Gospel veteran Jack Alolome has questioned the notion that Gospel singers should not openly endorse political parties or figures.
He challenged the opinion that declaring his support for a political party could polarise his following, leading some astray.
“Why do people say that? If anyone misses the way to heaven because of that, they desired and decided to backslide themselves.”
Jack Alolome
He offered an alternative to decrying Gospel acts supporting political parties. “Perhaps, we are using our influence to help save the country when it is derailed,” he said.
The singer acknowledged he once supported the NPP, being the child of “diehard NPP supporters”.
“But in 2016 – Sam Pyne, Dr Serebour, Lawyer Ohene Gyan, Kokofu, Nana B, Taabea, Kwame Adinkra – these were my friends and the majority, or 90% of them, were NPP supporters. Taabea was a diehard supporter, but he was not treated fairly. We used to meet up every Sunday at Yegoala [Hotel] in Kumasi.
“If you’d remember, there was an NPP programme at the Kumasi Sports Stadium, for which Sam Pyne asked me to come perform. I had to stop my programme at Breman Asikuma. We came and did a great performance – I was introduced by Lord Inusah. I performed and even created a song on the spot for the party. But after all that, whoever I called referred me to another person for payment for my crew. We were never paid.”
Jack Alolome
He lamented working and receiving no compensation when he had dropped everything he was doing to answer the call to perform at the event.
He argued that having served, his team was worthy of their pay, and he was not being greedy nor dishonourable for expecting such.
Jack Alolome said after the NPP’s great disappointment, “I was called by Honourable Armah Kofi Buah – you know he is a brother, we come from the same town.”
“He informed me he was launching his campaign – that was in 2016 – and he wanted me to support him. On the day, the DJ struggled to play my song. I had to do acapella, and I did that on the stage for about five minutes. Afterwards, I went to my hotel. I was there when they came to thank me for gracing the occasion. When I checked the money, it was GHS20,000 as of 2016. I put it on my bed, took a picture and sent it to my family, telling them this party was better and that we had to be with them instead.”
Jack Alolome
Alolome clarified he was not supporting the NDC because of personal gain, but had been inspired by the party’s sense of appreciation, contrasting Kofi Buah’s actions with Sam Pyne’s.
“The [NPP] party came to power and performed the worst, too,” he emphasised, assessing former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s performance, while defending his support for President John Mahama’s NDC.
He noted the NDC’s warm reception despite his support of the NPP in the past, savouring the privilege and “divine grace” bestowed on him to sing before President Mahama spoke.
He said during the eight-year tenure of Akufo-Addo, he recognised the ousted Mahama was better and had to return, “and that inspired my song Begye Yen (Come Save Us)”.
He narrated how Eric Adjei told him he and his boss, then the National NDC Communicator, Sammy Gyamfi, had noticed “there was power in the song” upon their first listen. “They told me they loved the song. And truly, it made an impact,” Alolome added.
He confessed his “education was not that deep enough” to expect grand appointments in government now that power had returned to the NDC. However, he highlighted he was open to “generous acts of kindness, and befitting contracts”.
Jack Alolome Confesses to Once ‘Slipping’ Into Drinking
The Gospel veteran admitted to consuming alcohol, but only in the past.
“I was tagged as a drunkard because the people I walked with liked to drink – they were elderly, too. And in Ghana, once you are spotted in such company, it is concluded you are just like them.”
Jack Alolome
The ‘Adom Nsuo’ (Water of Grace) singer indicated he once went astray but promptly repented when he observed the unacceptable trend.
“If I say I’ve not taken alcohol before, even God will be angry at me. But being human, as your life progresses, you may get swollen-headed and do some things you are not supposed to do. But when you notice and admit your shortfall, it’s between you and your God, and you can backtrack.”
Jack Alolome
However, “I was not a heavy drinker,” he clarified, explaining that even when he consumed alcoholic beverages, they had low alcohol content.
Alolome categorically stated he has completely stopped drinking, adding he has never used cannabis before, too.
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