He could not resist admiring his father, anytime he exhibited his skills on either the guitar or the accordion.

Kofi Boateng, best known as Teacher Boateng, has therefore taken not only after his father’s musical skills, but also his polygamous lifestyle.

He has decided to beat his father by increasing the number of his wives from two to more than four. His father had four wives and 20 children.

Currently, he has Madam Elizabeth Korang Dartey from Kwahu and Madam Victoria Brago from Ashanti as his wives. He is also blessed with 10 children, six boys and four girls.

His oldest child is 34-years while the youngest is eight years. Teacher Boateng however says more will be born if he marries more women.

Teacher Boateng, 54, was born at Obo Kwahu in the Eastern Region to Opanin Yaw Wiafe, a farmer cum musician and Madam Akua Asantewa Mansah, both of Obo Kwahu.

He was the first of six children from his mother, but the 15th of the 20 children of his father.

Teacher Boateng attended the Anglican Primary and Middle School at Obo Kwahu and obtained a Middle School Leaving Certificate in 1969. Just around that time, his father died, so he left Obo Kwahu to stay in Accra.

It was in Accra that he joined Mr. Ofori, a brother to T. O. Jass to improve upon his skills on the guitar and other musical instruments.

Teacher Boateng later joined the Great Landers Band which was based at Mamobi.

According to him, it was while he was with the band that they recorded their album titled "Me nyedan nni," a two track album.

He said when he realised he had gained enough experience after performing with them for some months, he decided to resign and formed his own band, the Two Brothers Band.

He managed to record his maiden album "Sanbra". The band could not stand the test of time due to the lack of instruments and was dissolved.

According to Teacher Boateng, in his efforts to revive the band by acquiring instruments, he approached his paternal uncle, ‘Twum Barima, a farmer at Kwahu Jamasi, for help, but help never came.

"I had to perform for the African Brothers Band for about three years since there was no other option for me to get financial assistance to continue my musical career," he said.

He said it was later that he recorded two of his hit albums "Oheneba ne nepapa tease" Mempa-aba", around 1974.

"The idea of the two albums, was based on the way, my uncle treated me after the death of my father," he explained.

Determined to work with his own group or band, he formed the "Teacher and his African Brothers Band in 1975. The band has since been in existence and performs on request at special functions including funerals.

Teacher Boateng has over 15 albums to his credit. Among the albums are Ye be dani agya, Ankwa noma, Odo me waa, Me Kome-anko, Anka Meyeden and Me Ko enkoko.

His album Oheneba and Mepeaba brought him to the limelight and became a household songs in almost every part of the country. These albums won him an award from Philip Records, now Polygram Records. He has since won other awards including one from the Kwahu Traditional Council Awards.

Aside performing at special public functions in the country Teacher Boateng has performed in some African countries including Togo, Burkina Faso, and Cote d’Ivoire.

He also went on a tour to the United Kingdom (UK) in 1973 with Nana Ampadu.

Teacher Boateng claims he was the first to introduce reggae and funk music in twi in Ghana, though he plays more of highlife music.

Teacher Boateng expressed gratitude to his producer, Mr Francis Mensah-Twum of Asesegwa Music Productions in Accra.

He is seriously planning to go into the transport business and to improve his farming activities.

Touching on some of the hardships a musician faces, Teacher Boateng said "the most difficult time for a musician is when he fails to get a good producer to promote or market his or her works. If things happen this way, then what to eat, becomes a problem let alone talking about the ability to meet other commitments."

"The way royalties are paid to us musicians is also questionable and this is creating a lot of dissatisfaction. In fact we are not happy with what we are paid."

Asked what he thinks account for the high number of highlife musicians coming from the Kwahu area, Teacher Boateng said "Kwahu people value music and as such, those who are into music, try or do their best. They put in all their efforts to ensure quality. Also Kwahu people are business- minded and as such, those in the music industry see it as a job which they have to do well to earn their money."

Touching on the current music scene, he said though most musical groups are playing well, the main problem is that some musicians just pick the lyrics of others, build on the lyrics and think they have done something good.

"This is a bad prac-tice. It only means that such musicians are not creative enough to come out with their own original work. Some of our musicians also com-pose songs with words which do not encourage good morals, taking into consideration our culture as a nation," he said.

Teacher Boateng urged all musicians to try to come out with mu-sic that would enhance nation building and development through their own creativity.

"Musicians can join hands, especially with others whose lyrics they enjoy, like A.B. Crentsil and Obour have done. The younger ones should also learn from the more experienced ones," he said.

Teacher Boateng appealed to the nation’s leaders, especially the government and traditio-nal leaders to come out against the wrong things.