Ghanaian musicians Sarkodie, Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy have always acknowledged the contribution and the support of their fan armies, SarkNation, SM4 Lyf and BHIM Nation respectively.
However, are these fan armies still relevant today? Baba Sadique shares his opinion.
Founder of 3Media Networks and NDC Parliamentary Candidate, Okaikoi Central, Sadiq Abdulai Abu, believes fan armies in the Ghanaian music industry are losing their essence.
Speaking in an interview with NY DJ on Y102.5FM in Kumasi, the CEO of Wilderland Festival revealed the groups have turned toxic, tearing each other apart instead of focusing on what they initially set out to do in the music marketing chain.
“They are not fit for purpose now. First of all, music marketing has changed and transformed tremendously over the past 2 to 3 years. Far Armies are becoming more toxic by the day. They continue to tear down on the achievements of each other. That wasn’t the intention we sought to create by rewarding them.”
Explaining why 3Music Awards created a category to reward such groups, Sadiq Abdulai Abu popularly known as Baba Sadiq said;
“At the time we (3Music Awards) conceptualized it, the idea was to organize them so they could be of benefit to these talents. Once it becomes toxic, it becomes problematic. It’s got to a point where the fanatism is coming down and now turned militants.”
He also advised musicians not to weaponize these fan armies.
“For us, we are at a critical point where we need everybody’s voice, everybody’s action, and everybody’s activity to be able to amplify all our talents because we need that global attention. Tearing down each other’s achievements is not the way to go!” he said.
