Kwame Dadzie writes: Who takes over from Obuor as MUSIGA President? [Article]

In February, 2016 I hosted former MUSIGA President Diana Hopeson on Care TV and she made some interesting revelations about the ‘heir apparent’ to the MUSIGA Presidency, after Obuor.

She said she prepared Obuor to be her successor and that she would even play an advisory role to Obuor to prepare the next MUSIGA President.

“Well, every good leader prepares who takes over from him. So it is not wrong that I had the support of my predecessor and I also threw my support behind Obour,” she said.

“Oh yes, I’ll advise Obuor on who to groom to take over from him,” Mrs. Hopeson added.

This presupposes that Obuor might be grooming a possible candidate to vie for his position on the expiration of his term.

Strange?

Well, with about two years for the Musician’s Union of Ghana to elect new executives, the question of who succeeds current President, Bice ‘Obuor’ Osei Kuffuor (who is serving his second term), is rife.

Obuor as MUSIGA President

Obuor acceded the Presidency of MUSIGA in 2011 beating Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Nana Tuffour and Willie Roi to make history as the youngest MUSIGA president ever in Ghana. He took over from Diana Hopeson.

His AJUMAPA policy which was the fulcrum of his campaign message promised good Administration, Jobs, Unity, Music business, Ageing, Policies and Achievements.

In 2015, Gyedu Blay Ambolley and Appietus contested Obuor but they were walloped in the elections held at the Oyinka Hotel in Koforidua.

Obuor’s administration has come under serious criticism by people who think his policies are not improving their careers.

A major flak Obuor has received from some stakeholders of the music industry is using the GHc 2m budgetary allocation given to the music sector in 2012 to do impact assessment. According to critics, there were more pressing needs of the union than doing a research on how much the sector contributed to the Gross Domestic Product of the country.

However, the MUSIGA President has asserted on several occasions he has delivered on most of his AJUMAPA campaign promises.

Others have, however, commended him for instituting viable policies that have served the interest of its members.

Since he became MUSIGA President he has established the Ghana Music Week which has served as platform for musicians to showcase their craft.

The MUSIGA Grand Ball has been an initiative that has for the past years helped solicit financial support from individuals and corporate institutions to fund the Ageing Musicians’ Welfare Fund, another Obuor-policy that has cushioned some aged musicians in the union.

In collaboration with School of Performing Arts (S.P.A) and National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), Obuor has founded MUSIGA ACADEMY, to provide professional training and skills for players in the Music Industry. Already the first batch of trainees has passed out and the courses are still running.

…so after Obuor, who next?

Obuor has had his challenges, he has made glaring mistakes and glossed over certain pressing matters but he has also chalked a lot of successes in his tenures as MUSIGA President.

Therefore, the issue of whoever takes over from him is very crucial to the union. The next MUSIGA President would have a big challenge – to do better than Obuor. This, is because Obuor has been the best MUSIGA President so far.

Already, some names have come up even though the named personalities have not expressed their intentions to contest in the next elections due for 2019.

Some of the names on the lips of entertainment stakeholders are:

Emmanuel Andrew Samini (Samini) – composer/performer

Appiah Dankwah (Appeitus) – music producer

Desmond Blackmore (D-Black) – musician/entrepreneur

Richie Mensah – Singer and producer

Kwame Nsiah—Apau (Okyeame Kwame) – composer/ performer

Gyedu Blay Ambolley – composer/performer

Conclusion

No matter what Obuor adds to or takes away from his achievements as MUSIGA President, somebody must take over from him, at the end of his tenure. Who will that be?

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