Ephraim Amu is widely regarded as the father of Ghanaian art music. Born in Peki-Avetile in the Volta Region, he was a composer, teacher, and cultural nationalist who revolutionized Ghanaian music by blending traditional African musical forms with Western choral techniques.
He was famously dismissed from the Presbyterian Training College in Akropong in 1933 for insisting on wearing traditional Ghanaian cloth instead of a Western suit while conducting church services — a bold act of cultural defiance that cemented his legacy as a symbol of African identity.
Amu went on to teach at Achimota School and later at the University of Ghana, Legon, where he influenced generations of Ghanaian musicians. His compositions, many written in Ewe and Twi, are cornerstones of the Ghanaian choral repertoire and are performed at churches, schools, and national events across the country.
Colonial / Post-IndependenceEweTwiEnglish