Nestled between the verses of faith and the choruses of controversy, there exists Bishop Kwabena Asiamah, the leader of Universal Spiritual Outreach, popularly known as Ajagurajah Movement, in Ghana, who has mastered the art of weaving spirituality and secularism into a peculiar masterpiece.
Beneath the surface of his sermons, where spirituality reigns supreme, Ajagurajah has a unique approach to promoting secular music, fashion designers and secular musicians.
His intriguing strategy unfolds as he intentionally and strategically picks fights with designers or artistes upon the release of their latest songs. However, there is a catch – his criticisms are laced with humor, and the public knows that the battle is merely a performance, a carefully choreographed routine that transcends the boundaries between sacred and secular, and they love it!
Fashion showdown with Osebo
In 2023, ‘Combination is a calculation’ became a popular phrase. It was birthed following the fashion contest between Ajagurajah and Osebo The Zara Man’, a fashionista and businessman known for his unconventional way of dressing.
Osebo had been in the system for a while and garnered some following as a result of what was described by many as his weird fashion sense. For instance, his 'infamous skirts' became popular in Ghana, and the way he put together his outfits made him a ‘slay queen in a man’s body’. He often paired blazers with skirts, wore shirts that appeared tailored for women, and sometimes donned dresses that the average man wouldn't dare to wear.
Ajagurajah, on the other hand, was and is known for walking barefoot and mostly clad in a cassock (an apparel typically worn by spiritual men of his sort) - often a blend of red and black.
At a time when nothing interesting seemed to be happening in the showbiz space, Ajagurajah and Osebo engaged in a fashion contest with each showcasing their respective unique fashion sense. Ajagurajah, after days of showcasing his wardrobe and entertaining followers of the contest, conceded defeat.
In a March 24, 2023, Instagram post, he stated: “Ladies and gentlemen, loyal supporters, at this juncture, I think the brave thing to do is to cede the Title of Fashion Messiah to my brother Osebothezaraman. We have had a wonderful contest, no doubt; but we all know my specialty is spirituality, so I need to leave the fashion business to him. Thank you for all the love. It was great because of you guys.”
The battle with Amerado
In July 2023, Ajagurajah engaged rapper Amerado in a friendly lyrical battle. The battle emanated from a mention Amerado gave Ajagurajah while delivering his rap verse on ‘Rap is Still Alive’, a collaboration he did with Strongman, and released on July 14, 2023.
“Why, are you blind? I’m like Ajagurajah; after serving beef, I preach peace,” Amerado rapped as he blew his trumpet in his attempt to claim supremacy in the rap game. That line was a perfect description of Ajagurajah.
Although the rap line was in favor of Ajagurajah, he ‘took offence’ [his usual unconventional way to engage with the secular world – primarily through the rhythm and beats of music] and recorded short videos of himself throwing interesting shots at Amerado as he served indication of his readiness to battle the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Best Rap Performance winner.
As expected, the banter between the two courted attention, with their respective videos garnering massive views.
One against two: Okyeame Kwame & Kinaata
A line in Okyeame Kwame’s verse on 'Sika,' a song featuring Kofi Kinaata, was enough to capture Ajagurajah's attention, as the rapper mentioned the name of the spiritual leader in his rap lines. ‘Sika’ tells the story of an individual who experienced and endured difficulties in life but eventually saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
As a narrator, Okyeame Kwame, known for his lyrical dexterity, recounted a story of facing setbacks and challenges. This included Ajagurajah snatching his girlfriend away from him due to financial incapabilities. Although the line was fictitious, it triggered a response from Ajagurajah.
With the line, 'Ajagurajah, through food, snatched my girlfriend away from me,' featured in Okyeame Kwame’s rap, Ajagurajah waged war on both Kofi Kinaata and Okyeame Kwame, making October 2023 an exciting month.
The clash with Kwaw Kese
Recruiting Kofi Mole for a Drill song, produced by Skonti, Kwaw Kese was back in the trends with ‘Awoyo Sofo’, a song that talked about the shenanigans of some pastors.
For starters, the term ‘Awoyo’ refers to churches characterized by unconventional activities, including making animal sacrifices and other rituals that neither charismatic churches nor unorthodox churches would engage in. This is the kind of church Ajagurajah runs. And ‘Sofo’ is a Twi word for pastor.
The official music video of the song featured characters clad in cassocks. And in some scenes, they were seen choreographing a formation dance, while other scenes depicted the concept of the song.
The release of the audio and the video caused Ajagurajah to raise concerns in a humorous manner as he attacked Kwaw Kese and Kofi Mole for casting unfounded allegations and portraying the style of worship in a bad light. The ‘sofo’ then released a song to mock Kwaw Kese and with knowledge about Ajagurajah’s engagement with musicians, Kwaw Kese jokingly responded.
As Ajagurajah is known for cooking for his church members, a reason he is affectionately called 'Chop Bar Sofo,' Kwaw Kese, in one of his responses, showcased a cooking utensil, announcing his readiness to cook for Ajagurajah’s congregation. In a counter-response, Ajagurajah lined up different sizes of utensils to cement his 'Chop Bar Sofo' status. He also released a ‘diss song’ for Kwaw Kese. These incidents caused Kwaw Kese’s ‘Awoyo Sofo’ to trend, keeping the public entertained.
All hail Ajagurajah!
Certainly not your regular pastor. Undoubtedly, Ajagurajah is an interesting character. His unconventional promotion of secular music and some showbiz personalities on social media has become a delightful spectacle. He has won the admiration of many with his comic side, become a source of excitement with his approach, and made a name for himself as a promoter of brands. Rest assured, if he picks on you, you will be in the trends!
'Kwabena Asiamah nie! Chop Bar Sofo nie! Ajagurajah nie!'
BB/AE
