Entertainment
Nana Kwame Ampadu: The Extraordinary Life, Music and History of Ghana’s Highlife Legend
Long before Ghanaian musicians were chasing YouTube views, Spotify streams, TikTok trends and international collaborations, there was a generation of artistes who built their careers with guitars, live bands, vinyl records, cassettes and an extraordinary ability to tell stories.
One of the most important names from that generation was Nana Kwame Ampadu.
For more than five decades, Ampadu remained one of the most prolific figures in Ghanaian highlife music. He wrote and recorded songs about love, marriage, money, poverty, death, morality, politics, family, religion, road safety, social inequality and everyday life.
His music was so extensive that remembering him through only one or two songs would barely scratch the surface of his contribution.
He is widely credited with composing more than 800 songs, while the African Brothers Band’s catalogue alone contained hundreds of recordings.
Yet for many young Ghanaians today, the man behind these songs is becoming increasingly distant.
This is the story of the musician who became known as Odwontofoohene — the Chief or King of Singers.
The boy from Obo Kwahu
Nana Kwame Ampadu was born on March 31, 1945, at Obo Kwahu in Ghana’s Eastern Region.
His parents were Opanin Kwame Ampadu, who was associated with the Asona Clan of Obo Kwahu, and Mercy Afua Ntiriwaa, a Presbyterian.
Music became part of his life at a very young age.
According to his official biography, young Kwame had a naturally captivating singing voice. At school, teachers noticed his musical ability and frequently selected him to lead songs and musical activities.
He was not simply interested in music as a hobby.
It was already becoming part of his identity.
His education
Ampadu began his education at Obo Roman Catholic Primary School, where he studied between 1950 and 1952.
His parents later moved to Adeemmra near Aboam in the Afram Plains, where he continued his education.
He completed his primary education in 1955.
From 1956 to 1959, he attended Obo Anglican Middle Boys School.
There, his musical talent became even more obvious.
School authorities reportedly recognised both his academic ability and his singing talent. He served as a chorister and became involved in musical activities at the school.
He passed the Common Entrance Examination in 1957 and gained admission to Abuakwa State College with a partial scholarship.
However, his family faced financial difficulties, and his father could not afford to support his continued education.
That changed the direction of his life.
Instead of continuing his formal education, the young Ampadu moved toward employment—and eventually toward music.
His first journey to Accra
In 1960, Ampadu moved to Accra in search of work.
At the time, he was young and physically small, and finding employment was not easy.
He eventually secured work as a messenger with the Ministry of Agriculture at Kwahu Mpraeso, through arrangements involving his father.
But employment did not extinguish his passion for music.
Even when he did not have musical instruments available, Ampadu would compose songs in his head and entertain friends and colleagues by singing.
He was already developing the songwriting habit that would later define his career.
Ampadu eventually left his employment and returned to Accra after encouragement from a schoolmate named Noah, a guitarist who had hopes of forming a musical group.
The plan did not immediately work out.
Noah later moved to Agogo, but Ampadu remained committed to music.
He stayed with his elder brother, Rover Amo Ampadu, who would later become an important figure in the management of the African Brothers Band.
Ampadu also had early contact with established musicians.
He was introduced to P.K. Yamoah, founder of Yamoah’s Band, and was accepted as a treble singer.
However, when the band planned to move to Kumasi, Ampadu’s relatives would not allow the young musician to travel with them.
His journey was delayed, but his ambition was not.
Ampadu worked with the United Ghana Farmers Council Corporation, initially as a messenger and later as a canteen supervisor.
He also worked briefly at Faith Drug Store in Okaishie, Accra.
But music remained his real passion.
By the early 1960s, he was moving closer to the career that would eventually make him one of Ghana’s most celebrated musicians.
In 1963, Ampadu and a group of young musicians formed what became the African Brothers Band.
The official inauguration took place at the Park Cinema Theatre in Adabraka, Accra.
Among the early members were Ampadu, his brother Rover Amo, Eddie Donkor, Kwame Anim, Yaw Asante and Kwadwo Ofori, with other musicians joining later.
One of the important things about the group was the age of its members.
They were remarkably young.
