Akosua Agyapong’s incomplete 20th anniversary

The celebration of her 20 years as a singer will go down in history books as the biggest music anniversary ever celebrated by a solo female singer in Ghana, but an incomplete one.

The well publicized and carefully packed ‘Akosua Agyapong @ 20’ was brought to an abrupt end at the Accra International Conference Centre because of power out.The show started at about 7:30pm after the Red Carpet session in the lobby. The night described as the “Highlife revival night”, brought back memories of great highlife tunes.

The Wind Afrique Band set the ball rolling. Then Police officer turned gospel musician DSP Kofi Sarpong set the audience dancing to his “Ayeyi Dwom”. Kofi Bentsil treated crowd to an unadulterated highlife from the West, as the “Ayefe notes” singer king David gave us the feel of highlife songs in Ga.

Bessa Simons’ keyboard playing skills saw the whole house clapping as he performed his “Belembe” song. Amarh Rino made some everybody was on his feet dancing to “Maria” and “Ozim zim” before he left the stage. Twin gospel singers Tagoe Sisters changed the whole atmosphere in the room as the excited audience screamed and sing along any song they raised. Sexy singer Becca, Stephanie Benson, Asabea Cropper and Kente Man then took turn on stage to entertain the crowd.

“Moses”- man A.B Crentsil, and highlife rapper Gyedu Blay Ambolley put the audience in the right mood to the star of the night Akosua Agyapong. A short documentary on Akosua was projected with countless people including his pastor- husband and kids giving testimonies of her. Ever beautiful Akosua Agyepong finally came on stage at about 11:15, dressed in all white assisted by eight dancers. Akosua who was supposed to appear four different times on stage, performed only twice.

She first performed her gospel songs (what she calls good news music) and later came to sing “Frema” and other popular songs. Her 15 tracks album titled “It’s My Time”, was auctioned and launched by ace Akuapim radio presenter Odiefour, after which the unexpected power cut happened, to bring a well coordinated show to a premature end.

Rex Omar was introduced to perform and later invite his partner to perform together as NAKOREX, but this could not materialize as the light went off whiles Rex was performing at about 1:10am. The audiences endured and waited in the dark and very warm for about 5minutes, before the lights came back on. After everything was set, Rex Omar was called back on stage but he couldn’t even complete his first statement when the lights went off again but this time the light never came back on.

The audience who were then at the peak of a show left the hall even before Mrs David Donto and Ekuba Quamine of GTV came on stage to apologise to the few people left in the auditorium and officially ended the show. Other parts of the program like the presentation of awards to some selected highlife legends, cutting off the anniversary cake, performance by NAKOREX, Akosua Agyapong’s final performance, vote of thanks, closing prayer and the taking pictures and autograph could not happen because of the power failure.

Though it was not the fault of Akosua Agyapong or the organizers to that programme in this manner, it obvious her fans who paid GH¢20 to come and watch her perform, went home dissatisfied. That notwithstanding, the show was generally a great show. The event was powered by Media Excel.