Tinubu recalls all Nigerian Ambassadors, except UN Permanent Reps

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September 4, 2023

Ghanaian actor and producer Fiifi Coleman is setting his sights high. After the success of his recent stage play, ‘The Dilemma of a Ghost’, the famous Ghanaian actor is now aiming to fill stadiums with his performances.

‘The Dilemma of a Ghost’ was a sold-out hit at the National Theatre in Accra. The play, written by the late Ghanaian playwright Ama Ata Aidoo, tells the story of a Ghanaian man who returns home from the United States with his American wife. The couple’s cultural differences cause friction in their marriage, and they must find a way to bridge the gap between their two worlds.

On Citi TV’s ‘Upside Down’ show, co-hosted by Frema Adunyame and Nana Tuffour, Fiifi Coleman divulged that he was “humbled and grateful” for the positive reception to the play. According to him, he is now looking to build on the success of the play.

He promulgated plans to produce more stage plays in the coming years, and he hopes to eventually fill stadiums with his performances.

“I am aiming to fill stadiums in the next two years,” he said.

Credit: citinewsroom.com

Ghana’s music will sell more if we document it well – Epixode

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September 4, 2023

Reggae dancehall recording artist and creative director, Theophilus Nii Arday Otoo, better known as Epixode, has given a possible solution to marketing Ghanaian music across the world.

He says if the rhythm and sound of the songs composed by both veterans and new-generation artistes are properly documented, Ghana’s music will improve.

The musician attributed his statement to the recent sampling of Ghanaian music by some international artistes.

Epixode thinks these international singers get away with it because Ghana has had no adequate record of songs since time immemorial.

He said this in an interview on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning with Roselyn Felli on Friday.

“They sample our songs every time. Like recently I heard a chronics on a Rock Stone’s rhythm, and I was like, Really?” But we don’t have a room to keep these catalogues to also help the next generation know that this is what makes our sound… well, we’re getting there if we document it well,” he said.

Although Epixode is a reggae dancehall artiste, he recently hopped into Ghana’s original music genre, Highlife, by doing a rendition of his song ‘Atia’ with Kwabena Kwabena and other genres.

However, the highlife rendition surged higher than the others and got him a nomination in the Vodafone Ghana Music Award’s highlife song of the year category.

This makes him believe that highlife music is the best sound for the country’s creative industry in the future.

“I look at the longevity of my craft and who I want to be, and I’ve come to the realisation that it will get to a time when highlife will rule. It’s the sound of the future”.

Credit: myjoyonline.com

Ghanaian artists fear to invest in their craft –Ashes

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September 4, 2023

Artist manager and entertainment pundit, Nana Poku Ashes has emphasized that one of the key reasons Ghanaian artists struggle to make significant progress and achieve international recognition is their reluctance to invest in their craft.

Contributing to recent online conversations comparing Ghanaian artists to their Nigerian counterparts, highlighting the crucial difference between them as the level of investment and effort, Ashes said Ghanaian artists have the potential to excel but often fall short because they are hesitant to go the extra mile and invest in their art identifying the fear of investment as a significant obstacle preventing these artists from exploring bigger opportunities.

Ashes acknowledged that healthy competition exists in the music industry but emphasized the importance of not feeling limited by external pressures. He stressed the need for artists to continuously empower themselves, strive for self-improvement, and enhance their craft.

“Competition is an inherent aspect of the music industry, and people will judge you based on your work. Merely claiming to be the best rapper isn’t enough because there will always be differing opinions, sparking competition. Therefore, it’s crucial to self-empower, enhance your skills, foster collaborations, enter other music markets, and promote your work”

“However, Ghanaian artists tend to shy away from investing in themselves. Nigerians wholeheartedly invest in their craft and personal growth, and they see substantial returns on their investments.”

He expressed the belief that Ghanaian artists have the potential to achieve similar success but often resist the idea when presented with growth opportunities. Many of them become complacent and are hindered by the fear of the unknown.

Credit: pulse.com.gh

Legendary traditional singer Naa Amanua honoured at ‘Homowo Concert’

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September 4, 2023

Legendary Ghanaian traditional singer, Naa Amanua of the legendary Wulomei band fame was honoured at this year’s Homowo Concert, which took place on Wednesday, August 30, at the +233 Jazz Bar & Grill in Accra.

The 74-year-old singer was recognised for her contributions to the music industry, particularly her work in promoting traditional Ghanaian music.

Naa Amanua began her music career in the 1960s and has since released many albums. She is known for her puissant voice and her ability to weave traditional stories into her songs.

She has also been a vocal advocate for women’s rights and has used her music to promote social change. The award was presented to the legendary songstress by the famous all-female band, The Lipstick Band. The band’s lead singer said Naa Amanua was a true inspiration to all female musicians in Ghana.

