Ghana attained independence without lyrics for the national anthem – Prof. Ivan Addae Mensah

Decisions by a literary committee regarding Philip Gbeho’s national anthem entry resulted in the country declare independence without lyrics for its national anthem.

The original lyrics of the song Philip Gbeho submitted to the committee were considered ‘too religious,’ Prof. Emeritus Ivan Addae Mensah says.

The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, being a student of Mr. Philip Gbeho, knew about the long journey in the selection of Mr. Gbeho’s composition as the nation’s anthem.

Check This Out: JUST IN: Philip Gbeho’s original Lyrics for Ghana’s anthem was rejected for being ‘too religious’ – Prof. Addae-Mensah

In a yet-to-be aired interview with Dr. Abubakari Sidick Ahmed on Radio Univers, Prof. Emeritus shares how another committee was set up to write appropriate lyrics for the anthem, using Mr. Gbeho’s tune.

He also recounted how there were suggestions for Mr. Ephraim Amu’s ‘Yen Ara Asase Ni’ song to be adopted as the national anthem since it was already popular among the citizenry.

Check This Out:  COVID-19: Call for Re-Closure of Schools illogical and Misplaced – ATAG

“At independence, our anthem had no lyrics. So another committee was set up to write appropriate lyrics for the anthem. There was a school of thought that all the four entries should be rejected and Ephraim Amu’s ‘Yen Ara Asase Ni’ be considered for the national anthem,” Prof. Emeritus Ivan Addae Mensah recalls.

The interview will be premiered at 4PM on Friday, July 17, 2020.