By the end of August this year, Bice Osei Kuffour popularly known as Obour will no longer be the President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), a role he says has not been easy to handle.
As his tenure gradually comes to an end, Obour told Showbiz in an interview he is relieved.
“The insults, the allegations and all the bad words used against me as the President of MUSIGA will be over soon. I wish the next MUSIGA president the best of luck and my message to the lucky winner is to be focused on whatever he or she wants to achieve,” he said.
In 2011, Obour, then a very popular musician with hit songs including Atenteben, Meso Day3, Konkontiba and Menwu Biom beat strong competition from veteran musicians, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Nana Tuffour and the late Willi Roi to become MUSIGA president.
Although he received criticism on a regular basis, against all odds he was re-elected in November 2015 for another four-year term.
Throwing more light on his MUSIGA presidency, Obour said he had to stand firm in order to achieve certain targets he set for himself when he took office.
“I had 25 things I wanted to change in the music industry but as time went by, it reduced to 15 then to 10 and finally to five. I didn’t want to be a jack of all trades but a master of none. Currently, I am fulfilled about the five things I achieved under my reign,” he said.
Obour further stated that the next MUSIGA President has to set some key deliverables and try to work towards them adding that people would come with brilliant ideas but it is not everything that is achievable.
“I had people asking me why MUSIGA won’t organise its own music awards and why we don’t have our own radio or TV station. These are all beautiful ideas but I had to do away with them because they require energy and time and I am just one person,” he explained.
He also disclosed that his becoming MUSIGA president was not by accident. “I became the Youth Organiser at MUSIGA before I later became the President.
“I knew what I wanted to achieve at MUSIGA and I am glad I have been able to achieve things like the Ageing Musicians Welfare Fund, getting Music Education established at NAFTI, getting the collection rights to work properly at GHAMRO among others,” he said.
On the verbal attacks he has suffered during his tenure, Obour said he is not bothered as long as he is doing the right thing.
“Every leader faces insults and if you are not ready for insults then it’s better you don’t lead. Even being a school prefect comes with insults how much more a big organisation like MUSIGA,” he said.
On what he would miss about MUSIGA, Obour said he would miss complaints from musicians on various topics especially the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA).
“Firstly, the joy of being a representative of musicians makes me happy. And secondly the fact that I might not sit on the VGMA board as the President of MUSIGA. But all things being equal I am glad I fulfilled my dreams,” he said.
