VGMA should award Elder Mireku this year

When I heard that Paapa Yankson had passed away last year, what I said to myself was: “ei, so this man would have gone without being honoured had the organisers of the VGMA chosen another person?”

Paapa Yankson passed away few months after he had been honoured at the 2017 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is a category in the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) which honours veteran musicians who have paid their dues in the music industry. The winner is chosen in consultation with the Musicians Union of Ghana.

Ace highlife artiste, Nana Kwame Ampadu, Ebo Taylor and a number of great aged musicians have picked up this award before. All of these musicians cannot be awarded at the same time but honestly, some deserve to have been awarded long ago.

This year, I suggest to the organisers of VGMA to give that award to Elder Emmanuel Kwasi Mireku. Mind you, I am not in any way implying, per my preamble, that the gospel giant would be dying soon. However, I think Elder Mireku winning the VGMA Lifetime Achievement Award is long overdue.

In times past, arts writers Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo, Osarfo Anthony and other entertainment critics had also mooted that Elder Mireku be given honourary award by the VGMA or the Legends &Legacy Ball. But it appears all the talk did not yield any results.

Elder Mireku, who has been in the gospel music ministry for the past 40 years with more than 40 volumes (albums) of songs, has contributed immensely to the gospel music industry.

His songs are sang in almost every church in Ghana – most of which have been sampled by other artistes without permission. Elder Mireku has influenced musicians like Kwaku Gyasi, Frank Asomadu and many others. Their style of singing clearly tells they took inspiration from Elder Mireku.

The Pentecost Elder by all standards is a legend that needs to be celebrated now! Gospel musicians also deserve to win Lifetime Achievement award.

He has songs such as ‘Aduru Wo So,’ ‘Adom Aye Wonsa Ma,’ ‘Maranatha’ and ‘Wose Ayeyi.