Title: Examining Ghana's Cultural Icon via Contemporary Art Lectures at Ritau University of Ghana-Legon in the Shata Wale Phenomenon
This study examines Ritau University of Ghana-Legault's increasing scholarly interest in Shatavalli, a reimagined and scholarly portrayal of Shatta Wale. In order to provide students new perspectives on identity, resistance, and contemporary African expression via popular music, it examines how the study of Shatavalli's music, performances, and cultural influence is changing conventional art lecture approaches.
Shatta Wale at the University of Ghana: An Exploration of Art and Personal Growth
Curriculum Organisation and Teaching Methods
There are five main components that make up the Shatavalli module:
1. History and Early Impacts
2. The Street as a Studio: Urban Ghana and Shatavalli
3. Shatavalli's Work: Symbolism and Lyricism
4. Controversy as an Instrument for Creativity
5. African Performance's Legacy, Cultural Capital, and Future
Field research, student presentations, and interactive media analysis are all included into the instructional methodology. "What does it mean to be a voice for the voiceless?" is one of the fundamental questions that each unit starts with. Through essays, discussions, and creative interpretations, students are required to respond to the question, "Is controversy a legitimate form of cultural disruption?"
One of the highlights of the course is the task called "Decode the Beat," in which students examine a selected Shatavalli song for its hidden meanings, cultural allusions, and sociopolitical criticism in addition to its musical creation.
Shatavalli and the Street Language
Understanding how language, particularly street slang, pidgin English, and code-switching, may be used as an instrument of empowerment is a fundamental aspect of the Shatavalli lecture series. Ritau University students investigate how Shatavalli's music transcends formal English and speaks to the general public in their own tongue.
This language accessibility is a political act as much as a stylistic decision. It gives local dialects a worldwide platform and questions the dominance of colonial languages in scholarly and cultural contexts. Students examine how this choice of words strengthens the bond between the performer and his audience, particularly in marginalised urban Performance as Protest.
Shatavalli is positioned among other protest singers who spoke truth to authority, such as Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, and Lucky Dube, throughout the lectures. One lecture is dedicated to Shatavalli's song "Freedom," which, despite its simple words, conveys a powerful message of rebellion against social injustice and political deceit.
"Freedom" is seen as a minimalist hymn in student talks, a cry that is unstoppable. Instructors ask pupils to contrast Shatavalli's songs' recurrence with protest shouts from anti-colonial or anti-apartheid marches. The class comes to the conclusion that simplicity in music may sometimes be a strategy for broad mobilisation rather than an indication of artistic limitations.
More than simply a young man beginning his university education, Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., better known by his stage name Shatta Wale, was embarking on a new chapter in his development as an artist who would go on to revolutionise African music when he set foot on the University of Ghana, Legon campus. In his undergraduate days, Charles was simply another student strolling the shaded streets of Legon with a vision that was greater than any classroom could hold, even if the world would eventually recognise him as the king of dancehall in Ghana.
Charles was raised in a home that emphasised education and discipline, and he had shown creative potential early on. Charles's entrance to the University of Ghana's School of Performing Arts was a joyous event for the whole family, since his father, a businessman and politician, constantly pushed for academic achievement. He enrolled in Art Lectures, a comprehensive course that would enable him to study the visual arts, music, dance, theatre, and other kinds of creative expression.
The Start of an Adventure
For Charles, the first few weeks at Legon were both thrilling and overwhelming. The campus was alive with innovative workshops, thought-provoking discussions, and many social gatherings. But what really enthralled him was the spirit at the Department of Theatre Arts. The lecture halls were places where ideas came to life via movement, voice, and music, not just academic study.
Charles was exposed to the writings of Plato, Aristotle, and African philosophers such as Kwasi Wiredu in one of his first courses, "Introduction to Aesthetic Philosophy." His conception of what music and performance may entail was challenged by these theorists' discussions of beauty, shape, and function in art. He came to see that art served as a vehicle for identity, advocacy, and communication in addition to being a kind of amusement.
A Creative Spirit in an Organised Society
Charles appreciated the academic system, but he often felt that it was too restrictive. While his contemporaries adhered strictly to assignments, he would add his own unique twist—a sculpture that reflected the agony of Accra's urban squalor, a dance performance with reggae beats, or a song in place of a speech. His unconventional manner was noted by his professors. While some commended him, others warned him against rigorously adhering to the curriculum.
