Okyeame Kwame’s advocacy gets massive boost as BoG honours Ghana’s heroines

Ghanaian musician Okyeame Kwame has welcomed the Bank of Ghana’s decision to honour prominent Ghanaian women on its newly unveiled cedi notes.

He has described the move as a fulfilment of his long-standing advocacy.

The musician has consistently argued that a nation that does not honour its heroes will have few, if any, young heroes to inspire future generations.

The new notes, which feature prominent men and women, honour three distinguished Ghanaian women:

Agnes Oforiwa Tagoe-Quarcoopome (GH¢1 note): A pioneering textile trader and market queen from Makola Market who inspired generations of women entrepreneurs and helped build early confidence in formal banking.

Justice Annie Ruth Jiagge (GH¢10 note): Ghana’s first female High Court judge in 1961, a former President of the Court of Appeal and a global human rights campaigner who helped draft the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.

Theodosia Okoh (GH¢50 note): The iconic designer of Ghana’s national flag.

Seeing the honour bestowed on the heroines, Okyeame Kwame said he felt fulfilled by his advocacy.

The musician appears to be extending his message of recognition and appreciation to others through his music. Earlier this year, he released Clap, a family-friendly reggae song with the chorus, “learn to clap for others, Pa Pa Pa.”

He followed it with a new song, Ayekoo (Big Up), released on 21 September, which also marked Kwame Nkrumah’s birthday.

Ayekoo means congratulations in the Akan language. On the song, Okyeame Kwame rides a dancehall beat, using lyrics and cadence to eulogise great men and women who have contributed to Ghana’s national development.

The personalities celebrated are drawn from politics, sports, entertainment and traditional leadership, among other fields.

The combination of wordplay and metaphorical delivery demonstrates the rapper’s experience without him having to say it. The song was produced by legendary producer Gomez Beats.

Its chorus is a smooth yet attention-grabbing melody that drives home the message through repetition: “big up, big up, big up, bibibibi, big up, big up, big up,” calling on listeners to respond, “Ayekooo.”

Jah Lead, the Afro-dancehall artiste who captured the hearts of Ghanaians with his hit song Lonely, was carefully selected to deliver the chorus, as Okyeame Kwame explained in an interview.

The song goes beyond entertainment. It is a culturally relevant audio-visual piece expected to resonate with many listeners.

Okyeame Kwame’s values are drawn from the ethos of his environment, but what stands out in the song is his recognition of five women who contributed to Ghana’s fight during the struggle for independence, as well as others who became formidable leaders after independence.

Names such as Naa Dedei Aryeetey, Mabel Dove Danquah, Susanna Al-Hassan, Ama Nkrumah and Theodosia Okoh are mentioned and appropriately celebrated.

He has also released a video that serves as an augmented reality representation of the entire experience, with Ghanaian culture on full display.