Ebony still no star dey were you no sabi do am more

She was our teaser and pleaser, number one bedroom love teacher, she was a ruler, the music industries Ceaser, when she sparked she was a generator. Priscilla Opuku Kwarteng , also know as Akosua Nana Hemaa and mostly known as Ebony Reigns died on 8 February 2018. One week shy of her 21 birthday. The nation mourned the young woman who kept our eyes fixed on her. Ebony reigned in her two short years in the music industry.

It was not only because she was an hardcore mahogany, dark skin bibini who was badder than Stephanie, or she had bakassi ( big buttocks), bobbie stand ( big breasts ) or a beautiful figure which was not fake. Ebony was also incredibly intelligent, she managed to fuse English, Twi, pidgin, a whole host of Ghanaian languages and proverbs to sing about controversial topics for the gyal dem. She said she did it all for the "gyal dem." Her raspy deep earthy voice made her messages sweet to the ear.

Ebony sang songs that set people, especially women free. Ebony's songs about sex empowered women to be in control of their sexual satisfaction, it was never about the man. Lyrics like " Lie down make i dey on top. Talk is cheep mi no wan long talk.Mi come here wey dey uncuff. I pull up the trigger and I give him one shot. Boy know i want it so hot. Turn me arround and give me back shot back shot...Bony me a speed up Like a machine gun ga ga ga ina you." ( Ebony Reigns and Kurl Songs Feeling) display how comfortable Ebony wanted women to feel in their sexuality. In a country were sex and conversations of such nature are frowned on, especially for women.

Her pride in being Ghanaian, made other girls feel comfortable in their skin and natural hair. Her dreadlocks were always creatively styled, her original fashion choices did not dissapoint. She proudly wore made in Ghana, and always praised her dark skin. Ebony Reigns was Ebony and you couldn't take it away from her, like her sister Happy Foriwaa Opuku Kwarteng said. Ebony Reigns encouraged women to be themselves. She encouraged them to stay away from abusers with her popular song Maame Hw3, which became an anthem against domestic violence and one of the most creative, lyrical songs I've ever heard. She posed naked because she wanted too, wore revealing clothes because she could and insulted every authority which tried to tell her she couldn't.

Ebony Reigns was hated by many, including prominent Ghanaians who actively voiced she was a bad role model since she didn't finish secondary school to sing about sex, walk around half naked and encourage other girls to the same. What they could not realise is she was teaching them to follow their dreams and not be constrained by societal standards. She responded to her haters singing she's still on top, they wish she would flop but she " cannot be stopped", they call her Ebony ( and associate horrible things to her name) but all they are are gossipers.

Kokonsa Police her birthday song which was released after her death explained her attitude to everything. She was just doing her thing and it was nobodies business how she lived her life. She was telling Ghanaians to stop gossiping about things they know nothing about. Since many believe it's their duty to poke their nose in everybodies business and tell them how to live.

The genius of a girl who only went to secondary school to study literature gave us a lyric book in her album Bonyfied. It really was bonafide ! Completely real. Musically and lyrically unmatched. She used African instruments, hip and hi life melodies and all her songs had to be listened to repeatedly. No wonder she is the youngest ever and first female artist of the year.

She gave us Hustle and showed market traders begging for people to come and buy their goods, because feeding their family was hard. It was an indirect criticism of the government for making life unbearable for the poor. Sponsor highlighted young girls because of lack of opportunities and money, are getting sponsors who cannot satisfy them in any way intimately but they have to survive in this life, because the boys who are younger who they love cannot help them. She gave us playfulness in Dancefloor and Date ur Fada.

She gave us pan africanism, reggae and Rastafarianism in Shade. She displayed how complicated and complex love was in Real. None of this Astalavista, Gina, Killing me softly nursery rhyme songs we hear from Ghanaian female singers. That are over romanticised. She taught us the truth of the gospel, that we are nothing without Gods love and despite the bad things humans may do, he still blesses them in Aseda. In defiance to Ghana's charlatans who spoke against her.

No singer in Ghana will ever dethrone Ebony. She will always be a queen, in a class of her own. We look for her where Africa, meets Ghana, Bob Marley, laughter, free spiritedness, courage, redemption songs, female liberation, uniqueness, power, beads, literature, shorts, Marcus Garvey, God, drums and songs.

By Tuntum Nahana Akosua