How pettiness and clash of ownership crippled ‘Westside Legacy’

• Posted on October 28, 2020October 29, 2020
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Hardly would any song which is five years old or more and brewed from a Western Region studio end without the mention of ‘Westside Legacy’ in the song by an Artiste.

It became a ritual for Artistes, both known and not-so-known to mention ‘Westside Legacy’ in their songs since it came with some sense of pride that the said Artiste is under the same umbrella with the bigshots.

The concept of Westside Legacy is one of the most remarkable strategy that any vision bearer could engineer to push an agenda. It was to bring together all Showbiz talents under an umbrella and identify them to get the needed support of the media, the well-known talents and the people of Western Region. Some DJs purposed in their hearts to give much attention to songs with the ‘Westside Legacy’ signature.

I dare say that it was the formation of Westside Legacy that compelled most Radio Presenters, DJs and other media outlets to give much attention to talents from the Western Region. The power of unity. The vision bearers deserve pat at their backs for the great work.

Is it not ironic that an initiative that was intended to bring together talents rather divided them? Is not ironic that an initiative that had the main objective of bequeathing the next generation with an enviable bar of excellence rather became heavy on the pitfalls of other colleagues?

The ownership of Westside Legacy till today is seriously contested. It won’t be a difficult conundrum for a teenager to know that Prince Jaidy Derby who is popularly known as GH Promoter is the Chief Executive of Westside Legacy but there appears to be history behind Westside Legacy where Quesi Ghana formerly known as Consainor rather sees himself as the one who birthed the initiative. Yes! Quesi Ghana, the crooner of ‘Wantana’ claims to own Westside Legacy.

Quesi Ghana (with all due respect) has not been seen working on the initiative as much as Derby has, even if he (Quesi Ghana) was the one who incubated the idea till its birth. It was not until a meeting that was convened at the Tape Masters Studios in 2013 (circa) that Quesi Ghana opened up that he birthed Westside Legacy. Whilst some of those in the meeting were shocked, others nodded in agreement. Quesi Ghana mentions that it was at PM Studios in Takoradi where he suggested the idea to those present, including Derby.

That meeting which was to address issues of the foreseen crippling of Westside Legacy deepened the cracks of the union. The truth is, Westside Legacy Administrators and Artistes are inextricably intertwined. Without the union’s administrators promoting the songs of the Artistes, the Artistes who could hardly afford any appreciable amount of promotion would suffer. And if the Artistes don’t also mention ‘Westside Legacy’ in their songs, the union would not gain much prominence.

At the meeting, some were emphatic that even if the union becomes active, it would be used to promote one Artiste to the detriment of others so they won’t be part of it; some also raised the concern of the union mainly used as an instrument to promote Sekondi-Takoradi Artistes to the neglect of Artistes from other parts of Western Region.

One side of the divide feels so powerful and indispensable whilst the other also feels we make it what it is. From Castro, Nero X, Ayesem, Kofi Kinaata to Bubulubu, Prego, Chichiz have all had impact on Westside Legacy by mentioning it in their songs. That has not only compelled a person or two to want to know about it, someone like Kofi Kinaata on the KSM Show told KSM that “in the Western Region, there is Westside Legacy so we are taught to leave a legacy with our lives” that is why he is careful about the songs he churns out. That was another way to sell the Westside Legacy nationally. Ayesem slangs it in his songs when he either starts or ends his songs with ‘Westside Lega.’

The OC Showbiz Review has had more than five discussions on Westside Legacy. Anytime it came up, it ended in more confusion than in peace.

The CEO of Skyy Media Group, Hon. Wilson Arthur in 2014 attempted to bring the group together when he sponsored Nana Kwesi Coomson, Prince Derby and Sleeky to embark on a trip to Aqua Safari in Ada to gather on the ground information about the mysterious disappearance of Castro. His instructions was clear; “you people are going as Westside Legacy and not individuals.” That was a glorious opportunity for the union to be a unit since the disappearance of Castro brought together the Showbizers in Western Region but as the issue dissipated, so did the bond.

Till date, the new faces of Western Showbiz are not united. Either two of them are at loggerheads over who brought up a music award idea or there are factions fighting over who is holding the forth post Castro.

The brilliant Westside Legacy idea is limping as a result of ego, pettiness, clash of ownership and immaturity.

Author: Nana Kwesi Coomson (www.233times.net) @nkcoomson on Twitter/Instagram