Veteran highlife musician, Chief Abirekyieba Kofi Sammy, says Ghanaian popular music was widely known as ‘konkoma’ before it became known as highlife due to British colonial influence.
According to the 81-year-old singer and guitarist, natives often sang and danced to their own songs after engaging in economic activities before they were introduced to European instruments and music styles.
He said the new sound became popular among the upper-class under the colonial administration and the new name, highlife, emerged.
Chief Kofi Sammy, who was a special guest on Pure FM’s Hammer Time, also spoke about his personal encounters with Ghanaian heads of states after the country’s independence in 1957.
According to him, Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, was the only leader who understood the art industry and took practical steps towards its development.
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By Lord Kweku Sekyi
