Ghanaian gospel musician and senior police officer, ACP Kofi Sarpong, has revealed how his journey into the music industry began, crediting gospel singer OJ, musician Akwaboah Jnr, and a persistent young man for playing key roles in launching his career.

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Speaking on The Career Trail on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, ACP Sarpong recalled how a chance encounter during a church harvest event marked the turning point in his musical life.

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“One Christmas, we decided to host our senior officers during a peacekeeping mission in Sudan,” he recounted. “When we returned, this woman, who was a matron at 37 Military Hospital, called me one Sunday. I was already in church, but she asked me to come to theirs.

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They were having a harvest. As soon as I arrived, they introduced me and asked me to sing, which I did.”

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His performance caught the attention of a young man in the congregation, who later approached him about recording music. However, ACP Sarpong initially declined the offer, citing his professional obligations.

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“I told him I was a police officer and wasn’t ready for that,” he explained. “I was in the office when an elderly man of about 70 years came to me to tell me that the young man had told him to come and plead on his behalf, so that I would oblige to his proposal. But I told the man, that would not be possible. I am a police officer and a commissioned one at that.”

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Despite the initial rejection, the young man and his team returned that evening, determined to record with him. The first song they worked on was Ayeyi Ndwom, written by Akwaboah Jnr.

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“When the song dropped, people were asking who was behind it and all that,” ACP Sarpong said. “In fact, one person who actually made it blossom was Former Deputy Minister for Tourism, Hon. Okraku Mantey. He is someone who doesn’t like piercing voices. So he was looking for the person, especially when he also came to find out the singer was a police officer.”

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Since then, ACP Kofi Sarpong has gone on to become one of Ghana’s most celebrated gospel musicians, balancing his passion for music with a successful career in the Ghana Police Service.

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