Dela Botri, Okyeame Kwame and Newlove Annan
Popular Ghanaian rapper King Paluta has sparked excitement online after featuring in a question in the ongoing 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
In Section B, Question 4(c) of the Music and Creative Arts paper, candidates were asked to identify two important social issues addressed in King Paluta’s hit song Aseda.
The question has since gone viral, with fans praising the Ghana Education Service for incorporating contemporary Ghanaian music into the curriculum.
But King Paluta wasn’t the only musician to make it into the exam. Question 5(a), which followed immediately after, highlighted several other Ghanaian music icons, both past and present, whose works have significantly shaped the country’s musical landscape.
James Armaah
Among those listed was James Varrick Armaah, born April 27, 1984. Armaah is a renowned Ghanaian music composer and founder of the Harmonious Chorale.
He is best known for composing the widely loved choral piece Oye, often performed at state and religious events.
KK Kabobo
Also featured was the late KK Kabobo, born Kwabena Kwakye Kabobo, a veteran Highlife musician who started out as a pupil teacher.
He formed the Explosive Jets band in 1978 and released his debut album in 1981, which included the hit song Nyatse Nyatse Girl.
His 1992 song Onyame Ehuwo was named Song of the Year and became Ghana’s best-selling record that year.
He was ordained as a pastor in 2012 and sadly passed away on March 14, 2024, after battling liver disease.
Dela Botri
Another name was Dela Botri, celebrated as Ghana’s “flute magician.”
He is the founder and leader of Hewale Sounds and a pioneer of the Gouda music movement, known for blending indigenous African rhythms with contemporary sounds.
Newlove Annan
The list also included Rev. Newlove Kojo Annan, a prolific Ghanaian choral director, composer, academic, and clergy.
With over 1,000 choral compositions to his credit, Annan leads the Greater Accra Mass Choir and the Institute of Church Music Ghana.
His compositions, such as But They That Wait Upon the Lord, have found their way into international hymnals like Zion Still Sings, Methodist Praise, and Presbyterian Church Tunes Book.
In 2021, he was honored by Calvary Presbyterian Church for his outstanding contribution to contemporary sacred music.
Okyeame Kwame
Rounding out the list was Okyeame Kwame, born Kwame Nsiah-Apau and popularly known as the “Rap Doctor.”
A key figure in Ghana’s hiplife and hip-hop scene, Okyeame Kwame began his career as part of the duo Akyeame before launching a successful solo career.
Known for hits like Boshe Ba, Manwesem, and The Clinic, he is also celebrated as a creative director, actor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
He has been an outspoken advocate for literacy and youth empowerment, drawing on his own experience overcoming childhood dyslexia.
See the picture below:
ID/MA
