Category: Entertainment

Kofi Owusu Dua Anto, born December 15, 1978, and known as KODA, is a Ghanaian gospel singer, songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist from Takoradi.

KODA fell in love with musical instruments at a tender age, and the mother enrolled him in a music class at the age of ten, where he developed his skills to play the guitar.

He went to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where he became the mass choir director of the university.

KODA was also the Music Director and Instrumentalist of the ‘Music Wing of Baptist Students Union’, ‘KNUST’s Simply Jazz Crew’, ‘God’s Instruments’ and a leading member of ‘Da Project’ which was a legendary Ghanaian contemporary gospel group.

After tertiary education, he co-wrote, mixed, mastered and produced the exceptional album, ‘Awurade Ei’ for KNUST’s ‘God’s Instruments’ at KODED studios, Takoradi, Ghana.

The album received massive recognition in the country. It had great hits such as ‘Awurade Ei (Se Woma Wonsa Soa), ‘Tumi’ and ‘Onyame Ye
D’awase’.

He also worked on Nii Okai’s ‘Moko Be’ and ‘Gye W’ayeyi’ albums which actually blew him up as a producer.

KODA has worked with many gospel artistes in and out of Ghana including the likes of Nii Okai, Pastor Joseph Gyebi, Danny Nettey, Pastor Joe Beecham, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Joyful Way Inc., Pastor Helen Yawson, Yaw Osei-Owusu, Ike Nanor, Eugene Zuta, Jesse Jenkins, Diana Hamilton, Calvis Hammond among others.

‘The Anointed’ is a music group formed by KODA and his friends based in Takoradi. The group has supported many gospel ministries in the country and overseas.

KODA currently has four vocal and two gospel jazz albums to his credit. ‘Nyame Beye’ which is the first and ‘Waye Wie’ which had hits including ‘Waye Wie’, ‘Zion’s song’, ‘Poma’, ‘Amen’ and others.

His third album ‘Black and White’ had many hits like; ‘Guide Me O’, ‘Nkwa Abodoo’, ‘Obiara Nte Se Wo’, including the controversial single, ‘Nsem Pii’. His latest project, released in 2016, is ‘OXYGEN’ containing hit songs like ‘
Adooso ‘ , ‘Yaa Pae’, ‘Chimo’.

As a music tutor, he released a two instructional DVD on bass and lead guitar and also 3 live DVDs of his major concerts; ‘KODA live 2008′, Black and White live 2013’ and ‘Oxygen Live 2016?.

KODA is married to Mrs. Ewurama Dua Anto also an anointed singer with an album to her credit. They currently have two sons and a girl.

He was reported to have died after a short illness in the early hours of Sunday, April 21, 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Music prodigy Osb Swagah has dropped his first single under Blue Clouds Entertainments.

The captivating new single titled ‘Victory,’ sees the versatile Ghanaian young artiste display some unique vocals coupled with superb music writing skills.

This latest release promises to be a chart-topper, showing Osb Swagah’s musical prowess and signature style.

The track ‘Victory’ opens with an infectious rhythm that immediately draws listeners in, setting the stage for Osb Swagah’s introspective lyrics.

As the song progresses, Osb Swagah’s smooth vocals effortlessly glide over the beats, delivering powerful messages about the prevalence of negativity and deceit in society.

With thought-provoking lyrics, he encouraged listeners to stay vigilant and navigate through life’s challenges with resilience and integrity.

The ‘Victory’ song would certainly resonate with audiences worldwide.

Osb Swagah’s latest single places him as one of the most promising new emerging artists in the Afrobeat and Hip-Hop scenes, demonstra
ting his relevancy and influence in the music industry.

The new single is available on all the digital streaming platforms.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghanaian arts circles witnessed a spectacular convergence of arts, music, and networking at the recent photo exhibition by renowned photographers, Twinsdntbeg.

The event held at the Trasacco Valley in Accra showcased breathtaking photographs, an indulging atmosphere for networking, a dynamic atmosphere for cultural exchange, community engagement, and good music to entertain guests.

The exhibition, a testament to local talent and creativity but with an international appeal, featured an array of captivating photographs that captured diverse themes and narratives.

From picturesque landscapes to intimate portraits of the young and the old, the exhibition spoke volumes about Twinsdntbeg’s unique vision and storytelling prowess, indulging the audience and sparking conversations about art and life.

Adding colour to the event were the live music performances from Ghanaian music legend K.K. Fosu, music prodigy Safo Newman, and the dynamic duo Lali x Lola.

Their performances by the poolside blended the rhythms
of Afrobeats with the soulful melodies of Highlife music.

