Good Strides! EMYs, Chief Moomen, Stonebwoy & more

IT is refreshing to note how some entertainers are progressing in their respective fields, elevating their careers and ultimately, projecting the arts and Ghana as a whole.

What’s even more gratifying is that, most of these folks projecting the Ghanaian arts in the nation and across the globe are also providing working opportunities for other Ghanaians and offering entertainment value to everybody else.

It is only appropriate and worthy to offer these enterprising folks critical mention and shine the light on their amazing exploits.

EMY Awards

EMY Awards has impressively elevated as one of the well-organized awards in Ghana to becoming one of the most-talked-about awards in Africa. It’s been years of innovation, determination and zeal for Kojo Soboh and his legion of great minds to realise this dream.

At the recently held 8th edition of the awards, the event strategically held a well-attended soiree in Lagos, Nigeria, to celebrate all the Nigerian personalities who had featured in the previous editions while cementing the prominence of the awards on that market. That move led to what was witnessed as one of the most classy awards show put together thus far in the year. 

With the necessary corporate succour and industry support, EMY Awards Africa would surely become one of the biggest gatherings in the awards industry in Africa.

Chief Moomen

For a longtime, Abdul Moomen Muslim, professionally known as Chief Moomen has been yelping to everybody who had ears to listen that, he had one of the most outstanding spectacles in the world of theatre. All he yearned for was the wherewithal to execute.

In January 2023, with support from Masala Corp and Bambu Heritage, the highly anticipated theatrical piece, Mansa World, showed at the Efua Sutherland Studio, University of Ghana, Legon. To the many that had the privilege of seeing it, ‘twas a mind-blowing experience.

Just days ago, Mansa World was exhibited at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, fulfilling his (Moomen’s) wish of showcasing the piece to the rest of the world.

It doesn’t end there!

The ultimate desire is to exhibit the production to the rest of the world, touring every theatre, every ground with this masterpiece and such a step needs support, funding.

Stonebwoy

Approbations to every Ghanaian artiste and band that has been touring in the year but Stonebwoy unequivocally stands out. The Into the Future hitmaker, is arguably the most hardworking artiste in the last two years and it seems there is no stopping for him.

He’s been on the road with his chart-topping 5th Dimension album since July, playing in the USA and Canada. He is turning heads with that leg of the tour in Europe, performing in Brescia, Amsterdam, Berlin and Dusseldorf. He is expected to play in the UK,

With the level of attendance and enthusiasm seen thus far at most of these shows, and with the backing of Def Jam and the industry, the ‘dream’ of selling out the 02 Arena is possible.

OB Amponsah & Lekzy De Comic

Ghanaian comedy is on the rise, first of all, thanks to the luminaries such as Fritz Baffour, Tommy Annan-Fosron, KSM, Waterproof and a plethora of others who paved the way, and on whose shoulders the likes of DKB, David Oscar and others rose.

Now, the new generation of Ghanaian comics has taken the craft to another level. Aside organising specials in the capital and most impressively, these comics are also doing events across the other regions in Ghana.

After a stint in South Africa, OB Amponsah and Lekzy are in the US, performing to a predominantly foreign audience and they are just not mounting these stages for the sake of it; they are really giving their patrons a good time.

Once again, it would be germane to have our comics tour the rest of the world just like Basketmouth, Trevor Noah and others but essentially, they would need support.