Accra radio made me lazy; Happy to be back in K’si- Kwame Adinkra
Radio personality, Kwame Adinkra, has debunked stories making the rounds that he returned to Kumasi because the juicy ‘poaching’ package from Abusua 96.5 FM was too irrisitible.
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According to Adinkra who is one of Kumasi's most cherished radio personalities and arguably the most respected morning show brands, he was never poached but returned to the Garden City after just a year's stint with Accra-based Atinka FM because working in Accra made him lazy.
In an interview with Showbiz over the weekend in Kumasi, Adinkra said unlike Kumasi, Accra is dominated with the country's key news makers and one needs not struggle to grab one to spice a show.”
Indeed, same could not be said in Kumasi where the radio icon believes “it could take weeks and sometimes months to grab the desired personality to build a programme.”
Ironically though, he said it was such a challenge and many others that brought out the best in him.
And barely two weeks after starting a new morning show programme with Abusua 96.5 FM, from the stables of Execellence in Broadcasting(EIB) network, Adinkra has proved that he remains the most loved host in Kumasi as taxi and trotro drivers as well as traders have made the station their preferred choice.
His return to Kumasi, beyond making him more active and innovative, is to further develop content to enhance radio as a problem solving tool.
“In Accra, government solves problems. But here in Kumasi, radio solves most of the problems.
“The first point of call in Kumasi in addressing any issue is the radio station. People rush to the radio stations especially when they have confidence in the host and it has really worked,” Kwame Adinkra told Graphic Showbiz.
He said it is that unique trust and the desire to unite families as the station's name Abusua connotes, that pushed him to make a quick return to Kumasi
His unique style of making sure that only substantiated allegations and issues-based discussions were encouraged on his platform, is gradually knocking off the usual insult-driven programmes and helping to sanitise the airwaves.
It was not surprising that the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, confessed that ever since Adinkra left Kumasi, he had not been listening to radio as he used to.
Otumfuo told the radio icon at the Manhyia Palace that his return to the Garden City has boosted his morale of making radio his friend once again.
Adinkra remains the most sought after Master of Ceremonies in Kumasi and an anchor to most of Otumfuo's high-profile programmes including the Akwasidae and has helped to drive home the importance of the Otumfuo's Educational Fund project.
Currently pursuing a Master of Philosophy (Mphil) in Communication Design at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kwame Adinkra joined radio by accident in 1996.
Then a student of the same university, Adinkra joined a campus radio station, Continental Radio at the Unity Hall when the main host for a programme was indisposed and he had to step in.
That was the beginning of his ride to fame where he rose to become the Station Manager for two years.
From there he joined Otec FM where he hosted a 30-minute morning show dubbed Ka Ne Wo for two years, worked with Kapial Radio for a year, Fox FM for five years and Angel FM for seven years before joining Atinka FM from the Tobinco group of companies in Accra.
In all these, Kwame Adinkra said he has never been poached to join any of the stations nor driven by money but, has been moved by his conscience and the right working conditions.