Ghanaian Hiplife-controversial musician, Barima Sidney’s song, ‘Africa Money’ appears to be exhibiting some good-luck magic as it has contributed to formerly opposition parties, who used the song during its presidential election campaigns, to overthrow its country’s ruling governments.
Now ruling parties who used ‘Africa Money’ as one of its campaign songs include Ghana’s National Democratic Congress (NDC); Burkina Faso’s Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP); Equatorial Guinea’s Democratic Party (DP); Côte d’Ivoire’s Rally of the Republicans (RDR, an Ivorian political party formed in 1999); and just recently, Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress’ (APC).
Seemingly, these political parties followed suits in using Barima Sidney’s ‘Africa Money’ upon its release in 2008; after Ghana’s ruling government, National Democratic Congress (NDC), who unofficially used the song at its various campaign grounds against President Kuffuor’s regime won the country’s 2008 Presidential Election.
Upon using the song unofficially at the party’s various campaign grounds, there ensued a heated argument over intellectual property right on Peace 104.3FM’s midday news prior to the election between the singer, Barima Sidney and then aspiring MP for Akwatia (also, a member of the communication team as at the time).
After all said and done, the NDC Party won the 2008 Presidential Election and paved way for the late President Atta Mills’ regime, but has the Ghana’s financial crisis gotten any better?
The song, which hammers on the ill-manner ruling governments misuse the country’s funds to their beneficiaries than taking up its responsibilities to ensuring that the country and its citizens face less economical hardship; has been used by some opposition-now-ruling parties in the African continent.
Then opposition-now-ruling parties include;
Côte d’Ivoire’s Rally of the Republicans (RDR, an Ivorian political party formed in 1999), lead by President Alassane Ouattara during country’s 2010 Presidential election, used Barima Sidney’s ‘Africa Money’ as one of its campaign songs.
With the Ghanaian musician performing at Abidjan during one of the party’s rallies; he won the election.
President Ouattara’s win became a conflict as then President Lauren Gbagbo failed to accept defeat after the preliminary results announced by the Electoral Commission showed a loss in favour of his rival, former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara.
The presidential elections that should have been organized in 2005 were postponed until November 2010.
Resigned Burkina Faso’s Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP), lead by President Blaise Compaore, who used ‘Africa Money’ as one the party’s campaign songs in the country’s 2010 Presidential Election after preceding the incumbent President Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara, who was killed in October 1987.
The Ghanaian Hiplife-political artiste, Barima Sidney was billed to perform during one of the CDP’s rallies at Tengodogo, a suburb of Burkinabé.
Until October 31, 2014 when he was announced removed from power by an army spokesperson; President Blaise Compaoré won elections in 1991, 1998, 2005, and his attempt to amend the constitution to extend his 27-year term caused the 2014 Burkinabé uprising.
He had fled to Ivory Coast, it is reported.
Equatorial Guinea’s 2nd incumbent President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of the Democratic Party (DP) during the country’s 2013 Presidential election used Barima Sidney’s ‘Africa Money’ as one of his campaign songs during rallies although he ousted his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema in an August 1979 Military coup.
And again Barima Sidney performed at one of the party’s rallies held at Malabo and Bata in Equatorial Guinea.
Upon assuming office, President Obiang Nguema oversaw Equatorial Guineeg’s emergence as an important oil producing country in the 1990s beginning.
And just recently, Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress’ (APC) leader, now President Muhammadu Buhari, who was reported to have used the song, ‘Africa Money’ as one of the party’s main campaign song.
Although the election was scheduled for February 14, 2015; it was postponed to February 28, 2015.
He won the 2015 Presidential election against then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan’s party, People’s Democratic Party a week ago.
President Goodluck Jonathan is the first sitting Nigerian president to concede defeat in such a competitive election in history.
Although the Barima Sidney was expected to perform at one the rallies held by APC, it came as a short notice, hence he could not perform for the Buharism supporters.
Unfortunately, it has been only Liberia’s Congress Democratic Congress, lead by George Tawlon Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah, who ran unsuccessfully for president in the 2005 election losing to incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the second round of voting.
In the 2011 Liberia election, he ran for vice president on Winston Tubman’s ticket. The Liberian humanitarian, politician, and an ex-footballer who played as a striker; running as a Congress for Democratic Change candidate, he was elected to the Senate in 2014.
One may ask what it is in the song that has lead to the surprise overthrowing of some governments in Africa.
Next year, 2016, Ghana will be holding its Presidential election; will the opposition party, National Patriotic Party (NPP) use part 2 of ‘Africa Money’; ‘Sikadieee Basaa’ to overthrow the ruling government, NDC?
And will Sidney record an English version of ‘Sikadieee Basaa’, which features Countryman Songo to enable other opposition parties in Africa use during their various campaigns?
Watch ‘Sikadieee Basaa’:
By: Ama Larbie