The feud between broadcaster Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD) and highlife musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley gets murkier as they keep slinging invective at each other. 

Kofi Okyere Darko in a recent post on Facebook has written a epistle titled ‘My Final Words to Ambolley’ chronicling his contribution to the highlife genre, his support to Ambolley’s career and the music industry at large. 

“Lee won’t sit on the VGMA Board (in & out for over 20 years) & allow Hilife to die when he’s played, produced & managed some of the best hilife songs & artistes for almost 30 years.

Celebrated Hilife musicians like Amandzeba, Bessa Simons, Okraku Mante, Andy Dosty, Diana Hopeson, Kiki Banson & many great music talents & proponents won’t sit/allow VGMA to be a curse to Hilife when they sit on the Board. 

It will take only an ungrateful artiste to ever suggest VGMA is a curse to Hilife,” he wrote.

Describing Ambolley as a “charlatan", KOD also recounted how he helped Ambolley to secure a Glo ambassadorial deal.

“Lee, the small boy supported him for almost 30 years of his career & made sure he was not left out when he facilitated the legends Glo signed up when they came to GH (he shouldn’t forget his insincerity with how he handled himself in that space). I always knew this day would come somehow… That’s how I know him; a charlatan,” KOD further stated.

He then intimated that old age is not synonymous with wisdom.

“Wisdom is not a preserve of old age & grey hair. There are older men in communities/families but children often rise to lead,” Nineteen57 boss added. 

Ambolley’s jab at KOD 

This comes after Ambolley said on Showtym with Andy Dosty on Adom TV that KOD was shallow-minded for berating him regarding his comment on the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards as being a curse to highlife. 

“I see Okyere Darko as a child. He is shallow minded, the reason why he said those things,” he said on Adom TV.

He also mentioned in the interview that he had toured the world with his music and that KOD, also a fashion designer could not do same with his clothing.

“I am going on an European tour in May next year. My music, Gyedu Blay Ambollley’s music and in June, I will be back on tour. So when he sits and talks, can he take his clothes on tour as a designer like the way I’m going on tour with my music?

“Can he take his DJing on tour like the way I am going on tour with my music? If these people talk, you know they are shallow minds,” Ambolley noted.

How it all started

Ambolley in an interview with Graphic Showbiz said that the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) has vitiated the highlife music genre. 

He said giving the topmost awards to artistes in other music genres in the VGMA has affected the fortunes of highlife. 

He also raised concerns the quality of artistes nominated in the Best Highlife Artiste of the Year category of the awards. 

“It is unfortunate that people think when you sing in Twi or Fante over a Dancehall or Reggae beats it automatically makes it Highlife music. That is not true but it has become the norm over the years because these are the kinds of music VGMA rewards.”

“Today, if anyone wants to have an idea of what Ghana represents in terms of music, I bet the person will not count any Highlife artiste since all the perceived big acts currently are not doing Highlife.”

“We have buried our own and pursuing Dancehall music and the likes and interestingly, the VGMA has been promoting the agenda by rewarding such artistes with the topmost prizes,” he said.

KOD’s initial reaction 

In his reaction, KOD described Ambolley’s assertion as “nonsense.”

He intimated that the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards has contributed greatly to the Ghanaian music industry.

“Which awards scheme has projected our music industry like VGMA since independence? How many have projected our musicians beyond GH. How many have consistently done more than 10 years?” he wrote on his Facebook timeline. 

He said Ambolley should rather lay the blame on radio stations.

“When was the last time he released an album? He should be blaming some of the radio stations who don’t even play our music. 

When was the last time or how often do you hear highlife on radio? VGMA cause am?,” added. 

Read full post of KOD’s final words to Ambolley  below: 

“Lee won’t sit on the VGMA Board (in & out for over 20 years) & allow Hilife to die when he’s played, produced & managed some of the best hilife songs & artistes for almost 30 years.

Celebrated Hilife musicians like Amandzeba, Bessa Simons, Okraku Mante, Andy Dosty, Diana Hopeson, Kiki Banson & many great music talents & proponents won’t sit/allow VGMA to be a curse to Hilife when they sit on the Board. 

It will take only an ungrateful artiste to ever suggest VGMA is a curse to Hilife. 

I typically wouldn’t have commented when Ambolley said “the VGMA is a curse to Hilife music” but I realised he’s done loads of lose talks in the last couple years, especially against his own colleagues and to people who should look up to him. Choosing to make that comment in public, I decided to respond as a prominent person who’s been part of the VGMA & the Board for over 20 years. 

Ambolley’s made vitriolic attacks on StoneBwoy, Daddy Lumba & many of his colleagues these last few years. What’s wrong with him?

Every creative has the responsibility to evolve over time, else they go stale.

At a legendary status, one earns his place in their chosen field of endeavour, & should not make mediocre statements against his colleagues filled with malice & reckless baloney. That’s not the place of an icon.

I know it’s hard to learn to be left handed in one’s old age but I guess Ambolley could learn from the late great Paapa Yankson, Joe Mensah, CK Mann, AB Crentsil & the celebrated Pat Thomas. True men with noble characters who remember those who look(ed) out for them… 

Lee, the small boy supported him for almost 30 years of his career & made sure he was not left out when he facilitated the legends Glo signed up when they came to GH (he shouldn’t forget his insincerity with how he handled himself in that space). I always knew this day would come somehow… That’s how I know him; a charlatan.

Wisdom is not a preserve of old age & grey hair. There are older men in communities/families but children often rise to lead.

These are my last words to the great Ambolley, our last from the good old Western stock. 

I still love his music

Amen.”