Obiba Sly Collins
Veteran Ghanaian highlife singer and songwriter, Obiba Sly Collins, has urged his colleague musicians to use music to educate the youth to desist from acts that seek to undermine the progress of the country.
According to him, Ghanaian musicians must also use music to empower the youth on how to be loyal to their country instead of engaging in activities that will undermine the peace the country is enjoying.
“It is unto us as musicians to sing impactful songs of patriotism to our youth to remind them of their commitment to mother Ghana,” he pointed out.
Making references to the 2016 peace campaign rally he organised on November 19, at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park, Obiba Sly said together with some artistes including Amandzeba Nat Brew, Trigmatic, Jupiter, DSP Kofi Sarpong, among other performers mounted the platform to educate the youth on the need to maintain peace in the country.
Obiba Sly Collins encouraged the youth to shun all forms of violence, adding that they should be careful and resist being used as elements of violence.
According to him, he loved music, noting that for years music had been a part of him and that he used music as a tool to unite the people, and encourage the youth to desist from acts that seek to destroy their future.
He explained that his songs are motivational songs which encourage people to adopt positive things in their day to day activities.
He added that his presence in the music industry in Ghana had given him the opportunity to use music to educate people about moral issues.
Sly Collins, who has done patriotic and social related songs for the past three decades said, “My mission is to use music to preach peace and unity among the people in the society. I have been a patriotic musician for the past 30 years using music as a tool to preach peace and unity among the people.”
“I released a patriotic highlife album titled ‘Yemoa Ghana’ in 1994 to the admiration of many connoisseurs of the traditional and original style of music with all the elements associated with highlife could be heard clearly in that song,” he told BEATWAVES.
When asked about his undying love for highlife his answer was, “I always say highlife can never die, it is an African rhythm from the west coast,” adding, “highlife has made a lot of recognition for this country, and it is unto this generation to uphold it as their identity.”
He, however, expressed his worry over a growing perception that Ghanaian highlife music is dead.
He indicated that highlife music which has won international recognition is not declining but rather the future looks bright, adding it is the only music that truly promotes our culture as Ghanaians.
“Why do people say highlife is dead? Most of the talented young musicians are doing highlife and making awesome hits. Highlife is not dead and will not die,” he stressed.