All my friends have relocated to Accra because of music - KODA

Singer, songwriter, composer, sound engineer and pastor, born Augustine Owusu Kofi Dua Anto but known on stage as KODA has revealed that all his friends in Kumasi have relocated to Accra to gain recognition of their music.

The Takoradi based musician was commenting on the controversies surrounding the credibility of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.

“All my friends in Kumasi have relocated to Accra because if your song is not played in Accra or any of the capital cities it’s difficult even for the judges and the people on the panel to hear the song to start with”.

“Say you have released your song and you are in Swedru and you are playing it on Swedru FM alone, how will they hear of it in Accra? When the forms are released, they are released in Accra, so you will be in Swedru praying to God while the whole nomination and everything will come to a close without you even hearing about it,” he added.

KODA was asked whether he thinks the organizers should rather spread their tentacles wide to reach all these people since it has Ghana attached to it, he said:

“You have a point, I can’t begrudge you, but I don’t think Charterhouse has any office in Takoradi, so I think it’s something we could advise them on because trust me there are some talents that have not been brought up yet who are seriously [good] so I think if Charterhouse could spread their nets wider we would unearth so many more people that would come up.”

The Multi-instrumentalist further sent a word of advice to his fellow musicians.

“So I will implore you that as much as you do things in your region try and also make sure to have some representation in the capital, it’s necessary.” KODA won the Record of the Year at the Industry Awards of the 16th Vodafone Ghana Music Awards held on Monday, April 6.

Answering a question on whether or not he expected to win the award, the ‘Nkwa Abodoo’ hit maker said:

“I didn’t expect the award, but I knew by the Grace of God the song has gone far, Ghana music award has the connotation of ‘Accra Accra’ so to be recognized from the Western region that your song has caught up with the whole Ghana, it takes God so it really came as a big surprise to me.”

KODA has worked with and for the likes of Danny Nettey, Nii Okai, Pastor Joe Beechem, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Joyful Way Inc, Rita Adjei, Ike Nanor, and Eugene Zuta.

KODA is also the brain behind ‘Guide Me o Jehovah’, ‘Waye Wie’, ‘Poma’, ‘Zion’s Song’ and ‘Amen’.