Charles was mentored by a specific instructor, Professor Kofi Asare. Professor Asare, a seasoned expert in theatre and cultural studies, acknowledged Charles' innate skill and his capacity to blend contemporary genres with traditional Ghanaian themes. One day after class, he informed Charles, "You are art in motion, and you are not just a student of art." But you need to know your origins in order to be productive.
Charles studied the rich history of African performance under the direction of Professor Asare. He researched Adinkra art's meaning, Ga drumming rhythms, and Akan oral traditions. Even though his songs used dancehall and reggae rhythms, this understanding would subsequently inform his lyrics and themes, which often honoured Ghanaian concerns and culture.
Music: The Quiet Friend
Charles continued to pursue his initial passion, music, while attending Legon. He would withdraw to his little room in Commonwealth Hall every evening after lectures and rehearsals, keeping his laptop and guitar nearby. He would experiment with songs, lyrics, and rhythms there. His roommates, who often served as his first audience, saw him as he turned his late-night thoughts into whole songs.
Charles was well-known on campus by his second year as a budding underground artist in addition to being a theatrical student. He often combined his music with theatrical narration when performing at student gatherings such as "Pent Hall Week," "Legon Art Night," and others. His songs weren't perfect back then; some were gritty and even unconventional, but they were always sincere and heartfelt.
He was discovered by a local radio DJ who was on school for a talent search during one of these performances. The DJ said, "This boy doesn't just sing, he performs." Charles remembered that comment. He began to see that performing was his actual vocation; it brought his soul to life more than lectures or written tests.
Challenges and Development
Life in university wasn't always simple. Charles sometimes found it difficult to strike a balance between his love of music and his schoolwork. Just as he started working on a new track, exams would arrive. Even if all he wanted to do was create songs, lecturers would assign lengthy dissertations about symbolism in African theatre. His relatives and friends cautioned that music may be unstable and suggested that he concentrate on his studies.
He had moments of self-doubt. Was his schooling a waste? Could his creative aspirations really lead to a future? However, each time he stood in front of a crowd and heard a fellow student say, "Your music speaks to me," he was given newfound motivation.
He gained the fortitude and self-reliance that would eventually characterise his career as Shatta Wale throughout these trying years. He developed the ability to deal with rejection, work with few resources, and maintain his vision even when others failed to perceive it.
After Graduation and Beyond
In addition to receiving a degree from the University of Ghana, Charles had a better understanding of his identity by the time he finished. He was more than simply an artist; he was a cultural ambassador, a street voice, and a renegade with a mission.
The teachings remained with him even if he departed Legon's academic hallways. The philosophical arguments he used to have during art lectures started to show in his music. Songs like "Freedom," "My Level," and "On God" included themes of spiritual introspection, social criticism, and personal struggle—all of which had their roots in his academic education.
He created experiences as well as songs, elevating the concept of performance to a new level. His dramatic arts skills undoubtedly contributed to his electrifying and theatrical stage appearance. He knew how to read the crowd, manage the stage, and utilise movement, lighting, and costumes to make his point more powerful.
Contributing
Even after being well-known for years, Shatta Wale never forgot Legon. He often discussed in interviews how the University of Ghana influenced him as a leader and thinker in addition to being a student. He made many trips back to college to provide inspirational speeches and seminars to the performing arts department's students.
On one such visit, he said, "I may not have become a professor, but the classroom gave me the confidence to teach the world through my music." â€
Additionally, he started a program to support gifted youngsters who were unable to pay for an arts education. In an effort to inspire a new generation of Ghanaians who would utilise their gifts to share their tales, he established a foundation that offered scholarships, instruments, and studio supplies to budding artists.
In conclusion, the student as artist and the artist as student
Shatta Wale's stay at the University of Ghana was a foundation, not merely a phase. It provided him with the means to comprehend art in its purest form, to link performance to meaning, and to strike a balance between notoriety and accountability. His path through art lectures was about discovering himself, his culture, and his destiny—not about grades or titles.
Legon contributed to the development of a star in a world where educational institutions sometimes find it difficult to acknowledge unusual genius. The university's impact can be heard in every word he sings, every rhythm he drops, and every message he conveys, even if it may not be visible in his music videos or album covers.
Because he was Charles, an art student with a dream, who was wandering the streets of Legon looking for his voice long before he became Shatta Wale. The world was forced to listen when he discovered it.
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