Images on Asafo flags are normally allegoric representation of proverbs, metaphors, maxims and traditions associated with the cultures of the Akans. This study employed descriptive and analytical methods. An inquiry discovery, oral interviews and questionnaires were employed to bring to bear some of the hidden Asafo flags and their philosophical representations. It was revealed that most of the youths did not associate themselves with the Asafo groups because of religious beliefs they lack the philosophical meanings of most of the symbols used in the various Asafo flags. This has negatively affected the sustenance, promotion, and transmission of Asafo activities from one generation to another making the youths of today lack various ethics, cultural values of our societies. It has therefore become imperative now to explore into the philosophical interpretations of Asafo flags for documentation and referencing.

The overall purpose of this paper is to explore the linguistic contributions of hip-hop music to the Nigerian multilingual society. This objective is informed by what appears to be a stereotyped notion that hip-hop music is all about the use of profane and taboo language. In an attempt to prove such negative ideas about hip-hop wrong, such lead questions as what the linguistic resources that constitute this emergent sociolect in Nigeria are; their sources of vocabulary, vocabulary patterns as well as evidence of lexical innovations it has brought to Nigerian linguistic society are tackled. Employing Exploratory Interview theory and qualitative research approach aimed at collecting data to unravel these linguistic issues, the researcher interacts and elicits information from varied stakeholders in the hip-hop music. Qualitatively, the researcher visited the promoters and fans of hip-hop  in Sabon Gari area of Kano, Nigeria to ascertain orally the varied meanings in the lyrics. The music albums of the current top thirteen Nigerian hip-hop stars were studied as representative samples. It is concluded that besides being a huge source of lexical innovation and a vehicle for showcasing the nation’s linguistic repertoire to the outside world, youth language in Nigerian hiphop, now serves as a bridge that hybridises virtually all the languages spoken in Nigeria.

Traditional musical instruments have been handed down from generation to generation although in most instances there has been a change in its development and production. Sculptors, over the years have played a very vital role in the making of such musical instruments. For someone to be able to make a music instrument, the person needs to have an idea about the material and its characteristics. This article establishes the link between traditional musical instruments and the sculptor as a depository of indigenous knowledge systems in music. Through qualitative research approach, it employed descriptive research design and aesthetic analysis as for the processes used in the making of some of the traditional musical instruments; and the symbolic meaning of material content in describing these music instruments for indigenous knowledge systems respectively. Data were collected through face-to-face interview and observation. Sculptors, specifically carvers, in the production of traditional musical instruments and music artiste from the music fraternity were purposively sampled. It was observed that beliefs and practices of Africa were seen as richest cultural systems, which were practised through the arts with traditional musical instruments. It recommended that traditional musical instruments should be seen as an important artifact. Particularly, its material compositions from an artistic point of view, serve as an indigenous knowledge system by providing artists and the users with mastery of cultural identity and edification.

 The playwright’s story is often bigger than what the stage can take within a stipulated time frame. It then becomes imperative for the writer to effect significant cutbacks which might involve character mergers, setting eliminations, story condensations, event narrations and expressional conciseness. This becomes a daunting task to especially amateur writers and sometimes those who have significant experience in writing. One of the techniques to accomplish the aforementioned and still retain desired meaning is to use what I call the ‘linking character.’ Linking characters are given different names in various plays. For instance, Aidoo calls the linking character in Anowa, ‘The-Mouth-That-Eats-Salt-And-Pepper’ whilst Yaw Asare uses ‘Ananse’ in his play, Ananse In The Land Of Idiots. Despite such distinct names, they ultimately function in similar ways. This article assesses the roles of linking characters in eight selected African plays regarding their purposes and effectiveness. Varied situations, dialogue and other issues are cited from these plays and analysed in correlation with available literature. The article also popularises the efficacy of utilisation of linking characters and recommends them for up and coming African Playwrights. 

 This article outlines the beginnings of a new study of the ritual ceramics of Ewe traditional religious practices in Ghana, which play a unique role in the visual expression of indigenous Ewe worldview and cosmology. Ritual ceramics are fundamental to indigenous religious practices of Ewe and are worthy of examination yet have not received significant attention from scholars. In African-Atlantic religion, handmade pottery is being usurped by commercial ware, but the tradition remains vibrant in Ghana. The author’s position as a practicing artist with experience in making pottery for African religious practitioners in the US, and 20 years studying West African and African Diaspora religions, give a unique perspective to this study.

 Digital technology and its impact across the world has influenced the use of digital effects in Ghanaian filmmaking, particularly Kumawood science fiction films. Most often, the use of digital effects in such films are only considered for showmanship. Meanwhile, the idea behind using special or digital effects is to create an illusion of reality, fantasy and believability. Also, the digital effects created in science fiction films should form part of the narrative. The study examined some digital effects used in 2016 (2010), a Kumawood science fiction film. The research employed a content analysis method. Specific scenes were selected from the film 2016 (released in 2010) and the digital effects discussed. The article in an attempt established that the use of digital effects created in some Kumawood science fiction films aimed at showmanship or a kind of exhibition. It is recommended that use of digital effects must form part of the narrative.

 The main purpose of the paper is to document the provenance, growth, achievements, challenges and prospects of the first brass band formed in Winneba – the Winneba Yamoahs Brass Band. Using interviews and document review, the paper traces events leading to the band’s formation, the birth of the band, growth and sustenance, recruitment and training of members, achievements, challenges and the prospects of the band which remained in oral context with early band members and owners of the band and thus risked being lost with the passage of time. Major findings from the study such as the circumstances leading to the formation of the band and achievements since its formation places the band as a pacesetter among brass bands in Winneba and recommends that an interest be taken in writing on similar bands or groups that have no written history yet.

The superimposition of Western musical instruments on the conventional dance band highlife music has been the trend since its evolution around the 1950s. Despite Ghana’s monumental traditional instrumental resources, the dance band highlife tradition has not been able to break away from the colonising force of Western instruments. Too kɛ Aduŋ (goat & monkey), a highlife song by the Bigshots Band, however, is an exception to this trend. Traditional musical instruments such as gyile (xylophone), atenteben (bamboo flute), ŋoŋo (bell), shakashaka (rattle) and tsoŋshi drums (traditional palm drums) were featured prominently together with the Western instruments such as drum set, guitar, bass, keyboard synthesizers and horns in the song. This paper seeks to investigate the compositional resources and devices employed in Bigshots Band’s highlife song, too kɛ aduŋ, how they have been managed, and reasons for their inclusion in the body of work. The paper also discusses the arranging techniques employed in the song in the context of dance band highlife music, and some background to the influences that have shaped the song. A descriptive analysis of the song using the emic approach reveals a communal music participation, a concept found in African traditional drum music, where composite patterns are heard in integration and not as isolated units. The song also exemplifies a phenomenon of a proportional cross-cultural music fertilisation.