Entertainment of Thursday, 29 January 2015
Source: Graphic Online
Late last year, a Multi TV video of an interview of a man went viral on social media. The man, an unemployed father of five, was asked how he had managed to meet the challenges of the tough economic situation that the country found itself.
In his response, the man, Ayitey Mohammed, credited his survival strategy to a “kpa kpa kpa movement”. According to him, “kpa kpa kpa” was not about stealing or using nefarious means to survive but using all available legitimate means to make ends meet.
Almost overnight, the video went viral and the phrase “kpa kpa kpa” caught on like wild fire becoming a slang for one’s ability to survive despite the odds. The slang entered everyday Ghanaian usage and not long after, it started appearing in works of art as well.
Various shops began referring to their reduction sales and giveaways as “kpa kpa kpa”. Hiplife artiste, Guru, released a single titled, “kpa kpa kpa” and lately telecommunications company, Glo, launched a promotion with the same slang.
With the popularity of the “kpa kpa kpa” slang on the rise, Ayitey Mohammed, the man in the viral video is demanding financial compensation from businesses and other commercial users.
In an interview with Accra based Neat FM, Ayitey Mohammed demanded Gh¢50,000 from Hiplife artiste, Guru, as royalties to be paid to him for making the song with the slang without seeking prior permission.
In an interview with Showbiz on Wednesday, Ayitey Mohammed expressed his anger at Guru and his management team for not discussing terms with him before using the slang in a song. He, however, admitted that he received an amount of GH¢160 and a hamper as well as other presents from the artiste at Christmas but he did not consider that as adequate compensation.
“I deserve more than just a hamper and GH ¢ 160, as we speak, my three kids are in the house and I need to pay their school fees,” he said.
According to him, although he has not registered the term, “kpa kpa kpa”, he should still be having some cash in his pocket.
However, Frank Agyekum, artiste manager for Guru, told Showbiz: “I really do not know what Ayitey Mohammed wants. The fact that you are the origniator of a term doesn’t mean no one else can use it. At least, we have compensated him with some cash, hamper and other items,” he said.
Watch the video of Mohammed Ayitey that went viral: