Oteanankanduro

Oteanankanduro is an artist from Ghana. His first names, Ato Kwamina, translate to creator. He draws inspiration from those and his artist name, Oteanankanduro, which means healer.

He likens sharing to healing because he believes that knowledge acquired when shared, is medicine, to ignorance. He’s born Ghanaian and resident in Accra.

Oteanankanduro holds a Diploma in IT, having studied at the Ghana Technology University College. Participation in high school creative clubs is what sparked Ato’s interests in Arts. His only formal training was his role as drama secretary of the West Africa Literary Drama Club of his high school, West Africa Senior High School.

Through workshops and volunteer works with art companies like Accra Theatre Workshop and past employment with Helen O’Grady Drama Academy, Accra, he has and is constantly sharpening his skills of singing, acting and dancing, he has also developed the ability to collect and impart knowledge through teaching.

Oteanankanduro began officially and unconsciously when He found the Music of Angelique Kidjo, and through her Bella Bellow, Nina Simone and others but most importantly, the woman who is the genesis of his spiritual connection to music; Miriam Zenzile Makeba. He grew up Presbyterian so music and singing wasn’t new to him. But to sing or dance and fall in a trance that was new, that was strange and what would have been an ordinary year 2015 suddenly became the year of a call to a greater purpose; a spiritual awakening. It’s been a long journey of what seemed to be unending battles between Spirituality and Sexuality, not to say that the battle is over but 2019 is the year to call for reinforcement. In doing so, his first demo Album Okwantu is released with ɔpε as the headline song that delicately captures his personal journey and growth. Generally, being effeminate is his biggest challenge in view of Ghana’s almost rigid stance and ignorant prejudice towards the LGBTQ.