Ghanaian Gospel musician, ACP Kofi Sarpong, has shared how he was forced to venture into music.
According to him, fame was never a priority to him considering his kind of job as a police officer.
He recounts giving his current manager an incredibly tough time before finally agreeing to go into music.
Narrating his success story, he stated how he declined his manager, Kwesi Ernest’s proposal to go to the studio after a performance at a church. He said it was due to his passion for police work.
“I declined outrightly and told him, ‘You heard my name as deputy superintendent of police. How could that be possible?’ And for me, I love the police. If I’m working and I’m not paid, it would be enough for me. I also wasn’t ready to leave the police. But he persevered.”
ACP Kofi Sarpong
According to him, his manager wouldn’t leave him alone and went ahead to send multiple people to his doorstep to convince him until he obliged.
“He came to see me one day, and I asked him, ‘I’ve seen people holding CDs looking for producers, so why won’t you help them?’ And he told me, ‘Papa, I’ve seen you from afar. You don’t know me, but I know you, and I want the world to see what’s in you, so please give me the opportunity. After he left, I had to apply to the Inspector General of Police, and approval came through.”
ACP Kofi Sarpong
He disclosed how terrified he was after putting in the request and the relief he felt when the IGP’s secretary informed him that his request was approved.
“I breathed a sigh of relief. I called my manager and told him this was the situation, and he was so happy, jumping all over. A few hours later, I heard a knock on my door, and it was him with someone holding a piano following him, and it was Akwaboah Jnr. I asked why, and he said, ‘Papa, we are starting today’.”
ACP Kofi Sarpong
He revealed that his first song was rehearsed the first day Kwesi Ernest visited his office with Akwaboah Jnr, the writer of the song.
The renowned gospel artist also responded to news purporting to claim that he could become an Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Ghana in the future.
In his response, he noted that he is not obsessed with the position at the moment. However, he is focused on serving the incumbent IGP, George Akuffo Addo Dampare, to make the police service better.
ACP Sarpong indicated that he has two more ranks to be appointed as an IGP.
“When you get to COP (Commissioners of Police), all the commissioners can be appointed as IGP. Right now, I have two more steps to get to that level: DCOP (Deputy Commissioners of Police), and then COP (Commissioners of Police). Well, that will be great but for now, I am serving my IGP [Dampare]. He is doing incredible work.”
ACP Kofi Sarpong
Financial Challenges Within The Gospel Ministry
Kofi Sarpong revealed the financial struggles faced by many gospel musicians within the industry.
The gospel musician candidly shared his challenges, particularly regarding the business aspect of gospel music.
He recounted instances where his passion for ministry led him to perform at events without following the proper protocols.
However, Kofi Sarpong noted that such informal arrangements often resulted in inadequate compensation, not only for himself but also for the instrumentalists and backup singers who depend on these gigs for their livelihood.
“I even had a problem with my manager over this. Because under normal circumstances, if I’m invited to a program, it should go through him. And then he tells me we go in here and all that. But before he realizes it, I’m somewhere ministering. And after all these ministrations, what I gain out of it is malt and meat pie.
“And then these musicians we work with (the instrumentalists and backup singers) some of them, this is what they do to cater for themselves. So if they follow you, you cannot go take meat pies and tell them this is what you were given. No, it’s not right. So sometimes I had to go into my account and pay them.”
ACP Kofi Sarpong
He, therefore, urged stakeholders in the gospel music industry to support artists financially, acknowledging the significant role they play in ministry and entertainment.
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