Entertainment
Former First Lady reviews ‘Love Locked Down’ books by Okyeame Kwame and wife
Kwame and Annica, a celebrity couple, have found love, they have found how to keep their marriage working as well as how to keep their home functional.
They tell their story with the hope that some couples would find something in the books to help them and that single men and women looking for love would also find some answers to the questions they struggle with in their relationships.
There are two books and each book is in two parts. On the title page of each part is an Adinkra symbol with the name and meaning under it. The meanings of the main Adinkra symbols used on the title pages of the various parts bear significance to the topics treated in those parts.
Underneath the main symbol, are four other Adinkra symbols – these do not have the names and meanings.
The books are straightforward narrations with each section flowing nicely into the next. The narration is done by each of them telling their love story from their point of view and understanding. They tell it as it is, with no holding back whatsoever – that is the “glue” that keeps the reader stuck and wanting to read more. The clarity with which Kwame and Annica’s views on the various topics are presented adds to the desire to continue reading.
Kwame and Annica take us into their marriage and share with us some of their experiences as well as their individual points of view on critical issues in making a love relationship work. We read about the things that have held their marriage together and how they navigate through the public attention celebrities are subjected to.
Love locked down will grab your attention – you will be informed, educated, inspired and encouraged. You will get a lot of ideas on how to keep your love locked down from the two books.
A REVIEW
Love Locked Down: Finding a lasting love relationship.
This book is in two parts:
Part I: Finding someone to love.
It has the Adinkra symbol, “Akoma” (Heart).
The meaning of the symbol is, “Patience and tolerance” – both virtues needed to find someone to love.
Part II: Before you say, “I do”
It has the Adinkra symbol, “Me ware wo” (I shall marry you).
The meaning of the symbol is, “Commitment and perseverance” – both are virtues useful and necessary to have before you say, “I do.”
It is the story of how Kwame and Annica met just before they got married. They tell readers about falling in love and working one’s way to getting married. In this book you will read about how they met, their dating and courtship periods as well as some of the conversations they had through those times.
We are made to enter their lives and experience their relationship as we read how the alignment of their core values played a vital role in their relationship – they share plenty of experiences with us that prove the point.
Kwame and Annica make it clear how they have been intentional in the things that help their relationship to thrive and blossom: knowing what they each want in the relationship, working through their goals, making sacrifices for each other, talking through issues and respecting each other.
In talking about love, intimacy and sex, Kwame and Annica are frank, truthful and honest in letting us know how they feel and even where they have divergent views that let us into their thinking and reasoning.
The message from the book is: fall in love with your best friend and work through it for a lasting relationship.
Readers have a bonus of worksheets at the end of the book that they can go through to help understand the topics and get to know themselves better.
Love locked down: Finding a lasting love relationship, is a must read. It will put you on the journey to finding love if you have not found love. For those who have found love it will help you to work at it and make it last.
A REVIEW
Love locked down: Maintaining a lasting love relationship.
This book is in two parts following from where the first book, Love locked down: Finding a lasting love relationship ends.
Part III: Getting married and starting out.
It has the Adinkra symbol, “Odo nnyira fie kwan” (Love never loses its way home).
The meaning of the symbol is, “The power of love” – you need love right from the beginning of marriage.
Part IV: Staying married and staying together.
It has the Adinkra symbol, “Boa me na me boa wo” (Help me and let me help you).
The meaning of the symbol is, “Cooperation and interdependence” – these are vital ingredients for staying married and staying together.
This is the story of how to marry and stay married – the story of Kwame marrying his best friend, Annica, staying in love and staying married. It is a simple straightforward narration of Kwame and Annica’s love story.
Kwame and Annica share thought provoking ideas on keeping things hot with romance, sex and intimacy, managing money, managing third parties, leaving a legacy and celebrating one another. We are allowed into their thoughts as well as their home, where we sometimes find ourselves in their bedroom.
The conversations they have on various topics are crucial and interesting as well as educative and entertaining. These would be great eye openers to couples who do not communicate well on issues.
There is no doubt that the commitment, transparency and communication that Kwame and Annica invested in their relationship and in each other is what keeps their marriage working.
For those who think a lasting love relationship is all about being lucky, hear Kwame. “Getting to this point has taken a tremendous effort to be devoted and considerate to each other and has very little to do with luck.”
By the time you are through reading the book, you will know and agree that love language, body language and verbal language are all necessary for maintaining a lasting love relationship.
There are worksheets at the end of the book to help you work through some of the topics they talk about and also help you assess yourselves.
You also get a bonus – Kwame and Annica have added 42 Adinkra symbols related to love, their names and their meanings at the end of the book.
If you have read Love locked down: Finding a lasting love relationship, then you have to read Love locked down: Maintaining a lasting love relationship to make your experience whole and complete.
Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur,
Wife of the former Vice President,
Retired Professional Librarian,
Philanthropist,
Author.
Entertainment
British Council Ghana-UK Music Partnership: Charterhouse’s Robert Klah attends The Great Escape Festival 2025
In a continued effort to strengthen Ghana’s creative industry and foster international collaboration, the British Council has sponsored Robert Klah, Head of Public Events and Communications at Charterhouse Productions and Lead for the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA), to represent Ghana at the prestigious Great Escape Festival in Brighton, United Kingdom.
