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ALEX KORKU NUKPORPE
BACKGROUND
Alex Korku Hekpah Nukporpe was born at Tengeykope-Klikor in the Volta Region of Ghana in 1907. His parents were Towotame Nukporpe and Totowogba, all of Abletsivia-Klikor. In 1915 he left Klikor for Keta where he attended the Keta A M E Zion School under the care of his uncle Kofi Nutakor. According to one of his school mates, the late C.K. Bekpo of Agbozume, Alex Nukporpe showed early in school his talents as a poet, singer, composer and dramatist. He left Keta in 1924 for Tengeykope and later stayed briefly at Afuta-Klikor with his uncles, the Atigahs.
Coming back to Tengeykope in 1939, Alex formed many drumming groups and composed songs for them. Some of these groups include Dunekpoe, Lagos, Faho and Patience. At Klikor he also formed the Yevalo and Freedom groups. The last two pitched a protracted halo battle against the Afegame groups of Klikor. This lasted until the two groups were detained at Keta for composing abusive songs. Indeed Alex introduced this highly contested music competition into Klikor.
In his busy musical career, Alex still had time to participate in national and local politics, especially in the new political struggle for independence. By 1940, he was holding various social and political positions. For example, between this time and 1960, he was the Patrol Leader of a Boys Scouts Movement, the Anlo District Chairman of the C.P.P., a member of the Anlo District Appeal Court, a Councilllor in the Native Authority of the Trans-Volta/Togoland, an elected member of the Anlo District Council, and the Finance Chairman of the Weta/Afife/Klikor (WAK) Local Council of the Dzodze District. At home he served on several Development Committees and helped to initiate many monumental development projects in Klikor.
Alex, in his lifetime, was also a seasoned farmer and trader. He was a staunch member of the then Ghana Farmers Association. He and Prosper Kobla Asempa of Klikor, among others, helped to found the Association in Klikor and other places.
Alex, in his long musical career which ended in 1987, had been detained several times for his songs. Recovering from a stroke in 1987, he probably made his last public performance in that year. In a song predictive of his death, he said:
You must certainly die when you are old
But my ancestors, be patient with me
I will come home myself when the time is due...
The time was due. On 2nd February 1990, he died leaving behind fifty children and many grandchildren. The great Klikor composer and patriot passed away. GADOLI NOE DO, the following song on the tragedies of a political blunder, is one of the sweetest testimonies of his eventful and meaningful musical life, a life of social concern, patriotism and protest.
GADOLI NOE DO
ALEX KORKU NUKPORPE
1980
INTRODUCTION
The year 1979 was one of the dramatic years in the history
of this country. The year before there was a palace coup in which
the head of state and Chairman of the Supreme Military Council,
General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, was toppled. At the centre of
this coup was Lt General F.W.K. Akuffo. The next year, on 15th
May 1979, a young military officer, Flight-Lieutenant Jerry John
Rawlings, was to attempt overthrowing the embryonic Akuffo's Supreme
Military Council II. In the background were the silent cries of
abject citizens queuing for essential commodities like milk, sugar,
soap, cloth and canned food. Villagers walked several miles to
join long queues that only lengthened, while these commodities
were actually sold behind closed doors to a smuggling few. Akuffo
especially was to worsen the plight of the common person in rural
areas, when without warning, the cedi was to be changed. Only
the new cedi, which was not available, was legal tender. Thousands
joined long queues even for days to change their old cedis with
the new. There were very few banks in rural areas, in some places,
only three banks to a whole district. What happened in those queues
of already miserable people was captured in the following song
composed by Alex Korku Nukporpe, Korku Hekpah. It could be summarised
in the case of a man in the Ketu District of the Volta Region
of Ghana. He sold his farm produce a few days to the change. He
wanted to buy a vehicle with his money. Queuing for several days
at Agbozume-Klikor without any headway, he went back to his farm,
spread the money under a tree and then hanged himself in the tree.
