One may have observed that most times, young people do not attend funerals. They usually see it as the preserve of elderly.

This was exactly the situation at the funeral of the late highlife legend Paapa Yankson at the forecourt of State House in Accra on Saturday, 21^st October, 2017.

The funeral was heavily attended by old musicians like Pat Thomas, AB Crentsil, Gyedu-Blay Ambulley, Rex Omar, Yaw Sarpong, Charles Amoah, Nana Kwame Ampadu, Sidiku Buari and Abirekyieba Kofi Sammy.

Others were, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Tagoe Sisters, Nana Fynn, Rev. Thomas Yawson, Rev. Mary Ghansah, Bice Osei Kuffuor, Rex Omar, among others.

I did not see any ‘young musician’ there. When I talk about young musicians I mean those that mostly fall below 40 years age (my own parameter). I am talking about the likes of Samini, Stonebwoy, Efya, Adina, Shatta Wale, Bisa K Dei, Flowking, Becca, K.K. Fosu etc.

The only person I was told attended the funeral after I had left at 12pm was Kofi Kinaata. Maybe most of them attended later at night when the funeral has closed.

The ‘I won’t die now’ factor

There is a school of thought that people attend funerals so that when they die someday, they will have people attend theirs too. Yes, it might sound ludicrous but that is why most people go to funerals.

Why do you care about what happened to your funeral or body when you are dead? Obviously that is a weak reason for attending funerals. We attend funerals to console the bereaved, most importantly.

If you have lost a close friend or family member, it s easy to relate to this; the mere presence of people at the funeral numbs the pain and sorrow in your heart. For a moment, it makes you feel loved and cared about.

So, apart from celebrating the dead who is gone and knows nothing about what happens after their death, the ‘communal healing’ it gives family and friends is very necessary.

With this in mind, one does not have to be of a certain age before they attend funerals. Funerals are not meant for old men and women.

Lack of the ‘we’ spirit

Another school of thought also has t that at times, there are certain things that would move a young person to be at a funeral; and that is if they deceased in their age bracket or a close friend.

There are a lot of people who also posit that perhaps the reason most young people do not attend funerals (including Paapa  Yankson’s) was the fact that the highlife legend was not their friend – nor in their age bracket.

Because of this, they may have felt disconnect with the whole activity. When Ronnie Coaches, Vybrant Faya and rapper Ghetto KB died, there were also many young musicians in attendance than the old ones.

Work over funerals

On Saturday, October 21, 2017 there were a lot of shows in town, principal among which was the Becca @ 10 concert which paraded almost all the current big music stars at the National Theatre to celebrate Becca’s 10 years in music. Most of these young musicians may have been preparing for the show by then hence their absence at the funeral.

Generally, young musicians have more buoyant career than the old ones which means that they would be more engaged for shows even during ‘funeral times.’

To wit, while the young think about making money, the old think about how they will be ‘buried’ when they die.

Bridging the gulf

The above-stated variables are realistically the picture on the ground. However, I believe it is about time we changed the narrative. There may not be equilibrium in young-old attendance at funerals but the gap could be narrowed.

It is about time we made time for each others as people in the same industry irrespective of our tight work schedules and age differences.

Conclusion

Paapa Yankson was a legend and it was expected that musicians from different age groups would be well-represented.

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By: Kwame Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

([email protected])

The post ‘Young’ musicians missing at Paapa Yankson’s funeral [Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The sector Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, unveiled the teen actor at a short ceremony at the Ministry on Thursday, June 22, 2017. The Free SHS policy is one of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s flagship policy programs that helped it win power in the December 2016 polls.

[contextly_sidebar id=”qIXolVZVUOFJZS2Be8oVfGJwhxGdeM6P”]The party popularized the intended program in the run up to the 2012 elections, but could not win power then to implement it.

Having successfully won the elections in 2016, led by Nana Akufo-Addo, the party announced that it will fully roll out the program this year.

President Akufo-Addo, in an address at Okuapeman School in the Eastern Region in February 2017, announced that the program will commence from September 2017.

According to him, it will cover the full fees of students who attend public Senior High Schools across the country.

“By free SHS, we mean that, in addition to tuition which is already free, there will be no admission fees, no library fees, no science centre fees, no computer lab fees, no examination fees, no utility fees; there will be free textbooks, free boarding, and free meals, and day students will get a meal at school for free,” Akufo-Addo said.

Abraham Atta, 15, now resides in the USA for his career and high school education.

He made his feature film debut in Beasts of No Nation (2015), playing a leading role of child soldier (Agu). He was awarded the Marcello Mastroianni’s Best Young Actor Award at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival.

In 2016, it was announced that he had been cast in the upcoming Marvel film Spider-Man: Homecoming.

It is unclear what Abraham Atta’s specific duties will be as the policy program’s ambassador.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Abraham Attah unveiled as Free SHS ambassador appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The performance captures how Ghanaian music has evolved from traditional music forms to modern forms like rap, hip-life and others.

As part of activities to celebrate 60 years of Ghana’s independence, relived the good old days of music brewed in Ghana.

Ready to mount the stage, are venerated highlife musician Nana Kwame Ampadu, Paapa Yankson, A.B. Crentsil and former Nakorex member, Amadzeba.

Patrons will also be thrilled to performances by Okyeame Kwame, Adane Best and Kwabena Kwabena.

MOGO2017 is streaming live via the Citi 97.3 FM page on Facebook and on air on Citi 97.3 FM.

The 2017 Music of Ghanaian Origin (MOGO) is sponsored by GCB Bank, Freight Consult and Nallem Consult, and is powered by Citi 97.3 FM.

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By: Kwame Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Wogbejeke tells Ghana’s music history at #MOGO2017 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Taylor’s wife and children have been unable to visit him in County Durham, lawyer John Jones QC said.

He was convicted of aiding rebels who committed atrocities in Sierra Leone.

The UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone trial was held at The Hague on the agreement he was jailed elsewhere.

For the UK taxpayer it would be much, much cheaper if he were to serve his sentence in Rwanda”

The overseas venue for the court case was chosen in case the trial sparked renewed unrest in West Africa.

An act of parliament was passed to allow for Taylor to serve his sentence in the UK, at the cost of the British government, following his conviction.

Taylor was sentenced in 2012 and arrived in the UK last October, having unsuccessfully challenged the decision to be detained there.

Human rights

Legal papers have now been lodged with the court claiming that serving his sentence in the UK breaches his human rights.

The former leader, 66, says it would be more “humane” for him, and his wife and 15 children, if he was to return to Africa to complete his sentence.

His lawyer told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “In the eight months that he has been in the UK he has not received a single visit from his wife and children.

“He has minor children. When he was in The Hague on trial, he had regular visits, they came, they saw him, they went back.”

Mr Jones added: “What we are saying is the UK has a duty to ensure family life, not just for him but for his family. It’s a clear duty under international law and English domestic law.”

The UK would save money if Taylor was transferred, he claimed.

“He is not suing the British Government, he is not seeking damages from the UK and, on the contrary, for the UK taxpayer it would be much, much cheaper if he were to serve his sentence in Rwanda with all the other prisoners from the special court,” said Mr Jones.

Mr Jones said visas had not been granted to members of his family as immigration officials were “not satisfied that they are going to return to Liberia after their visit to see him, which is ridiculous”.

Source: BBC

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