Gospel musician Minister OJ
• Minister OJ has revealed he withdrew from VGMA
• He says that some comments made by George Quaye informed his decision
• Goerge Quaye, in 2017 stated that gospel musicians pay the ‘biggest bribes’ to win VGMA
Gospel musician, Minister OJ, has explained the circumstances that led to his withdrawal from the Vodafone Awards (VGMA).
According to the gospel musician, some comments made by George Nii Armah Quaye, a former Communications Director of Charter House, the organizers of the annual awards led to his decision not to be a part of the scheme.
George Quaye, in a 2017 interview, disclosed that gospel musicians are best known for offering the ‘biggest bribe’ to board members to compromise results.
Speaking on ‘The Pundit’ on GHone he said: “I’ve been offered bribe by gospel artistes…No disrespect to gospel artistes but the biggest bribe that I’ve been offered in the history of the scheme (VGMA) comes from the artistes.”
Minister OJ who described himself as a principled man noted that he doesn’t want to stain his hard earn reputation by being labelled as a singer who paid his way to win at the VGMA.
He states that he has not filed for VGMA nomination right from 2017 till date.
“You are my awards, the kind of people who send me the messages day-in-day-out that I read. They give me inspiration and since then, I’ve not even filed for any (VGMA) nominations.
“When I came out with ‘Onipa Hia Mmoa’, George Quaye made a comment that Gospel musicians pay bribes so I withdrew my nominations and since then… I am a very principled person, I think beyond what you do… Google doesn’t forget, my children might be reading and they will wonder if I was paying bribes to get awards. I mean your children will not even believe in you as a father and by doing so, it pushed George to come and retract that statement but after that, I didn’t still find the need to submit my work,” said OJ in an interview on Starr FM with Caleb Nii Boye.
Minister OJ, known by many as one of Ghana’s best songwriters, also recalled an incident at the 2014 VGMA where he felt cheated after losing the Songwriter of the Year award to highlife singer, Bisa Kdei.
“That day, I was angry when I was performing. I can’t hide things, I was wondering whether Ghanaians don’t appreciate good music. It was Bisa Kdei’s song that won, ‘Baba’, so they gave it to Baba. Seven years after, now I have grown over it. I have written other hit songs, the award is organized by some people so if they say they won’t give it to me, what can I do? “