Obour: From 'Konkontibaa' To President
Obour didn’t need a prophet of God to tell him about his destiny. In his quest to excel in the music career, it seems he was using his talent to drop hints about what the future held for him.
Throughout his 12-year-old music career, the award winning hiplife artiste, has been ‘prophesying’ about his ride to the top of the music industry in Ghana.
In his debut, Atetenben which chorus’ begins with Obuor me hu ye huhuuhu, Obour bragged about his extraordinary powers which enables him achieve herculean feats.
As if people didn’t catch his drift and take enough note of this ‘prophesy’, he dropped Konkotiba from his third album Atumpan in 2004. Konkotiba talked about how a teeny-weeny tadpole eventually develops into a full grown frog and attains maturity.
Then in 2007 he came all out with Manifesto-President Obour, a song that backed his Youth for the Presidency, a social campaign that encouraged young people to participate actively in politics and aspire higher in life.
Despite the strong linkage, Obour, the president-elect of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) insists it’s been sheer coincidence as he never had a laid down plan to assume that post. At 30, Obour, real name Bice Osei Kuffour has become the youngest person to head MUSIGA since its inception in December 1975.
Speaking with Showbiz at his Kokomlemle office, Obour said he never saw it happening. ” In plain words, I never thought I would be president of MUSIGA but I think every step I have taken throughout my music career has been a leadership step and others follow.
“In 2003, I was looking at way that music could contribute to national development. I realised the government spent over ¢5billion old cedis on road accidents. So I recorded a song, Okoaba in 2004 to sensitise the public on road saftey. This earned me World Bank Music for Development Award at the Ghana Music Awards (GMA). It became a step that others followed.
According to Obour who runs a music production outfit, Adwinfi and Family Tree Entertainment Label, when there was not much happening in terms of music shows, he decided to take his music on tour instead of waiting to be hired to play at a bash. “ I toured 35 destinations in Ghana in 2004 and after that others went on tour too.
“ In 2005, it looked like live band music and hiplife were on opposite sides. I did the first live band hiplife concert dubbed Celebrating Obuor 2005. It provided a platform for others to do same”.
Also, a time came when it appeared hiplife and highlife were at war. Obour collaborated with A.B Crentsil to do a full album project dubbed Best of Lifes.
“ Other hiplife artistes have done collaborations with highlfe musicians before but most of the time, it is just a song where the highlife artiste is paid off. But my collaboration with AB, was a full album and we reaped the benefit together. We went on a nationwide as well as a world tour dubbed Best of Ghana Music World Tour in 2007 and we each made good money.”
Asked how he was going to rope in the young ones who do not seem to be members of the union, Obour who has been a member since 2000 said there is the need to invite them to a meeting on regular basis and sell MUSIGA to them.
“ We will have to give them reasons why they should join MUSIGA. I think many of the young ones have the impression MUSIGA is for the elderly because its management has always been in the hands of the aged and elderly but now with a young person as the head, I believe it will erase that notion.
“ Since I was elected a couple of weeks ago, I have received requests from young aristes such as Lynx Entertinment, Bradez, D Cryme, Praye among others to register. The new executive is a true represensatative of the music industry now than it used to be. We have the young, the likes of Kaakyire Kwame Appiah in the middle and the old ones like Bessa Simons
‘Bring back highlife’ – Sidiku’s 5 tracks of advice to Obour
If there is any one inside who is most qualified to advise the new President of MUSIGA, that person is Alhaji Sidiku Buari, the former MUSIGA President and Vice President of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM).
During his two-term 8-year presidency, Alhaji Sidiku Buari was credited with many of the positive structural and organisational development of MUSIGA.
Considered a veteran in the Ghana music industry, Alhaji Sidiku Buari’s age and stock of experience far out outstrip that of 30-year-old Obour and he has promised the young man of his active support anytime Obour would need it.
When Alhaji spoke with Showbiz last week, he outlined six major tasks that Obour has to tackle as he steps into office.
• Bridge the generation gap. The profile of Ghanaian musicians is easily identifiable by an age difference that also translates into a highlife -hiplife divide. Therefore you must do all you can to bridge the gap between these two groups using the medium of highlife music. Give opportunities for the older musicians to perform their music and encourage the younger musicians to join them and thereby learn from each other while pushing Ghana’s well acknowledged music type, highlife.
• Take royalty payments issues seriously. Make the Union’s presence be largely felt on all issues regarding royalty payments. Many musicians rely on these payments, no matter how small they are, to meet important commitments. Do not relent in educating users of music, especially those in business, that they have to pay for the use of other people’s property.
•Listen more, speak less. Give ear to all views by members no matter how variant they may be with your own ideas. As creative people, musicians come up with all sorts of ideas and expectations. Of course you cannot satisfy them all but listen to all and if you must respond, do so softly but firmly.
•Keep abreast of technological developments. Every day, new technologies are emerging that have major impact on the creation, marketing and consumption of music, Use your youth to be on top of such IT developments, seek a good understanding of them when necessary and find ways that musicians in Ghana can benefit from this ever-changing global phenomenon.