At a time when established musicians were generally older, these teenagers were trying to establish themselves in Ghana’s competitive music scene.
They performed at funerals, Muslim wedding ceremonies known as Sunna, beer bars and other social gatherings.
The name African Brothers Band was not chosen randomly.
The group formed during a period when African unity was an important political and cultural idea.
Ghana had gained independence in 1957 under Kwame Nkrumah, and the wider movement for African unity was strongly present in public life.
The band’s name reflected that atmosphere.
It represented an idea of African brotherhood and unity.
That political and cultural consciousness would later appear repeatedly in Ampadu’s music.
The African Brothers Band initially struggled like many young groups.
Then came the recording that changed their fortunes.
On November 14, 1966, the band recorded its first 45 RPM singles at the Ghana Film Industries Corporation through Philips West Africa Ltd.
The recordings were: Agyanka Dabere and Suminaso Ntonko
They were released in December 1966 and became successful.
The recordings gave the young band national attention and helped establish Ampadu as a serious songwriter and bandleader.
If there is one song that transformed Nana Kwame Ampadu into a national phenomenon, it is “Ebi Te Yie.”
Released in 1967, the song became a breakthrough for the African Brothers Band.
Ebi Te Yie can be understood as Some Are Sitting Well or, in a broader interpretation, a reflection on how some people are doing well while others struggle.
The song addressed the growing divide between comfortable people and those facing hardship.
The song became so significant that it was later adapted into a stage play.
It also attracted political interpretation.
Some listeners viewed it as criticism of the government of the time, and the song reportedly disappeared from the airwaves during military rule before returning later.
Ampadu, however, rejected the suggestion that the song was intended as a direct political attack.
This episode demonstrated something important about his music: people did not simply listen to Ampadu’s songs; they interpreted them.
The songwriter who sang about everything
Nana Kwame Ampadu’s catalogue was enormous.
He wrote about practically every aspect of Ghanaian life.
His songs addressed: Love, Marriage, Money, Poverty, Death, Religion, Friendship, Family, Politics, Good citizenship, Greed, Drunkenness, Parenting, Road safety, Social inequality.
This was one of the reasons his music connected so strongly with ordinary people.
You did not have to be a music critic to understand Ampadu.
You only needed to understand life.
His catalogue was enormous, but songs associated with Nana Kwame Ampadu and the African Brothers Band include: Ebi Te Yie, Obra, O man Bo Adwo, Kofi Nkrabea, Y aw Berko, A gartha, Aku Sika, M other, Mentumi Ngyae Wo, A ye Se Ye Do Wo, O biaa Ba Nnye, W oyoo Woyoo, Anibere Nnye, D rivers / Driver Adwuma, Kwaata, Agyanka Dabere, Suminaso Ntonko.
These are only a selection from a much larger body of work. Contemporary sources describe his overall songwriting output as running into hundreds of songs, with some accounts putting it at more than 800 compositions.
“Obra” and Ghanaian television
Another important part of Ampadu’s legacy was Obra.
The song became associated with the popular Ghanaian television drama series Obra.
This demonstrated how far his music had travelled beyond the dance floor.
His songs were entering homes through television and becoming part of the emotional soundtrack of Ghanaian life.
“Obra” itself reflected one of his recurring interests: human existence, its difficulties and the lessons people learn as they move through life.
Ampadu’s songwriting ability also took him into national campaigns.
He composed the theme song for Ghana’s Operation Feed Yourself programme in 1974.
The campaign, introduced during the National Redemption Council era, encouraged Ghanaians to increase domestic food production.
For Ampadu to contribute music to such a national campaign showed how influential musicians could be in communicating public messages.
His songs were not limited to entertainment venues.
They could become tools for national communication.
A band that changed highlife
The African Brothers Band did not simply produce popular songs.
The group experimented with the highlife form.
The band became known for innovations including longer recordings and songs released in Part 1 and Part 2 formats.
They also developed and popularised rhythmic styles described as Afro-Hili, while later incorporating reggae and other influences into their music.
One music archive notes that between 1968 and 1978, the group released about 400 single tracks.
That is an extraordinary volume of recorded music.
