Election 2024: NPP Used My Music Without Consent to Falsely Suggest Endorsement – Kwabena Kwabena
Highlife musician Kwabena Kwabena has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of manipulating his intellectual property to falsely suggest his endorsement of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia during the 2024 election campaign.
The celebrated artist revealed that the party altered his vocals and reused material he had created for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s 2008 campaign, without his consent or compensation. Speaking in an interview with NKG on OnuaShowbiz, Kwabena Kwabena expressed his frustration at the unprofessional and unethical use of his work.
“They picked something I did for former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2008, doctored it in the studio, and reworked it to make it seem like I endorsed Dr. Bawumia in 2024. That was very wrong,” he said.
Kwabena Kwabena clarified that while he supported Akufo-Addo’s vision and collaborated with the party between 2008 and 2016, his contributions were never fully appreciated. However, he stated that the use of his intellectual property during the 2024 campaign crossed a line.
“From 2008 to 2016, I wouldn’t say the NPP misused my work, but in 2024, they used my intellectual property and image to campaign without any agreement,” he explained.
The musician shared that the NPP attempted to contact him for discussions, but the conversations did not result in any formal agreement. Despite this, the party proceeded to use his voice and material in their advertisements across Ghana.
“They tried to contact me, but there was no satisfactory conclusion. Before I knew it, my voice, my intellectual property—everything—was being used to suggest I endorsed their candidate, Dr. Bawumia,” he said. “Nobody called me about it. They just campaigned with my work. That is grossly unprofessional.”
Kwabena Kwabena also expressed concern over the party’s apparent assumption that they could use his work without permission, possibly believing their position of power exempted them from seeking approval.
The incident has left the artist deeply upset, especially given the lack of compensation, consultation, or respect for his rights as a creative professional.
