Following the recent condemnation of Sarkodie’s lyrics in Kurl Songx’s ‘Jennifer Lomotey’ as being demeaning to Krobo women, Lawyer Egbert Faibille Jnr. has added his voice to the debate.
About a week ago, Kurl Songx, winner of MTN Hit maker 2016 released a single titled ‘Jennifer Lomotey.’ The song which featured Sarkodie has been under criticism by a section of the public who believe a portion of Sarkodie’s rap is demeaning to Krobos.
In the song, Sarkodie raps: “Kr?b? nii baa papa a ahwene? da ne sisi. ?k?mfo An?kye de adwaman no ab? ne dua.” This literally translates as “A good Krobo lady with beads around her waist. Okomfo Anokye has cursed her with promiscuity.”
Okomfo Anokye is great priest of the Ashanti Kingdom who is believed to have cursed Krobo women with promiscuity.
‘History’ has it that some Krobo girls were cursed by Okomfo Anokye with promiscuity because they had seen his nakedness when he was bathing by the riverside.
A lot of people, including the Paramount Chief of the Manya Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Sakite II have expressed their disproval of the lyrics – so has Kloma Hengme, a Krobo youth group that seeks to project Krobo values and developmental projects in Kroboland.
However, there is a section of the public that believes that what Sarkodie said is purely poetic and must not be taken out of context.
Lawyer Egbert Faibille Jnr. took to his Facebook timeline to add his voice to the debate. Read what he wrote, unedited:
“Ah! This Krobo youth group paa? What has Sarkodie done wrong? The line in the rap that is irking them is: “Krobo nii baa papa a ahwene3 da ne sisi. Okomfo Anokye de adwaman no abo no dua.”
Discourse analysis tells me Sarkodie was rapping about a particular Krobo lady who wears beads on her waist; and proceeds to say Okomfo Anokye has cursed that lady with promiscuity.
With all due respect, these words cannot be taken to mean “all Krobo women” have been cursed with promiscuity by Okomfo Anokye.
This is how the impunity which leads to the mass hysteria called mob action/ lynching starts. In any event, if you think Sarkodie has defamed your ethnic group, kindly sue him.
Don’t go issuing statements which some on the lunatic fringe may see as a call to lynch!”
Meanwhile, the Krobo community has asked Sarkodie to render an unqualified apology to Krobos and retract the song.