The musical interludes not only complemented the visual art but also created an immersive experience for patrons, enhancing their appreciation of the exhibited works.

One of the most notable aspects of the exhibition was the lively networking opportunities it provided for attendees.

Art enthusiasts, photographers, and patrons mingled and connected over their shared love for art, exchanging ideas, experiences, and contacts.

This networking aspect not only fostered new collaborations but also strengthened the sense of community within the local art scene.

The success of the exhibition underscored the importance of cultural events that transcend boundaries and create meaningful experiences for participants.

By blending visual art, music, and networking, the event not only entertained but also inspired and enriched the cultural tapestry of Accra.

As the curtains close on this memorable event, the organisers extend their gratitude to all participants
, supporters, and collaborators who made it a resounding success.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Talented gospel act, Kofi Owusu Dua Anto, known on stage as KODA, is reported dead.

Details of his passing are scanty but according to sources, he died in the early hours of Sunday, April 21, 2024.

Music enthusiasts and persons in the entertainment industry have since expressed shock at the loss of the ‘Nkwa Abodoo’ (Bread of Life) hit maker.

He was born December 15, 1978, and hailed from Sekondi-Takoradi in the Western Region.

He is celebrated for his soothing vocals, soul inspiring melodies and dexterity on the lead guitar.

As singer, songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist, KODA had a lot of works to his credit.

His discography includes songs like ‘Nsem Pii,’ ‘Adooso’, ‘Guide Me O’, and ‘Obiara Nte Se Wo’ (No One Like You).

This year, he released his sixth vocal album titled: ‘Keteke’.

In 2015, his record ‘Nkwa Abodoo’ (Bread of Life) was adjudged Record of The Year at the Vodafone (now Telecel) Ghana Music Awards.

He was adjudged Producer of the Year at the Africa Gospel Music Award
s in 2014, in addition to several other music nominations and recognitions.

KODA worked with many gospel groups and artistes, including Nii Okai, the late Danny Nettey, Pastor Joe Beecham, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Joyful Way Inc, Pastor Helen Yawson, Yaw Osei-Owusu, Eugene Zuta, and Diana Hamilton.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Board of the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) has made a few changes to this year’s nomination list following the one-week window for errors and omissions.

Following the release of the 2024 TGMA nominations list a few weeks ago, some artistes made submissions for a review of nominations, and the board heeded their requests.

A press statement released by the TGMA Board said, ‘The collaborative submission, initially filed as a featured work (Lonely Road, by O’Kenneth ft. Xlim Kid), has been the subject of a correction.

‘The management of both artistes pointed out that ‘Lonely Road’ was a joint project by O’Kenneth ft. Xlim Kid and not a feature. This Board noted this and has corrected the nomination to reflect ‘Lonely Road,’ by O’Kenneth and Xlim Kid.

‘The Board considered and nominated the Kwaku Ananse’ remix in the Best Hiplife Song category instead of the song’s original version. This affected the song’s consideration in the Most Popular Song of the Year category.

‘The Board reviewed this and conse
quently nominated ‘Kwaku Ananse’ by Amerado to replace the remix version in the Best Highlife category. The song has also been nominated in the Most Popular Song of the Year category.’?

The statement also reiterated the board’s commitment to ensure fairness in the TGMA’s and thanked stakeholders for their support of the scheme for the past 25 years.

Meanwhile, nominations for the Best Video Director, Best Audio Engineer, and Producer of the Year have been announced.

List of nominations:

Producer of the Year

Kuami Eugene

Liquid Beats

Killbeatz

MOG Beatz

Izjoe Beatz

Beatz Vampire

Best Video Director?

Yaw Skyface

Lauren Dunn

David Nicol-sey

Xbills

Bani Wxrld

Babs Direction

The Boldz

Rex

Source: Ghana News Agency

Fast-rising Ghanaian actor Delove Augustt, popularly known as Odenkyem, has made it into the grand finale of the African Monologue Challenge to be held in Uganda.

Odenkyem, who starred in the popular Ghanaian TV series You Only Live Once (YOLO) seasons five and six, is making great strides in his early acting career and had made the 10-man shortlist for the African Monologue Challenge, led by MK Casting.

The challenge, under the theme ‘Uniting Africa through its Creative Economy’, brings together some of Africa’s finest young actors and actresses to showcase their talent.

The challenge started with an initial pool of 2000+ monologue submissions. Out of the 2000 entries, there were only 50 shortlisted finalists, which included the young Ghanaian acting prodigy.

The 50 shortlisted finalists showcased their talents and skills through various monologues. and biweekly evictions, which were judged by a panel of professional filmmakers and casting directors from Africa, Europe, and America.

After several weeks
of evictions, Delove Augustt made it to the finals of the competition.

