Entertainment
‘Call me Kofi Sarpong in showbiz’
Ghanaian gospel music dynamo, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Kofi Sarpong, has urged the public not to struggle over his rank as a police officer, but simply call him by his name.
Recently, he was promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police, (SuPol) and has received another promotion to the position of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).
Speaking to The Spectator over the continuous change of ranks as a result of promotion, Kofi Sarpong said, “the position keeps changing, and its likely to change again in future, but my name remains the same.”
The gospel music gem added that “so for the civilians who do not know much about the Police ranks, it would be better for them to stick to my name, and call me Kofi Sarpong, I don’t have any problem with that.”
This, he, said would reduce the confusion it causes for some people, who struggle over title and try not to get it wrong.
“The change of title and ranks affects my brand name, but thank God people know me as Kofi Sarpong, I wouldn’t mind if you call me by my name,” he said.
According to him, though he expects other officers to know better, he has no qualms with civilians mentioning his name without his rank.
“The Officer Call in the Police Service starts from Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) then you move to Deputy Superintendent of Police, (DSP) then to Chief Superintendent of Police, (CSP) and it goes on and on,” he said.
CSP Kofi Sarpong further added that when he attained the status of DSP, he released his album which shot him to the limelight leading to everyone referring to him by that name and rank.
Talking about the challenges in this year, he said, as a musician 2020 has been a difficult one, this notwithstanding, he would release a new album early 2021.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Entertainment
Sparqlyn reminisces as he congratulates Shatta Wale for winning two awards at 43rd IRAWMA
Ghanaian musician and former member of musicial gorup, Dunsin, Ahmmed Kanneh Larweh, popularly known as Sparqlyn, has congratulated Ghanaian music heavyweight, Shatta Wale following his impressive double victory at the International Reggae and World Music Awards.
Shatta Wale recently made headlines after winning two major awards at the prestigious event held in Florida, USA, securing Best African Dancehall Entertainer and Concert of the Year for ShattaFest.
Reacting to the achievement, Sparqlyn could not hide his excitement after sighting news of the awards on Monday, May 18, 2025.
According to him, the one thing that caught his attention was the plaque presented to Shatta Wale. He noted that the design looked strikingly similar to the one Dunsin received when they won at the MUSA Awards over a decade ago.
The resemblance, especially the upper part of the plaque, instantly brought back memories of his former group’s historic moment on the African stage 13 years ago when the group represented Ghana proudly in South Africa.
It will be recalled that back in 2013, Dunsin achieved international recognition after winning Most Exciting Group in Africa and Most African Video at the MUSA Awards held in Pretoria, South Africa. The awards came on the back of their global hit project “Ɔyɛadeɛyie,” a song that helped elevate the group’s profile beyond Ghana.
At the time, Sparqlyn, then known by many as Kele within the group, was the one who represented Dunsin at the event to pick up the award.
Ghanaian dancehall artiste Charles Nii Armah Mensah, known as Shatta Wale, has won two awards at the 43rd International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) held in Florida over the weekend.
He picked up the Best African Dancehall Entertainer award as well as Concert of the Year for ShattaFest.
In a statement, Shatta Wale’s management expressed appreciation to the organisers and supporters of the awards.
“Management would like to sincerely appreciate the organisers of the IRAWMA awards for the recognition and continuous support for African music on the global stage.
“We also extend our deepest gratitude to fans across the world, especially the Shatta Movement fraternity, for their unwavering support, votes, and dedication throughout the years,” the statement said.
The statement added that the latest wins reaffirm the artiste’s position as one of Africa’s leading musical exports and a prominent figure in global dancehall culture.
The awards bring Shatta Wale’s total haul at the IRAWMA to 11, highlighting his continued presence on the international reggae and dancehall scene.
At last year’s edition, he won three awards: Best African Dancehall Entertainer, Best Music Video for “Killa Ji Mi”, and Best Crossover Song for “Commando” featuring Bounty Killer. -GNA