The Great Escape Festival is the UK’s largest annual music showcase and conference, spotlighting over 300 emerging artists across multiple venues. 
Mr.Klah joined a 13-member international delegation from countries including Colombia, Venezuela, the Philippines, Albania, Argentina, Ukraine, Cuba, Malaysia, and Thailand.
This initiative is part of the British Council’s broader mission to connect global creatives with the UK’s vibrant music scene.
As a major partner of the TGMA Unsung Category, the British Council’s support aims to :
.Expose Ghanaian creatives to innovative UK artistic work
• Foster international professional relationships and knowledge exchange
• Encourage future collaborations, co-commissions, and partnership projects
• Showcase the role of UK festivals in cultural and economic development.
“This opportunity is a significant step in building bridges between Ghana and the UK’s music industries. I noticed the zero presence of African music and artistes, which translates into new market opportunity for Ghanaian music and musicians to develop,” Robert Klah said.
According to him, “Additionally, the key learnings and contacts from the conference offers valuable insights and connections that can uplift emerging talents, especially those in the Unsung category, while adding value to the TGMA National Music Summit held on 21st of June each year.”
The British Council’s work in arts and culture, education, and language continues to build connections, understanding, and trust between the UK and global communities.
By linking the best of the UK with the world—and vice versa—the organization fosters mutual understanding of shared values and challenges, creating enduring people-to-people ties even amid strained official relations.
Entertainment
Nanabanyin Dadson Honoured with Prestigious TGMA Titan Award
The Palms Convention Centre at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel was ablaze with glitz, and electrifying performances as the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) celebrated its winners in an exclusive event dubbed “Nite with AOTY” on Friday, June 6, 2025.
The night was not just about music—it was also a night of honour and legacy, with veteran journalist and cultural icon Nanabanyin Dadson taking home the prestigious Titan Award for his immense contributions to Ghana’s music and arts ecosystem.
This award was presented by the CEO of Charterhouse, Mrs. Theresa Ayoade, who lavished praise on Dadson, highlighting his invaluable contributions to the industry and to the Ghana Music Awards scheme since its inception.
Titan Award: Nanabanyin Dadson’s Enduring Legacy
Nanabanyin Dadson is a distinguished Ghanaian journalist, arts critic and educator whose influential career spans over three decades. His work has left a lasting imprint on Ghana’s creative and cultural landscape – particularly in the areas of music journalism, arts criticism, and cultural tourism.
A graduate of the University of Ghana with a degree in English and a diploma in Performing Arts, Mr Dadson further pursued postgraduate studies in African Studies and Communication.
He began his journalism career as an arts reporter and columnist with The Mirror and Daily Graphic, before becoming Editor of Graphic Showbiz. Under his leadership, the paper rose to prominence as Ghana’s foremost publication dedicated to entertainment, music and the creative arts.
Throughout his career, Mr Dadson has consistently championed the arts and tourism sectors, using his platform to advocate for greater visibility, understanding and appreciation of Ghana’s rich cultural heritage.
His commentary and reportage helped elevate cultural tourism into national conversation, encouraging the public and policymakers alike to recognise its value.
His work has been published in a range of national and international outlets – including West Africa Magazine, African Concord, Africa Magazine, Africa Asia, and the Torino Film Festival Magazine – and cited in academic publications such as Africa Cinema, Politics and Culture by Manthia Diawara.
He also contributed to landmark publications including Jubilee Ghana – A 50-Year News Journey Through Graphic, the Journalism Style Book, and the Journalism Policy Guide for the Graphic Communications Group.
Widely acknowledged as the only arts journalist of his time with both academic and practical grounding in the arts, Mr Dadson brought critical depth, eloquence and clarity to his writing.
His stated mission – to move the arts from the margins and reposition them as a serious and essential part of public discourse – has been largely realised, due in no small part to his pioneering efforts.
Now serving as Head of the Department of Journalism, Visual and Digital Communication at the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra, he continues to mentor and inspire the next generation of media practitioners.
He has also delivered lectures at institutions such as New York University (Ghana), the Ghana Institute of Journalism, and BlueCrest College.
His contributions have been recognised with several awards – including the Ministry of Information’s Artswriter Prize (1986, 1988), the Ghana Journalists Association’s Arts & Culture Writer of the Year (1996), and the GJA Recognition Award for Journalism (2004).
Nanabanyin Dadson remains a towering figure in Ghanaian cultural journalism – a passionate advocate for the arts and tourism, and a custodian of Ghana’s creative legacy.
Receiving the Titan Award, Dadson was celebrated as a true custodian of Ghana’s creative legacy, whose work has elevated cultural tourism and arts discourse in the nation.
Other Honourees of the Night
The event also recognised two other outstanding personalities:
1. Opoku Sanaa – Instrumentalist of the Year
A renowned bassist and music director, Sanaa has performed globally, from Expo 2020 Dubai to the Coca-Cola Arena, and worked with top artists like Joe Mettle, Diana Hamilton, and Cwesi Oteng. His 2024 album, “It’s Time”, showcases his genre-defying talent, solidifying his place among Africa’s finest instrumentalists.
2. Susuma Pan-African Dance & Music Ensemble – Traditional Artiste of the Year
Founded in 1991 by Nana Kwame Dadzie, this award-winning ensemble has taken Ghanaian traditional music and dance to global stages, preserving and promoting the country’s rich cultural heritage.