The African Brothers Band eventually moved beyond Ghana.
Their growing popularity opened opportunities for international performances.
They toured countries including Britain, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Sources differ on the exact years and sequence of some tours, but the band’s international reach is well documented.
A music-history archive records a 1976 tour of the United States and Canada, while the band’s own historical account also records international tours beginning with Britain in 1970.
This was significant because Ghanaian musicians were taking highlife directly to audiences outside Africa decades before the current global Afrobeats boom.
In 1973, the group officially added International to its name.
It became the African Brothers Band International.
That name reflected the group’s growing reach outside Ghana.
By this point, Ampadu had become one of the country’s leading highlife figures.
Ampadu became “Nnwontofohene”
In 1973, another major honour came.
The Arts Council of Ghana conferred on him the title:
“Nnwontofohene Nana Kwame Ampadu I.”
The title is associated with the idea of a Chief/King of Singers.
It was a recognition of his contribution to Ghanaian music.
He had moved from being a young guitarist struggling to find opportunities in Accra to becoming a nationally recognised musical authority.
The band also became a drama group.
One of the lesser-known aspects of Ampadu’s career was his involvement in theatre.
The African Brothers Band developed a drama troupe, and Ampadu wrote plays for the group.
Among the productions associated with the troupe were: Abotion, Abusua, Kwaata, Aku Sika, Ntwatoso, Dea Onyame Ahyira No, Awaregyae Bi Ye Mmusuo
The group eventually commercialised some of its stage productions on audiocassette.
According to the band’s official history, its stage recordings had sold more than 200,000 copies by 2001.
This reveals another side of Ampadu that is sometimes overlooked.
He was not only a musician.
He was also involved in theatre, storytelling and cultural production.
The African Brothers Band became something of a training ground for musicians.
Several musicians who passed through the group later developed careers of their own.
They included figures such as: Eddie Donkor, Teacher Boateng, Oppong Kyekyeku, Joe Dee, Anthony Scorpion, Prince Osei Kofi, Nanaba Amoako, Kwame Seth, Paa Alex Obeng, Captain Newman, Akosua Agyapong.
This means Ampadu’s influence was not limited to the songs he personally recorded.
The band also helped develop other musicians.
Before becoming a star in his own right, Ampadu also interacted with established musicians.
One important figure was Jerry Hansen, founder of the Ramblers Dance Band.
Ampadu reportedly gave Hansen songs including Ntoboase, Afutusem, Scholarship, and Me Nsoromma Bepue.
The success of these songs helped draw attention to Ampadu’s songwriting ability.
Hansen later helped introduce him to Phillips West Africa, creating the opportunity that eventually led to the African Brothers Band recording its first singles.
One reason Ampadu’s songs remain historically valuable is that they provide a picture of Ghanaian society.
He could discuss the pressures created by money.
He could question greed.
He could talk about family.
He could warn people about irresponsible behaviour.
He could discuss relationships.
He could reflect on death.
He could comment on national issues.
This was the traditional strength of highlife: entertainment and commentary could exist in the same song.
Ampadu mastered that combination.
Ampadu’s influence eventually extended beyond performing.
He became active in the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).
He served as First Vice President of MUSIGA from 1984 to 1991 and later served as General Secretary in 1992, according to his official biography.
He also served on the Ghana Folklore Board of Trustees and participated in other music-related committees.
This was important because his contribution was no longer simply about producing songs.
He was also involved in discussions about the welfare and development of musicians.
Ampadu also entered public service.
He served as a government appointee to the Kwahu South District Assembly from 1993 to 2000.
His career therefore moved between entertainment, cultural leadership and public service.
It was an unusual journey for a musician who had started life as a young man struggling to find work in Accra.
Awards and recognition
Ampadu received several awards and honours during his lifetime.
Among the notable recognitions associated with him were:
Winner of the National Dance Band Competition in 1972
The Nnwontofohene title in 1973
Various recognitions from institutions including ECRAG, COSGA and ACRAG
The State Grand Medal, awarded in 1997 by President Jerry John Rawlings
The State Grand Medal was particularly significant because it represented national recognition of his contribution to Ghana.
