Legendary Act Ambolley Smokes Peace Pipe With Okyeame Kwame

Legendary Highlife musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley has rendered an apology to hiplife rapper Okyeame Kwame over claims that the latter received funds shared with artistes.

This comes three years after he claimed that the rapper was one of the creatives given a share in the government ¢2 million meant for the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).

In an apology post via LinkedIn, Ambolley pointed out that he was ‘mistaken’, clarifying that MUSIGA’s former President Bice Osei Kuffour aka Obour did not tete-a-tete hand over any government fund as a loan to Okyeame Kwame.

He,, therefore acknowledged that his claims that the ‘Rap Doctor’ did not pay back the money he received were also untrue.

“Obour did not give Okyeame Kwame a personal loan from MUSIGHA funds. To support artistes and enable them access loans, MUSIGHA entered an arrangement with Midland bank and provided security/collateral for the arrangement,” he typed and posted.

The ace saxophonist added that “Okyeame Kwame only took advantage of the initiative and applied for a loan from Midland bank which he was given.”

Mr Ambolley stated that the Hiplife artiste has also paid back the loan in full.

“To the extent that my earlier statements may have affected the reputation of Okyeame Kwame, I apologize and state that the errors in my statements were not made maliciously,” Ambolley counted.

Background

In February 2020, music legend Gyedu-Blay Ambolley alleged that few performers in the country were the sole beneficiaries of the GH¢2 million government allocated to MUSIGA.

He mentioned in an interview on Accra-based radio station, 3FM that the one-time President of MUSIGA, Bice Osei Kufuor the recipient of the cash then, is the one who shared the money meant for the union with the musicians close to him.

“When that money came Obour gave those surrounding him, ¢50,000. I know what I am saying, I am not fabricating anything,” he alleged.

Nonetheless, following his claims Okyeame Kwame threatened to sue the veteran musician if he does not retract and apologise within 72 hours.

However, in another interview on 3FM, Ambolley noted that he is not prepared to apologise within 72 hours expressing that he needed a week to make his checks and get back to Okyeame Kwame either with an apology or his facts.

According to him, he knows that something shady went on when MUSIGA was given the money.

But, he later informed Ibrahim Ben-Bako on Joy Prime Tv channel, that he does not need the time to prove his allegations because the accountability would either justify his claims or Okyeame Kwame’s.

Okyeame Kwame later sued Ambolley for defamation.

An official communique issued by Ambolley’s attorneys indicated that the parties settled the suit “in a court-connected mediation process” and as part of the settlement issued an apology.

Read his full apology below:

RE: Kwame Nsiah Apau v Gyedu-Blay Ambolley; Suit No. GJ/0792/2020

In the course of an interview on 3FM on the 22nd of February 2020 concerning the use of some funds donated by the Government of Ghana to the Musicians Association of Ghana (MUSIGHA), I was mistaken concerning some of the details of the matter, particularly concerning my colleague musician and MUSIGHA member Kwame Nsiah Apau also known as Okyeame Kwame and I wish to correct and clarify those facts as follows: Obour did not give Okyeame Kwame a personal loan from MUSIGHA funds. To support artists and enable them access to loans, MUSIGHA entered an arrangement with Midland Bank and provided security/collateral for the arrangement. Okyeame Kwame only took advantage of the initiative and applied for a loan from Midland Bank which he was given. He has informed me that he has since paid back the bank in full. To the extent that my earlier statements may have affected the reputation of Okyeame Kwame, I apologize and state that the errors in my statements were not made maliciously.

Signed Gyedu-Blay Ambolley