Long before the famous “O Waae” became one of the most recognisable chants in Ghanaian highlife, Ofori Amponsah says he deliberately set out to create a part of Odo Nwom that listeners would never forget.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey, the multiple award-winning musician disclosed that the idea came to him while producer Appietus was playing the instrumental for the song.

Instead of rushing into recording, Ofori Amponsah said he paused to think about what would give the track a lasting identity.

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“The ‘O Waae’ on the Odo Nwom song part came in when Appietus was playing the beat. I just sat back and started to think about what people could remember about that song,” he said.

The singer explained that as he searched for a catchy element, his mind drifted back to the jama chants, a rhythmic call-and-response songs often accompanied by clapping and improvised percussion to energise or cheer people on, which he sang with his schoolmates.

He said this ultimately became the inspiration behind the now-iconic hook.

“I thought about the jama that we sang in school, and that was the inspiration for the ‘O Waae’ part in the ‘Odo Nwom’ song,” he revealed.

The chant went on to become one of the defining features of Odo Nwom, helping the song remain memorable years after its release.

PAT/EB