The grand finale would be held in Uganda in May, and the winner gets to be cast as a lead character in a pan-African film.?

Odenkyem is the only Ghanaian to make it to the top 10 and looks to his motherland proud by bringing home the crown.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) has cautioned Shatta Wale, a Ghanaian musician, to desist from using a person’s disability to mock him.

A statement issued by the GSPD and signed by Mr Matthew Annor Kodom, National President, said his organisation had seen a video circulating on social media where Shatta Wale mocks Stonebouy, his colleague musician with disability.

In the said video, Shatta Wale said, ‘You are a bad person that is why God made you a disabled person, you are a disabled person don’t try and fight an able person.’

The GSPD said by the statement Shatta Wale was trying to say that God made all persons with disabilities that way because they were bad.

The statement said: ‘We want to remind Shatta Wale that a section of his own fans are persons with disabilities.’

It said the GSPD took exception to this statement and asked Shatta Wale to retract the statement, remove the video from social media and apologise to all persons with disability and all Ghanaians.

The GSPD reiterat
ed that being a person with disability did not mean ‘you are cursed, or God is punishing you.’

Referencing the Disability Act 715, the GSPD said, using a person’s disability to mock him or her or making derogatory remarks about a person’s disability is a punishable offence.

The statement said such primitive utterance should not have come from a high-profile personality like Shatta Wale, condemning the act as highly irresponsible.

The GSPD advised the public to embrace persons with disabilities and be empathetic towards them. ‘Disability does not mean a person is cursed or is being punished by God,’ it reiterated.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghanaian entertainment pundit Ms Vida Adutwumwaa Boateng has called on the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) to send Black Stars’ midfielder Mohammed Kudus a traditional stool for his goal celebrations.

In a video shared on her TikTok handle on April 1, 2024, Ms Adutwumwaa Boateng suggested to GTA to send a decorated stool or chair as a prop for Kudus to use to celebrate his goals for his football club, West Ham United.

‘Ghana Tourism Authority, get a stool or chair or something and decorate it with patriotic and cultural symbols and send it to Kudus. Anytime he scores, someone can bring it out for him to sit on,’ she suggested.

This, she said, would spark interest from the international media and eventually boost the tourism sector of the country.

‘Do you know the number of times that stool would be promoted by the international media and how it would promote our local tourism?

‘I am pleading with you, get Kudus a befitting stool, and I bet it’s going to be the most talked-about stool in Ghana after the Gol
den Stool’, she said

The 23-year-old West Ham forward, aside from his notable goal contributions for his team this season has gained attention for his creative goal celebrations, including crossing his arms and sitting on advertising boards.

His latest celebrations involved attempts to ‘borrow’ a stool from a steward and sit on it, symbolising the posture of a king.

However, during the Saturday, March 30 match against Newcastle United, Kudus encountered resistance from one of the ball boys when he attempted to execute his celebration after scoring West Ham’s second goal of the game.

Despite Kudus’ request, the ball boy refused to relinquish his stool, compelling the footballer and his teammates to sit on an advertising board.

Ms Vida Adutwumwaa’s comments come on the back of efforts by the government of Ghana and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to boost tourism in Ghana.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Multiple award-winning artiste?Article?Wan?joined the ‘Buz Stop Boys,’ a group of sanitation volunteers, to clean up some chocked gutters in Dzorwulu, Accra.

The sensational musician Article Wan took time out of his busy schedule to throw his support to Buz Stop Boys, who over the past months spearheaded community mobilisation and youth development initiatives through sanitation.

The group of youth volunteers rose to social media fame by cleaning various local communities and have received massive commendation for their efforts to keep Accra clean.

It was a long day for Article Wan and the Buz Stop Boys as they cleared sand-choked gutters at the Dzorwulu Footbridge with bypassers appreciating their works.

Speaking on the sidelines of the clean-up exercise, Article Wan mentioned the need for the youth to be part of the change we need in the country and contribute their quota towards national development.

According to the ‘Solo’ hitmaker, his motivation for partaking in this exercise was rooted in his expe
rience around the world and how the energetic youthful population could be used as a catalyst for development in Ghana and Africa as a whole.?

He added that issues of sanitation were not a blame game, urging the youth to contribute to clearing the streets for a healthy life for all.

The award-winning musician shared his passion for sanitation and waste management education as his contribution towards national development. As a result, he was using this opportunity as a platform to begin his sanitation and waste management awareness programme initiative in Ghana.

Article Wan becomes the first musician to support the ‘Buz Stop Boys’ sanitation initiative, setting the pace for other artistes to join forces to mitigate sanitation issues in the country.

Source:Ghana News Agency