Charterhouse, the organizers of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA), have denied claims that they forced highlife legend Amakye Dede to crown young highlife and Afrobeat singer Kuami Eugene as the king of future highlife in Ghana.
In an interview on Accra-based Asaase radio, Charterhouse’s Head of Public Events and Communication, Robert Klah, said the production house had no hand in the events leading to the crowning.
“We did not orchestrate any crowning session,” Klah said. “We work with a team of creatives who are given the opportunity to create what they want to do. The only thing is that we want to ensure that whatever they are going to present is not distasteful, so they get there and perform their act and we move on.”
Klah’s comments come after Amakye Dede revealed that he was forced to crown Kuami Eugene at the 2019 VGMAs.
“Though I did that, it was not my will to do so,” Amakye Dede said. “They forced me to crown Kuami Eugene. I even gave the crown they handed over to me to someone to put it down, but they later said, no I have to crown him, and I did it.”
Ghana Weekend’s Take
Amakye Dede’s revelation has sparked a debate about the role of elders in the Ghanaian music industry. Some have argued that elders should not be forced to crown younger artists, while others have said that it is a sign of respect for elders to do so.
The VGMAs are one of the most prestigious awards ceremonies in Ghana, and the crowning of Kuami Eugene as the king of future highlife was seen by many as a sign of his rising star.
However, Amakye Dede’s revelation has cast a shadow over the event, and it remains to be seen how the Ghanaian music industry will respond.
