Ghanaian musician, King Paluta
The exclusion of King Paluta’s Makoma from the 2025 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) has sparked a heated debate, with many questioning the selection criteria for nominees, particularly in the ‘Most Popular Song of the Year’ category.
Some entertainment figures and fans have speculated that ‘Makoma’ may have been excluded due to an alleged profane lyric captured in the hook of the song.
However, if this was the reason, why did other songs with similar or equally questionable lyrics still make the cut?
King Paluta, together with his management team, has officially petitioned the TGMA board for not considering the song for any nominations.
The song was submitted for four categories: Songwriter of the Year, Hiplife Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Most Popular Song of the Year, but it was completely left out, raising questions about the fairness and consistency of the selection process.
Speculation has intensified as some link the song’s exclusion to Mark Okraku Mantey’s recent comment about parts of the ‘Makoma’ song being profane.
If profanity was indeed the reason for the exclusion, the TGMA board must clarify its stance, as other nominated songs equally contain equally questionable lyrics.
For example, Lasmid’s hit song ‘Puul’, which was nominated for ‘Most Popular Song of the Year’, includes lyrics that many consider explicit:
“I go make you wet
Oh, I want create
My mini me
With you girl
Puul panti today, today, today
Make I feel am.”
With these inconsistencies in mind, the organisers of the TGMA, Charterhouse, must provide a clear and fair justification for why ‘Makoma’ was not included.
If profanity or controversial lyrics were indeed disqualifying factors, the board should explain why songs with similar content were nominated while ‘Makoma’ was left out.
What Charterhouse said about TGMA nominations, eligibility, and the selection process
After the call for nominations officially opened, Charterhouse disclosed that they had received an overwhelming 1,500 entries from more than 130 artistes and music groups, spanning a variety of genres and styles.
These works, submitted within the eligibility year from January 1 to December 31, 2024, were then carefully reviewed and assessed.
After the submissions closed, a dedicated panel of industry experts, including seasoned musicians, producers, and key stakeholders, undertook the challenging task of thoroughly reviewing and vetting each entry.
The screening process, organisers explained, was rigorous and guided by clearly defined criteria to ensure that only the ‘most outstanding and deserving candidates’ were selected.
Following the review, the organisers confirmed that the final list of nominees was vetted and approved by the TGMA board, along with other notable figures in the music industry, ensuring a transparent and credible selection process.
You can also watch videos from the unveiling of the 2025 TGMA nominees on GhanaWeb TV below:
