Radio Gives Me Freedom-Kwame Farkye

A member of the Peer Pressure Crew, Kwame Farkye, has said he prefers working on radio to television because, according to him, radio gives him freedom to do to do his ‘thing’.

The former XFM presenter who hosted the maiden edition of GH One’s ‘The Next Big Thing’ said even though he looked forward to more of television, radio had always been his thing.

“I was introduced to TV by my friend Eddy Blay but radio has always been my thing.

I think it’s the freedom to do my thing and steer the show that way I want,” Kwame revealed in an interview with broadcaster Eddie Blay.

The ace radio and TV personality, who is popularly known as Mr Swift, also applauded Ghanaian Hip life group R2Bees and D-Black for stepping up and taking their spot when the industry was tossing them around.

“You have to go out and get it which is what the guys did.”

Mr Swift, who has been off radio for some time now, also hinted that he would back on air soon.

“I have always had a passion for radio and yeah I will b returning to radio soon. You will be hearing me on radio shortly,” Mr Swift noted.

Kwame Farkye has also been involved in event planning, consulting and artiste management. He was one of the event handlers at the Wyclef concert in 2008.

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Tonto Dikeh Blasts Samini

In an attempt to defend her fellow countrymen, Nigerian actress Tonko Dikeh has jabbed Ghanaian dancehall icon Emmanuel Samini for questioning the originality of their ‘Alingo’ dance.

Samini threw a lyrical punch at Nigerian duo P-Square for stealing Ghana’s Azonto dance and modifying it into Alingo in his cover song.

But Tonto, who took offence, poured her frustration on social platform twitter, saying: “Azonto is Azonto n Alingo is Alingo!

So waz his stress gosh! Ova d years 9ja has been bringin out dif dance moves no diss of copywrit!”

Several Ghanaians have suggested on social platform Facebook and Twitter that the Nigerians are bitter because they did not create the Azonto dance.

“Why not Azonto and Alingo meet face to face in an international dance competition and let’s see which has got swag,” a comment sampled from twitter.com stated.

Tonto noted that sometimes she wondered why most Ghanaians always looked for “Nigerian’s trouble”.

“ @samini_dagaati HEY hold it rit dere! cuz if u think abt startin drama here on twitter beliv me am ready to bring it to your door stepOK,” she added.

According to the Nigerian actress, respect was the key of life and she believed Alingo was Alingo and Azonto was also Azonto “so sit in your zone and stop throwing stones to the glass house”.

The trend on various social platforms online suggests that a lot of Ghanaians are in favour of the campaign   Samini is championing.

Peter Okoye, a member of the music duo P-square, also tweeted, “Don’t you worry your pretty little mind. People throw rocks @ things that shine”. The group has not made any official statement on the issue.

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Okra Tom Dawidi Bounces Back

After four years of lyrical hibernation, Ghanaian lyricist Okra Tom Dawidi has bounced back with an apology song.

In his new single titled ‘Winner for Life’, Okra Tom Dawidi renders apologies to his fans all over the world for the inconsistencies that occurred in his music career.

“I have been absent for some time but now I am here to stay. Sorry for the delay but I have things to say. Anyway to my loyal fans I have a price to pay,” the Okra Tom lamented in his track.

Okra, who is currently in the studio working on his new album, told Nii Ogbamey Tetteh that he was missing in action mainly because he had to concentrate on schooling and tackling some other financial problems pertaining to his music.

“I was MIA for all these years because I had to take care of certain important things in my life like preparing for my Diploma in Business Studies (DBS) exams and trying to put things in place.

I also had to work out some financial problems related to my music career,” the versatile and thought-provoking lyricist stated.

Okra, who is known in real life as Emmanuel Ralph Kotei Nikoi, hinted the paper that since ‘Azonto’ was the new trend in Ghanaian music, he had a massive Azonto track for his fans.

“I have been working in the studio on so many songs and trust me, my fans will get a feel of the Azonto flavour from me as well,” Okra said.

Okra is best remembered for his brilliant wordplay, fiery flow and a nasally, aggressive voice in his ‘Ayeeko’ track which featured Tinny and Obrafour in the ‘Execution Diary’ compilation.

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My Monkey Looks Like Chris Brown

Model, Television host and fashion designer Deborah Vannesa whose song won her an international interview on CNN has revealed that her pet monkey resembles American singer, songwriter, rapper and actor Chris Brown.

Interestingly, Deborah, sister of Wanlov De Kubolor, has named her monkey Kiko aka Kiko-Brieezy, the same nickname Chris brown uses.

Monkey Kiko can be described as a ‘celebrity monkey’ after it appeared in a CNN interview for the role it played in the ‘Uncle Obama’ hit-track and also followed Deborah to some of her public music performances.

