The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), is seeking a sustained partnership with Ghanaian rapper Michael Owusu Addo, known as Sarkodie, to nurture student talent in the creative arts and expand opportunities for entrepreneurship.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Christian Agyare proposed the partnership when Sarkodie and his management team paid a courtesy visit to his office ahead of activities under the Rapperholic 26 project, including the Kumasi Rising initiative.
Professor Agyare said the proposed collaboration aligned with the university’s strategic focus on sports and creative arts and could help students develop their talents and explore career opportunities.
“We will really be happy if we can collaborate with you, especially in achieving the thematic area on sports and creative arts,” he said.
He proposed regular, potentially annual engagements with Sarkodie’s team to mentor students on balancing academic work with creative pursuits and navigating the industry.
Professor Agyare said supporting student talent could create entrepreneurial opportunities and help address graduate unemployment. The university was ready to work with the musician’s team to identify and support students with potential in music and other creative disciplines, he added.
He commended Sarkodie’s humility and professional conduct, describing him as a positive example for young people pursuing careers in the creative industry. He also urged the musician to support efforts to address drug abuse among young people.
Sarkodie welcomed the engagement and thanked KNUST for hosting the programme. He said the ideas and discussions generated during the previous edition of Kumasi Rising had benefited creatives in the region and encouraged his team to return.
He said the Rapperholic 26 project extended beyond musical performances to include dialogue sessions and community initiatives.
“Today, mainly, what we are doing is, to me, way more important than just performing. This is something dear to my heart,” he said.
Kumasi Rising brings stakeholders together to discuss challenges in the creative sector and explore ways to support its development.
“I think moving forward, almost every year, there will be different topics to bring people to come and talk to. Not just creatives. I think, as an entrepreneur, such conversations are good for all of us,” Sarkodie said.
“Thank you again for having us and allowing us to use your facility for this event.”
A representative of Sarkodie’s team said the initiative aimed to promote collective development through closer engagement among creatives and other stakeholders.
This year’s edition, themed “Positioning the Creative Economy and Shaping Kumasi's Future”, focuses on the sector’s challenges and opportunities for growth.
The team also outlined plans for a community initiative at a district hospital as part of the project.
Professor Agyare said the university would hold further discussions with Sarkodie’s team after the dialogue session to explore formalising the partnership.
During the visit, Sarkodie received a university souvenir. The Vice-Chancellor recognised him as an ambassador for KNUST’s vision of moving “from Excellence to Eminence,” and urged him to help promote the university’s aspirations.
Students’ Representative Council President Jude Michelle Korleh Nortey said the visit was a step towards strengthening relations between KNUST and the musician’s team.
“We know that this event is going to yield fruits for the music industry, and it is also going to build a long-standing relationship between the University and Sarkodie’s team,” she said.
Story: Abigail Ofori Photos: Edwin Opoku-Agyemang
