Music should address societal needs - Asantehene

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has paid glowing tribute to Church Singing Bands for the tremendous contribution to the growth of Christianity, especially in the area of evangelism.

He said they had helped to transform the lives of many people for the better and urged them to continue to work hard to make their songs highlight the evils and other social challenges in society.

The Asantehene said this in a an address read for him by Oheneba Adusei Poku, Akyempimhene, at a Thanksgiving Service to climax the 52nd National Convention of the Singing Bands Union of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Kumasi.

"Empowered by the Holy Spirit," was the theme for the four-day event which attracted about 6,000 delegates. Otumfuo Osei Tutu noted that the "Union, since its establishment in 1956, had helped to give hope to the hopeless and inspiration to the depressed and oppressed through its motivational lyrics."

He said it was high time the leadership of the church strengthened the union and gave them every necessary support to achieve its set objectives.

The Asantehene said music by its nature was a universal language, and it was therefore incumbent on musicians to aspire for excellence in their work for the benefit of the nation.

The Reverend Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, Chairperson of the Asante Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church, emphasized that the Christian home was the foundation for building a better community.

Parents should therefore make conscious efforts to train their children by inculcating in them Christian principles to grow into responsible adults.

Mr Seth Adu Antwi, National President of the Union, decried the growing profanity in the local music industry and called on stakeholders to help restore some level of sanity by impressing upon musicians to always compose positive songs to shape the lives of the people.