Guy Warren - Patriot

Patriot

His belief in the culture of his people was absolute, and led him to change his name from Gamaliel Warren Kpakpo Akwei to Guy Warren of Ghana to Kofi Ghanaba. On 1 July 1974, the anniversary of Ghana’s Republic Day, he adopted the name Ghanaba. More than just a gifted artist, Ghanaba was a pioneer of the African renaissance, from a very young age believing strongly in staying true to his African roots. His pride in his African heritage and love of Africa was portrayed in every aspect of his life: his music, the way he lived, the things he stood for and even in the clothes he wore. As he explained: "I have experimented with all and have found my current dressing to be the most comfortable and sensible." His goal was to make the African presence felt in world music. Some people made fun of him, others called him crazy. But he did not care, and always said: "I am way ahead of my time."

Max Roach said in 1974: "Ghanaba was so far ahead of what we were all doing, that none of us understood what he was saying, that in order for Afro-American music to be stronger, it must cross-fertilise with its African origins. Ghanaba’s conception, like that of Marcus Garvey, George Washington Carver etc. was beyond our grasp. We ignored him. Seventeen years later, Black Music in America has turned to Africa for inspiration and rejuvenation, and the African soundz of Ghanaba is now being imitated all over the United States where Afro American music is played."

Ghanaba was politically active and concerned with development in Africa and Ghana in particular. He was disturbed by the desire of many Ghanaians for material goods manufactured outside the country, at the expense of the best from their own country. In affairs of state Ghanaba was among three intellectuals handpicked by Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah to give advice on political, spiritual and personal matters. He repeated the same service to Jerry John Rawlings when he became head of state. In the 1970s Ghanaba teamed up with African Obonu (later known as the Ghanababii and others to perform the monthly Free South Africa Shows. These were organized at the Accra Community Centre in solidarity with Nelson Mandela and the people of South Africa in the fight against apartheid. Other shows were organised to commemorate important dates in African history, such as Namibia’s Independence Day, and also to honour Africans such as Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey for their achievements. Ghanaba's great intellectual hunger was sated by voracious reading, evidenced by the sign he had up in his house: "I would rather read". He collected many books, newspapers and other material and hoped that once properly catalogued they could be preserved and used by future generations. New York University has expressed interest in his collections, and a professor of African Studies at NYU has established the African Heritage Library in Accra, most of the material coming from Ghanaba’s collections. Decades earlier, however, he had wanted to donate it to the government of Nigeria because of their commitment to the second edition of the World Festival of Black Arts in 1977.

A true patriot and Pan-Africanist, he opined that if political and economic developments do not go hand in hand with cultural developments no meaningful progress would be made. Ghanaba lived fully, but like his mentor Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the legacy of his work appears to be far ahead of his time and is yet to be fully understood and applied to the benefit of Africa and all mankind.

"All you have shall some day be given. Therefore give now when the season of your giving is yours." -Ghanaba