VGMA Music For Development Award questioned

After winning the best song for development, an award category initiated by the World Bank, Okyeame Kwame and his other nominees were presented with cheques at the knowledge office, an annex to the World Bank office.

The short but memorable presentation was chaired by the president of MUSIGA, Mr. Bice Osei Kuffour popularly known in showbiz as Obour. Giving his address, Obour thanked the World Bank for such a laudable award category for the Ghana Music Award. “I was the first musician to win best song for development when it was first initiated by the World Bank five years ago”. Mr. Obour continued that music should not be used only to entertain but also, should be used to promote good social causes or correct societal ills.

“It is now becoming a wont for our musicians to record at least a song on their albums which promotes good social causes and I think that is a step in the right direction”-he added. Obour also went further to promise that MUSIGA, as the mother union to all musicians is also putting its house together to also give a token of appreciation to musicians who win awards for best song for development.

Okyeame Kwame, being the ultimate winner of the award was presented with a cheque of GHC 3,000 to support his ongoing hepatitis B screening project. So far, Okyeame Kwame and his management team have screened close to 5,000 people and promises to increase the coverage to all and sundry should more corporate bodies as well as individual philanthropies come in handy both in cash and in kind. B?hy?ba and Edem of “go get them” fame received GHC 1,000 each for recording an equally good social development song.

To jolly up the audience, each of the nominees were asked to perform their respective songs for development. B?hy?ba took the floor and started singing his song for development. Unfortunately, his unpopular song was not winning over the audience to dance so he smartly started singing his once popular “sweet valentine” track.

It quickly resonated with the audience who gave some few rhythmic steps. Edem's “Ghetto Arise” simply caused stir. Okyeame Kwame, the ultimate winner of the award took the floor but did not perform his song for development. Instead, he performed his “faithful” track with an Acapela group known as “Shepherds”.

At the end of the day, the question a lot of the audience present asked was why Okyeame Kwame failed to perform his best song for development. Already, many have queried the unpopularity of his song for development for which he won the award for.

May be the “Rap Doctor” and his team should make popular his song for development both on radio and television since his hepatitis B project is still work-in-progress.