COME HOME IF YOU MISS ME; KOBBY, FORMERLY OF WUTAH TELLS AFRIYIE

Daniel Morris, popularly known as Kobby, of Wutah fame has advised his former group mate, Kwadwo Osei Afriyie to come home if he misses him.

Afriyie had said in an interview on Joy FM that he misses his former group mate, Kobby after some years of parting ways.

Reacting to the confession in an interview during an interview on Showbiz Today on Hitz FM with Mic Gizo, Kobby urged his former group mate to approach him if he really misses him.

He stressed that he has no issues with Afriyie and therefore if he truly misses him, he can give him a call or perhaps visit him at home.

“He is my brother and I don’t have any problem with him but I believe that if he misses me he would give me a call or probably come home,” he said.

Wutah separated just when they gained prominence on the Ghanaian music scene with several hit songs including 'Kotosa' which enjoyed heavy radio rotations.

After they separated, there have been numerous calls for them to come back together mainly because they haven't really enjoyed major successes working as individuals.

The group hit the limelight when they placed second to Praye during the maiden edition of the Nescafe Africa Revelation music competition in Accra in 2004.

They released their debut album, 'Anamontuo', with songs like 'Adonko', 'Gossy Gander' and 'Big Dreams' which earned them nominations at Ghana Music Awards including the 'Most Popular Song of the Year', 'Album of the Year', and 'Artiste of the Year'.

Their song 'Big Dreams' won the Reggae Song of the Year at the 2006 edition of the Ghana Music Awards.

SONNIE BADU MARRIES IN LONDON

Ghanaian gospel minister Sonnie Badu has finally said “yes I do” today in UK, where he took his fiancee, Ann-Marie Davis to the alter and exchange marital vows.

According to sources the ceremony was officiated by Rev. Dr. Victor Osei of the Family Chapel and Pastor Kingsley Appiagyei of the Trinity Baptist Church.

Some of Africa’s biggest ‘boys’ and ‘men’ attended. Brother of Ghana’s president, Ibrahim Mahama as well as mining magnate, Sam Jonah, attended. 

Check out some photos from the ceremony. 

HI-LIFE MUSICIAN P.K YAMOAH DIES 86

The Musicians Union of Ghana announces with heavy heart, the demise of Veteran musician Peter Kwabena Yamoah aka P.K Yamoah of Serwah Akoto fame.

The 86 year old veteran died yesterday after a short illness at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

P.K Yamoah nurtured many musicians in Ghana and gave Nana Kwame Ampadu his break in the early 60s prior to Nana’s formation of the African Brothers band. P.K Yamoah is also credited with grooming the likes of Agyarku and Smart Nkansah who went on to form the Sunsum Band and Lee Duodu of Bisa Goma and Akoote Brofo fame.

P.K Yamoah who was based in Kumasi after an initial sojourn in Accra is one of the most influential musicians whose imprint on the Ghanaian music scene was widely recognized.

In 2008 as part of the ninth edition of the MTN Ghana Music Awards, Yamoah was celebrated with a Certificate of Merit for his immense contribution to the Ghanaian music scene.

Yamoah’s repertoire of hits included songs like Fa Asem Kye, Onantefo and Obido Me, Sika Mpe Rough and Nya Asem Hwe.

In a statement, MUSIGA President Bice Osei Kuffour noted that PK Yamoah who was a member and a beneficiary of the Unions Ageing Musician Welfare Fund (AMWEF) was a real pillar of the music industry and very supportive of the Union. He is survived by four children.

DIANA ANTWI HAMILTON WINS "FEMALE ARTISTE OF THE YEAR" AT AFRICA GOSPEL MUSIC AWARDS 2014

Ghanaian international gospel songstress Diana Antwi Hamilton was awarded the Female Artiste of the Year, the highest accolade for a female artiste at the prestigious Africa Gospel Music Awards (AGMA) of 2014.

The awards ceremony which celebrates achievements in the gospel music sector is in its fifth year and was held at the plush Fairfield Halls in Croydon, London on Sunday the 24th of August 2014.

