A heated debate has erupted in the music world as Nana Poku Ashis, the manager of renowned Ghanaian musician Kwabena Kwabena, has emphatically declared that highlife music is solely a Ghanaian creation, urging Nigerians to cease any claims of ownership.
During a recent appearance on Onua FM‘s Onua Showbiz with Nana Kwame Gyan, Ashis stated, “Nigerians should relax. Highlife is only from Ghana. It’s never true that they brought highlife music, and they can never mention it anywhere.”
He further emphasized that while Nigerians popularized Afrobeat, their contribution to Highlife is non-existent.
Ashis’s statement drew on the historical narrative of Highlife’s origin, citing the work of Professor John Collins, a renowned historian and expert on Highlife music.
According to Prof Collins, Highlife emerged in Cape Coast, Ghana, as Ghanaian musicians, having learned guitar playing from their colonial masters, infused their own musical traditions into the instrument.
This blend of styles, further influenced by South American music, eventually evolved into the distinct genre known as Highlife.
“Ghanaians learnt how the guitar was played by their colonial masters and started playing it for them. It went on to wherever palm wine was being sold, which brought so many people to listen,” explained Ashis, referencing Collins’ research.
“The rhythm became a timer, and that’s how we had legends like ET Mensah and others. There was nothing like Nigerian highlife musicians then.”
Ashis further highlighted the diverse forms of Highlife music, including Onyina, Kwaw, Sakyi, and even the Ewe’s Kpaologo, further solidifying his claim that the genre is a uniquely Ghanaian art form.
“Highlife has various types,” Ashis asserted.
“The Nigerians should step back because Highlife music is never theirs.”
This statement has ignited a passionate discussion on social media, with many Ghanaians expressing their support for Ashis’s stance, while some Nigerians have defended their contributions to the genre.
The debate over the origin of Highlife music is likely to continue, but one thing is clear: Nana Poku Ashis’s strong statement has brought the issue to the forefront, igniting a necessary conversation about the cultural heritage and influence of Highlife music.
By Vanessa Eshun