“I’m not saying Chris Brown looks like a monkey but rather, my monkey looks like Chris Brown…The funny thing is, Chris Brown also owns a monkey and we both posted pictures of our monkeys on twitter”, Deborah told Nii Ogbamey Tetteh in an exclusive interview.

The ‘Uncle Obama’ hit maker also added that not only did  the  11-month-year-old monkey in a way looked like Chris Brown but it had blonde hair and could dance like him too.

Deborah also revealed  that she was planning on getting a ‘girlfriend’ monkey for Kiko since it sometimes gets lonely.

The former late night celebrity show host who replaced Dzifa briefly on Etv said she fed her famous monkey with grapes, pears, apple and bananas from the Koala shopping centre.

“My monkey eats a lot of fruits, boiled yam, rice and stew but I don’t give Kiki meat because it is not healthy for him.”

The monkey, whose scientific name is   ‘patas monkey’, is a ground-dwelling monkey found around semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa was said to have been  bought in the Northern part  of Ghana.

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‘Blakk Rasta Is A Hypocrite’

Controversial musician Wanlov da Kubolor has described radio personality Blakk Rasta as a hypocrite.

What seemed like a raging lyrical war that started between the two on social media  platforms generated into something else when Blakk Rasta admitted on a Kumasi-based radio station, Luv FM that uncontrolled anger had made him call  Wanlov  a ‘coke head’.

Kubolor told Nii Ogbamey Tetteh in an exclusive interview that he thinks Blakk Rasta has a serious problem.

“The fake guy admitted on radio that he called me a coke head because he was angry.

He also claimed that he is not too big to apologise if he errs, but in the same breath, he won’t be forced to apologise.

You see his hypocrisy,” the ‘Cote Duro’ hit maker said.

Meanwhile, Blakk, in an earlier interview, had revealed that he and Wanlov were cool and that he would hug him anywhere he met him. He also noted that Wanlov’s Valentine’s Day comment was a gimmick to be more popular.

But the non-footwear wearing Wanlov told the paper that he also knew Blakk Rasta was enjoying all the attention his Valentine’s Day comment brought him and that anytime he insulted Blakk on any social platform, people kept asking him who the Blakk guy was.

“Blakk Rasta is a liar; we have not met since the late great Cephas Sackitey’s tribute and I will never greet or go on to even hug a person who gives false evidence against me,” he emphasized .

He therefore vowed that he would always insult or incite Blakk so he did not forget about their unfinished business.

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I Want To Be Gay- Wanlov

Musician Wanlov the Kubolor never ceases to amaze; he walks about wearing a skirt with no underwear and no footwear.

Kubolor has told  Nii Ogbamey Tetteh that he would have loved to be turned into a homosexual just so he could have a romantic date with Ghana’s reggae artiste of the year, Blakk Rasta.

“For Vals Day, God should turn me into a gay so that I can go on a romantic date with Blakk Rasta, listening to the instrumentals of the D-Black’s Vera,” Wanlov told the  reporter.

“I want this wish because I want Blakk Rasta to know that gays are cool and not people who are out to rape you or anything,” he said, adding, “I only want to be gay and achieve that dream with Blakk Rasta and no one.  After the date, then I will want God to make me straight again.”

It is shocking that Wanlov would want to express such thoughts in a country where homosexual relationships are considered both an abomination and a crime.

He however explained that the reason behind this wish was because the ‘conscious’ Blakk Rasta had been ‘bashing’ gays and lesbians in the world, quoting him, “I’m am allergic to pro-gay people.”

But Blakk, in response, told the paper he was not interested in dating a gay because his ‘Rastafarianism’ frowned on such acts.

“Kubolor’s sister, Deborah Vanessa, said on 4syte TV last time that she was dying to date me; why won’t I do her for Valentine instead of the brother?

“I am a Rastaman and we do not take gay relationships lightly.

It is not as if we do not know that gays have their basic human rights but we do not support what they do, as in having sexual intercourse with a person of same sex.

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Gyan is Our Entertainment Prefect-Black Stars

Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan has been named the funniest, craziest, best singer and dancer in the team’s camp at Port Elizabeth in South Africa.
“He is more like our entertainment prefect. He is the best singer, the funniest guy, and of course the best dancer in the team,” his fellow teammates said before their defeat to Mali on Saturday.
The Ghanaian striker, who was criticised over his performance at the just-ended African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in South Africa in which Ghana placed fourth, is said to be the leader when it comes to their ‘Jama’ sessions.
“Asamoah Gyan is the craziest and can sing a lot. When it comes to jama, he is the best,” his teammate John Painstil hinted.
Asamoah Gyan and Agyemang Badu both named their senior colleague John Painstil as the player who motivates them at their training sessions and even during the game.
“Solomon Asante and Wakasu are the guys who train very hard during our training sessions. Agyemang Badu is the laziest and clumsiest at the camp,” Kwadwo Asamaoh and John Painstil said.
After placing fourth at the tournament, it is unclear if broken-hearted Ghanaian football fans will be at the airport to welcome the Black Stars.

