Osofo Dadzie

They toured rural and urbran areas of Ghana where they performed improvised and unscripted stage plays accompanied by live music.

Nana Bosompra, a producer with the GBC, later invited the group to perform in "Jatokrom", another storytelling show which drew largely on Ghanaian folklore and contemporary events.

[2] Osofo Dadzie plays essentially translated popular Ghanaian oral narratives and everyday occurrences into dramatized performances for the enjoyment of ordinary folks in rural and urban areas.

Episode themes usually blended Ghanaian folklore and Akan proverbial messages with prevailing socio-cultural norms in an attempt to instil virtue and moral uprightness in the populace.

In some instances, the plays addressed current events, such as ritual murders, the stigma attached to HIV-AIDS, deforestation, environmental degradation, family planning, sanitation, civic responsibilities, among others.

The broader objective of Osofo Dadzie was to “expose the evils of Ghanaian society” which included political corruption, greed, nepotism, and bribery.

This subtle attack on the integrity of some notable figures did not sit well with some public officials who made several attempts to kill off the program.

Key themes of Osofo Dadzie plays were centred around the virtues of honesty, integrity, kindness, patience, forgiveness, endurance, modesty, unity, etc.

Some of the main actors in the group include Nathaniel Frimpong Manso (Osofo Dadzie), Samuel Kwesi Oppong (as himself), Asonaba Kwaku Darko (Super OD), Kwadwo Kwakye, Fred Addai, Kingsley Kofi Kyeremanteng (Ajos), Mercy Offei, Bea Kissi, Jane Ackon (Mama Jane), Akua Boahemaa, Helena Maame Adjoa Pieterson (Adjoa Pee), Louisa Debra (Mama Lee) among others.

This meant that between October and December 1981, GBC-TV had to broadcast old Osofo Dadzie episodes which gradually lost their public appeal.

The new Head of State and leader of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) at the time, Flt Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings became aware of the impasse and invited key members of the production crew; Grace Omaboe (one of the main scriptwriters of Osofo Dadzie) and Nana Bosompra (Producer) to consider the formation of a rival group in order to fill the vacant artistic space whiles a permanent solution is found.

Some of the most popular characters in the Osofo Dadzie series include Super OD, played by Asonaba Kwaku Darko.

[6] The theme song for the programme was "Woyaya" (Wɔyaya in Ga meaning "We are going"), which was written by Teddy Osei, leader and saxophonist and Sol Amarfio, drummer of Osibisa, a popular Ghanaian Afro rock band based in London, UK.