Nana Ampadu
Birth nameNana Kwame Ampadu
Also known asOdwontofoohene
Paa Steele
Born(1945-03-31)31 March 1945
Obo Kwahu, Gold Coast
OriginGhana
Died28 September 2021(2021-09-28) (aged 76)
Accra, Ghana
GenresHighlife
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)vocal, guitar
Years active1963–2020
Websitewww.nanakwameampadu.com

Nana Kwame Ampadu (31 March 1945 – 28 September 2021) was a Ghanaian musician and composer credited with numerous popular highlife tracks and he is known to have composed over 800 songs.[1][2] He was also known as Adwomtofo Nyinaa Hene.[3] Ampadu was the lead singer, chief songwriter, and founder of the "African Brothers Band". He is regarded as a pioneer of highlife music and one of the most illustrious Ghanaian musicians of the 20th century. [4][5][6][7]

Music

Ampadu's "African Brothers Band" was formed in 1963. One of the founding members of African Brothers Band was Eddie Donkor.[8]

The name was in support of the call by Kwame Nkrumah for African unity. The group was later renamed the African Brothers International Band in 1973.[9]

Ampadu came to prominence in 1967 when he released his song Ebi Te Yie (or "Some Are Well Seated"), a song that was seen as potentially critical of the then-governing National Liberation Council and disappeared from the airwaves, only returning after the end of military rule. In 1973 he won a nationwide competition in Ghana to be crowned the Odwontofoohene, or "Singer-in-Chief".[10]

His musical career also involved him in electoral politics, including composing a song for Jerry Rawlings's National Democratic Congress party to use in the 1992 election campaign. Ampadu also released a song critical of an attempt to disqualify Rawlings from the 1992 election based on him being half-Scottish.[11]

Influence and achievements

Nana Ampadu toured with the S. K. Oppong Drama Group, which performed concerts and short plays on the programmes of his band. This group later evolved to become the cast of Osofo Dadzie, the most popular Ghana TV drama series for many years. One of his songs, Obra, became the theme song for Obra, another very popular Ghanaian TV drama series. He also wrote the theme song for the national Operation Feed Yourself programme of the military National Redemption Council for national food sufficiency.[12][13]

Personal life

Ampadu was born at Obo Kwahu in the Eastern Region of Ghana on 31 March 1945.[14][15][16] His birth name was Patrick Kwame Ampadu and his parents were Opanying Kwame Ampadu and Mercy Afua Ntiriwaa, both of Obo Kwahu in the Eastern Region of Ghana.[9]

Awards

Nana Ampadu won a number of awards in Ghana.[13]

  • Grand Medal of the Volta Civil Division in 1977
  • Odwontofoohene by the Arts Council of Ghana in 1973
  • the first ever National Dance Band Competition in 1972

Death

Nana Ampadu died on 28 September 2021, at the age of 76, at the Legon Hospital in Accra.[17][18][19]

References

  1. ↑ "My Life". nanakwameampadu1. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  2. ↑ "Nana Kwame Ampadu at 50". Graphic Online. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  3. ↑ "Nana Ampadu predicted his death - Mark Okraku reveals". GhanaWeb. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  4. ↑ "Nana Ampadu: Everything you need to know about the late Ghanaian highlife musician".
  5. ↑ "Nana Ampadu: Ghana highlife legend die at age 76".
  6. ↑ "Everything you need to know about Nana Ampadu".
  7. ↑ "My Life".
  8. ↑ "Legends of Ghanaian Highlife Music: Senior Eddie Donkoh". african-research.com/. African Research Consult. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Profile of highlife legend Nana Ampadu". GhanaWeb. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  10. ↑ Anyidoho, Kofi; Gibbs, James (2000). FonTomFrom: Contemporary Ghanaian Literature, Theatre and Film. Rodopi. pp. 142–146. ISBN 9042012730. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  11. ↑ Andrews, Adrianne R.; Adjaye, Joseph K. (1997). Language, Rhythm, & Sound: Black Popular Cultures Into the Twenty-first Century. University of Pittsburgh Press. p. 71. ISBN 0822971771. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  12. ↑ "Super O.D., Biography". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Achievements and Awards". nanakwameampadu1. 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "Nana Kwame Ampadu 1 and his African Brothers Band Int". nanakwameampadu.com. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  15. ↑ GBC (8 October 2022). "The Highlife Legend, Nana Kwame Ampadu". Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  16. ↑ Daily Guide (5 August 2011). "Pastors Chase Nana Ampadu Music Videos". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  17. ↑ "Ghana mourn highlife legend Nana Ampadu wey die". BBC News Pidgin. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  18. ↑ "Legendary highlife musician Nana Ampadu passes on at age 76". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  19. ↑ "Highlife legend, Nana Kwame Ampadu passes on - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
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