Ghana Has Things To Learn From Nigerian Music Industry – Ghanaian Reggae Stars Speak

Jahbeloved, Topgyal Renner, and Knil Lante, three popular Ghanaian reggae artists, have attributed Nigerian Afrobeats music's success to better funding, unlike what is applicable in Ghana. 

The musicians, who spoke with Rudolf Okonkwo in an exclusive interview on 90MinutesAfrica on Sunday, shared their thoughts on sundry issues ranging from the forthcoming presidential election in Ghana, political developments, and culture to the music industry.

"The success of Afrobeats is the success of Nigerian artists," Knil Lante declared, giving full credit to Nigerian musical stars for the international acclaim that the music genre currently enjoys. 

He further attributed the growth of the sector in Nigeria to easy access to funding for the artists, which is different in his country. 

"I think there is something about the financing of music in Nigeria," Lante said. "Here in Ghana, the business community either does not understand how big music is now or they have no interest. So a lot of Ghanaian musicians struggle to finance themselves."

Lante, who is also a medical practitioner, said he has been financing his music from his income as a medical doctor, but that is now taking a toll since his family needs have grown. 

He advised on a need to "develop a system that can finance music or to make businessmen have more interest in the music that we do." 

Also commenting on the music industry in Ghana and Nigeria, the female artist among the trio, Topgyal Renner, said that Nigerian artists are more successful because "Nigerians have a way of putting music on the agenda" and that "Ghanaians also have to take up that love for their music." 

She said the West African country has beautiful musical talents but only needs to develop systems to support them to excel.

The trio agreed that the two countries have much in common, including their food and languages. They also acknowledged the rivalry that exists and said healthy competition is good for the development of both countries. 

"The exchange between Ghana and Nigeria is two-way," Jahbeloved said. "I can tell you that Ghana invented the highlife music before Nigeria took it on and made the world see it. Ghana also has other things that Nigeria has taken on. However, it also flows the other way, too," he said.

"The people that came back from Nigeria during the mass exodus of 1983 returned with a litany of Nigerian vocabularies that have found their way into Ghanaian languages today," Jahbeloved said. 

"Also because of Nollywood, we hear Ghanaians use the word 'chai' which is similar to our own 'kai,'" he continued. 

"I even suspect that the popular Ghanaian word 'chale' actually came from the Nigerian word 'jare.' The people of both countries are very similar. But I like the healthy competition between us."

They call on politicians in both countries to ensure good governance. They also used the medium to advocate for a peaceful conduct of the upcoming presidential election in Ghana.