A spokesperson from Diana's Management says this came as a shock to her as it was announced just before she went on stage to perform one of her hit singles, "Papa Reigns".

The artiste whose career is certainly on the rise recently had a successful USA tour and held a massive concert dubbed 'The Experience with Diana Hamilton' in London in May.

GHANA ACTORS GUILD WARN UTV...

The most-viewed television station in the country at the moment, United Television (UTV) attracted nationwide interest via the showing of some popular telenovelas including the ever-famous ‘Maricruz'.

The station has for time now been promoting a new local series, ‘Abrabo,’ which is yet to start showing and features the likes of Kumawood stalwarts like Lil Win, Akrobeto, Kwaku Manu and a host of others.

In an interesting twist, 'Razz Newspaper' has intercepted a strong-worded letter written by the Ashanti Branch of the Ghana Actors Guild to the management of UTV, asking them to withdraw the showing of the commercial and the airing of the local series.

According to the letter signed by the Chairman of the Ashanti Branch, Bill Asamoah; members of the Guild who featured in the series - Kwasi Boadi (Akrobeto), Kwadwo Nkansah (Lil’Win) and Kwaku Manu amongst others, are protesting vehemently against the showing of the series on UTV because the production house responsible for the series, "Nakwadus" Productions did not shoot any series with the said actors but took fragments of already shot movies produced over the years and pieced them together to coin the series, ‘Abrabo’.

In the letter, the Guild stated that the producer in his dealings with the actors did not disclose to them the movies being shot will be out as series in future. It went on to state that, there was no contractual agreement between the actors and the producer to turn the movies into television series.

In one of the quotations in the letter to UTV, the Guild stated; “Failure on your part to adhere to this objection would only lead to us together with the aggrieved persons heading to the law courts for the laws of the land to take its course.”

In their response, a reliable source from UTV did confirm their receipt of the letter from the Ashanti Branch of the Ghana Actors Guild. According to the source, management of the station were in the process of drafting a response to the letter and revealed that the station respects the position of the Guild but rejects their plea to stop the running of the commercial and the impending airing of the series.

The station said it contracted 'Nakwadus Productions' to produce a local series for screening on the station and has already invested in the production and also have a contract with the production house to that effect. It also stated that, it has no contractual obligations with the actors; therefore, if the aggrieved actors have any concerns, they should deal with 'Nakwadus Productions'.

"The station at the appropriate time will air the series as being advertized," the source added.

I'VE MOVED ON - SAYS JULIET IBRAHIM'S EX-HUSBAND

Ever since their June 2014 divorce, Juliet Ibrahim’s ex-husband has had nothing to say to the media about his ex-wife and their decision to split until now.

“There are always fairytales with relationships, and when it ends, reality kicks in,” said young business mogul Kwadwo Safo Junior in an interview with Starrfmonline.com.

News of the divorce made a lot of waves in both the Ghanaian and Nigerian media and even though the actress has had a word or two to say, Kwadwo has been very quiet on the matter.

“With the divorce issue, I feel normal. I’m still cool with my ex-wife. Truth is we need to talk. Come-on we have a baby together so we have to be in touch with each other. We are very good friends and there wasn’t any heartbreak,” he said.

The two always came across as the most beautiful and united couple but Juliet is quoted to have said they agreed on a separation because of “irreconcilable differences.” Kwadwo described it as “reality check from the fairytale…our separation was mutual.”

“I have moved on,” he noted. “I am not really interested in the personal stuff now. I am concentrating on making money, a name and the power that it comes with so I immerse myself in my work. “The least chance I get I sleep instead of feeling sorry: I sleep or speak to my father about our businesses.” "I want to become like my father and nothing can delay my dreams.

“…I see the things that he has done and I feel if he didn’t get the foundation, exposure and opportunities he has given me, yet he has been able to reach where he is now, I am supposed to go higher than he is.”

