By Ernest Nutsugah
Accra, Dec. 29, GNA – Mr Bessa Simons, President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), has urged the citizens to sustain the euphoria and love for Ghana music as displayed during Afua Asantewaa’s singing marathon.
Commending Afua’s tenacity and bravery, he said the Guinness World Record attempt showed that Ghanaians patronised their own music.
“I have been to a number of shows and I know Ghanaians love their music. The way the crowd was singing Ghanaian songs from start to finish at Afua’s sing-a-thon tells you Ghanaians love their music and I want it to continue.
“Anytime you hear a Ghanaian artiste doing a show, go there in your numbers. No amount of money can buy the satisfaction derived from listening to [Ghanaian] music. The more we patronise Ghanaian music, the more good music we get,” he stated.
He said MUSIGA appreciated Afua’s determination to set a new Guinness World Record through local music, and urged other young people to take up similar challenges in future.
“It not always about the money, but when you do things like this, you put your country, friends, and family on the map. We need people like Afua who are brave.
“Anything that requires extra energy deserves commendation and I think she has become an idol for all young people,” he added.
Pending final declaration by Guinness World Records, Mr Simons said MUSIGA’s support for Afua would continue as the Union met the singers management sometime later to discuss how her achievement could be celebrated “for a long time”.
He commended organisers of the programmme and encouraged stakeholders, corporate entities and individuals to continue to give Afua the needed push as the nation stood to “benefit from her image, effort and bravery”.
“Nothing good comes easy. You have to work until you can’t work again, and once you succeed there is joy and fulfilment. There are a lot of records to be broken and I will encourage the youth to do things that brings success to their lives,” he added.
Broadcast Journalist and entrepreneur, Afua Asantewaa Aduonum, ended her singing marathon on Friday, December 29, 2023, with 126-hours and 52 minutes record.
The record breaking attempt, which began on Sunday, December 24, 2024, exceeded the existing Guinness World record held by Sunil Waghmare, an Indian, who sang for 105 hours in March 2012.
Having raised the bar, Afua and her team will expect final confirmation from Guinness World Record officials, who will consider all the technicalities.
GNA