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McBrown Crash Was Murder Plot

Sources close to Nana Ama McBrown have revealed that the  car crash which almost claimed her life last week could have been  an assassination attempt possibly because of Maxwell, her reported lover boy.

“Nana Ama is very famous and has made so many enemies consciously or unconsciously.

Maxwell is gradually growing in the industry and has made some many enemies. We believe strongly that some hit men were hired to take them out,” a source close to McBrown said.

“Anybody can be a suspect for assassination attempt, even me. It could be an angry ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend trying to settle a score with them,” another source revealed .

Popular actress Nana Ama was in a black Range Rover with her lover Maxwell Mensah around 2am on the George Walker Bush Motorway, last Wednesday, heading towards their residence at Mallam, when the ill-fated incident happened.

Upon approaching the Lapaz traffic lights which were then blinking amber, a vehicle from nowhere rammed into their Range Rover.

They were rushed to the 37 Military Hospital whilst unconscious and the actress was immediately whisked to the Intensive Care Unit.

Maxwell also suffered a fractured arm.

Nii Ogbamey Tetteh can confirm that Maxwell Mensah has dated several female celebrities in the industry, with sexy saucy singer Mzbel being one of his conquests.

Though not proven beyond doubt, names like actress Vicky Zugah and singer Diamond have also been linked to him.

Nana Ama has also dated a few top shots in Ghana including Okyeame Kwame and Nana Wiafe Akenteng, an Ashanti chief. She was also linked to actor Omar Sherif but she has denied that link.

Publicist for Nana Ama McBrown, Eugene Osafo Nkansah said the actress was currently on admission at the Yaa Asantewa Ward (F2) of the 37 Military Hospital and responding to treatment.

She has a P.O.P on her right arm because she dislocated a bone on that arm.

Meanwhile, the Tesano Police say they are investigating circumstances that led to the near fatal accident involving the actress and her lover.

DSP Ernest Acheampong, the Tesano Divisional MTTU Commander, said because of the conflicting accounts of the incident by the persons involved, the police were conducting further investigations to ascertain the true cause of the accident.

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Construction of Data Centre on Course

Outgoing Minister for Communications, Haruna Iddrisu has stated that the construction of the Data Centre of the Ministry is going as planned.

The Minister inspected the progress of the project said the intelligent building will serve the purpose of storage protection and security of National Data from all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAS) across the country.

“Our determination as government is to ensure that we avoid the emergence of silos and to have shared resourced infrastructure to provide for security of National Data. So that when any ministry burns down, we will not panic because there would be a back up of every detailed information that would have been stored on a digital platform,” Haruna Iddrisu noted.

According Minister for Trade and Industry designate, the National Data Centre, upon its completion, will serve generations to come in terms of access and storage of data across the country.

“I hope that all MMDAS will take advantage it to improve upon data so that if the freedom of information bill becomes law, its reliability and sustenance as a legislation will depend upon the availability of data so that government will be compelled to make the data available for public consumption,” Haruna Iddrisu said.

The building if completed is speculated to house a number of important agencies under the Ministry of Communication such National Information Technology Agency –which will be largely responsible for information technology management in Ghana-  and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES).

The foundation of the entire programme was laid by the President John Dramini Mahama, who was then vice president of Ghana.

According to Mr Iddrisu , the president will  commission the intelligence building come July 30, 2013, by which time the

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Domestic Workers Deserve Better’

Trades Union Congress (TUC) boss, Kofi Asamoah has expressed disgust at the current working conditions of domestic workers across the country.

Mr. Asamoah, at an advocacy seminar on the International Labour Organization’s recommendation for domestic workers, said even though a lot of homes and organizations employ the services of domestic workers, their rights are not respected.

“In the foreign countries, being a domestic worker pays but in Ghana, domestic workers are not respected. They do not receive minimum wages and their working conditions are very poor,” Mr. Asamoah underscored.

He said “most domestic workers are subjected to various forms of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. There is no system to monitor the times they start working and when they are to close. Some domestic workers are made to work throughout the day because there is nothing like an appointment letter which defines their nature of work.”

The TUC and the Employers Association of Ghana are expected to work endlessly with the government to help improve the lives of domestic workers in Ghana.

A member of the Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa, Margaret Kutsoati, in a keynote address, stated that domestic work was one of the oldest professions in the world and that the rights of such workers must be respected.

She said, “In Ghana, domestic workers are needed from cradle to the grave. Most people experience the services of a domestic worker at infancy in the form of nannies, adolescence in the form of drivers, parenting in the form of house helps and during old age as care givers.”

The International Labour Organization states that 13.5 per cent of domestic workers are women and their welfare are not guaranteed. 

In most cases, domestic workers are family members while in other case they are total strangers. 

They are not considered to be workers because there is no regulatory body that protects their right.

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