This year's Afcon has seen thousands of supporters across Africa and the world trooping into Ivory Coast to witness the best event in Africa, and yesterday saw thousands of audience members in some parts of Abidjan glued to their giant satellite screens, with the main event coming live from Yopougon as Bongofari, known in real life as Fred Samuel Adjei Crawther, gave them a performance of their lives. 

The cheers were deafening, a wave of adoration washing over the artist. His infectious grin mirrored the joy of the crowd, and as the first riddim of a familiar track dropped, making a tribute to Bob Marley, Natural Mystic in Odo Reggae Style. I do not know if the audience has already heard "Cherie Je t'aime, meaning I love you, but it was amazing how they sang along with every step of that music. 

His material often comprises love lyrics rendered in Twi with a sprinkling of English and French, all clothed with some pleasing highlife and reggae rhythms. That approach made his songs like Odo Reggae, I’m Serious, Righteousness, and Freedom go well with the audience. The Odo Reggae President, Bongofari, believes he has found a formula that sits well with many music lovers because it touches on elements they are already familiar with but also makes room for some ingenuity. 

He has had the chance since 2021 to present his material to live audiences at a variety of shows in Accra and Kumasi, and he is convinced he is making inroads into people’s hearts and minds. Events that have afforded Bongofari the chance to offer his Odo Reggae style of music to fans include the Akwaaba Festival of 2021 and 2022, which was organized at the National Theatre by Ceejay Multimedia and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts.

 He was also at last year’s Global Citizen and Black Star Line festivals at Independence Square and featured at the Panafest 2022 bash at Cape Coast. The Emperor Haile Selassie Coronation Day concert in Kumasi in 2022 also gave him a chance to expose his act to music lovers in The Garden City. 

For over 8 hours, the large event park at Yopougon became a sacred space for the SAW Music Concert. Artists like Didi B, Micalle, Jah Fakoly, Alpha Blondi, and Takazan Zion took turns igniting the crowd with their diverse talents, each act adding a unique flavor to the musical potpourri. 

Shaking Africa to the World - SAW - is a Capacity-building program founded by Jonathan Otu-Amponsah and powered by Ivak Visions and Concepts to support individuals, groups, and societies and develop effective and well-managed organizations that make the best use of their human and financial resources to promote such cause. With a great focus on delivering successful strategies, emerging tools as well as specific skills and tactics necessary to build the capacity in Africa, the program aims at empowering individuals, groups, and societies to better perform internally and externally toward the community they serve. 

"Bongofari is a great performer with lots of energy and will be the first artist in the world to tour with SAW in Africa" Mr Jonathan Otu-Amponsah hinted.

The SAW Music Concert features 2baba, Sona Jobayetey, Femi Kuti, and more to perform in different parts of the Ivory Coast.