Entertainment of Tuesday, 25 October 2016
Source: AccraFM.com
2016-10-25
Nicholas Omane Acheampong
Popular gospel song Aporsor was not composed because of elections this year, singer Nicholas Omane Acheampong has said.
The composition, which was voted Gospel Song of the Year at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards for 2015, talks generally about life being short, the impermanence of conditions, and every mortal definitely giving up the ghost when their time is up.
But some politicians and their supporters have exploited it for their campaigns, saying time is up for Mr John Mahama, who is campaigning to be re-elected as Ghana’s president in polls slated for December 7, 2016.
Despite the spin placed on the song, the musician said politics was not the motivation for the song and the composition and its lyrics are not a veiled address to the government or any political establishment.
“Election or no election I sing,” said the Tabitha Kum singer, who is also known for other famous tracks such as Zaphenath Paneah and Mahashala Hashbaz. He urged parties intent on using his song for electioneering to first settle him.
“If they are using it for campaign, I have not authorised anyone and I have not been paid [for its use]. So if you are using if for campaign, then come and pay me,” he demanded on Accra100.5FM’s Gospel 360.
He added that he was not into politics and would not campaign for any party, explaining: “I do not campaign for any party. …The God I follow is the greatest. As for the political parties, they can disappoint you within a twinkle of an eye, so I do not campaign for any political party and I will never do that. But if a party wishes to use any of my songs for its campaign…I invested money into its composition so if they give me something for my efforts no problem…
“But to rework the song [to suit a party’s campaign] as others do, I will never do that.”
However, he said he was open to invitations to sing at any party event for a fee.
“If they will pay me, I will mount the platform as a professional artiste and perform and take my money and leave – they (political parties) will have to run their own campaign,” the singer stated.