Despite his enormous public career, Ampadu’s life was not entirely lived on stage.
He married several times and had eight children, according to his official biography.
His family life existed alongside a career that demanded constant travel, rehearsals, recordings and performances.
Like many musicians of his generation, his life was closely tied to the changing Ghanaian entertainment industry.
Even after decades in music, Ampadu continued to be associated with highlife.
His music did not disappear simply because newer genres emerged.
Older Ghanaians continued to listen to his recordings, while musicians and researchers continued to revisit his catalogue.
His work also became increasingly valuable to people interested in the history of Ghanaian music.
The African Brothers Band’s recordings have continued to be reissued and preserved, including releases made available digitally in more recent years.
His final chapter
Nana Kwame Ampadu died on September 28, 2021, in Accra at the age of 76.
His death brought to an end the life of one of the most prolific figures in Ghanaian highlife.
But it did not end his music.
His recordings remain.
His songwriting remains.
His stories remain.
And the musicians he influenced remain part of the larger history of Ghanaian music.
Why Nana Kwame Ampadu’s story matters today
There is a temptation to describe older musicians simply as legends and move on.
But Ampadu’s career deserves more than a title.
He represents an entire period in Ghana’s history.
He grew up in a Ghana where traditional culture and modern popular music were constantly interacting.
He moved to Accra as a young man looking for work.
He formed a band with other young musicians.
He recorded songs when the industry was still built around physical records.
He became a star through live performances and word of mouth.
He travelled internationally with Ghanaian highlife.
He entered theatre.
He participated in national campaigns.
He became involved in musicians’ leadership.
He served in public office.
And throughout it all, he continued writing songs.
Perhaps the most astonishing part of Ampadu’s legacy is the sheer quantity of his work.
He is widely credited with composing more than 800 songs.
The African Brothers Band itself recorded hundreds of singles during its most productive period.
That means there are potentially many songs from his career that younger Ghanaians have never heard.
This is why remembering him through Ebi Te Yie alone does not tell the full story.
There is an enormous musical archive behind that one song.
Why young Ghanaians should listen to Nana Kwame Ampadu
For a young listener accustomed to Afrobeats, hip-hop, drill and contemporary highlife, Ampadu’s music may initially sound very different.
But listen closely, and the similarities become obvious.
He told stories.
Modern musicians tell stories too.
He addressed relationships.
Modern musicians do the same.
He talked about money, hardship and social pressure.
Those subjects remain relevant.
He used music to comment on society.
That tradition continues today.
The difference is the sound and the era.
His legacy can be divided into several parts.
As a songwriter, he produced an enormous catalogue.
As a singer, he developed a distinctive voice.
As a bandleader, he created and sustained the African Brothers Band.
As a cultural figure, he preserved Ghanaian stories and expressions through music.
As a social commentator, he addressed issues affecting ordinary people.
As a theatre practitioner, he helped turn music and storytelling into stage productions.
As a music leader, he participated in MUSIGA and other industry institutions.
As a public figure, he served in local government.
That is why his place in Ghana’s history goes far beyond entertainment.
The music that should not be forgotten
When people talk about the history of Ghanaian music, attention often goes to the biggest names of the current generation.
But before the international success of today’s artistes, there were musicians who spent decades developing Ghana’s musical identity.
Nana Kwame Ampadu was one of them.
From Ebi Te Yie to Obra, Oman Bo Adwo, Kofi Nkrabea, Yaw Berko, Agartha, Aku Sika, Mother, Mentumi Ngyae Wo, Aye Se Ye Do Wo, Obiaa Ba Nnye, Woyoo Woyoo, Anibere Nnye, Driver Adwuma, and many others, his music created a soundtrack for generations of Ghanaians.
His catalogue is not merely a collection of old songs.
It is a record of Ghanaian life.
The forgotten question?
Perhaps the question today is not whether Nana Kwame Ampadu was important.
The historical record shows the scale of his contribution.
The more important question is:
A country that celebrates its contemporary musical exports also has a responsibility to preserve the musicians who built the foundation.
Ampadu’s story should therefore not remain confined to memories of older generations.
