2. Agya Koo Nimo
A certain article was written about him which was titled ‘Dr. Agya Koo Nimo—The Hero This Generation Must Know’ by one Kofi S. Ampofo. I totally agree this generation must get to know him more.

There was a recently held concert where he was billed to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra. That’s one of my biggest regrets in life- not attending that concert (I mixed up the date with another program). I hope we get to see more of him.

I won’t say he led the movement but he has taken palmwine highlife or folk music in Ghana to international heights. He features as a guest lecturer around the world in universities that take music seriously particularly in America and Europe.

His babies Osaberima (the first Ghanaian album put on CD in the 1990s)and vintage palm wine serve as a form of reference for students interested in studying traditional music from Africa. I believe hard work and passion always pays and this can be seen in his dedication for over 50 years. I watched a performance recorded for the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and I believe most people should experience that and you will know we are really being short changed with the music we hear day in, day out.

In that performance interspersed with an interview, he bemoaned the lack of interest by young people to study the art of music and I think it’s really sad. Trained as a laboratory technician, he worked at the University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana while honing his craft.

In 1979, he was elected the President of the Musicians Union of Ghana. He received two honorary doctorate degrees from Columbia University, USA and the KNUST. The accolades are too many to list. I will entreat you to search for his music to listen to or to purchase.

When your artistic work is studied in the West African Examinations Council syllabus for music, you should know you have arrived. To the current crop of Ghanaian musicians or artistes who desperately want to break into other markets, the key is to remain original, to produce authentic music people haven’t heard, that is what gets you invitation to music festivals and international platforms.

No one wants to hear a copy of something else, in music originality is the key and Kwabena Boa-Amponsem (Dr. Agya Koo Nimo) knows a lot about that. Wannabe musicians should tap into this experience and depth of insight to make their sound richer.