Nukporpe had other evidence. Let's hear him in a song of two main
parts, aone part sung by the group and the other a duet. The first
part introduced the duet:
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1 - Metsi klo nu 2 - Heno Vivo be metsi klo nu hee 3 - Nye ya dze agbagba dodoa 4 - Hebe yele azoli dze gea 5 - Metro gbo vatsi klo nu hee 6 - Ga lee ya miedo li 7 - Miyo Kufo nam woava 8 - Woava miadu ga la 9 - Zaze nya ya wohea 10 - De fu asi na amewo viwo alea 11 - De wo nutowo fe ga ta 12 - Wogble ga do mi na gatowo alea 13 - Ne miekpo Kufo me afea miagbe nyanya 14 - Wilinti mafea miagbe gudugudu 15 - Woanye nkudodzi na Ghanatowo 16 - Be xodeasi menye nuto o 17 - Kododo kplo ye do 18 - Ahedada kplo ye do 19 - Le gadoli fe nya ya me 20 - Gbemagbe nye gbemagbea 21 - Ameyiwo si ga mele woadoli oa 22 - Wotso kpo na woviwo la 23 - Wole de asi be sikotie 24 - Yewoe ga nu dzom 25 - Fofowo to mele eme o 26 - Dawo to mele eme o 27 - A ameka to nu dzom nele? 28 - Amewo di lom ega 29 - Amedokowo dilom ko 30 - Yewoe nye govimeti ha 31 - Amewo kpo ga fuu, gake tonye le vo 32 - Hekpa to le vovo hee 33 - Lakea ku de adekpowo nu ha? 34 - Sodzawo ame fom, watawo ame fom 35 - Gaya wo nuto netso yi lidoge 36 - Woafo wo hafi nadolie ha? 37 - Yi mieyi agbale sroge o 38 - Wobe mido de fli me 39 - Do ya wo nuto newo be yeadua 40 - Ye ya zu nya na wo hee 41 - Kufo gba yedo, Wilinti gba yedo hee 42 - Meyi Aflawu be madolia ga meli o 43 - Metro gbo vayi Dzodze 44 - Dzodzeawo bo asada 45 - Afotofe ha megali o 46 - Ano Klikor anye Koku hekpa 47 - Lu de eme kpo wofoge fifia 48 - Metro gbo va Agbozume 49 - Agbozume zu tegbitegbi tem nku nam ale 50 - Nya ya de gbee nu 51 - Matomato ha doe toto ha doe 52 - Ameyiwo nye gatowoa 53 - Wodowo de flime 54 - Amedigbo me viwo fofom 55 - Nuyi mekpo le Agbozumea 56 - Ne mebe magbloea 57 - Ao mava zu agodzela 58 - Atsiwoto le fli me 59 - Koblavi Mose le fli me, Dzato Domenikpi 60 - Woawoe le flia me Agbozume metso do la 61 - Edo Klikor gatowo dzi 62 - Vivo be aleke tutue wonoa gatowo fomeea 63 - Kliko hotsuitowo gbona 64 - Ga menye nu wofe nuti 65 - Atsoe ne novi be neyi woadoli naye o 66 - Ne ebe yeado adzovia 67 - Wo mefinue ye goglo ge 68 - Fianyehia le ngo na wo 69 - Minawo Hodesi, Wotsige Azaleko, Hukpoti Deku ha 70 - Gbenyo Alomenu, Dzagbolu Tsika Gbolu 71 - Woawoe nye gatowo wonyona 72 - Egbe ko megali o 73 - Gayi kple gatowo daa 74 - Nye ha mele wo dome 75 - Gagbala koe meto 76 - Ga mele yesi o hee 77 - Metro afo nu to be miawoe Ia 78 - Medzi sukli gbale go te dovukpo de me 79 - Le de ta na deviawo alea 80 - Dodo miado wodo bubu tefe nam 81 - Be amega vano afiyii miawoe nawo kaba 82 - Hum, me nukpe kpoge 83 - Devia yi ngogbe mebe netro ve megbe 84 - Afima wo ame fom akpa 85 - Nutso xole fliame voku tsugum 86 - Kplolui le amea dewo de 87 - Adetego le amea dewo de - 88 - Ga sugbo mele yesi o 89 - Pon ewo koe le yesi, yetso yi li dogee 90 - Kufo gble ga dome na ye hee 91 - Nyawo le yesi bee 92 - Vivo sodzawo, miekpo nya loo hee |
1 - I remain on my knees 2 - Heno Vivo is saying that he remains on his knees 3 - I who have begun to stand 4 - Thinking that I will begin to walk 5 - Rather relapse into being on my knees 6 - We have changed the money 7 - You call me Akuffo here 8 - To come and spend the money with me 9 - The bluff that they have made 10 - Causing people undue suffering 11 - Because of their own money 12 - They have caused financial loss to the rich 13 - Should we see Akuffo's house 14 - We will pulverize it completely 15 - Wellington's house we will raze down 16 - To be a reminder to the people of Ghana 17 - That a caretaker is never the owner 18 - My life is trailed by pennilessness 19 - Poverty trails my life 20 - In this episode of changing money 21 - That fateful day, those who didn't have money to change 22 - They gave clubs to their children 23 - To carry as if they were scouts 24 - That they are those guarding the money 25 - Your father's is not here 26 - Your mother's is not here 27 - Ah! Whose money are you guarding? 