US-based Afro-spiritual Ghanaian musician Efiya Otiwaa, the originator of the song “Nananom,” released under Asaase Records, is calling on TV3’s Ghana’s Most Beautiful contestant representing the Ashanti Region, Ampomaa, to publicly apologise for discrediting her work by claiming that it is a folk song.
Efiya says the issue goes beyond the contestant’s performance of the song. Her major concern is that the song was allegedly used without permission and subsequently described as a folk song when the opportunity came to identify its origin.
Efiya is therefore demanding that the proper credit be given on the same Ghana’s Most Beautiful stage where the incident occurred.
She believes Ampomaa should use the same platform to properly acknowledge Efiya Otiwaa as the owner and originator of the song titled “Nananom” and clear the air over the impression that the song is a traditional folk composition.
Efiya also used the incident to highlight a wider problem affecting African creatives: creative works originating from the continent are sometimes stripped of their proper attribution and credited to people or traditions that did not create them.
Her advice to performers is simple: before using another person’s creative work, find out who created it, where it came from, and obtain the appropriate permission.
For Efiya, an apology on the same stage would not only correct the record but also demonstrate respect for Ghanaian creatives and the importance of giving creators their rightful credit.
