For
years now, I’ve been an ardent follower of contemporary Ghanaian gospel music. From
audio to video, from lyrics to music, from vocal delivery to instrumentals,
from studio works to stage performance; everything gospel gets my attention. I
have followed the local gospel music terrain for a while now and have over the
years been able to point out artistes like Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Cindy
Thompson, Tagoe Sisters, Jane and Bernice, Bernice Offei, Rev. Thomas Yawson,
Pastor Joe Beechem, Yaw Sarpong and Asomafo, MacAbraham, Stella Aba Seal, Esther
Amoako, Esther Smith, Joe Mettle among others as outstanding. I didn’t come to
love these artistes by just listening to them; it was also by watching their
videos. The first cassette I bought was Jane and Bernice’s ‘Ayeyi’, followed by
Gospel Trio’s ‘Begye W’ayeyi’. I later got copies of Suzzy and Matt’s ‘Mede
Aseda’, Pastor Joe Beechem’s ‘Mber Yi’, and Jane and Bernice’s ‘Yeni Aso (We
Are Grateful)’. Later when I became convinced that Daughters of Glorious Jesus
were the best in the industry, I started collecting their works and paying much
attention to them. They became my standard to mark other gospel artistes, until
I realized each artiste had his or her own style and should only be marked by what
should be the standard of what gospel is supposed to be.
As
it has turned out the new crop of gospel artistes seem to be just concerned
about competitions. They hardly perceive gospel music as an avenue for ministry
but rather simply seek to entertain, accumulate wealth and fame, and win
awards. It is no more to win souls for Christ, but rather to create a wide fan
base. If it were not so, how could a female gospel artiste attend an awards
event without her ‘bodice’ on and when she is backlashed for her action, she apologises
with the excuse that she just wanted to please her fans? This gospel artiste
later started parading herself as the queen of gospel music in Ghana just
because she won two awards with her album at the event –then I suppose DoG-J
would have every right to call themselves the gods of gospel music here for
winning five awards at the 2004 edition of the events; maybe Esther Smiths
would be found another position for having six awards-.
I
have for a while now condemned how some gospel artistes ‘scream’ a lot in their
songs, lazily do covers of old songs, and sometimes fail to make sense in what
they sing. I have also over the years hoped some sanity would be restored in
the ministry, but I doubt if this would happen. I however also know some old
artistes, and some new ones such as Joe Mettle are putting in their best to
propagate the gospel.
Gone
were the days when one watched a gospel music video on television and yearned
to listen more to the song on radio. I remember the two videos for Stella
Dugan’s ‘Ahenmamu’. The first which I found to be more captivating. There were
no choreographers; just the singer in her beautiful kaba and slit, and a
saxophonist doing their own thing. It was beautiful, elegant, classy, and truly
African. I also remember the video for DoG-J’s ‘Onokwafo Nyame’; a simple and
yet beautiful video that involved passengers on bus singing to the tune. The
video of DoG-J’s ‘Bebre’ is till date one of the best Ghanaian music videos.
The trio was brilliant in its performance for the video, and the theme for the
song was beautifully executed till the end. I was therefore not surprised when
in 2010 the video won the award for gospel slot at the maiden edition of the
4Syte Music Videos Awards.
Other gospel videos to be commended are the videos
of; ‘Yesu Mo’, ‘Obi do wo’, and ‘Wo Nnim a, Ennye Yie’, by DoG-J, ‘Moko Be’ by
Nii Okai,’Se Wa ma’ by Christiana Love, ‘Go High’ by Philipa Baafi,’Menhu Nea
Menye’ by Anita Afriyie, ‘Nhyira’ by Joe Mettle, ‘Life is Short’ by Bernice
Offei, and ‘Eye Woa’, ‘Work in Progress’ and ‘Yehowa Behwe wo’ by Diana Antwi
Hamilton.
What
I look out for in gospel music videos are picture quality, artistry, modesty of
artiste, relevance of video to message of song. I do not expect the gospel
artiste to appear as poor, but when she appears to be just rubbing her material
wealth, flamboyance, and arrogance in my face, then I find it highly
inappropriate. It was for this reason that I resolved never to watch a video of
the then Ophelia Nyantakyi, now Abena Serwaa Ophelia.
Just
this week I decided to scout through YouTube for some local gospel music videos
and I chanced upon three videos, two ‘Mahyia Jesus’ and ‘ Amazing Love’ by
Florence Obinim, and the other ‘Boot for Boot’ by Joyce Blessing which was
supposed to feature Obaapa Christy. Interestingly, all three videos were
directed by Skyweb Videos, and they were all undoubtedly flamboyant as it seems
to be the hallmark of Skyweb. I will however like to limit myself to Florence
Obinim’s ‘Amazing Love’.
Ask
me what ‘Amazing Love’ is about. Well, I don’t know. I am a Christian –a
staunch one I should say- yet I listen to Florence Obinim’s ‘Amazing Love’ and
I don’t really know what she is about. Florence Obinim is one the few local
gospel artistes to have emerged in the 21st century that I loved to
listen to. I fell in love with her ‘Osoro Ne Me Fie’, ‘W’agyeme’, ‘Onipa
Sombo’, ‘Metim ho daa’, ‘Yesu reba’, ‘Okyeso Nyame’, ‘Aseda sewo’, and ‘Meda
w’ase’ (with Princess Ifeoma), but I was very hurt and disappointed after
listening to ‘Amazing Love’ for the first time. The song itself hardly makes
sense, and the video hardly does any justice.
From
the beginning of the video to the end, all I could see is carnality.
And it was highly unrealistic. Yes, unrealistic unless you want to tell me our
women go to bed with makeup and everything on. And the Christian woman wakes up
from bed, just lifts her hands up into the air, picks up her phone and starts
calling her friends to come and party. Yeah, that’s what the video is about;
just partying, and it’s meant to be a gospel music video. What positive impact
is this supposed to have on the viewer and listener who is just looking at men
and women eating, drinking, dancing, and partying away just when day breaks?
How is this supposed to win souls for Christ? The only message being propagated
here is that one is loved by God only when he or she can live such a life
style. As a Christian, you face no challenge, you go to bed with makeup on,
wake up every day and just call your friends to come over to party. If you
don’t have such a lifestyle, then you aren’t loved by God.
Gospel
artistes, please come again. If you decide to do gospel then let the people
understand that when Christ called us, He never promised us that it will be
easy, but He promised it will be worth it? Let the people know you understand
what they are going through and feel for them. How do you expect the Christian
who is facing challenges to listen to you telling him or her to continue
serving God when all he sees is you living a lavish lifestyle? We are living in
the end times, and perishing souls are crying to be rescued. Play your part as
a workman in the Vineyard… A word to the wise…