28 - Some people are changing money for money 29 - The poor are changing poverty for poverty 30 - Saying that they are the government 31 - Some are extremely rich but my case is very special 32 - Yes Hekpa's is very special 33 - What animal lay dead before the hunters shrine? 34 - Soldiers are beating people, the police are beating people 35 - Your own money that you bring to be changed 36 - They should beat you before you change it? 37 - We did not go to school 38 - They said that we should line up 39 - The work you yourself did to earn a living 40 - This landed you into serious trouble 41 - Akuffo destroyed my life, Wellington destroyed my life 42 - I went to Aflao to change it, no money 43 - I returned and went to Dzodze 44 - The Dzodze had gathered for a march past 45 - The whole place was crammed 46 - You can be in Klikor and be a Koku Hekpa - 47 - Attempt surging foward and be beaten instantly 48 - I came back to Agbozume 49 - Agbozume became a stye on my eye 50 - This is a very serious matter 51 - Saying it is difficult, not saying it also difficult 52 - Those who are rich people 53 - They put them in a line 54 - The children of indolent people beating them 55 - What I saw at Agbozume 56 - If I want to say it 57 - No. I may invoke ill feelings 58 - Atsiwoto was in the line 59 - Koblavi Moses was in the line, and Dzato Domenikpi 60 - They were the people in the line I met 61 - It was the turn of the rich in Klikor 62 - Vivo's saying how exactly they beat the rich 63 - The rich in Klikor are coming 64 - Money is not a thing to be taken for granted 65 - To be given to somebody to change for you 66 - If you want to win both ways 67 - You will have your buttocks crooked 68 - Fianyehia was at the front of the queue 69 - Minawo Hodesi, Wotsige Azalekor, Hukpoti Deku also 70 - Gbenyo Alomenu, Dzagbolu Tsika Gbolu 71 - They are the renowned wealthy people 72 - It is today that he is no more 73 - Riches have died with the rich dead 74 - I was also among them 75 - I have the looks of a rich man 76 - But really I have no money 77 - I aslo stood up to be counted 78 - I got an empty sugar-box stuffed some rags into it 79 - And let some children carry it 80 - Immediately we arrived they offered me a position of respect 81 - Saying , "Big man, sit here so that we could serve you first." 82 - Hmm, I am going to be disgraced 83 - The child moved forward, I asked him to draw back 84 - There they were beating people too much 85 - Old people in the line squeezing their testicles 86 - Some were hooked by hernia 87 - Some were hooked by hernia 88 - I don't have much money 89 - I have only ten pounds to change 90 - Akuffo has caused me a big financial loss 91 - I have much more to say 92 - Vivo's saying, soldiers, you are in trouble |
