David Atamina Nbabila was born in Damongo, Northern Region on the 7^th of August, 1984 to a farmer and a house wife, Aposongba and Abugpoka. I was born to a traditional home with many artistic skills which started from my great grandfather Azanyegre who took Kologo (the name of the local guitar in Frafra) music to the highest level and handed it to his grandson Atamina who also took it far. It followed the same trend to Atamina’s grandsons. My name was changed from Nbabila (small father) to Atamina because I inherited the instrument from Atamina. I took interest in the Kologo music at age 9 where I played in various occasions like communal farming, funerals, new marriages as well as church entertainment. At these playing grounds, I was always offered items like food stuffs, fowls, guinea fowls and sometimes, money. Due to this, I could not school early but could speak English because of my church friends. I later went to school at age 11 where I started from primary three at Canteen L/A Primary School at Damongo and later moved to St. Anne’s Roman Catholic JSS in the year 2000 where I became the School Prefect from 2001 to 2002 due to my academic excellence. I gained admission to the Tamale Secondary School in the year 2002 and successfully completed in 2005 from the science class with a distinction. At the Tamale Secondary School, I was class prefect from first year to third year and SRC spokesperson as well. After completion, I was employed to serve as a zonal coordinator for the guinea worm project by Jica, an NGO, from 2005 to 2006 after which I was trained and worked at the Damongo Roman Catholic Hospital as a health assistant from 2006 to August 2007. I then gained admission to the University of Ghana to read nursing in 2007 to 2011.

At the university, I played at programs like Health Week Celebrations, UGHANSA (University of Ghana Nursing Students’ Association) Week, Hall Week Celebrations (especially my hall, Commonwealth), Wedding Parties, Out-doorings, Restaurants (mama’s kitchen) on weekends where I made money for my feeding in school and buying of handouts as well as supporting my school fees. Kologo made me gain many friends that supported me in various ways throughout my education. After my education, Kologo still makes me keep going since I am not gainfully employed and I have the joy of doing Kologo music to the highest height. As a nurse, I wish to use Kologo music as a form of therapy in the mental health sector since biblically music was used as a form of therapy in the era of King David and Saul. Thank you!

Written by David Atamina.