'Celebrity gossip' seems to suggest Juliet Ibrahim has also moved on as she is now dating up-and-coming Nigerian model/actor/ex-boyfriend, Bryan Okwara.

BIG BROTHER AFRICA PRODUCERS DISRESPECTED GHANA...THEY'VE LIED TO US - KOO FORI

Ghanaian Comedian, Actor and Radio Presenter Seth Karikari known in public life as Koo Fori has slammed Endemol, Producers of the continent’s biggest Television reality show, Big Brother Africa, accusing them of subtly trying to impose their own choice of housemates to represent Ghana at this year's contest.

For the first time in the history of Big Brother Africa, all four finalists chosen at auditions held in Ghana (Holiday Inn Hotel) on 5 and 6 July 2014, to represent the West African nation, have been disqualified; and entirely new auditions have been reportedly held in South Africa for Ghanaian nationals living in South Africa.

According to a press statement from producers of the show:
“The candidates applied for visas to travel to South Africa for the final stage of auditioning but unfortunately, their visas were not able to be processed and issued in time. The SA Home Affairs now requires all applicants to submit their own applications personally and the visa process takes a minimum of ten working days.

The South African High Commission in Ghana was following the necessary processes but unfortunately there were delays in producing additional documentations such as bank statements, which meant that Endemol had to take the necessary measures to ensure Ghana is represented in BBA 9 and does not miss out of the show.

The production company had no option but to find alternative Ghanaian candidates to audition in South Africa, as they could not hold up the processes that lead up to the show”.

But Koo Fori believes this is just a well calculated ploy to impose their own choice of housemates as Ghana’s representative.

“This is not reasonable, I don’t see it as a reasonable excuse. If they knew about the new SA Visa application process and they knew that you need 10 working days to process the visa, what were they waiting for?” he quizzed in an exclusive interview with Peacefmonline.com.

According to him, had it not been for the media's exposé about another audition in SA regarding Season 9 of Big Brother Africa, Endemol would have quietly gone about it without informing the Ghanaian representatives who auditioned in Accra that they have been somewhat disqualified.

He described the action by the producers of the show and Multi-Choice Ghana, local partners of the event as an insult to the intelligence of Ghanaians, and wondered why virtually everyone in the entertainment appears unconcern about the gross disrespect and raw deal meted out to the country.

Koo Fori strongly held the view that Endemol is being economical with the truth and believed “there is more to it than what they stated in the press release”.

“With the kind of reasons they gave in their press statement, they are just throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians. I think it is just a flimsy excuse they are giving us and it is not going down well with us at all and I can’t believe nobody is saying anything,” he added.

He questioned why the issues concerning the acquisition of visas affected only Ghana out of the 14 participating countries whose representatives auditioned in their respective countries. He further wondered how the producers who are based in South Africa, and have been in the business of organizing the reality show for almost a decade now, could not be aware of the changes in SA visa processing requirements on time enough for them to find a proper solution to the problem.

“I think they have not been fair to all Ghanaians and Africans as a whole because if you are producing such a competition you need to make sure you are on top of your game in everything.”

Koo Fori, who claims to have religiously followed the Big Brother Africa reality show since its inception (Season 1) till date, told Peacefmonline.com that BBA producers “Should also see us as very important because we contribute a lot in the sense that if they bring Ghanaians who live in South Africa to participate, the question is do Ghanaians know these people and how can they (The producers) prove to Ghanaians that they are indeed nationals from this country and not some foreigners posing as Ghanaians?”

He also sounded surprised at the loud silence of government institutions, particularly the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, over this blatant show of disrespect, considering that the show is expected to begin on September 7 2014; a little over a week from now.

“Because whether we like it or not, these people are going to represent the whole Ghana and they are going to use our national flag and the image of our beloved country on continental television,” he pointed out.

The Big Brother Africa season 9 “Hotshots” kicks off on 7 September at 19:00 CAT and runs 24/7 on DStv channels 197 and 198, with the best of the live highlights shown on GOtv.