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1 - Hagla Nomesi be nukpo afe me medzea amenu o 2 - Gbedzie nyawo le hee 3 - Nano detsiziwo do mee ano bublum alea 4 - Kati glin glin tin 5 - Ne eyoe doxome fia metoto ge akpo o 6 - Haglawo, edzo edzo yi kumanikpi 7 - Ye nutoe be yeadoli dzua 8 - Eyi wodolia mekom ko 9 - Nomesi be droeku menoa ngogbe na alo o 10 - Gadoli fe nya te de ye dzi akpa 11 - Ga ya wodolia Ghana tro zu devi 12 - Neyi megbe woatro ve ngo 13 - Adzasiviwo ayosiviwo miva note miakpo mi 14 - Sohoe nye nu miwo 15 - Amea de tsi to me ku 16 - Amea de tsi tu nu ku 17 - Wokata kue 18 - Asitsa madzudzo asitsakue wua ame 19 - Agbleyi madzudzo agblede kue wua ame 20 - Mebe mabia koesini 21 - Ga ya wodolia wobe amea adeke meduge o 22 - Afikae wo nuto wode do? 23 - Ghana tsi afodeke dzi 24 - Fodidie sona ye nubue sona 25 - Amewo veve sem amewo dzidzo kpom 26 - Boko ka afa be awa gbona 27 - Hagla Vivo be yenuto ha le awaa me 28 - Wilintin de gbefa be amesiame nedoli ga 29 - Sidi ga xoxoa womega duge o hee 30 - Amesiame le dzu dzi 31 - Xolo gbo xolo nu toe 32 - Tso vi nam xo vi nam 33 - Ne meyige oa go ne mayi 34 - Amewo yi Keta ha, amewo do ta de Ge 35 - Xoxoe yilawo yi Xoxoe ha 36 - Amewo do ta de Akatsi 37 - Eyi meyi Flawu ha wobe boda dzie 38 - Ghana ga wome lidomi o 39 - Hose be Togoawoe doli wu Ghana ha 40 - Hone ya ku de gomea anye yewo toe 41 - Kpoe da gbodi tefee nye Agbozume 42 - Mietso kododo hede ati de amewo dzi 43 - De beleti de amewo dzi 44 - Be woto dzo woawo ga le wosi alea 45 - Wotso ve lido ge ha 46 - Nomesi be asi ya le wosi wotso ame fom alekea 47 - Alekee womatsoe wo gadoe o ha? 48 - Milem nam la hadzivodzue 49 - Devivi ya ano gatowo fom ha 50 - Eduko na hadzivodzua hee 51 - Hi miele flia mea gbogbotsixe tsi amefo 52 - Akloluiwo gbedem ale 53 - Adetego gbedem la 54 - Mefi kpo ne makpo 55 - Zafolawo kple hefolawo 56 - Zanu dze do dzi na wo 57 - Liwiliwi no megadi naneke o la 58 - Menye ge tso agakpo novi me mo o 59 - Ye nuto ha nyem xo 60 - Edewo didim nabe masini gonie 61 - Kplim Kplim kponkponu 62 - Ewliya loo wliya kpotolingo 63 - Gadoli noe do 64 - Vivo be wliya loo wliya kpotolingo - 65 - Gadoli noe do - 66 - Kpotolinogo - 67 - Gadoli noe do - 68 - Kpotolingo - 69 - Gadoli noe do - 70 - Woyom ko - 71 - Gadoli noe do - 72 - Gbom gbom - 73 - Gadoli noe do - 74 - Gegem ko wole wosi - 75 - Gadoli noe do - 76 - Elabe wofe do vazi - 77 - Gadoli noe do - 78 - Wote de do dzi na wo - 79 - Gadoli noe do - 80 - Dedem ko wonye wole - 81 - Gadoli noe do - 82 - Agbim gbim - 83 - Gadoli noe do - 84 - Gblim gblim - 85 - Gadoli noe do - 86 - Fiam fiam - 87 - Gadoli noe do - 88 - Vivo be wliya loo wliya kpotolingo - 89 - Gadoli noe do - 90 - Wliya loo wliya kpotolingo - 91 - Gadoli noe do - 92 - Wogbam ko - 93 - Gadoli noe do - 94 - Wodem ko - 95 - Gadoli noe do 96 - Gadoli noe do 97 - Gadoli noe do 98 - Gadoli noe do - 99 - Ziawo le kpo de asia 100 - Wonyem awu gatowo 101 - Mikata koe nuawo 102 - I would like to introduce myself to the gathering 103 - My name is Alex Korku Nukporpe alias Korku Hekpah 104 - Historical singer, leader of Klikor Abletsivia 105 - Let's state the facts 106 - Klikor has nothing to do with anybody 107 - Klikor, Klikor, Klikor 108 - Hi netso akpe ve yia woatso akpe deka na wo 109 - Ahila devi de gbon ha 110 - Hiwo le gadzi ha wobe nya nane wo 111 - Polisitowo ha be nya nane wo 112 - Sodzamegawo ha be dzi nane wo 113 - Wotso nko ne be kalabuli 114 - Ghanae gba ye do hee 115 - Hi wowo vo woyi akonta me toge 116 - Roline yowo takpekpee 117 - Ga ya wodolia yato akonta me kpliwo 118 - Ne afiyi wode doa ne yakpoe 119 - Kufo be yegbe, Wilinti be yegbe hee 120 - Roline be yemelo be ne amea adeke nagafi ye o 121 - Yewo nya sodza xoxoawo da 122 - Woawoe gba Ghana do hee 123 - Woawoe he fififia ve hee 124 - Sodzawo yi ga doge 125 - Amesiame va ga doge 126 - Titsawo ve ga doge 127 - Ne titsa yi sukue gboa 128 - Naneke mele afea me 129 - Srowo kple viawo nadu o 130 - Ko yenye Nigeria yimee wole 131 - Roline do tokonu be yi dowuawo nu 132 - Wole fifiawo de ga 133 - Nomesi be amea ade novie nye amea ade novi 134 - Nyayawo ta nyemega Ge dem o 135 - Metetem de lele te 136 - Tomekoklui de azia togbadzie wofui le 137 - Mele ye nu o 138 - Nyemega gbloge o |
