GHANAIANS KNEW THAT ‘TONGA’ WAS OKAY TO WIN ME AN AWARD - JOEY B

The nomination of Joey B’s Tonga set tongues wagging since his song is perceived as being sexually explicit and the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) did not encourage songs with risque music.

But Joey B has always insisted Tonga is not profane and he currently besides himself with joy that the song has earned him New Artiste of the Year at the VGMA hosted at the Accra International Conference Centre last Saturday.

Joey B told Showbiz in an interview yesterday, Sunday May 4 that he was not surprised Tonga won him New Artiste of the Year because he worked hard for it.

“When I was announced winner of New Artiste of the Year, I was not surprised because Ghanaians knew I deserved it. I am not saying the other artistes who were nominated were not up to the task but Ghanaians know I did a great job during the year under review and therefore deserved the award” Joey B said.

According to Joey B, when he was mentioned as the winner, he heard someone say he deserved it and that made him feel he has worked hard. “What people forget is that the song is good and has good lyrics contrary to what people think.”

To Joey B, winning the award will make him work harder to win more awards in subsequent years.

IT’S SAD TO LOSE ANOTHER GREAT SON OF OUR LAND - KOJO ANTWI

Ghana’s music maestro, Kojo Antwi is devastated following the loss of his friend and designer Kofi Ansah on Saturday morning.

In a brief interview with Suncity Radio in Sunyani, Kojo Antwi who was virtually in tears expressed his sadness at the loss of a friend and someone he has known for many years.

“Kofi was such a great guy, a very wonderful human being, and it’s hard to understand why most of the great guys in Ghana are dying so young…My sympathies to his family, it’s such a great loss” he told Suncity Radio.

Kofi Ansah, Ghana’s finest fashion designer passed away on Saturday after being rushed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and it is still unclear what the cause of death is.

LADY WHO PICKED UP SHATTA WALE’S AWARDS WAS MUSIGA SPECIAL GUEST - MUSIGA

It has come to the notice of the MUSICIANS UNION OF GHANA of news making rounds that Shatta Wale’s awards are missing.

We wish to state that all the three awards are with MUSIGA and not missing as reported.

Shatta Wale who is a member of Musiga, asked the President of Musiga to pick any award he may win on the night on his behalf since he was not going to be able to attend the event.

The lady who received Shatta Wale’s awards on the night was a special guest of Musiga who is also a big fan of Shatta Wale and the Shatta Movement.

She is a very respectable and honourable person and we wish to apologize for any harm caused to her as a result of the publication.

Arrangements have been for Shatta Wale to pick his 3 awards from the Union (Musiga).

Musicians Union of Ghana

Communications Team

I DESERVE MORE THAN ONE AWARD - JOYCE BLESSING

One artiste who is disappointed with the just ended Vodafone Ghana Music Awards is the gospel songstress Joyce Blessing the "Monipini Moakyi" hit maker.

Joyce Blessing, who had about six nominations in the awards, had hopes of winning not less than three awards on the night but that didn't happen. The only award she won was the Gospel Album of the Year which was presented to her at the Industry Awards a week to the main event.

Speaking to the management of Joyce Blessing Mr. Kwasi Ernest the C.E.O of Media Excel re-echoed his artiste's sentiments to Flex, that awards at the VGMA were shared to winners so not to get many musicians offended.

“It is just like a mother who has too many children and is making sure everybody is happy. The credibility of the Ghana Music Awards keeps going down as the year goes by. After they had denied OJ of the Song Writer of the year award, they had no option than to share the awards among O.J and Joyce Blessing,” he said.

“We were hopeful that our artiste Joyce Blessing would win not less than three awards on the night but we were denied for no reason. Our artiste Joyce was supposed to have won the Gospel Album of the Year and the Gospel Song of the year because she had no contender with these two categories including the Female Vocal Performer of the Year award. Ghana needs to sit down and do things right for our next generation to emulate,” Kwasi Ernest added.

On the other hand Joyce Blessing was grateful to her fans for their support. She said she would continue to churn out good songs for her fans.

She said a very big thank you to her management, Media Excel, her lovely husband Dave Joy and the media who have pushed her to the top ever since she appeared on the music scene.

RENOWNED FILM PRODUCER, KWAW ANSAH BACKS FIPAG FOR GHANA FILM AWARDS

Renowned Ghanaian film producer, director and CEO for TV Africa, Mr. Kwaw Ansah has lauded plans by executives of the Film Producers’ Association of Ghana (FIPAG) to roll out its maiden edition of the Ghana Film Awards.

Mr. Kwaw Ansah who did not hide his excitement at the news applauded FIPAG and asked them go all out for it as he believed it was long overdue. Speaking at the educational workshop organized by FIPAG for its members in Kumasi, Mr. Ansah stated the film industry had been taken for granted allowing people with virtually no idea make money out of organizing their own awards and honouring undeserving people.

