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Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams has said critics who drag the name of colleague pastor, Dr Mensa Otabil in the mud with their destructive criticisms are not being fair to the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Founder. The Christian Action Faith Ministries (CAFM) Founder on Joy FM said on Monday that tagging Dr Otabil as an �enemy� and tearing him apart just because of certain comments he may have made, is �wrong�. In Duncan-Williams� view, Otabil is a �statesman in his own right�, and deserves commendation and celebration, rather than condemnation, since he is an achiever who has contributed to the growth of Ghana. He made the comment while answering a question from Kojo Yankson about some criticisms hurled at Otabil for comparing Ghana to a sinking ship. Below is the transcribed answer of Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams: Duncan-Williams: Somebody like Dr Otabil, looking at where he has come from, and what he has done, not just the church, the university which is one of the most leading universities in this country, apart from the established one, I think some level of credit should be given to him, you know. I don�t say people shouldn�t criticise him or disagree with him; disagree with him, criticise him where you disagree with him, but at least also celebrate him and give him credit for some of the good things he has done, and the contributions he has made to this society, but just taking him up, you know, and tearing down everything as if the guy hasn�t done anything, I don�t think it�s fair, personally. Kojo Yankson: So you feel his criticism is unfair? Duncan-Williams: Yes I think that people have the right, ok, because it�s a democratic set up and system, and freedom of speech and everything, I think people should speak to things, I mean people talk about me, you know, and I think people are right to take him on where their personal opinion is concerned, because everybody is entitled to his opinion, but I don�t think the man should be seen as an enemy, and I don�t think people should tear him down and refuse to acknowledge the role he has played. I mean he�s contributed a lot to the country when it comes to his university and other things he has done just above the church: you don�t want to just subject him to central [university], he�s done so many other things: like he�s built a place for the Osu homes, I�ve been there, I�ve seen it, a whole mansion there to help these children who are disadvantaged, and I think that criticise him, but let it be constructive and not destructive criticism and don�t drag him through the mud and don�t make him look like somebody who hasn�t done anything. And sometimes I say this and people say: �Why do I say that?� I personally believe that � which is something I learnt from an old man � and he said to me: �Young man, as you�re growing up, be careful you don�t criticise people who have achieved more than you, and that you don�t have authority to criticise people who have achieved more than you, until you are in their position or you�ve done better than them. So I�m not saying that we shouldn�t criticise people, but I think that we should also be very careful of what is becoming of this country. We are beginning to get to a place in this country where our freedom of speech is becoming freedom of insults, where everybody just feels free to insult and take everybody up, that right now we have no respect for our achievers in this country anymore; we don�t even respect offices of our leaders anymore. I mean everybody gets up and just say[s] whatever they want to say. Now that is what they do in the West, but we are of a different people. Our culture and our tradition does not allow us to disrespect our elders, you see, and in his [Otabil] own right, he is a statesman, he has done a lot for himself and this country, in his own way and I think that celebrate that; praise him for that; you know, and then criticise him for what you disagree with him on, but if everything the man has done because of one or two things he said, and you disagree with him, you tag him as an enemy and you pull everything down, I think something is wrong with that.