Is A-Plus a musician or politician?

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, January 26,2008

Is he a politician in disguise, or Just a bigot exercising his freedom of speech through music as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution?

He is A-Plus, and could best be described as a "political satirist" in the Ghanaian music landscape.

His name, perhaps when mentioned, prompts politicians to "run for cover" because of their "politricks". For seven years now, his punchy but straight-forward lyrics on the country's political arena have brought him under severe criticism and scrutiny by some politicians and a number of people.

But the 30-year-old unrepentant hip-life artiste is unperturbed about what his critics say about his lyrics, and is bent on unleashing another 'bomb' this year but this time, on African politics.In an exclusive interview with The Spectator this week, he explained that his decision to move to African politics was borne out of the fact that "politics is broad. It is not about NPP and NDC.

I want to show that I'm not a local champion." He said the spotlight of his new album, which he described as "extra punchy and knockout," would be on "anyone (politician) who is making Africa difficult to stay in," adding that politicians should see their people as God-given to them to take care of “and not as slaves."

He mentioned General Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria, and the Member of Parliament for Nkawkaw, Kwabena Adusah Okerchiri, among other African politicians as those to be featured in his upcoming album expected to be out during the Easter Festivities.

He told The Spectator that he decided to throw the searchlight on Atiku Abubakar because he is said to own about 800 cars, which he said, their acquisition is doubtful while Kwabena Okerchiri on the other hand, has also become a pompous leader.

A-Plus, who spoke with confidence and showed off his maturity and knowledge on African politics, expressed worry at how some African politicians and leaders have taken advantage of political power to amass wealth to the detriment of their people.

He observed that corruption has characterised African leadership, and as a result, politicians are bent on being in power for long, even when their term of office expires “so that they can continue stealing and oppress their people.”

His next album is anticipated to, as usual, lampoon top African leaders and politicians whose administration has been or was characterised by bad governance with its resultant corruption and death of people.

So, will the Southern African country, Zimbabwe, and its 'defiant' President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, be punched for his reportedly 'bad governance'? And what about the recent post electoral crisis in Kenya?

It is important that such politicians should take a cursory look at the end of the likes of former Liberian President, Charles Taylor, and former President of Zaire, Mobutu Sese Seko, and take a lesson from it before it's too late, he advised. "How they ended up should be a guide to all African leaders and politicians," he added.

Touching on the local political front, he said that the NPP flag bearer for the 2008 elections, Nana Akuffo-Addo, is one politician he admires, saying "Nana Addo is my godfather". When asked why, he said: "Nana Addo is an individual who has been in politics for long and came out clean".

"I also like freedom fighters like Kwaku Baako and Kwesi Pratt. I'm crazy about them" he added, and urged Ghanaians to celebrate them since some fifty years to come, these freedom fighters would take over from Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who would not be "remembered" again.

Before the NPP December congress last year, he said, some of the presidential aspirants and other politicians approached him to do a song for them but rejected all those offers, some of which were ready to pay a whopping 40,000 dollars!.

He said that, his single "Da no"(That Day) which gave Nana Addo thumps up and recommended that delegates voted him as the NPP aspirant, was something he decided to do for him. "Nana never paid A-Plus one cedi.

He didn't approach me for a song for his campaign," he pointed out. Being a member of the Friends of Nana Akuffo-Addo and his godfather, he made up his mind to do the song for him as his contribution to the campaign, saying "it was something I was dying to do".

A-Plus explained that it was after the song has been made that Nana even got to know about it, and adopted it out of the lots he received from other musicians and people. "All the production and everything were then paid for by Nana Addo," he said.

He told The Spectator that he is ready to do a song for any politician irrespective of his political affiliation but that person should be a rare leader with issues and must have the country and its people at heart.

Not only is A-Plus a 'kanawu' musician, he is also set to take a centre stage in comedy as he has successful passed two tests of comedy shows in August and December last year. He said he wants to prove his versatility. ''The talent is there and I only need to unearth it," he said.

The Spectator finally asked him the big question which has been bothering the minds of many people: Is A-Plus a politician, which he answered with questions. 'Was Fela Kuti a politician? Is the American group, Black Eyed Peas politicians? Both Fela and the Black Eyed-Peas have been singing about corruption, injustice and bad governance in society.