<<Print>>

UK based Ghanaian international gospel star, Sonnie Badu has taken a swipe at the lyrical content of some Ghanaian gospel music, describing them as �senseless�. He declared that Ghanaian local gospel songs lack lyrical direction when compared to that of Nigeria, adding, �This has contributed to the country�s inability to produce international gospel stars�. Sonnie Badu made these remarks at a press conference at the Protea Hotel in East Legon on Wednesday ahead of his first planned concert in Ghana at the National Theatre tomorrow. Sonnie Badu, who was responding to a question on whether he was Nigerian or Ghanaian since he enjoys performing in the Nollywood country said, �There is some truth about what they (Nigerians) say. I realize that Ghanaians have the same too, but we Ghanaians don�t have enough confidence to come out with certain things. Let us take Nigerian songs for example; they are quite straight, simple, praising and thanking God for a lot of things�. However, he said, it is different from most Ghanaian gospel songs. �Sometimes you listen to certain songs and you think do all songs have to talk about death and I am struggling, and I am sick, and I am ill? The songs don�t make sense. Sometimes you listen to the lyrics yareyeya and all of that, it doesn�t exalt God. �It is about time we pick some true songs of worship and choose songs of praise about the awesomeness of God. I get invited to Nigeria a lot; I am a hundred per cent Ghanaian and I am proud to be a Ghanaian�. The winner of the Best Gospel Act 2009 at the recently held BEFFTA awards in the United Kingdom, said lyrics were not the only reason impeding local gospel stars� chances of climbing onto the international stage, but it also because Ghanaians themselves don�t appreciate their own. According to him, till Ghanaians start appreciating and cherishing its music stars, and till the musicians themselves also make use of Ghana�s traditional high life rhythms, besides other marketing strategies, their international dreams will just be a wild goose chase. Sonnie�s concert tomorrow, November 7 2009 is by courtesy of Orange Africa, an events management company. Born in the U.K and raised in Ghana, Sonnie is putting the name of Ghana on the musical map all over the world. His ministry is gaining grounds at a pace that can only be described by many as divine. His recently released debut album, �Lost in His Glory�, has already sold over 10,000 copies in the UK alone, and is rapidly gaining grounds all over the world. On Saturday November 7, Sonnie will be staging one of his many successful concerts in Ghana at the National Theatre, together with other renowned local artiste such as Joe Beechem, Kwaku Gyasi, Celestine Donkor, among others.