People & Lifestyle
A musical feud carried too far – Serwaa Amihere writes
Before venturing into news and current affairs, I was a bit-part entertainment pundit. Entertainment has never really left my bloodstream and I continue to follow the sector keenly. So, l caught the bug of anticipation and expectation like everyone else when Charter House set the date for the VGMA 20-a reference to the 20th edition of what has become the biggest night of entertainment in Ghana.
The night got off to a good start last Saturday, with Giovanni Caleb and Sika holding down the red-carpet moment remarkably. The red-carpet parade itself, was a spectacle on its own. Those of us watching from the comfort of our beds, were treated to anything between the elegant to the ridiculous.
There was Wendy Shay’s beautiful emerald dress which won her the best dressed personality hands-down in my books, and then there were two chaps who wore dresses that looked like a blend of disused T-shirts and badly sewn wedding gowns. It is not too clear what informed their choice of wardrobe, but they added some amusement to the night.
The choice of the ever-green Kwame Sefa Kayi, who was reprising his role at the very first edition of the event in 1999, and the super talented Berla Mundi as hosts for the night was a match made in heaven.Kwame’s experience and authority were beautifully complemented by the brilliance of Berla. Her two gowns on the night were simply spectacular.
Soon enough, the awards came in thick and fast once the audience had settled and enough eyeballs had been garnered around the country and beyond. As usual, there were gasps and murmurs as both the audience in the auditorium and those watching at home debated over whether one artiste or the other deserved a particular award. Social media added the needed tonic to the debate as tweets and posts poured in on the subject, but what would an award programme be if it does not generate such positive controversy.
The most notable controversy up to that point was the award for Highlife Song of The Year which went toShatta Wale for his “My Level” song. The debate centered on whether that song fit into the highlife genre at all. He also quickly bagged the Reggae Dancehall Song of the year for “Gringo” and was threatening tosteal the show for the night. There was no debate however over the fact that Mary Ghansah, J. A. Adofo and Prof Kofi Abraham deserved the recognition they got for their legendary contributions to Ghanaian music.
Plenty of controversy and unsightly scenes were to follow as more award winners were announced. Things came to an unpleasant head when Stonebwoy was announced as the Reggae Dance Hall Artiste of the Year.
Right after the announcement, the cameras panned to an unhappy and visibly disappointed Shatta Wale who whispered something to an associate sitting close by. His reaction then was only natural. Disappointment is a very human feeling but his actions immediately after that defied comprehension. Just as Abeiku Santana was about to present Stonebwoy with his award, Shatta Wale rose to his feet with a handful of his followers and headed for the stage. This move was fiercely resisted by followers of Stonebwoy and this led to a melee which will go down as the lowest point in the twenty-year history of this most enjoyable event.
Stonebwoy on his part, completely overreacted when he pulled out a gun at a time when he was being shielded by enough bodies and some police officers. The actions of both artistes are indefensible. For starters, Shatta Wale had no business going up that stage when his rival was receiving his award especially when he did not bother to personally receive his own two earlier awards despite being present at the venue. The excuse that he went there to congratulate Stonebwoy is an untenable afterthought and cannot be accepted.
Stonebwoy also cannot escape criticism for carrying a gun to the venue in the first place. Brandishing such a violent weapon in a crowded hall at a time of chaos, had the potential to cause mass panic and hysteria which could have led to a stampede that could in turn result in serious injuries and deaths.
While both artistes failed to cover themselves in glory last Saturday, their distasteful standoff highlights the dangerous extent their bitter and unhealthy rivalry has reached. What started as an industry hyping gimmick between two talented artistes has quickly escalated into intolerance, fanatism and outright lawlessness. It is not the first time these two have clashed and it will not be last if sanity is not injected into their respective camps.
Stardom which comes with huge following should be an enabler for young people to positively influence other young people. It is not to be abused in the carefree manner displayed over the period by these twoartistes and which culminated in Saturday’s chaotic scenes. It behoves all who have the privilege ofenjoying massive support for their work to respect that privilege and act in ways that enhance society’sprogress not detract from it.
At a time when we are yet to find our way clear out of the grip of vigilantism on our politics, the last thing we should be encouraging is a culture of gangsterism complete with gun violence arising out of musical feuds. At the end of the brawl, it was clear that both Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy owed the nation apologies for their conduct as well as a commitment to peaceful and decent behavior going forward. Stonebwoy did offer an apology in a statement issued Sunday, in which he pledged to carry out reforms in his personnel and security arrangements. One can only hope that Shatta Wale would follow suit.
That said, Charter House would have to draw a lesson or two from the unfortunate incident of last Saturday which marred an otherwise beautiful event. I am certain, based on their track-record, that all loose ends will be tied going forward and the VGMA will return with a bang next year.
Special mention must go to Sarkodie and Samini. The former bagged a well-deserved Artiste of the Decade Award for his dominant displays over the last decade. The latter dug deep to calm nerves after the fracas with a commanding performance. More importantly, both men have carried their fame with dignity and are worthy role models for the youth. The feuding Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy may have to borrow several leaves from their pages.
Serwaa Amihere
News Anchor and Broadcast Journalist. Disclaimer
The author is a news anchor and broadcast journalist with GHone TV under the EIB Network. The views expressed in this write-up are purely her’s and do not represent the views of GHone TV or the EIBNetwork.
People & Lifestyle
Delta to serve Ghana with new Airbus A330-900neo
Delta Air Lines will fly its state-of-the-art Airbus A330-900neo on nonstop service from Accra to New York-JFK effective 27 October 2024. The new aircraft will add approximately 30% more capacity between Ghana and the United States.
