Jazz Lovers & Fans of Nina Simone met at Ohana’s Restaurant and Lounge, Osu, last Saturday, for Afro – Fusion Jazz and Tribute to Nina Simone. The event was in honour of Black History Month 2026.
The event was a product of Maximum Jazz, led by Founder Yomi Sower and Host of the Radio Programme “Maximum Jazz” on Guide Radio 91.5fm.
According to Yomi Sower, Black History Month is a month-long celebration in February that is not only important to Americans or persons of African descent, but is significantly connected to the origin of the jazz genre and the appreciation of Jazz.
Black History Month celebrates the successes and contributions of Blacks to Humanity, besides highlighting their struggles and capacity to rise above those struggles.
As Jazz is considered one of the greatest inventions to come from Blacks and persons of African descent it is an important aspect of Black History Month.
Yomi’s celebration of Black History Month and Tribute to Nina Simone is an annual event she began in the year 2014, and each year is marked with a significant improvement on the previous. The theme of each event was “Young, Gifted & Black” taken from the famous Nina Simone song “To be Young Gifted and Black”, which was adopted as a Civil Rights anthem during the Civil Rights movement of Blacks in the 1960s and 70s US.
This theme and lyrics of the song demonstrating Nina Simone’s Spirit of determination, Resilience and the huge price she paid for being a Black woman, should also be regarded as a wake-up call for all people today, to pursue their goals/aspirations with tenacity, irrespective of the difficulties they face.
In was that same spirit, Yomi added, which gave her courage despite numerous setbacks/ disappointments and even insults, to approach so many venues about collaborating with the event. “I was turned down several times; some refused to pick my calls or ignored my written proposals; others only wanted the benefits of the event but none of its responsibilities.
Fortunately, Ohana’s Restaurant and Lounge, a vibrant venue featuring Live Music setting and a Stage, serving Afro- Fusion and Continental cuisine, located in the heart Osu, agreed to a collaboration just in time. Planning towards the event happened very swiftly and publicity was paramount”.
The event expected to attract many members of the African-American Community resident in Ghana, Members of the Diaspora, Diplomats and Representatives of Embassies, Members of the Jazz Community, Music Lovers and Fans of Nina Simone.
Performance was by Yomi Sower Jazz Quartet and special addition of a Talking Drummer from Nigeria, Mr. Niyi Abioye
Side Attraction included: Cultural Dance Troupe, Nina Simone Trivia and Networking Sessions.
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