Veteran Ghanaian highlife musician, George Jahraa, has advised fellow musicians to think twice before making the decision to publicly endorse political parties.
The singer, who learned a tough lesson from his own experience, believes such endorsements can permanently align artists with a political party.
In an interview with Mike 2 on Adom FM’s Entertainment Hall show, the Ashikelehitmaker reflected on his struggles after supporting the opposition during former President Jerry John Rawlings’ era. He revealed that his decision severely impacted his music career, leading to lost deals and canceled shows, which caused lasting damage to his livelihood.
“Every musician is a Ghanaian and the constitution proves that everyone has the constitutional right to support a political party… Somewhere along the line, I joined a party and with what I went through after endorsing them, it wasn’t easy.
“I was in my Grandfather’s house in Kwadaso… and they invited me to play for them, no one wanted to play for them in 1992… Since then, every song I did was not to be aired and there was only one TV station at that time… I stayed home until Kufour came to power before my songs came out,” he said.
“If not that, I would have been on the international scene. I was all over Africa… my producer tried so well, but it didn’t happen… the one I tried to put out, it went for only 2 months… it was later I got to know that the show I played was punishing me…
Talking about politics in Ghana, George Jahraa said, “It’s winner takes all thing… I saw Busia, Acheampong, Akufo and I saw Rawlings 1, Limann and Rawlings 2… and that is how the power has been changing hands. Anyone in power can fight you, a musician… I was praying for the man to leave power… so if you are a musician, and you are entering into that, you should know the country you are in,” he advised.
The ongoing three-day protest against the arrest of Democracy Hub members and the rampant illegal mining (galamsey) in Ghana has drawn significant attention, with over five thousand police officers deployed to maintain order.
The demonstration, which kicked off near the University of Ghana Sports Stadium at Okponglo, continues to gain momentum as participants march through key areas of Accra, including the Kanda Highway, Ridge Hospital, and Parliament House, before concluding at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Organized under the banners “FreeTheCitizens” and “SayNoToGalamsey,” the demonstration aims to demand the immediate release of detained activists while pushing for more action against the galamsey crisis. This illegal mining practice has caused immense environmental damage, leading to widespread public outcry.
The protest schedule includes the submission of petitions to key government officials, such as the Attorney-General, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and Parliament.
Despite a previous protest against galamsey that ended in violence and arrests, demonstrators remain committed to their cause. The protest is expected to continue for two more days.
Source: Ameyawdebrah
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