His songs can be digitised.
His albums can be reissued.
His interviews can be archived.
His lyrics can be studied.
His life can be taught.
And his music can be introduced to a new generation.
Because Nana Kwame Ampadu did not merely sing about Ghana.
He helped Ghana sing about itself.
Ghanaian-British singer Stephanie Benson has cautioned women against relying on cosmetic procedures to achieve their desired body shapes, urging them to embrace exercise, discipline and healthy eating instead.
Speaking on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, Stephanie Benson said many people are too quick to seek what she described as “quick fixes” without considering the possible long-term consequences.
“Exercise is great. People take it for granted. Nowadays, people are too quick to do the quick fixes. They don’t think about the future and how it is going to be for them when they are a lot older, and they need to be mindful about that, because those quick fixes don’t work. It won’t help you,” she said.
She questioned how some women who undergo procedures to enhance certain parts of their bodies might feel about the results as they grow older.
“For your buttocks to be bigger, so when you turn 50, how are you going to walk? If the men didn’t like bigger buttocks, it wouldn’t trigger the ladies to go for quick fixes,” Stephanie said.
According to her, pressure to meet certain beauty standards and attract men can push some women into making decisions about their bodies that may not necessarily benefit them in the long run.
“Me, my buttocks are flat, so if you look, will you come close to me? I’m exercising now, so it looks like it is increasing in size nowadays,” she added.
The singer used herself as an example, explaining that her physique has been shaped largely by years of exercise, discipline and conscious lifestyle choices rather than cosmetic surgery.
She said people who admire her appearance and want to achieve a similar physique must understand that it is the result of years of commitment.
“When people say, ‘Stephanie, I want to be like you,’ I’m thinking it’s the hard work that I put into myself, right from a very young age, that is important. You have to start at some point. So somebody says, ‘I’m going to be like you when I’m 60 years old,’ you have to start now. It doesn’t happen that way,” she explained.
Stephanie Benson also dismissed claims that she has undergone cosmetic surgery because of her appearance at her age.
“So, I think people make a lot of assumptions that, at my age, looking and feeling the way I feel, I have done some kind of surgery. But I have never had liposuction or anything like that before. The only surgery I have had is when I had a mastectomy from cancer. Otherwise, everything is pure hard work and discipline,” she stated.
She maintained that discipline is key to maintaining a healthy body, particularly when it comes to food and exercise.
“Discipline is everything. What I eat is important to me. I eat everything, though, but only in moderation,” she said.
Stephanie Benson explained that she does not completely deprive herself of the foods she enjoys but focuses on moderation as part of her long-term approach to staying fit and healthy.
Veteran Nigerian actor PetePete Edochie has opened up about the factors he believes have helped him remain faithful to his wife throughout their 57-year marriage.
The celebrated actor made the revelation at his Legacy Gala Night, when he was asked what had enabled him to remain committed to one woman for nearly six decades.
Pete Edochie said he does not easily get distracted by women and credited his lifestyle, including his deep appreciation for classical music, for helping him remain focused.
According to the actor, he spends a considerable amount of time listening to classical music, which he described as a form of cerebral appreciation rather than mere entertainment.
“I married early; I have been married for 57 years. It is difficult to believe, but it is true. I don’t get distracted easily, and that is one of the biggest blessings that I have. I listen to classical music a lot. Classical music is for cerebral appreciation. It is not the kind of thing you will listen to and get distracted by women,” he said.
Pete Edochie also spoke about some of the personal habits he had to overcome, revealing that he was once a heavy smoker and drinker before giving up both.
“I was a big drinker and smoker, but I have given up on all that. You may not believe me, but I am a very big Christian. Women don’t distract me. It doesn’t mean I’m a wonderful man; it’s just that my lifestyle does not permit that kind of distraction,” he added.
Accra, Ghana — October 7, 2026: Ghanaian actress Jackie Appiah has called for a stronger focus on the professionals working behind the scenes as the country seeks to rebuild its film industry.
Speaking at the Pete Edochie Legacy Project, Appiah said Ghana could take important lessons from Nigeria’s Nollywood, particularly its ability to create opportunities for a broad network of creative professionals beyond actors.
