George Jahraa warns musicians against political endorsement

Veteran Ghanaian highlife artist George Jahraa has urged his fellow musicians to reconsider publicly endorsing political parties. Drawing from his own challenging experiences, he cautioned that such endorsements can permanently associate artists with a political faction.

In a recent interview with Mike 2 on Adom FM’s Entertainment Hall, Jahraa reflected on the difficulties he faced after supporting the opposition during former President Jerry John Rawlings’ tenure. He explained that his endorsement had significant repercussions on his music career, resulting in lost opportunities and canceled performances that ultimately harmed his livelihood.

“Every musician has the right to support a political party, but I learned the hard way. I once aligned with a party, and the aftermath was challenging,” he stated.

He recounted a time in 1992 when he was invited to perform at a political event when no one else would. “After that, none of my songs were aired on radio or TV—there was only one station at the time. I had to wait until Kufuor came to power for my music to be played again,” he said.

“I believe I could have been internationally recognized; my producer worked hard, but it just didn’t materialize. It wasn’t until later that I understood my performance had repercussions on my career,” he added.

Commenting on the political landscape in Ghana, Jahraa noted, “It’s a winner-takes-all scenario. I’ve witnessed the transitions of power from Busia to Acheampong, Akufo, Rawlings, and Limann. Anyone in power can pose a threat to a musician. I was hoping for a change, so musicians should be cautious about getting involved in politics here.”