It was a feeling of admixture for me upon reading the news of Ofori Amponsah?s new management team. I wondered why he employs a new management team upon every album release. I was feverishly trying to figure out why songs on his latest album get so much airplay on Peace FM, as compared to the other stations within the metropolis.
But then I stopped figuring when the team sheet was disclosed with Fadda Dickson, Financial and Administrative Manager of Peace FM as head of the new management team. The other members are Fiifi Banson, a presenter at Peace FM and Kwasi Aboagye, yet another presenter at Peace FM.
One would prod why Ofori would pick four prominent personalities at the same radio station as a Management team? And of course, Francis Doku retains his position in the team to continue with Ofori?s write-ups.
It?s no secret how Ofori Amponsah?s two previous albums got the skyrocketing sales and the numerous awards, thanks to the late Mufti Dabre and his legion of radio presenters who constituted the management team.
So don?t get surprised when you hear Kwami Sefa Kayi play Ofori?s songs everyday, and don?t complain when Kwasi Aboagye play and repeat the songs, and don?t get irritated when Fiifi Banson play and sing along Ofori?s songs with his usual galling voice. After all, it is business, and you?ve got to do whatever it takes to sell and win awards.
Selling records and winning awards hinges on airplay and Ofori knows it, even if the song is not enthralling, and even if the sound is mediocre. The song gets played in the morning, afternoon and evening, and even if you don?t want to learn the lyrics of the song, you would still know the second stanza anytime you hear it on radio.
Not to take anything from Ofori Amponsah, he?s a good lyricist and vocalist and makes good music.
You can also look at it from this perspective; Fadda Dickson, apart from making sure Ofori?s songs get frequent play on his station, he can assist in the financial and administrative endeavours for Ofori Amponsah. Fifi Banson, apart from playing and singing along Ofori?s songs, can also help with organizing events for Ofori Amponsah and Kwasi Aboagye can use his ?Entertainment Review? show to preview and review Ofori Amponsah, apart from playing his songs. And Francis? He would continue to make sure Ofori gets adequate space in the newspapers.
Ofori Amponsah has therefore set the standard and it?s proving to work for him, and I wonder what the others are dawdling about.
Now, Sefa-Kayi and co. play Ofori?s song like nobody?s business and you can?t blame them because it is their programme and they play what they want to play or whatever song they like. And don?t be astounded when you hear these gentlemen start mentioning Ofori Amponsah as a potential multiple award winner in next year?s music awards.
Some other artists should go all out, get three or four radio personalities as management team members, get the airplay and the exposure, and then let?s sit back and see how the industry would look like.
Bern Brown
