Tikese Bemoans Lack Of Talent In Today’s Gospel Music

A lot of reasons have been assigned for why the Gospel music industry does not seem to be as vibrant as it used to be. While some stakeholders have claimed that disunity is to blame, others think it is an industry problem.

However, Ghana’s outspoken radio personality, Kwame Nkrumah Tikese, host of the Ade Akye Abia Morning Show on Okay FM, believes the problem is the deficiency of talent. According to him, the industry is going down because Gospel musicians have lost the glory of God in their work. 

To the veteran broadcaster, lyrics are hurriedly put together without musicians paying attention to how to get the message of God across.

”When I listen to current gospel musicians, I get angry. They are not doing anything meaningful. I’m about to embark on a demonstration concerning the level of songs they churn out to the public. There is lack of talent, they don’t also know what is appropriate for them, in terms of lyrics and arrangement. They just do anything for the public”, he said in an interview on the ‘Best Entertainment Show’, hosted by Halifax Ansah-Addo. 

According to him, even though gospel musicians had a powerful tool to change the lives of many people in society, most of them are rather concerned with making money.

He recalled the days of the ‘Daughters of Glorious Jesus’, ‘Tagoe Sisters’, ‘Mary Ghansah’ and the rest, saying: “that is not the case lately”.

He was, however, quick to admit that there are still some very good gospel musicians around who are doing marvelously well.

“All is not lost because I believe there are a good number of gospel musicians who are doing great. I believe Ghanaian gospel has a bright future with the likes of Ohemaa Mercy, Joe Mettle among others.” he added.

And just in case one is wondering as to how he had managed to stay relevant for all these years in the journalism space, when many of his younger compatriots had fallen by the wayside, his answer is simply HUMILITY.

“If you are not humble, no one will want to work with you. Humility has always been my hallmark. My father always told me to be humble and the advice he gave me about 40 years ago has brought me where I am now,” he said, adding that although some interviewers can be ‘annoying’ sometimes, he was still able to work with everyone without problems.

Over the last twenty years, Tikese has been relevant in the media space, as a reporter, a news anchor, a presenter and a management member. He started in Kumasi with Otec FM as a part-time presenter, later moved to Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), then to Fox FM, Kess Radio, Hello FM (a subsidiary of the Despite Media Group), and finally to Okay FM.

Kwame Nkrumah Tikese was born to Madam Adwoa Addai of Asante Agona and Mampong, alongside nine other siblings.

He started his basic education at New Tafo LA, Kumasi Kofrom and Wesley Demonstration. He pursued to Osei Kyeretwie Secondary (Okess), then to Kumasi Technical University for a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Marketing, before obtaining a Post Graduate degree and MBA at the Australia Institute of Business.

Speaking on his achievement, Nkrumah Tikese told Peacefmonline that there was no age limit for studying and that he would pursue other courses, if he had the opportunity. 

He has won several awards to his credit over the period, including the Radio Morning Show Host of the Year at the just-ended 2019 edition of Radio and Television Awards.