From an inability to walk to playing for cattle

Many have heard about the exploits of award-winning Ghanaian Kologo musician, King Ayisoba, and how he put Ghana in the limelight with his soulful melodies.

But the story of his foray into music lies in an extraordinary story of disability, spirituality and cattle.

King Ayisoba (born Albert Apoozore), in an interview with veteran journalist Kafui Dey, revealed how a mysterious childhood impediment and a traditional instrument shaped his unique musical journey.

Born in 1974 in Bongo Soe, Upper East Region, Ayisoba shared how he spent his first four years unable to walk, not due to illness, but a condition no one could explain.

“For the first four years of my life. I couldn’t walk. It wasn’t as a result of any illness or anything. I was just unable to walk. Another strange thing was that my grandfather had a Kologo, but anytime I saw the Kologo. I started crying,” he said.

Sankofa Series: What you need to know about King Ayisoba’s exploits in the music industry

This changed after a medicine seller from Burkina Faso identified the issue: he wasn’t sick; he simply needed to play the traditional lute, the kologo.

“He then told them I wasn’t sick and that I just needed to play the Kologo. So they made a small one for me and gave it to me to play,” he said.

After receiving the instrument, Ayisoba began walking four months later.

“So whenever the cattle went out to graze, I went with them, and I played to them. Eventually, people started noticing, and they started calling me to perform at weddings and funerals,” he shared.

King Ayisoba then moved to Accra to practise music professionally. His musical breakthrough included collaborating with the late Terry Bonchaka and producer Panji Anoff, culminating in the 2006 album Modern Ghanaians.

The album included the hit single “I Want to See You My Father”, which earned him Traditional Song of the Year at the 2007 Ghana Music Awards during Ghana’s 50th anniversary.

Today, King Ayisoba is one of the most notable names in Ghanaian traditional music, having performed at various stages both in Ghana and beyond.

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