1 - Hagla Nomesi is saying that what one sees at home is never convincing 2 - It is what happens in the fields that matters 3 - Manliness is not being among soup pots and shouting so much 4 - Kati glin glin tin 5 - When you call him up on his sick bed he would never respond 6 - Great cantors, he was gone and gone forever 7 - He himself chose moving to another place 8 - And when he went away I still laugh at him 9 - Nomesi is saying that a dream never precedes sleep 10 - The issue of changing to a new currency really upset me 11 - The change to a new currency turned Ghana into a child 12 - Making her go backward and forward 13 - Let the world come and watch us 14 - It is a real war that has become our preoccupation 15 - Should a person die by drowning 16 - Should a person die by bullet wounds 17 - They have all died honourably 18 - If you trade on end you die by the means of trading 19 - If you farm on end you die by the means of farming 20 - I would like to ask a question: 21 - The currency that they'd changed they said it would no longer be legal tender 22 - Where have they put it themselves? 23 - Ghana is now standing on one leg 24 - It's when all are well fed that all are united 25 - Some are suffering, while others are happy 26 - A diviner foretells that war is imminent 27 - Hagla Vivo is saying that he is also to be affected 28 - Wellington announced that everybody should change their money 29 - That the old cedi is no longer legal tender 30 - Everybody was on the move 31 - A matter of friends outrunning friends 32 - There was utter confusion 33 - If you wouldn't go then give me way 34 - People also went to Keta, while some went to Accra 35 - Those who would go to Hohoe also went to Hohoe 36 - Some headed for Akatsi 37 - When I went to Aflao I was told it's a border 38 - That Ghana money wasn't being changed there 39 - Hose is asking whether the Togolese have done worse 40 - The pigeon that died in a gourd seemed to be ours 41 - See, a place for being useless is Agbozume 42 - Because you're penniless you unleashed canes on people 43 - You unleashed belts on people 44 - That they were blessed to have so much money 45 - To bring and change 46 - Nomesi's saying that the hands that they used to beat people thus 47 - Why can't they use them to do profitable work? 48 - You catch them for me, god of songs 49 - A little child beating up rich people 50 - It has offended the god of songs 51 - When we were in the queue we were suffocating 52 - Our stomachs were thundering with noise 53 - Testicles were thundering with noise 54 - The anus should help us release the tension 55 - Those who joined the queue at night 56 - And those who joined the queue at daybreak 57 - Had the cold of night settling on their stomachs 58 - Liwi liwi there was unceasing farting 59 - You wouldn't fart and draw the attention of your friend 60 - He/she was also doing the same already 61 - When some sounded you would think it was a machine gun 62 - Wliya loo wliya kpotolingo 63 - A season of money-change farting has come 64 - Vivo is saying wliya loo wliya kpotolingo - 65 - A season of money-change farting has come - 66 - Kpotolingo - 67 - A season of money-change farting has come - 68 - Kpotolingo - 69 - A season of money-change farting has come - 70 - They are pushing it - 71 - A season of money-change farting has come - 72 - Gbom gbom - 73 - A season of money-change farting has come - 74 - It is just dropping from their hands - 75 - A season of money change farting has come - 76 - Because their stomachs have been suppressed - 77 - A season of money-change farting has come - 78 - They have suppressed