Music and Fireworks heralds Kufuor's inauguration

Accra, Jan 4, GNA - The Freedom and Justice park at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra burst at the seams on Monday night as thousands of Ghanaians, mostly youth, trooped there to savour performances of popular Ghanaian music artistes in a pre-inaugural musical show to usher in President John Agyekum Kufuor's second term of office.

President Kufuor will be inaugurated into office on January 7, for a second four-year term, after he had scored a first round victory in the December 7, 2004 elections over his main challenger Professor Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress.
"Oh yes. Everybody is happy for the peaceful conduct of the elections. Of course we all need to be happy," remarked a beaming Mavis Clottey, who was obviously overawed by the ecstatic crowd.
The Musicians Union of Ghana put the show together.
Connoisseurs of music, both old and young had their fill as about 30 hi-life, hip-life and gospel artistes rendered renditions of old and new tunes to meet the taste of everyone gathered at the park. Old artistes such as Papa Yankson, Thomas K. Frimpong, Dr Papa Bobo, Jewel Ackaah proved to the young hip-life musicians that, they had not lost the glitter that once made them the toast of music lovers, when they offered pure and unadulterated hi-life of the 1970's and 80's to the teeming crowd.
However, it was the gospel artistes who stole the show. Led by the indefatigable Diana Akiwumi, they sang praises to God for the peaceful and violence-free elections, which had made Ghana a beckon of hope in a troubled African continent.
"We need to thank the Lord for his faithfulness and mercy for another violence-free elections. Indeed great things has God done in the life of Ghana as a country," a 40-year-old John Kusi, a mechanic told the GNA.
At exactly 0000 hours when the 48 Engineers Regiment mounted a display of rare fireworks to light the night sky, the crowd could not hide their feelings for a night well spent.