Ghana: Don Moen to headline 60th anniversary concert

Jefferson Sackey, chairman of the media and publicity cub committee of the 'Ghana 60 Years On' planning committee, explained in an interview with Onua FM that Don Moen’s performance at the concert is being paid for by a private initiative. According to Ghanaweb.com, he said the committee was approached by the private initiative, which offered to foot the bill of bringing the artist to the country. They only took advantage of that opportunity and made him the headliner.

Many members of the Ghanaian public believe there are enough marquee artists in Ghana to headline the anniversary concert. Mary Ghansah, Deputy Gospel Music Director at Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), in an interview with Kyzz FM, said the action is a huge sign of disrespect to local gospel musicians.

Similar sentiments were echoed by leader and founder of Glorious Waves Church International, Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobi, who, in a radio interview, said “I don’t have any problem of them calling Don Meon to help us worship God. But he being the headline artist is the problem. We can use that great opportunity to promote our artistes as a headline artiste.”

But there are indicuduals in the music industry who are indifferent about invitation to Don Moen. Cwesi Oteng, a gospel artist, said via a tweet that "Some are against Don M coming, I am not. I am rather for the best patriotic treatment of our own.” 

"I do not care who they bring,” he said in another tweet. “I am concerned how much our people are being paid. Since I endorsed change I will fight for change Ghana.”

Radio and TV presenter, MzGee, expressed her own thoughts on Facebook, saying, “I didn’t want to wade into the fray of the Ghana @60 Don Moen brouhaha because I personally think it’s a done deal and the noises would or should I say have fallen on deaf ears but I see people with post here, asking if Wiyaala didn’t perform at the Queens 90th last year?”

Don Moen has been in Ghana to perform on different occasions prior to this, including ministering at the Zoe Conference organised by the Charismatic Worship Centre (CWC) in 2013, and a performance at the Charismatic Evangelistic Ministry (CEM) in 2015.

This concert is part of a larger schedule of activities planned for the anniversary celebrations. It starts in March and continues through the year, through different culture and art festivals in all regions of Ghana, including a MUSIGA international music concert on 24 December.