Ghana: Fisk Jubilee Singers Thrill Ghanaians

Ghana: Fisk Jubilee Singers Thrill Ghanaians

Fisk Junilee Singers

Through song and spirit they promote peace, tolerance and understanding among all people. They touched the hearts of many of their audience, especially, Voltarians and brought smiles on their faces.

Public Agenda (Accra)

13 July 2007Posted to the web 16 July 2007

Frederick Asiamah
Accra

Through song and spirit they promote peace, tolerance and understanding among all people.

Through "Kekeli Tso Kekeli Me" and "Mawu Nye Lolo" they touched the hearts of many of their audience, especially, Voltarians and brought smiles on their faces.

You should have been there. You missed it.

The National Theatre, Accra was the venue and the day was Thursday July 5. The time was six o'clock in the evening. The much-touted concert by the Fisk University Jubilee Singers of the United States of America was the occasion.

They lived up to the billing, at least in the eyes and ears of the audience. "Refreshing! Fantastic! And wonderful!" these words forced their way out of the mouths of some of the audience who spoke to yours truly after the concert.

The end of the show came too soon, according to some members of the capacity audience. They yelled for more. Some thought the show should have proceeded for thirty more minutes.

For Dorinda, a former staff of the National Theatre, the show should have lasted three to four hours. Ridiculous! You may say. But Dorinda, a Voltarian was so ecstatic. She said she felt as if she was back home although she was sitting in the bosom of the Theatre.

Dorinda was still inside the National Theatre building but was reminiscing moments gone by. "I wish it was for a longer time," she said.

Fisk Jubilee Singers who are celebrating their 135th anniversary this year are an enduring tradition. They came to Ghana on the invitation of the US Embassy headed by Ambassador Pamela E. Bridgewater.

The purpose was to join Ghanaians in celebrating the 50th Independence anniversary of the nation; first in sub-Saharan Africa to attain political independence from British colonial rule in 1957, under the able leadership of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory. Incidentally Nkrumah's CPP government was overthrown with the sponsorship of the CIA.

They looked elegant on the night in their Ghanaian clothes. The singers looked overwhelmed as spontaneous applause greeted their appearance on stage. This was after the Tema Youth Choir had raised the curtain with some locally brewed musical performances.

One by one, they rolled the songs. Most of the fourteen songs performed were what people around the world have known the Jubilee singers for over the years - the "Negro spiritual." They included "Hold On!" "My Soul's been Anchored in the Lord", "Our Father", "Down by the Riverside", "Goin' Up to Glory" and "Rockin' Jerusalem".

Then came the moment. The applause was resounding. The Jubilee Singers (all of them African Americans) simply couldn't have left the land of their ancestors without demonstrating that they knew some local stuff.

The singers performed two songs in Ewe - "Kekeli Tso Kekeli Me" and "Mawu Nye Lolo" with distinction. And the audience, definitely enjoying themselves, appreciated the performances with spontaneous ovations.

"And don't I hear your voices still " Prof. Atukwei Okine, the renowned poet said in a poem he composed midway into the show.

In expressing his appreciation and delight at leading the singers to Ghana, which is the land of his birth, Dr. Paul T. Kwami, Musical Director of Fisk Jubilee Singers described the group's visit as "divine."

The Mawuli Secondary School product, now domiciled in the US said, "You can see the Fisk Jubilee Singers, a name taken from the Bible coming to join in the celebration of Ghana's year of jubilee; that is by divine appointment."

In Cape Coast on Monday July 11, the GNA reports that the singers treated audience to their "Negro spiritual music" at the Cape Coast Castle with equal passion.

Dr. Kwami asked Ghanaians to appreciate and use music to enhance peace, unity and togetherness. He underscored the importance of music in peace building and said it should be promoted at all levels in the country.

The Jubilee Singers were also expected to perform in Kumasi before ending their tour. They are expected to depart for the US today.

The concerts were part of the numerous high impact programs that the US Embassy is implementing throughout the year under the theme: "Ghana - US @ 50: Looking Back, Moving Forward."

Fisk University was the first black university to be established after the Emancipation by the American Missionary Association in 1866 for freed slaves and the choir was set up in 1871 to raise money to save the school from closing.