Obrafour performing at the event
THE 3RD Authentic Highlife Nite, held on Saturday, April 25, at +233 Jazz Bar & Grill, was an unforgettable celebration of Ghanaian highlife music, drawing music lovers, industry stalwarts, and cultural dignitaries for a night of timeless rhythms and charity in support of the Ageing Musicians Welfare Fund (AMWeF).
Veteran highlife icon Teacher, alongside Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) President, Bessa Simons, Ben Brako and the evergreen Mzbel, set the stage ablaze with their soul-stirring performances. Lady P.J and Old Soja, were a revelation. Rap Osofo, Obrafour brought fiery energy, while Kwabena Kwabena delivered an electrifying set that had the crowd on their feet. Capping the evening was the golden voice of Africa, Pat Thomas, whose timeless hits evoked the golden era of highlife.
The event also marked the official launch of the landmark Highlife Festival, scheduled for October 2026, which is being organised collaboratively by the Creative Arts Agency, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), National Folklore Board (NFB), and MUSIGA. This initiative promises to showcase highlife’s enduring legacy and propel its global reach. Another initiative launched was the ‘Highlife 2 the World Tour’ organised by Showbiz Africa, MUSIGA and other partners.
In a special address, Wakefield Ackuaku, Executive Director of the National Commission on Culture, who represented Madam Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, commended the event’s role in preserving Ghanaian musical heritage and pledged government support for the upcoming festival.
MUSIGA President, Bessa Simons, noted, “This is more than a concert, it’s the grand launch of the Highlife Festival to ignite nationwide passion and the Highlife to the World Tour to carry our heritage global.”
An exclusive auction was held to raise funds for the Ageing Musicians Welfare Fund. Items auctioned were a commemorative book on MUSIGA’s Golden Jubilee and exquisite beads donated by Kati Torda’s Sun Trade Beads. The event also welcomed members of the Spanish band Mucho Mungo, fostering international cultural exchange.
Patrons hailed the night as a resounding success, reinforcing highlife’s vibrant pulse in Ghana’s creative ecosystem. Full details on the October Highlife Festival will be announced soon via MUSIGA channels.