Speaking to journalists at a media roundtable in Accra, Matteo Curcio, Delta’s Senior Vice President for Europe, Middle East, Africa, and India, said, “Delta has worked to deliver an enhanced travel experience in Ghana. We look forward to welcoming customers onboard our A330-900neo aircraft come October, offering exciting new products and services as they travel to and from the United States.”
Matteo used the opportunity to express his gratitude to Delta’s customers, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, and the government of Ghana for their continued partnership.
The brand-new A330-900neo aircraft will add nearly 1,000 more seats each week between Ghana and the U.S. It offers four distinctive experiences – Delta One Suites, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin – and more cargo capacity to cater for growing demand.
Customers can expect Delta’s best-in-class service and a uniquely premium onboard experience as they travel to and from the U.S. Each Delta One Suite features a sliding door for enhanced privacy, the luxury of a fully reclining seat, accompanied by plush bedding crafted from recycled materials. Delta One customers can also enjoy more beverage options and a seasonal chef-curated four-course meal.
Meanwhile, customers flying in Delta Premium Select will have more space to relax and stretch out, with a wider seat, deeper recline, an adjustable footrest and leg rest. Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin passengers benefit from comfortable, memory-foam seats.
All travelers will enjoy ambient lighting for a restful flight, Wi-Fi for purchase, and seat-back screens featuring 1,000+ hours of Delta Studio entertainment. Delta collaborates with diverse suppliers worldwide for in-flight products such as artisan-crafted amenity kits and beverages like Thrive Farmers Tea.
Delta continues to maintain its reputation for operational excellence. The airline has consistently been recognized for excellence in passenger experience, customer service, operational performance, and workplace culture. Recent achievements include winning Cirium’s Platinum Award for operational excellence for the third consecutive year, OAG’s most on-time airline, Air Transport World’s Airline of the Year 2024, and the Wall Street Journal’s top U.S. airline.
People & Lifestyle
A Powerful and Emotional Experience – “In the Pants of a Woman” – By Beatrice Shine Ayroe
People & Lifestyle
Short films and La Cinef Jury and selections of the 77th Festival de Cannes
Flanked by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, Paolo Moretti, Claudine Nougaret and Vladimir Perišić, the Belgian actress Lubna Azabal will award the Short Film Palme d’or and the 3 La Cinef prizes, the Festival de Cannes’ selection dedicated to student films.
The Jury will discover the 11 films in the Short Film Competition and the 18 films in La Cinef selection unveiled today.
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People & Lifestyle
Atarah Praise: Prophet Joseph Atarah set to rock Adenta on May 19
Ghana’s singing Prophet, Joseph Atarah is set to rock the people of Adenta on May 19 with Atarah Praise. (more…)
People & Lifestyle
Mysstel releases video for ‘Paradise’
Budding Ghanaian musician Agyeiwaa Stella Ofosu, affectionately called Mysstel in the music circles, has released the much-awaited video for her song Paradise.
“Paradise” written and produced by multiple award-winning Ghanaian musician and producer Kuami Eugene of Rock Star Made It fame has enjoyed massive rotation and airplay since its release recently.
The video directed and shot by Cassidy is a reliving of the lyrics of the song which urges ladies to give their male partners the treatment of a lifetime.
“Paradise” released under Oracle Entertainment, is a tale of two lovers who are geared for the rollercoaster journey into the future regardless of the challenges.
According to Mysstell, love is not one-sided, and it is about time ladies make their male partners feel special, adding that “this means going all out for him like he will do for you regardless.”
“You need to let them know you love them, they deserve to be taken to special places, let them see the best part of you, take them to your paradise,” she said.
Mysstel is optimistic she has something unique which will help her break into the Ghana music industry and later take the world by storm.
Watch the video below
Mysstel – Paradise (Official Video) finally out
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
People & Lifestyle
GEXIM To Celebrate Ghanaian Workers With “Workers’ Mart Tuesday Market”
May Day, which is also known as International Workers’ Day, is a public holiday celebrated on 1st May every year. It is a holiday that is recognized in many countries around the world to celebrate the achievements and contributions of workers around the world.
As part of activities to mark this year’s edition of May Day, the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) will be hosting a special edition of its popular Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Fair, Tuesday Market, on Tuesday 30th April 2024.
Dubbed as “Workers’ Mart”, the fair is scheduled to take place at the forecourt of the Africa Trade House (next to British Council in Accra) from 8AM to 8PM. It will be a platform to showcase a wide variety of top quality Made-In-Ghana products to be sold at unbeatable prices.
According to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEXIM, responsible for Banking, Ms. Rosemary Beryl Archer, the Made-In-Ghana products to be displayed are very unique, and authentic, ranging from food and ingredients, beverages, skin and beauty care products, textiles, apparel, garments, leather footwear to slippers and many others.
She added that “we at GEXIM are happy to leverage the day to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our employees and Ghanaian employees in all industries. Also, it has become more imperative in recent times to recognize the importance of labour rights and fair working conditions. The significance of Workers Day goes beyond the commemoration of past struggles, it is an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the labour movement and to look towards the future to ensure that workers’ rights are protected and that fair and just working conditions are upheld”.
Ms. Archer further stated that the Bank has over the years introduced initiatives to create a diverse and inclusive workplace to ensure that all workers are treated fairly and have access to equal opportunities.
She encouraged members of the general public to make it a point to join in the celebration by attending “Workers’ Mart on Tuesday 30th April 2024 at the forecourt of the Africa Trade House (next to British Council in Accra) from 8AM to 8PM which will be climaxed with a “Worker’s Jam”.
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