For most Ghanaian artistes, having their songs nominated for the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) is considered a significant accomplishment.
However, the heartbreak of having a song disqualified or, for any reason, not making it to the nominations list is an unfortunate reality.
While rare, there have been instances where songs submitted were disqualified by the Ghana Music Awards board for various reasons.
As the 2025 TGMAs draw closer, concerns have been raised about King Paluta’s 2024 hit “Makoma” being missing from the nominations list.
Many stakeholders have speculated that the song was excluded due to profane lyrics, similar to the controversies surrounding previous disqualifications.
This article focuses specifically on songs that have been officially confirmed to have been disqualified by the TGMA board, not songs that were merely ‘snubbed’ or artistes who were ‘banned.’
Here are three songs that unfortunately faced disqualification at the Ghana Music Awards now TGMAs:
“Agyei” by R2Bees
In a surprising move, the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards board disqualified the 2011 hit “Agyei” by the popular music duo R2Bees from the 2012 edition of the awards.
The song, which features Sarkodie and Nana Boroo, was disqualified due to what was termed as sexually explicit lyrics and depictions of violence.
Juno Abena Ehigie-Dadson, the then Public Relations Officer for Charterhouse, revealed during a Peace FM interview that the decision was made after careful consideration of the song’s content.
She explained, “We took it out as a song that contains sexually explicit lyrics and violence.” Although other songs with provocative content were still nominated, the board felt that “Agyei” crossed the line, resulting in its disqualification.
“Brother Brother” by Bisa Kdei
Bisa Kdei’s 2016 hit, “Brother Brother”, was also excluded from the 2016 VGMA nominations.
While some speculated that the song was disqualified due to profane lyrics, a member of the board, George Quaye, clarified that the disqualification was not because of the lyrics but due to potential vote splitting.
In a 2016 interview with Happy FM, George Quaye explained that “Brother Brother” fit into the same categories as Bisa Kdei’s other song “Mansa”, and having both songs in the running would divide the votes for the artiste.
He added, “The board is not that rigid. They understand language in terms of context, so ‘Brother Brother’ was not banned. It was a decision made in consultation with the artist, and once Bisa Kdei was informed, he was very comfortable with it.”
Regarding the recent development where King Paluta’s song, “Makoma”, was not included in the 2025 TGMAs, his management has formally petitioned the board for an explanation, but the board is yet to respond.
Fans and stakeholders are eagerly awaiting clarity and closure on the matter, as the exclusion of “Makoma” continues to spark debate across the music industry.