Vodafone Icons Winners Share Experience From Turkey

Vodafone Ghana has handed over to management of Accra Academy Senior High School a fully stocked digital music studio as part of the package for emerging victors in the maiden edition of Vodafone Icons: High School edition.

Members of the School Band which comprised Enock Nketia- lead singer, Jeffery Coffie-vocalist, Sam Fifi Bisiw- jazz guitarist, Joseph Yankson- guitarist and Bright Gyamfi. The 5 boys shrugged off keen challenge from Osei Tutu Senior High School and Adisadel College to emerge first winners of the High School edition.

Having been crowned local champions, Vodafone Ghana facilitated the participation of Accra Aca in the 2nd International Free Zone Contest staged at Istanbul Turkey.

True to form, they emerged again as the ‘Best Act for International Band’ a feat worthy of celebration especially considering they competed against 40 global bands from Albania, Macedonia, Iceland, Turkey, U.K, India and others.

According to the boys, the journey to Turkey and participation in the music festival has been an eye opener given that they are first time travellers who didn’t even have passports and global experience.

“The bands were not as fearsome as we dreaded especially when we got there and started hearing some sing. We felt the vim that we could hold our own against the others and represent mother Ghana proudly” said Enock Nketia, lead singer of the band.

“We offered something from our music bag but then upped the tempo with Osibisa’s ‘Pata Pata’ and although some could not hear English in the crowd they felt our warmth and grooved hard eventually the effort won us the prize” Enoch added.

The final year class mates cum friends, acknowledged the valuable role of Vodafone in helping nurture their music gifts recounting that since winning the Vodafone High School edition, family relations and neighbours have embraced them even more warmly.

For Bright Gyamfi, who doubles at the Chaplin prefect, although he hoped to pursue law, he’s had a change of mind and is ready to take music as a profession.

Regarding the studio, the boys couldn’t be happier stressing the music den would help churn out commercially viable songs; proceeds from which could be used to maintain the school.