Music of Wednesday, 3 September 2008

Source: ghanamusic.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">ghanamusic.com

I’m not a politician, says Nana Ampadu


Contrary to perception by a cross-section of Ghanaians that Nana Kwame Ampadu II, is in active politics, the ‘King of Highlife’ music has emphatically denied being a politician, although he was often seen at political rallies organized by the National Democratic Congress a few years back.


He recently mounted the platform during a New Patriotic Party rally and declared that God had revealed to him that Nana Akufo-Addo, the Party’s Presidential candidate, was going to be the next President of Ghana after John Agyekum Kufuor.


According to him, he is a man of God - pastor – through whom God gives some revelations.


“The fact that God revealed this to me, and I announced it on a political platform doesn’t make me a politician. Rather, I have to act on it through occasions such as the Conference held recently at Takoradi by the NPP”, the music maestro underscored.


He added that if he did not disclose the revelation to the one it was meant for, the essence of it (revelation) would be lost.  “So my advice to every pastor is that they shouldn’t be afraid to speak about the truth because no one can harm them if God is on their side”, he emphasized.


Nana Kwame Ampadu, who was speaking to The Saturday Statesman last Tuesday,   stated that no matter how much some Ghanaians criticize him, he was going to make sure that what God revealed to him about this year’s election was fulfilled.


“People who do not believe in God will never understand prophecies. If God reveals something to you, you shouldn’t keep quiet and sit on it rather, you have to take a step and act on it before it finally comes to its manifestation. God revealed to me during Rawlings’ Presidency, and it came to pass; so will my prophecy about Nana also come to pass”, he stated.


Since Nana Ampadu made the pronouncement at the NPP Delegates’ Conference in the middle of this month, there have been a whole lot of criticisms and insults as to why a musician or a man of God would make such a statement.


While interacting with this paper, he indicated, “For me I will not mention any names whether it is NDC or other party, but what I will say is, where were all these people when I prophesied in 1992 that JJ would win the election? Are they saying that they weren’t born then? In fact, they haven’t seen anything yet; I’m now coming to do more and nobody can stop me until Nana himself stops me.”


Nana Ampadu who is also the General Secretary of the Musicians Union of Ghana, explained further that, during the NDC era, he was with them for two terms and stood on the same platform with Rawlings and Mills, and that the time he was given to address the NDC members and supporters was even more than the three minutes given to him at Takoradi recently. “They should go back and review what happened in that era before they start complaining”, he dared.


Asked how his relationship with Rawlings is now, he stated,”I don’t have anything against him. I’ve even named one of my children after him - Oheneba Yaw Rawlings Ampadu. Rawlings also respects me as a man of God that is why he hasn’t come out to say anything; he knows that is my nature.”


According to him, he became a man of God through a revelation from God which was routed through Rev. Amoako of Kumasi. “Since then, I have been gifted with the spirit of healing and prophecy”.


He disclosed that he traveled to America, Germany, London and Netherlands in 1994 to continue with God’s work in those countries.


Nana Kwame Ampadu, who has been in the music industry from 1966 to date – he now composes gospel songs - noted that the main problem in the industry now is that people don’t understand the essence and the value of music, “they only see it as luxury, that is why these days anybody at all can just get up and start recording anything that comes in their minds”.


As to whether he was happy with the indefinite suspension letter which was sent to him by MUSIGA, he underscored, “I’m going to reply them and include all the names of those I formed that society with for MUSIGA to suspend them as well, because MUSIGA’s constitution doesn’t state that only one person who tries to form another association will be suspended.


“The ex-President of the Union, Sidiku Buari, also formed a private society which was similar to ours, called M-COSGA, but no one objected to that neither was he suspended. So are they trying to be bias or what are they trying to tell me”, the highly talented highlife artiste queried.