The University of Ghana (UG), Legon, come this weekend, from Friday 26thth to Sunday 28thth March, will host Mass Choirs and Drama groups from notable Universities in the country such as UG, KNUST, UCC, UEW, CUC, UDS,University of Mines & Technology (UMaT, Tarkwa), Valley View University and Methodist University in a non-competitive Gospel Music, Drama & Choreography and Poetry Festival dubbed INTELLECTO 2010. The festival is under the theme, ‘Behold the people is one’ (John 17:20-23).

Speaking to this writer in about the festival, the publicity head for the festival, Miss Jennifer Jessica Danquah of UG Mass Choir and Sunny FM fame, revealed that, “This year’s INTELLECTO is the 17th in the festival’s history and marks the return of the festival to its place of birth. It is our hope that at the end of the festival many people will be won for God’s kingdom and many lives will also be touched and transformed. We are inviting everyone to come with friends and family to experience the move of God while being treated to quality inspirational music, drama and choreography at no fee.”

The festival, to be staged on the Mensah Sarbah field, will begin on Friday with a Choreography and Drama Night at 5pm. The next day morning will see the participating universities undertake a clean-up exercise at the Dzorwulo Special School and afterwards make a donation to the school. In the evening, at 5pm, will be the major highlight of the festival where all universities are expected to minister in songs, one institution after the other. A thanksgiving service scheduled on Sunday morning will climax the festival after which all visiting institutions will depart to their respective bases.

INTELLECTO is an annual event which is rotated among all tertiary institutions where each institution is represented by its Mass Choir and Drama/Theatre in a non-competitive gospel music, choreography and Drama Festival. This event is primarily to reach out to unbelievers (soul winning), encourage believers to remain steadfast in the Christian faith and to promote the spirit of brotherliness among all institutions. Over the years, the festival has provided the platform for amazingly talented musicians (singers and instrumentalists), actors and choreographers to display their gifts in glorifying of God. The festival has for a long time also served as the discovery grounds of future renowned music ministers, directors, choreographers, actors, and producers, and contributed to the success stories of most gospel music groups, ministries and churches (the likes of singers- Nii Okai, Graciella, Eugene Zuta, Ps. Joe Gyebi, Instrumentalists- Makafui Kwami, Henry Datsormo, Ernest Eshun, Koda, etc... have represented their universities at Intellecto during their varsity days). It is, in fact, Ghana’s biggest outdoor Christian arts event where ministrations are of top-notch quality, inspirational and very creative.

The whole dream began with Mr. Alex Sackey Ansah, then a resident of University of Ghana’s Commonwealth Hall. He was inspired during a charged praise and worship event held on the UG campus which was led by a Contemporary Ghanaian Gospel Music great, Rev. Eric Kwapong currently based in the USA. After the programme, he discussed the whole idea of all universities in Ghana gathering to put up a concert in that manner among his friends (Patrick Osei-Hewere, Albert Essandoh and some members of Commonwealth’s IMPACT ) and they readily embraced it. The idea then materialised in the its edition, Intellecto Choirofesto (Intellectuals Choral Festival), held in Legon in 1993. Later it began to evolve by accommodating other Christian art-forms such as choreography, drama and recently motivational poetry and satire.

“I remember with lots of nostalgia Oko Bortei-Doku, the Gospel Explosion family from KNUST, Joe Asmah (Ascho), Joy Boafo and the Echoes of Calvary from Cape Coast University and Henry Ephson & the LPU choir from Legon. It was such an anointed blast at the Central Cafteria ! After that maiden edition, I was again privileged to witness and in fact be a part of two other celebrations in KNUST and Cape Coast University,” said Mr. Patrick Masoperh, recounting the first three editions he witnessed.

This year’s Intellecto, to many tertiary students, is a must attend as there is great anticipation of an action-packed festival; this, organisers affirm will be another memorable edition in the festival’s history. You cannot afford to miss out on an opportunity to be awed by the future talents of Ghanaian Christian art-forms particularly when the various institutions have had a year of intensive rehearsals and other preparations. University of Ghana is the venue this weekend and rate is absolutely freeeee...!