Why Osei Kwame Despite, Ibrahim Mahama, Kofi Anokye and co not as rich as Dangote
How many billionaires do we have in Ghana? Why don't we have as many as Nigeria?
Why don't we have as many top footballers as Nigeria?
Why don't we have a thriving movie industry as Nigeria?
Why don't we have as many top level movies stars as Nigeria?
We make these argument in a vacuum, with zero consideration of the role of economic factors.
The investment behind Nigerian Creatives are way more than the investment behind us.
As a country, we have failed to raise people to have enough resources to champion the growth of certain sectors. Even when we have our set of super rich emerging, we find a way to bring them down.
When we are done doing all these, then we ignorantly blame musicians for not making it the extent to which those with proper structures and support do.
Again, we live in a country where people take great delight in saying, as for me, I don't like Ghanaian movies, I prefer Nollywood, I don't like Ghanaian music, I prefer Naija and hip-hop.
Ghanaians are the only people in the world who travel outside today and lose their Ghanaian accent the next day. Some even lose it after visiting an airport or hosting foreign nationals.
How can such a people so easily foreignized propelled an industry like Music?
Sarkodie, Shata Wale and Stonebwoy have come far doing it all by themselves, the Nigerians have done it with real support.
To compare the two is the height of ignorance. Unfortunately, these comparisons start from our so called entertainment expert, people who have tried and failed as event organises, artists managers, songwriters and what have.
When a Nigerian travels outside is Nigeria, they go with their identity, it is difficult to find a Nigerian with a locally acquire foreign accent or a Nigerian scholar who doesn't sound Nigerian, same can not be said of us Ghanaians.
To go international, you have to start with your people abroad, they'd introduce you to the whites for thm to apprecaite you. A Nigerian in UK is likely to do that more than a Ghanaian in UK.
This is because the Nigerian in UK tries hard to remain a Nigerian whereas the Ghanaian in the UK seeks acceptance in a chameleon-like manner by turning their skin to reflect the new environment.
This is why we are loved more outside than Nigeria but sell less outside compared to Nigerians. This is why I find it misplaced when someone like Shata Wale who's historical vain search for international recognition is very well documented engages in the wrong conversation. Not surprising though, for Shata, anything for clout is ok.
The thing i's about funding and culture, it's hardly about the individual artists.
Music cannot be the odd one out for us, everything must work in unison for us to make such strides.