“Naa Amanua is a pioneer in the Ghanaian music industry… She has paved the way for so many of us, and we are grateful for her contributions. She is a true inspiration to us all.” she said.

Naa Amanua was humbled by the award and thanked the Lipstick Band for their recognition. She said that she was committed to continuing to promote traditional Ghanaian music and to using her music to make a difference in the world.

“I am grateful for this award… It means a lot to me to be recognised for my work. I will continue to sing and to use my music to promote traditional Ghanaian culture and to inspire others.”

The Homowo Concert is an annual event that celebrates the Homowo festival, which is a festival celebrated by the Ga people of Ghana, and it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and to celebrate the victory over hunger.

The concert features a variety of Ghanaian musicians, including traditional, contemporary, and highlife artists.

Credit: citinewsroom.com

Police arrest 20 in Cyprus as anti-migrant violence spreads

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September 4, 2023

Asylum seekers on the outskirts of Cyprus

Cyprus police have arrested 20 people after a march against migrants and refugees on the island’s second-largest city, Limassol, turned violent with mobs vandalising property.

Five people were injured during the unrest on Friday evening after about 500 people took to the streets for the march, the police said.

Rubbish bins were set alight and some shops were vandalised, police said. Witnesses quoted by Cypriot media outlets said some foreigners were attacked during the march.

Asian delivery drivers were assaulted and storefronts belonging to migrants were smashed as the violence continued until the early hours of Sunday, according to Reuters news agency.

Police used water cannon to disperse the protesters, some of them hooded and holding a banner that read “Refugees not welcome”.

Overnight Saturday to Sunday, three people from southeast Asia were attacked and robbed, state media said.

Credit: aljazeera.com

Airstrike in Sudan kills 20 civilians, activists say

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September 4, 2023

Residents of Khartoum woke to artillery and rocket fire on Sunday, hours after an airstrike in the south of the city killed at least 20 civilians including two children, according to Sudanese activists.

“The death toll from the aerial bombardment” in southern Khartoum “has risen to 20 civilian fatalities,” according to a statement by the neighbourhood’s resistance committee. It is one of many volunteer groups that used to organise pro-democracy demonstrations and now provide assistance to families caught in the crossfire between the army and paramilitary fighters.

In an earlier statement, it said the victims included two children, and that more fatalities went unrecorded as “their bodies could not be moved to the hospital because they were severely burned or torn to pieces in the bombing”.

Since fighting broke out between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April, about 5,000 people have been killed, according to estimates from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project.

The Sudanese armed forces control the skies and have carried out regular airstrikes, while RSF fighters dominate the capital’s streets.

Credit: theguardian.com

UK Prime Minister rules out quick-fix trade deal with India

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September 4, 2023

Rishi Sunak has ruled out a quick-fix trade deal with India, making it impossible to get an agreement over the line in time for this week’s G20 summit in Delhi – and possibly even by next year’s elections.

Multiple sources close to the negotiations have told the Guardian the prime minister has rejected the idea of an “early harvest” deal, which could have lowered tariffs on goods such as whisky but would not have dealt with trickier subjects such as professional services.

The decision has scuppered any chance of an agreement being struck this week, before the prime minister meets his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, in the Indian capital this weekend.

Many now believe a deal is impossible before both countries hold elections in 2024, although some in government still believe it could be reached later this year. It means the prospect of a UK-India free trade agreement, long held up as one of the biggest possible opportunities for Britain after Brexit, remains distant.

UK ministers have long held up a trade deal with India as one of the great potential prizes of Brexit.

Credit: theguardian.com

Biden pledges support to help Florida recover from storm destruction

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September 4, 2023

President Biden said he was ready to mobilise support for Florida

US President Joe Biden has vowed to give Florida any support it needs to rebuild in the wake of Tropical Storm Idalia’s destruction.

Mr Biden was speaking during a visit to the state, where at least two people are known to have died after the storm made landfall on Wednesday, He added that no “intelligent” person could doubt the impact of climate change in the wake of the storm.

Meanwhile, Governor Ron DeSantis chose not to meet the president on his trip.

Mr DeSantis, who is standing to become his Republican party’s candidate for president, had earlier suggested Mr Biden’s presence could hinder disaster response efforts. Mr Biden, who has spoken to Mr DeSantis multiple times this week, had said they would be meeting in person.

But a spokesperson for Mr DeSantis said on Friday that the governor had no plans to meet with the president, adding that security preparations required for such a meeting would “shut down ongoing recovery efforts”.

Credit: bbc.com

Niger coup supporters call for French ambassador, troops to leave country

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September 4, 2023