After a storm there must be a calm. But the calm that seem to exist after the storm that preceded the national congress of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) is by no means a comfortable one.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Alhaji Sidiku Buari is no more on the scene as the president of the union but what are the challenges that await the new Musiga president, in fact the first female president of the union, Mrs Diana Hopeson?
Before I touch on her challenges, my heart goes out to all members of the union involved in a car accident that occurred on their way back home from the national congress, which took place in Sunyani. Thanks to God no one died.
My disappointment however, has been with the fact that we are yet to have a proper acceptance speech from the new president. We’ve only heard radio interviews and read writings of print journalists. I think the president-elect should have organised a press conference, she should have addressed the press, outlining the pillars of her vision.
A friend once said there is so much division on the music front that it’s impossible for industry peers to unite for their common interest. I told him if that’s the case then the ‘demon’ that’s eating up the music industry shall consume all of them along with the lines that divide them. It’s a ‘common danger’ that affects Alhaji Sidiku Buari, Mrs Diana Hopeson, Gyedu Blay Ambulley, Mctonto, Carlos Sakyi, Charles Amoah, Rex Omar and all in the industry.
As Amandzeba, the second vice-president of the union said, ‘it’s time we start looking at what’s right with us rather than what’s wrong with us’. That’s the key madam president…you can either cool down the tension or raise the tension by your action and reaction. You may not be able to work with everyone but try as much as you can to win as many people to your side as possible.
Mrs Diana Hopeson
I pray that the new president of the union will try to amend article 27(A) of the union’s constitution. The national executive committee of which the president is chairman should not be given powers of co-option. The reason why there was so much tension before the national congress lurks in this article. The powerful executive committee will be better of without the power of being able to summarily appoint a committee as and when it deems fit.
Article 9 of the union’s constitution mentions 6 committees and their function but does not state how members of these committees should be appointed or even who qualifies to be a member of these committees. The scope of the entire constitution of the union should be expanded. This should be done for the benefit of the union and the industry as a whole.
How different is Mrs Diana Hopeson going to be from Alhaji Sidiku Buari. Her detractors say she was handpicked by Alhaji and stood unopposed but what can she do to prove them wrong. That she’s her own woman. Is she going to simply follow the status quo or continue Alhaji’s achievements in her own way? How would she like to be remembered? A key challenge for her will be the sort of stance she takes in the current highly polarised political situation.
When people say they are committed to seeing the music industry grow, they must show it through action. Everything done for the industry must be driven by reason of the common interest of all in the industry. If the wisdom of doing for the whole rather than self does not prevail, the music industry will not prevail. And we may, shamefully, not be able to focus on what’s right with us.
