Gospel singer Jack Alolome is pushing back against the idea that musicians, particularly those in the gospel space, should steer clear of politics.
In an interview with Nana Romeo on Okay FM, the veteran singer questioned public discomfort with faith-based figures declaring political affiliations.
“Why do people say that?” Alolome asked, dismissing the notion that political endorsements could mislead his followers. “If anyone misses the way to heaven because of that, they chose and decided to backslide themselves.”
He suggested that aligning with a political cause could in fact be a patriotic act. “Perhaps, we are using our influence to help save the country when it is derailed,” he said.
Alolome disclosed that he once identified with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), partly due to his upbringing. “I was the child of diehard NPP supporters,” he explained. In 2016, he accepted an invitation from Sam Pyne to perform at an NPP rally at the Kumasi Sports Stadium, cutting short a separate engagement in Breman Asikuma to attend.
Recalling the event, Alolome said: “We came and gave a great performance – I was introduced by Lord Inusah. I even created a song on the spot for the party. But after all that, whoever I called for payment referred me to someone else. We were never paid.”
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He emphasized that seeking compensation was neither greedy nor unprincipled. “We had the right to be paid,” he stated, adding that his team had also sacrificed their schedules to honour the event.
Disillusioned by the experience, Alolome accepted a subsequent offer from Hon. Armah Kofi Buah of the NDC, who hails from the same town. This marked a turning point.
“On the day, the DJ struggled to play my song, so I had to perform a cappella,” he recalled. “I did that for about five minutes on stage. Later, when I returned to my hotel, they came to thank me for gracing the occasion. When I checked the money they had left for me, it was GHS20,000 – back in 2016. I placed it on my bed, took a picture, and sent it to my family, telling them this party was better and that we should be with them instead.”
Alolome was clear that his support for the NDC wasn’t transactional. It stemmed from feeling respected and valued, in stark contrast to his prior experience with the NPP.
“The [NPP] party came to power and performed the worst,” he declared, criticising the Akufo-Addo administration and reaffirming his support for John Mahama.
He described it as “divine grace” to be given the opportunity to sing before President Mahama took the stage. The emotional shift inspired his hit gospel track Begye Yen (“Come Save Us”).
Alolome recounted how the song resonated within NDC circles, “They told me they loved the song. And truly, it made an impact.”
Despite his growing proximity to the political space, the gospel singer said he has modest expectations. “My education was not deep enough,” he admitted, suggesting he doesn’t expect top government appointments but would welcome “generous acts of kindness and befitting contracts.”
