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| George Quaye |
The PR of Charterhouse Ghana, George Quaye, is yet in another bribery allegation and this time, with a Gospel group called Alabaster Box.
George, in recent times, suffered a backlash after claiming that some Ghanaian Gospel musicians pay bribes for the annual Ghana Music Awards. This later prompted Peace FM entertainment show host, Kwasi Aboagye, to level some bribery allegations against George.
Well, in yet another bribery allegation, George Quaye is in a ‘hot soup’. Samuel Nii Narku Dowuona, a group member of Alabaster Box, took social media yesterday (Feb. 5) to share his working experience with George Quaye and dared him to come out clean.
In a Facebook post, Samuel alleged that George Quaye demanded a bribe from him for giving Alabaster Box a Lifebouy Soap deal. He divulged that after signing the deal, George Quaye called him to ask for a share of the money in the deal.
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| Alabaster Box |
Here is what Samuel wrote (unedited):
Xexe, I am surprised at my own self for having not said anything all this while about the accusations and counter-accusations about bribery for VGMAs between gospel musicians and George Quaye of Charterhouse.
It would appear that after the Shatta Wale brouhaha, George Quaye is hungry for more controversy so he goes for the low hanging fruits; gospel musicians who are very likely to exercise decorum in their approach to such issues.
I have heard a Gospel Diva Ohemaa Mercy threaten to return all VGMAs she had won in the past, if George Quaye does not grow enough balls to mention names of gospel musicians who offered and or paid bribes and to whom they paid or offered it. I have read that George has called the bluff of Ohemaa Mercy to return her awards. I would have thought George was man enough to complete what he started by naming and shaming the corrupt gospel musicians.
After all, upon all Shatta Wale and others said about the rot in the VGMAs, Charterhouse insisted they have integrity. One of the key functions of integrity is forthrightness, boldness and confidence. Once you know you have truth backing you, you go the full nine yards and spill the beans, because after all, we are all seeking to maintain the integrity of our institutions.
While we wait for George to come out with his list of names, I want to tell my own story about my experience with George Quaye. Charterhouse invited my group, Alabaster Box to compose a Lifebouy song and sing it at the launch of the soap. It was George Quaye who called me and made the request. We concluded on the fee and he promised to prepare a contract for us to sign. Ours was to get the song ready by the day we sign the contract and perform it for them to hear. We did and they liked it and we signed off the deal. A day after we had signed the contract, George Quaye called me and asked how much of our money was going to his company. I asked him “do you have another company aside Charterhouse?” He chuckled and said “we will talk later.”
Today I am asking George Quaye what he meant by “how much is going to his company?”
He should answer for everybody to know what he meant since he knows who pays bribes for awards.
Speaking of VGMAs, my own experience with it is quite funny. The scheme seems to hire people who think in terms of popularity context about everything and they overlook very important technical details in determining who deserves what. I remember once there was an argument about male vocalist of the year and it was between Alabaster Box and Nana Fynn. One of the key actors within the Charterhouse/VGMA circles, KOD insisted Nana Fynn deserved it better because he was more popular. I remember that day, Yoofi Brew (Nat Brew’s brother) asked them to put off the instrumentation from Nana Fynn’s music and compare his vocal performance with that of Alabaster Box and judge who is spot on. But that is what the VGMAs is all about, popularity context. So as for as, we just love to focus on worshiping God with our talents and keep being a blessing to as many as we can around the world. We don’t want to be part of any scheme where pretenders will judge us and tell us who is better than us and all that. We have an audience of one, God himself. All others are just people God uses us to minister to. It is that simple.
