Frafra kologo music artist Jacob Abagna Gongo has warned people to be aware of scorpions among their friends in a hit song that has taken the Frafra community by storm. The Mina ti nanga song, the title song of Abagna Gongo’s new album, advises those with many friends to be aware that some of their friends are not genuine and can sting from within.

In the song, Abagna Gongo sang, “You and your friends do everything. You eat together, walk and do things together, and give them your heart, but in the end, they leave you in the sun, so beware of the scorpions among your friends.” Abagna Gongo’s lyrics highlight social issues such as betrayal among friends and imply that one should not rely too much on friends.

Abagna Gongo comes from Yorogo in the Bolga Municipality. He learned and gained inspiration from Frafra Kologo legend Sambo Adabire before he began to build a vast network of fans. “Truly, I started by playing the songs of Sambo and Atibire Kolgo’s songs and also inspired by Adimazanga, Ayuune Sule, Atia Mba, and Anu’si Dongo, among others.” These musicians shaped his formative years.

According to him, Sambo helped him so much during his early years by teaching him how to play, sing and handle himself among the people. Abagna Gongo has released many hit albums and songs since his first launch. Today, Abagna Gongo has over 12 albums to his credit, most of which are available on online music stores and YouTube. He won the best artist from Bolga municipality in 2022 and 2023 in the My Bolga Online Frafra Music Awards Festival.

The brave Abagna Gongo’s songs have been instrumental in highlighting specific social issues. In one of his powerful songs, Abagna Gongo sang that in the past, people aspired to be rulers to take care of the people, but today, chiefs are killing the people. People came to the chief’s house to settle disputes in the past, but now the leaders are fighting among themselves. “Let me ask you, you want to be the chief over the people or stones? Why do you kill the same people you want to rule over?” The song highlights the delicate chieftaincy dispute in the Bolga area.

The powerful lyrics are hard-hitting without mincing words about the thoughts and feelings of people in the Bolgatanga Municipality. He noted that Bolga was peaceful compared to many other places in the past, but now the chiefs have brought the fight to Bolga. The song demonstrates Abagna Gongo’s willingness to take on sensitive social issues by the bull’s horn rather than beating about the bush.

Abagna Gongo is also noted for hit songs such as “Living Alone is Better than Living with Fake People” and “Don’t Stop Believing” and numerous hit songs. Abagna Gongo has another hit song about the choice of a wife. In that song, Abagna Gongo sang that if you marry a beautiful woman, you have married trouble, but if you marry one who is not that beautiful, she will always return to you after a fight, but a beautiful woman may not return.

Abagna Gongo has been instrumental in grooming young kologo talent all over the Upper East Region of Ghana. “I have been grooming over 30 young kologo talents from everywhere”. Some include Aveamahere, Abota Bia, Azonto, Akapusiba Yine, Isaac Abagna from Naam, and Agulugo Moah from Bongo Soe, among many others. Jacob Abagna Gongo has also implemented specific initiatives to promote education and culture in the municipality. He recently donated exercise books to selected schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality.

Abagna Gongo’s unique style and delivery have contributed immensely to promoting Frafra culture and music to the international world, earning him an active and solid fan base. In 2014, Abagna Gongo visited the Netherlands, where he performed before a large audience enthused with his unique dressing and hitting songs.

Abagna Gongo is looking forward to further collaborating with international artists, producers, and agents. As the musical notes of Abagna Gongo’s kologo reverberate, they carry the echoes of a true artist, a community advocate, and a visionary with a global outlook. Through his melodies, he ignites conversations and cultivates change. In a world where music often transcends words, Jacob Abagna Gongo’s compositions serve as a powerful testament to the enduring influence of the artist’s voice.

By Stephen Atalebe