their stomachs - 79 - A season of money-change has come - 80 - They have been stretched out - 81 - A season of money-change has come - 82 - Agbim gbim - 83 - A season of money-change farting has come - 84 - Gblim gblim - 85 - A season of money-change farting has come - 86 - Fiam fiam - 87 - A season of money-change farting has come - 88 - Vivo is saying wliya loo wliya kpotolingo - 89 - A season of money-change farting has come - 90 - Wliya loo wliya kpotolingo - 91 - A season of money-change farting has come - 92 - They are pounding it - 93 - A season of money-change farting has come - 94 - They are pouring it out - 95 - A season of money-change farting has come 96 - A season of money-change farting has come 97 - A season of money-change farting has come 98 - A season of money-change farting has come - 99 - Those holding clubs in their hands 100 - Were farting more than the rich people* 101 - We all suffered the same fate 102 - I would like to introduce myself to the gathering 103 - My name is Alex Korku Nukporpe alias Korku Hekpah 104 - Historical singer, leader of Klikor Abletsivia 105 - Let's state the facts 106 - Klikor has nothing to do with anybody 107 - Klikor, Klikor, Klikor 108 - When you brought ¢ 2,000.00 they would give you ¢1,000.00 109 - A cub in a show of supremacy 110 - Even those changing the money said one should do something 111 - The police also said one should do something 112 - The army officers also said one should do something 113 - They gave it the name of kalabuli 114 - It's Ghana that destroyed me 115 - After finishing they went to go through accounts 116 - Rawlings invited them to a meeting 117 - To audit the accounts of the money they'd changed 118 - So that he could know where they put it 119 - Akuffo objected to this, Wellington objected to this 120 - Rawlings said that he no longer wanted to be cheated by anybody 121 - That they had dismissed the old military officers 122 - It's they who have completely destroyed Ghana 123 - It's they who have introduced stealing here 124 - Soldiers were compelled to borrow money 125 - Everybody was compelled to borrow money 126 - Teachers were compelled to borrow money 127 - When a teacher went to school and returned home 128 - There was nothing in the home 129 - For his wives and children to eat 130 - Off they went to Nigeria as a result 131 - Rawlings was a frog of the waters breasting the tides of fishing boats 132 - The thieves were arrested and chained 133 - Nomesi is saying that a kin is also another person's kin 134 - It's because of these happenings that I no longer go to Accra 135 - I would have been getting nearer to arrest 136 - When a river fowl lays eggs it hatches it on the banks of a river 137 - I am always in trouble, 138 - so I wouldn't say it anymore |
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COMMENTS AND NOTES The Supreme Military Council II took certain domestic issues for granted, probably because they felt such issues could not bring their downfall (1). They were convinced that international issues or outside opposition was the only legitimate concern (2). But when terror struck they realized that they were not real men. They could be compared to a man brags among cooking utensils, kicking them around and making the noise plates, spoons and pots make: kati glin glin ti (3,4). General Akuffo and General Odartey Wellington, members of the Supreme Military Council, were not on a sick bed to be roused and spoken to (5). They were executed, gone away forever (6). They were victims of their own making (7). And their death relieved me, made me happy (8). Why? |
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