Can Ghanaian musicians unite?

With the national congress of the Musicians union of Ghana (MUSIGA) just 48 hours away, the real issues of the candidates’ exact vision and policies for the union have made way for media battles over eligibility of candidates. Focus in the Ghanaian media is not on what individual candidates can offer to elevate the status of musicians in this country. The debate is on who qualifies and who is sabotaging whom.

It’s no secret that the Ghanaian music industry is fraught with myriads of problems that only need concerted effort to solve. The issue of Gyedu Blay Ambulley being disqualified by the vetting committee and the controversy it has generated along with great media attention doesn’t indicate in anyway that musicians are going to come out of the congress united. It looks like we are getting prepared for more division on the music front in Ghana.

Diana Hopeson stands unopposed as the presidential candidate of the union, which means that she is heiress apparent and next president of the union. The question remains whether she is going to maintain the status qou of a divided front or is going to bring all the various factions together. Barring unforeseen circumstances Diana Hopeson will be declared president of the union on Wednesday at the GNAT Hall in Sunyani but the issue is what she does with that position not whether she gets there or not.

When there was unity!

Nat Brew (Amandzeba) is also standing unopposed as second vice president. Jude Lomotey is standing unopposed as treasurer while Nana Kwame Ampadu contest unopposed as general secretary of the union. It’s clear who will be the second vice president, treasurer and general secretary of the union after Wednesday.

The constitution of the union provides for the setting up of committees such as the Talent and Research Committee and Education and Promotional Committee, which are supposed to organise talent hunts and publish magazines respectively. We hope that this will be done in the coming years by the union. It’s also hoped the swearing in of new union executives will give way to a new MUSIGA that will be a symbol of unity of all musicians rather than division.