“Yes, we know what they have been doing. I live with them in Accra, they organize the awards and give it to their own circle of friends and that is not what we want.”

He however advised the executives of FIPAG to put the right plans in place and do it right. He also asked them to seek for his advice any time they deemed it fit.

Recently, the impasse between the Film Producers’ Association of Ghana (FIPAG) and the organizers of the Ghana Movie Awards for what the former believes is an untrusted awards scheme seems to have grown as the former believes the latter does not recognize the good works of all but a selected few based in the national capital, Accra.

FIPAG has as a result asked its members to disassociate itself from the Ghana Movie Awards organized by Fred Nuamah.

According to FIPAG, the Ghana Film Awards will encompass all sectors of the movie industry as they believed that would help build a better industry.

The maiden edition of the awards is scheduled for 2015.

SONNIE BADU EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO FANS

International Gospel Singer Minister Sonnie Badu has expressed appreciation to Ghanaians, his management and his fans for voting for him to win the Gospel Artiste and Male vocal performance award at last Saturday’s Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.

According to him all the nominees in the various categories are winners and deserved to win, hence he is grateful for being the ultimate winner. Expressing shock at winning the two awards, the “Worshipper” explained that with the many negative stories surrounding his nomination through to the night of the awards, he least expected to emerge the winner.

Sonnie, who is also known as the “General” on the night, dedicated his second award- the Male Vocal Performance award to his fellow musicians who live outside Ghana. He disclosed that it is tough to make a mark outside your homeland, but was grateful things turned around for good in his favour.

Sonnie who left the shores of Ghana on Sunday in an interview disclosed “I am thankful to God, to my fans and my management led by Mrs. Selassie Ibrahim and the entire Smartty’s production and Management team. This is my third award here in Ghana. The first from MUSIGA and the two from the VGMAs. I am grateful to God and to my fans. We did this together Team Sonnie Badu”.

Speaking on his performance at the VGMA’s the “Worshipper” expressed appreciation to his fans on social media for commending him on his impressive performances at the VGMA. According to him, he accepted to perform at the awards night because this would be his last performance in Ghana for year 2014.

“This gig is my last performance for my fans this year and I only prayed to God to help me do my best. I am thankful to God that my ministration impacted the lives of people on the night”.

Sonnie also extended his condolences to the Fashion Industry in Ghana and to the family of the late Kofi Ansah, saying that Ghana has lost a father, a support for the fashion Industry and a true gem.

Meanwhile, Minister Sonnie Badu who left Ghana on Sunday has apologized to his fans saying he had to leave early to prepare for his “Teach me How to Worship Conference” in New Jersey, New York and Baltimore, Maryland respectively. The conference would start on 8 May though to 2 August 2014.

The conference would highlight on how to worship and would also draw many souls to Christ.

Sonnie Badu picked two awards at the just ended VGMAs: the Gospel artiste of the year and the Male Vocal performance of the year award with his “Wonder God” song on the Aroma of Worship album.

AGYA KOO’S EX-WIFE STARS IN NEW MOVIE

Virtually a month after Ghanaian actor Kofi Adu otherwise known as openly stated on Kumasi based Angel Fm that his wife was selling on the streets of Accra after she allowed herself to be used by some producers as a coy to bring his career to a halt, the ex-wife Victoria Darko (aka Akua Vic) is said to have starred in a new movie titled, ‘Agya Awiey3’.

The title of the movie sounded a bit cynical and seemed to revolve around Agya Koo but an interview with the producer of the movie Jones Agyemang proved otherwise as he disclosed the movie had nothing to do with the ace actor Agya Koo.

Answering questions as to why the choice of Agya Koo’s wife as a major character in such a movie that seemed to revolve around Agya Koo, the producer refused to comment on it and stated Mrs Victoria Darko (Agya Koo’s wife) had always nurtured the dream of acting and wouldn’t mind casting her for any movie.

He further stated the movie was a reflection of the many challenges a lot of people had to go through, struggling to find a strong footing and how they end up losing due to lack of diligence.

In a separate interview with Agya Koo’s ex-wife, Mrs. Victoria Darko to find out if she indeed starred in the said, she disclosed to www.nydjlive.com that she would not fall cheap to act in a movie that will cast a slur on the ex-husband although they had their issues.

“Why do people think the movie is about Agya Koo? I just don’t get it. All I can say is the movie is not about Agya Koo because I wouldn’t fall cheap for such a thing even though we are no more together.” Also reacting to news of on the streets of Accra, Mrs. Victoria Darko explained she was not selling and that she was living a good life as she had started her acting career.

Some few months ago, Agya Koo interview indicated that, though he had no regrets marrying Akua Vic, he will find it difficult to reconcile with her now. “I will die if I take her back - wadwuma besei die, anka woyere nwu” the Popular Actor/Musician noted, to wit, it is better to lose your wife than to lose your job.