This year’s Vodafone Ghana Music Awards VGMA’s came off last weekend amidst the usual drama, controversy, and fashion faux pas. Not much improved by way of lightning and stage set-up but we’re used to the mediocrity and didn’t expect more if we’re being honest. Celebrities showed up on the red carpet in their Sunday best, with Patapaa stealing the whole show with his legendary blue suit.
Top Ghanaian musicians including Stoneboy and his boy, King Promise (who captivated the whole nation with his platform “camboo” but followed in the footsteps of Sister Derbie’s school son Medikal by not winning a single award), Kidi, Kuami Eugene, Sarkodie, Samini, etc. Oh, and Praye came together to give us a dose of some of their good good from when they were they, much to the delight of audience present and viewers at home.
One thing that got Ghanaians talking was when TV3, the official VGMA TV station for this year’s event decided to go off the live event and play unnecessary videos just when Nana Aba Anamoah (former TV3 presenter) showed up on stage and posed a very relevant question to Trace TV’s rep at the event. She asked why Ghanaian music videos were so poorly represented on Trace TV and just as we were about to get the answer we’ve all been waiting for, TV3 chose that very moment to go off the live show.
They came out to claim it was due to technical difficulties, but none of those who watched the programme on TV were born yesterday and no one is buying their excuse. We all know it is because they didn’t want Nana Aba “shining” on their platform. In response to that unfortunate event, Nana Aba has appropriately reacted via her Instagram page with all the graciousness we’ve come to expect from her.
In a post, she wrote,
“I’m greatly concerned about the inadequate airtime given to Ghanaian musicians who work tirelessly to entertain music lovers. I appreciate @tracenaija’s commitment to change the narrative. The success of this year’s VGMA is a testimony to the seriousness of the Ghanaian music industry.‬ ‪I only noticed the ‘shove’ when the video was circulated. ‬I deeply appreciate the concern of well wishers who weren’t enthused by it. I’m confident that the public uproar has sufficiently dealt with the matter. Let us now channel our energies into prevailing upon @tracenaija to do right by Ghanaian musicians, by giving them the airtime they have earned just as they do for others. Thank you.”