According to the actress, Nollywood’s strength lies partly in the depth of its production ecosystem. She pointed to scriptwriters, camera operators, costume designers and other technical and creative workers whose contributions help keep productions running.
“It’s not just about being in front of the camera,” Appiah said, stressing the importance of creating jobs and opportunities behind the scenes.
She encouraged young Ghanaians with filmmaking skills not to remain on the sidelines. Writers, cinematographers, costume professionals and other creatives, she said, should actively approach producers, present their ideas and seek opportunities to contribute to productions.
A changing Ghanaian film industry
Ghana’s movie industry has experienced a significant decline from the period when locally produced films were released at a much higher frequency. Appiah acknowledged that production levels are no longer what they once were, but expressed optimism that the sector is gradually recovering.
She called for more producers and investors to support the industry and help create an environment where creative professionals can build sustainable careers.
Her comments come as Ghana’s film sector continues to grapple with questions around investment, production capacity, distribution and the development of professional talent.
What Ghana can learn from Nollywood
Appiah’s argument places the spotlight on an aspect of filmmaking that is sometimes overshadowed by actors and celebrities.
A successful film production depends on a wide range of professionals, including writers, directors, cinematographers, editors, costume designers, makeup artists, sound engineers, producers and production managers.
Nigeria’s film industry has developed a large ecosystem around these roles, helping create opportunities beyond acting. Appiah believes Ghana can strengthen its own industry by giving similar attention to the people working away from the screen.
The actress therefore urged young creatives to make their skills visible rather than waiting for opportunities to come to them.
“If you’re there and you’re talented; you know how to write scripts, you are a creative camera person, costumier, don’t hide. Look for a producer and share your ideas,” she said.
Investment remains crucial
While developing behind-the-scenes talent could strengthen Ghana’s production base, Appiah also highlighted the need for greater investment.
More producers, investors and creative professionals, she suggested, must work together to increase production and create more opportunities throughout the industry.
Her comments offer a broader vision of recovery: rather than focusing exclusively on finding the next major actor, Ghana could rebuild its film industry by developing the entire chain of professionals needed to make, market and distribute films.
For Appiah, the revival of Ghanaian cinema will ultimately require more people willing to invest their skills, ideas and resources into the sector.
There was a time when some of the simplest things in Ghana came without a price attached.
A neighbour could lend you a cup of sugar without expecting anything in return. Children could spend an entire afternoon playing outside without paying for entertainment. People could sit and chat with friends without buying anything, and communities often relied on shared resources that cost little or nothing.
Today, life is different.
The cost of living has changed the way people work, socialize and even carry out ordinary daily activities. Things that were once freely available or largely taken for granted now often come with a price.
For many Ghanaians, the change is most noticeable not in major purchases, but in the small expenses that appear repeatedly throughout the day.
A few cedis here.
Another payment there.
Individually, the amounts may appear insignificant. Together, they can become a considerable part of a person’s monthly spending.
Water is no longer simply water
For generations, access to water was closely connected to community life.
People fetched water from household taps, public standpipes, wells, streams and other sources depending on where they lived.
Today, bottled and sachet water have become a normal part of everyday life.
A person leaving home for work may buy water on the roadside. A passenger travelling across town may purchase a sachet. Someone attending an event may buy bottled water.
The amounts paid each time may be small, but regular purchases add up.
What was once something people expected to access from home or nearby sources has become a daily expense for many people.
Charging a phone has become a business
The mobile phone has become one of the most important items in modern Ghanaian life.
But keeping a phone powered can sometimes require spending money, particularly for people who do not have reliable electricity or access to convenient charging facilities.
Phone charging businesses have become common in some communities.
A person whose battery is running low may have to pay to charge the device while away from home.
It is a small service, but it illustrates how technology has created new everyday expenses.
The phone itself may be essential.
Keeping it alive can also cost money.
The public toilet has become part of the daily budget
One of the clearest examples of a basic activity becoming a paid service is the public toilet.
For people without access to private toilet facilities, public toilets remain an important part of everyday life.
But using one usually requires payment.
