Originally written on September 11, 2005

...Sounds on da ground and see-ins on the scenes One Ghanaian song that has received a lot of airplay and publicity this summer is Yefri Tuabɔdɔm. This song, released by Nkasei narrates a true story where a teacher and his students, from a school in Tuabɔdɔm, a town in da Brong Ahafo Region, trek to Kumasi to attend a students' congress. Yefri Tuabɔdɔm is da song they sing, as jama, or their cheer, threatening to show Kumasi kids 'who is who'.

Tuabɔdɔm residents, instead of enjoying their new found popularity, with a whole hit song dedicated to them, are not happy with the song. The song puts them in a bad light, shows them as villagers who haven't seen coal tar, televisions, and fans before. Led by their queenmother, they called for the song to be banned from the airwaves, and mobbed MUSIGA executives when they travelled to Tuabɔdɔm to apologise. The source of the ire - Tuabɔdɔm has become a laughing stock, as Ghanaians all over are teasing them, left, right, center.

To revisit the popularity issue, it can be said that the song has yielded good things for Tuabɔdɔm Local tourism has increased, with people taking buses to from places like Accra to see what Tuabɔdɔm is really about. Pundits think that Tuabodom would begin to see dividends as curiosity and popularity would eventually give way to investment.

However, did Tuabɔdɔm really need to suffer the jokes and laughs in order to draw the nation to its plight as an under-developed town? What about the many towns north of it that are in much worse condition? In the song, the Bono language is used. Whether that would create tribal tension or would encourage people to learn Bono is another debate.

Nkasei as a group, is stationed in Accra. Does this song show that maybe, the gap between urban and rural Ghana is growing? More often than not, we call certain behaviours 'village-like', etc. Village-like for a long time has been the traditional way of doing things, and as society has become more Westernised, such traditions have been trivialized and taken for archaic. Granted, some of these traditions are backward, but does that mean that those who are practicing them are much worse individuals?

YÉ›fri Tuobodom marginalizes the rural folk, and makes Nkasei some good money. Rumour has it, Nkasei, though disappointed with varied public reaction to their song, has been laughing its way to the bank (one million sold and counting). Has Tuabɔdɔm been sacrificed for entertainment? Would Tuabɔdɔm have been a hit if it was a 'false story'? Bad publicity does sell, huh.

Never mind one Obeyifour releasing a counter-attack track to Yefiri Tuabɔdɔm (Tuabɔdɔm) which is supposed to stand up for Tuabɔdɔm people. The message has been sent. The powerless and minority are being exploited, especially without their consent. Whether Nkasei could have approached Tuabɔdɔm before the song's release is another thing to talk about. Because I feel there is also a communication gap brewing between 'uptown' and 'downtown'.

Let's not take the elevators up and forget to send them down to pick other people up. Classes would create themselves in our push for 'industrialized, rich, developed' status, but communication, respect and understanding would keep us stable and united. It may take awhile for the whole of Tuabɔdɔm to see Kumasi, but before they get there, we can surely send whatever they are missing from Kumasi to them.

Watch the Tuabodom video