Veteran broadcaster Kafui Dey has challenged radio and television presenters to broaden their programming choices, arguing that traditional Ghanaian music genres remain vibrant despite reduced mainstream airplay. Speaking on Max Morning Show on Max TV, he emphasized that media personalities function as cultural tastemakers with significant influence over public perception.
Dey stated that highlife music continues thriving in communities across Ghana. “Highlife is just what we are not hearing on the radio. If you go into the villages, people are still enjoying their highlife,” he explained during the programme.
The broadcaster contended that contemporary programming schedules dominated by Afrobeats create misleading impressions about Ghana’s musical landscape. “If our disc jockeys (DJs) are playing 90 percent Afrobeats, you will think highlife is dead. But it’s very much alive,” he added.
According to Dey, media personalities bear responsibility for highlighting quality music from across Ghana rather than focusing exclusively on popular genres dominating commercial airwaves.
The media veteran illustrated his point by referencing British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) presenter John Peel, who championed underground musicians through late-night programming. Peel, who broadcast on BBC Radio 1 from 1967 until his death in 2004, became renowned for supporting emerging artists across multiple genres including punk rock, reggae, electronic music and indie rock.
Peel’s midnight to two o’clock programme on Radio London, called The Perfumed Garden, provided crucial exposure for underground musicians during the late 1960s. After joining BBC Radio 1, his shows featured the famous Peel Sessions, where bands recorded live performances specifically for broadcast, often providing their first major national coverage.
“For a lot of musicians, that was the only place they had airtime. That’s the power of media. You can actually change lives if you play music for love, not just money,” Dey stated, referencing Peel’s approach.
Dey called on presenters to appreciate and promote Ghanaian traditional music actively. “Traditional music is not dead. Go to any village, funeral, or wedding, you see it alive. Presenters have the power; they just need to use it,” he urged.
The broadcaster’s comments reflect ongoing debates within Ghana’s entertainment industry regarding cultural preservation and commercial pressures. Afrobeats has achieved significant international commercial success, attracting investment and dominating playlists across mainstream platforms. However, cultural advocates worry this dominance marginalizes traditional genres with deep roots in Ghanaian communities.
Highlife originated in Ghana during the late nineteenth century, blending African rhythms with jazz influences and European instruments. The genre gained prominence throughout West Africa during the 1930s and 1950s, with Ghanaian musicians like E.T. Mensah becoming regional icons. The music remains associated with funerals, weddings and cultural ceremonies across the country.
Dey served as host of GTV Breakfast Show from August 2021 until July 2025, when he announced his departure after four years. He previously hosted GH Today on GhOne TV and became known as one of Ghana’s most respected corporate event masters of ceremonies. His broadcasting career spans multiple decades across various stations including Kapital Radio in Kumasi and Choice FM in Accra.
Media personalities increasingly face pressure balancing commercial viability with cultural responsibilities. Advertisers typically favor programmes attracting younger demographics drawn to contemporary international sounds. Traditional genres often struggle securing equivalent sponsorship despite maintaining strong community followings.
The Ghana Music Rights Organisation and Musicians Union of Ghana have periodically advocated for increased local content requirements on radio stations. These proposals typically suggest minimum percentages for Ghanaian music overall, though debate continues regarding whether specific genre quotas would prove beneficial or restrictive.
Cultural preservation advocates argue that media platforms serve essential roles in maintaining intergenerational knowledge transfer. Younger Ghanaians increasingly consume music through international streaming platforms where algorithm-driven recommendations favor globally popular genres over local traditional styles.
