Old musicians must save MUSIGA —Gyedu Blay Ambolley
Jayne Buckman-Owoo
Showbiz News
HIGHLIFE musician, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, believes the old musicians are the only ones who can salvage the Muscians Union of Ghana(MUSIGA) from its myriad of problems including the long-standing issue with their national elections.
Gyedu Blay Ambolley opines it is about time old musicians like himself, Pat Thomas and the likes came together to run the affairs of the association.
In an interview with Graphic Showbiz, the Simigwa hitmaker stated, “If you take people like me, Pat Thomas, Amakye Dede and the others, we don’t sit down to think of ways to make the union profitable, that is why the younger ones have taken over. When the cat is away, the mice will always play.
"If we the older ones won’t sit down to think of how to streamline the Union, then all I just say to myself is why don’t I concentrate on my European tours and my recordings, so that is exactly what I am doing,’’ he stated.
Ambolley went further to express his frustrations with MUSIGA, “I have said it before and will say it once again that there is a lot of ‘mafiarism’ in MUSIGA.
The Obour-led administration took money for the association which they said was used for research.
“We can’t do things like that because it is an industry and those who have to lead the industry should be people with knowledge. I had the chance to stay in the US and I know what happens there and that can happen here too because it is the same formula.
“They tell you we have 4,000 members but when you really go into it, you will find out we only have 1,000 members, there are so many fabrications not helping the industry to stand on a solid ground, they are not being truthful to themselves and to everyone.
“They say they are there to help the industry but when you check their backgrounds, they don’t have what it takes to do so. Bessa Simons was with Obour for eight years and what did they do? Yet he is now saying he can do better, how is that possible?, Ambolley questioned.
Asked why he didn’t stand for elections, if he had all the ideas to run MUSIGA, Ambolley said “I have tried and the reason why I am stepping aside is because of the ‘mafiarism’ that I am talking about, it is going on in there today, aside from that, we the grown-ups are not sitting down to think.’’
Away from MUSIGA, we sought his take on beefs in the industry, “They are just copying the Americans. Whether it is for popularity or attention, they do that to create news in the media.
"I have already told them that instead of engaging in beefs, they should focus on how to export our music genres beyond the shores of Ghana.
Gyedu Blay Ambolley also does not agree that beefs keep the industry active. “How can beefs keep the industry active? You are both doing the same music and trying to create rivalry, the bottom line is for attention. It is some kind of competition among themselves,’’ he said.
When asked if he would respond if another musician attacks his brand? “I don’t think I would, once I do good music, my work will speak for me all the time.
"Bulldog said something about me sometime ago and people blasted him on my behalf. I didn’t have to say anything because my works speak for themselves. My music will always speak for me,’’ Ambolley concluded.
