1. Ephraim Amu was a mentor to the musicologist J H Kwabena Nketia.
22 Facts About Ephraim Amu
1. 2.
Ephraim Amu's father was Stephen Amuyaa, a wood carver who was popularly called Papa Stefano.
3.
In 1915, Ephraim Amu passed the standard 7 School Leaving Certificate examination and passed the Abetifi Teachers Seminary'S Examination.
4.
Ephraim Amu used his ingenuity and creativity to carve wooden balls for the school games, which replaced the imported balls being used at the time at the seminary.
5.
Ephraim Amu chose the sermon text from Matthew 25:40 on this occasion.
6.
Ephraim Amu used both Twi and the Ewe language in his short sermon.
7.
Ephraim Amu made the remainder of the journey on foot from Frankadua to Peki, a distance of 18 miles.
8.
Ephraim Amu went to Koforidua to buy a five-octave Henry Riley folding organ for the school.
9.
Ephraim Amu faced the problem of carrying the organ to Peki.
10.
Eager to master his skills in music, Ephraim Amu took music lessons with Rev Allotey-Pappoe, a Methodist Minister stationed at Peki-Avetile.
11.
Ephraim Amu is particularly known for his use of the atenteben, a traditional Ghanaian bamboo flute; he promoted and popularized the instrument throughout the country, and composed music for it.
12.
Dr Ephraim Amu employed no one to sweep his rooms, wash his plates or run errands for him.
13.
Ephraim Amu believed in using African cultural artefacts and good African technological and social inventions.
14.
Ephraim Amu preferred the title Owura to "mister" as a prefix to his name.
15.
Ephraim Amu's students enjoyed the new song, melody and the new words.
16.
Ephraim Amu learnt to speak correct Akuapem Twi from members of his singing band.
17.
In 1927, inspired by the contents of Wasu, a journal published by the West African Students' Union, Ephraim Amu decided that he would wear African dress with pride.
18.
Ephraim Amu decided not to wear warm unsuitable European clothes in tropical Africa.
19.
Ephraim Amu made efforts to make the Christian church service more meaningful to African worshippers who were ashamed of their African clothing, language, music and even their African names.
20.
In 1931, after Ephraim Amu preached wearing his African attire on a Sunday, he was summoned to appear before the church court.
21.
In June 1942, Ephraim Amu married Beatrice Yao and presented a wooden box made of the finest wood instead of an imported steel trunk to his bride.
22.
The Ephraim Amu Foundation was founded in 1995 and launched in 2004 in his honour.