued that the museum should have been built in Kumasi, not the already overdeveloped and congested capital. His remarks have since sparked mixed reactions among Ghanaians, both online and offline.
“Kwame Despite is an Asante, yet he came to Accra to build a car museum?” Taylor questioned, emphasizing that such a significant cultural and economic investment would have had a more meaningful impact if located in the Ashanti Region.
He went further to suggest that the museum could have boosted Kumasi’s development while honoring the legacy of the Ashanti Kingdom.
“Accra is choked; let’s take more development to Kumasi,” he said, urging elites and entrepreneurs, especially those from the region, to invest in their home communities.
Taylor also controversially claimed that launching the museum in Accra made the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, appear more like a guest or messenger than a central figure. He suggested that such projects should be rooted in the cultural and geographic identities of their patrons.
The automobile museum, opened on June 1, 2025, in Accra, drew an impressive lineup of dignitaries, including Otumfuo Osei Tutu II himself, businessman Ibrahim Mahama, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, actress Jackie Appiah, and rapper Sarkodie.
Public Reactions Split
Taylor’s critique drew a flurry of responses online. Some agreed with his stance, expressing frustration at the centralization of wealth and development in Accra.
“I agree with what he said,” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “Most of Despite’s investments are in Accra. Why not give Kumasi a landmark project for once?”
Others, however, defended Despite’s decision, arguing that Accra’s infrastructure and visibility make it a more practical location for high-profile ventures. Some questioned whether Kumasi would have had the foot traffic or tourism appeal to support such a facility.
Critics also turned the spotlight on Taylor himself, suggesting that if he is so passionate about Kumasi’s growth, he should consider investing there.
Taylor’s Broader Critique
This isn’t the first time Kevin Taylor has waded into economic issues. In a previous segment, he commented on the appreciation of the Ghanaian cedi against the US dollar, urging former President John Dramani Mahama to intervene. While he praised efforts to stabilize the currency, he cautioned that excessive appreciation could negatively impact Ghanaians living and working abroad.