The amount may not appear significant to an individual user, yet someone who relies on such facilities regularly can see the cost accumulate.
It is another reminder that some of the most basic necessities of daily life are now part of household expenditure.
Parking is no longer something you simply do
Finding somewhere to park a vehicle was once largely about finding a suitable space.
Today, parking fees have become common in many commercial areas, shopping centres, business districts and private facilities.
Drivers may have to pay simply to leave their vehicles while they attend to an errand.
For someone who makes several stops during the day, parking can become another expense that has to be considered.
It is particularly noticeable in busy urban areas where available space is increasingly valuable.
The old neighborhood gathering is changing
Perhaps one of the biggest changes is not a fee imposed by a business.
It is the growing cost of socializing.
There was a time when friends could sit outside someone’s home, talk for hours and enjoy each other’s company without needing to spend money.
Today, social gatherings increasingly take place in restaurants, pubs, lounges, shopping centres, cafés and other commercial spaces.
The expectation can sometimes be that everyone orders something.
Meeting a friend for a simple conversation can therefore turn into spending money on food, drinks or transportation.
Even entertainment has become increasingly commercial.
Children’s entertainment has a price tag
Ghanaian children once needed very little to entertain themselves.
They played football in the street.
They played ampe.
They played hide-and-seek, skipping games and other traditional games.
A group of children could spend hours together using nothing more than a ball, stones, bottle tops or whatever they found around them.
Today, children’s entertainment is increasingly connected to technology and commercial activities.
Video games, internet bundles, streaming services, smartphones, gaming centres and paid recreational facilities all require money.
Even when children are simply watching content online, someone has paid for the device, electricity or internet connection that makes it possible.
Information itself has changed
The way Ghanaians access information has also changed.
Radio and free-to-air television once provided large audiences with news and entertainment without requiring individual subscriptions.
Today, people can still access free radio and television, but the digital environment has introduced additional costs.
Internet bundles are necessary for people who want to watch livestreams, follow social media, read online publications, stream music or watch videos.
The information may be free to view.
The data required to access it is not.
For heavy internet users, the monthly cost of staying connected can become a significant expense.
Convenience now has a price
One of the biggest reasons these small costs have increased is the value placed on convenience.
Modern life is faster,People work longer hours.,Traffic consumes time,Families have busy schedules.
As a result, people are often willing to pay for services that save time.
Instead of walking home, someone takes a ride-hailing service.
Instead of preparing a meal, they order food.
Instead of washing clothes at home, some people use laundry services.
Instead of travelling to a shop, they pay for delivery.
Instead of spending hours looking for something, they pay someone to do it for them.
The service may make life easier.
But convenience comes with a price.
Some traditional activities that once depended heavily on community participation have also become increasingly commercialized.
Events that were once organized largely through family and community support can now involve professional decorators, caterers, photographers, videographers, event planners, DJs, MCs and rented venues.
This is particularly noticeable around weddings, birthdays, funerals and other major ceremonies.
The cultural practice remains.
But the cost of organizing it has changed dramatically.
The small payments nobody notices
Perhaps the most interesting part of this change is that many people do not notice the total cost immediately.
A person may spend a few cedi’s on water.
Another amount on transportation.
Another on mobile data.
Another on parking.
Another on food.
Another on a quick purchase from a roadside vendor.
At the end of the day, the individual payments may appear harmless.
At the end of the month, they can tell a different story.
The modern Ghanaian household is therefore dealing not only with major expenses such as rent, school fees, food and utilities, but also with dozens of smaller payments that have become normal.
Has Ghana become more expensive, or simply more convenient?
That is a question worth asking.
Some things that now cost money provide services that did not exist before.
Ride-hailing applications, food delivery, digital entertainment, private recreational centres and other services have created convenience that previous generations did not have.
So the issue is not simply that everything has become worse or more expensive.
The bigger change is that more aspects of everyday life have become commercialised.
Things that once depended on community, shared resources or personal effort can now be purchased as services.
There are clear benefits.
People have more choices.
Consumers can compare services.
Technology has created new businesses and jobs.
A person can order food from home, get transportation quickly, pay bills digitally and access information from almost anywhere.
