GHANAIAN drummer and leader of the Nativ Afrik Band, Emmanuel Pee Amponsah, has been crowned the 2025 Africa Gospel Instrumentalist of the Year at the ninth edition of the Christian Legendary and Impact Makers (CLIMA AFRICA) Awards.
At the awards ceremony held recently in Johannesburg, South Africa, Amponsah took home a trophy from a field of four nominees, voted for by audiences around the globe in that category.
The awards, which recognise impact makers in several fields, as well as global gospel artistes of African descent, was graced by audiences from the United States, Europe and 15 African countries.
In a congratulatory message, the organisers praised Amponsah for his musical skills, saying: "You are a bundle of inspiration and a blessing to your generation," and urged him to continue to share and impact the younger generation with his musical knowledge.
Amponsah leads the Takoradi-based Nativ Afrik Band, which has carved out a niche for itself by fusing African percussive and rhythmic elements with a diverse range of musical styles. The band incorporates traditional
instruments, such as the seprewa and kologo, into a modern sound that reflects their Ghanaian heritage.
Nativ Afrik Band has won several awards, including the SICA Grand Prix (2020), the Western Music Awards Ghana (2019), the Grand Prize at the Stars de l'Intégration Culturelle Africaine Festival in Benin, and the YAMAHA Band Competition Award (2018), which earned them a tour to Japan.
The writer is a Denmark-base broadcaster and arts writer
