The pursuit by key gospel industry players to get Board members of the prestigious award scheme in Ghana, Vodafone Ghana Music Award to confer honourary Lifetime Achievement on a veteran gospel musician has been phenomenal.
several entertainment pundits believe in commemorating twenty [20] years of this year’s edition of Vodafone Ghana Music Awards it will be spot on to honour a gospel great who has paid his or her dues in the music industry.
Ernest Kwasi Ennin, a regular pundit on the Christian Entertainment Review Show hosted by Nii Noi on GN Tv has also expressed his personal sentiment on why gospel industry and key players recognitions have been worrying issue for the gospel fraternity.
He expressed his opinion on why many credible awards scheme and creative arts institutions have mostly declined to honour veteran gospel musicians who for over three to four decades have made a remarkable impact in their field of endeavours.
The Media Excel boss indicated that he is not surprised that board members of prestigious award schemes like the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards are also taking the same direction refusing to recognize and appreciate the hard work of long-serving gospel artistes.
The artiste manager alleged that this blind spot of organizers of VGMA declining to confer Lifetime Achievement Honourary on a deserving gospel musician is as a result of the board not being gospel inclined.
The Vodafone Ghana Music Award Lifetime Achievement Honourary is adjudged by the board in consultation with the Musicians Union of Ghana to a living legend of the Ghanaian music whose works must have made a positive impact.
“I think the composition of VGMA Board doesn’t favour gospel. There are people on the board whose interest in gospel music isn’t deep enough or possibly have no clue of songs released by the gospel artistes.
“It’s important for the VGMA board to be Gospel inclined a bit. If those on the board are mostly connected to secular music, it can affect the gospel industry. Gospel musicians should also embrace the award scheme and not should stop showing disinterest in the awards scheme. It is so worrying to see only one gospel artiste perform just five minutes on the night of the awards ceremony with so many secular artistes.
“Whatever happens this year at the 20th edition of the VGMA, a gospel person must be honoured if not whoever will be honoured, we will take the awards from the person and give it to Elder Mireku.” Kwasi Ernest jokingly said on the CER Show
Several gospel music key players have suggested that Elder Emmanuel Kwasi Mireku deserves to be honoured at the 2019 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
According to them, Elder Mireku, who has been in the gospel music ministry for the past 40 years with more than 40 volumes (albums) of songs, has contributed immensely to the gospel music industry.
They also indicated that his songs are sung in almost every church in Ghana – most of which have been sampled by other artistes without permission. Elder Mireku has influenced musicians like Kwaku Gyasi, Frank Asomadu and many others. Their style of singing clearly tells they took inspiration from Elder Mireku.
Others have also expressed their opinion that gospel greats, Prof. Kofi Abraham, Rev. Mary Ghansah, Stella Aba Seal, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Tagoe Sisters, Osuani Afrifa, Yaw Sarpong, Amy Amber Newman, YABS, Cindy Thompson, Esther Smith, Naana and Dan, Getty & Friends, Jane & Bernice, Helena Rhabbles, also deserve the VGMA’s Lifetime Achievement award.
