By Eyram Awittor-Awuma ’20
News Reporter
The Arts Page is proud to launch a new column titled “World Music on
Campus” in which members of our diverse international student body will
share music from their home countries, therefore, allowing us to further
appreciate our school’s incredible wealth of cultural opportunities.
A song from home that I enjoy is “Adonai” by Sarkodie ft. Casto, released in January 2014 as part of his album Sarkology. Sarkodie is a famous rapper in West Africa known for his hard-hitting and honest lyrics. The album focuses on the failures and pitfalls one faces on the road to success. The song serves as a reminder that no two people are the same and that one should not compare oneself to others. Sarkodie sings in Twi, one of the Ghanaian languages:
wo ne me ny3 p3 obia ne ne wiase
(you and I are not the same, we all have our own lifestyle).
We all have battles to fight on our own, battles with ourselves or with society. No matter where you are in the world, there will always be enemies of progress who throw everything they have into keeping you from succeeding. The song also reminds me that through all the pain and suffering of life, we have a great God on our side. In a way, you never truly carry the cross on your own but there are always people bearing the burden with you. I say thank you to God and all the bearers of my cross through my life.
There are many songs with this theme; however, this particular song made an impact on the nation as it was played and replayed over and over on every radio station in every city because of its catchy and uplifting beat. Although Sarkodie is a secular artist, the song holds religious meaning in the sense that it speaks about God and his faithfulness to us.
This makes it easier for the artist to connect with both the youth and the older generation, allowing the song’s influence to spread quickly. Back home, this song is a reminder of not only our success as a nation through different eras but also how lasting our empathy towards each other is. I see it as a song to pick me up on my low days and a song that motivates me to do better.