For businesses, these changes have created entire industries that did not exist in their current form decades ago.
But there is another side.
As more everyday activities become commercial, people may become increasingly dependent on money to perform tasks that were once handled through community relationships or personal effort.
And what might we be losing?
The biggest loss may not be the few cedis spent on these services.
It may be the culture of sharing that once made some things possible without money.
A neighbour helping another neighbour.
Children entertaining themselves without expensive equipment.
Friends gathering at someone’s house instead of meeting at a commercial venue.
Relatives contributing their time and skills to help with an event.
Communities sharing resources.
These practices have not disappeared from Ghana.
They are still very much alive in many places.
But they compete with a modern culture where convenience can often be purchased rather than created collectively.
The Ghanaian economy has changed — and everyday life shows it
Economic change is usually discussed through inflation figures, fuel prices, exchange rates, interest rates and household incomes.
But ordinary people often experience economic change differently.
They experience it through the price of the water they buy.
The cost of transportation.
The money spent on mobile data.
The price of parking.
The cost of eating outside.
The fee for entertainment.
The amount paid for services that used to be handled personally or collectively.
These small transactions tell another story about how Ghanaian life is changing.
The question is not whether Ghana should return to the past.
It cannot.
And not everything from the past was better.
The more important question is whether, in paying for greater convenience and modern services, Ghanaians are also gradually losing some of the habits of sharing, community and self-sufficiency that once made everyday life feel less dependent on money.
Because sometimes, the biggest changes in a society are not found in government reports or economic statistics.
They are found in the small things people suddenly realise they now have to pay for.
Veteran Nigerian actor and African screen legend Pete Edochie has paid a courtesy call on the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, during his visit to Ghana for the launch of his African Legacy Project.
The meeting formed part of Edochie’s engagements in Ghana as he officially introduces the project, which is designed to preserve his legacy while creating opportunities for young Africans to learn from the experiences of accomplished personalities
The African Legacy Project comprises a book, a documentary film and an African Youth Mentorship Initiative targeted at reaching approximately 500,000 young people across Africa.
The mentorship component is intended to expose young people to knowledge, guidance and experiences that can help them develop their potential and make meaningful contributions to society.
During the courtesy call, Sammy Gyamfi welcomed the opportunity for GoldBod to support the youth mentorship initiative, describing it as an undertaking that aligns with the Board’s broader social-impact agenda.
GoldBod’s Special Intervention Programme (SIP) is focused on supporting communities and individuals through interventions designed to improve livelihoods and contribute to social and economic empowerment. The Board has previously highlighted the programme as an important part of its efforts to ensure that the benefits of its operations extend beyond the gold-trading sector.
The proposed collaboration with Edochie’s mentorship initiative therefore creates an opportunity for GoldBod to extend its social-impact work into youth development and mentorship on a continental scale.
The meeting also had a strong connection to the themes explored in Edochie’s new book. GoldBod’s work is referenced in the publication, particularly in relation to Ghana’s efforts to ensure that the country derives greater value from its gold resources and uses its mineral wealth to support national development.
GoldBod has positioned itself as the institution responsible for the buying, selling, weighing, grading, assaying, valuation and export of gold and other precious minerals in Ghana. It has also placed emphasis on value addition, responsible sourcing and retaining greater value from the country’s mineral resources.
The inclusion of GoldBod in Edochie’s book reflects the wider African conversation about how countries can better manage their natural resources and ensure that mineral wealth contributes to economic transformation.
Edochie’s visit to Ghana comes as his Legacy Project brings together entertainment, culture, mentorship and African development. The project was formally unveiled in Ghana on October 4, 2026, with personalities from Ghana’s creative and public sectors participating in the celebration
The actor, widely recognised for his decades-long contribution to African film and television, has used the project to emphasise the importance of preserving the knowledge and experiences of Africa’s pioneering figures while deliberately transferring that knowledge to younger generations.
The engagement with GoldBod consequently adds an economic and youth-development dimension to the project, linking Edochie’s legacy and mentorship vision with Ghana’s efforts to maximise the social and economic benefits of its natural resources.
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