The evergreen highlife musician and king of social commentary and love songs from Ghana, the man from the mountains, Obouba J. A. Adofo, is currently in the United States of America to undertake a performance and educational tours as part of a multicultural arts experience and intercultural exchange between the two countries.

The visit is a follow up to a recent Cultural Expo held at New Edubiase in July, 2006 which featured prominent personalities and cultural educators, performers and scholars from the US.

Obuoba J.A. Adofo is a household name in Ghana. His special skills in singing love songs and his stagecraft as the leader of the City Boys Band, Accra has earned him the nickname, The Black Chinese of Ghana. Among his popular hits are Akwanobi, Nya Asem Hwe,Yaa Aboatemaa,Odo Nndidi Ntwen Me, Efie Biara Ne Mu Nsem and Abrabo Ye Ntoboase. etc

Obouba J. A. Adofo is one of the popular highlife musicians whose works has attracted international scholarship where high school and University?s music students are studying to know its social impact for a nation?s development.

Adofo is a living legend and the students in the US are fascinated by his traditional philosophy and wisdom which he displays and portrays in his wits infused lyrics. Unlike the current music which is adored by many Ghanaian youth at the expense of authentic highlife music and is nothing but copying of western styles, and full of sexually laden lyrics, Adofo?s music tells educative stories and is history in itself.

According to a New York City high school student in music, Shamique Brown she says ?We have learned a lot about Ghana by listening to Mr. Adofo?s music in our multicultural music class?. She continued ? If you understand what he says in the Ghanaian language, you know that he appeals to every one- Mr. Adofo is a balm?.

While in the US, Adofo will give a series of lecture demonstrations with a Ghanaian ethnomusicologist and a cultural educator, Mr. Harold Akyeampong, in a number of public schools and Colleges with the theme ? Communicating Through Music: Ghana?s Highlife Music and Its Social Impact-A Master Musician Speaks?.

This educational tour is made possible by the International Center for African Culture & Arts, (ICACA), the Center for World Folkloric Arts, in association with the OBAATANPA House of Hope Inc, three cultural service organizations based in New York, USA.

According to Mr. Adofo, he is elated at this great opportunity to share his musical knowledge with American people who surprisingly revere his music better than most contemporary Ghanaians at home and abroad. He continued that this should encourage the Ghanaian government to take a second look at our music which can promote international relations and bring foreign exchange to the nation.

source: mordernghana.com