Every year on April 15, fans of Kofi Kinaata eagerly await a musical gift from the Fante lyrics legend and 2025 is no exception. Marking his birthday in signature style, Kinaata has dropped a fresh single titled ‘Abankaba’, a track that blends lyrical depth with his signature storytelling. Whether you’re here to sing along, study the Fante lines, or just appreciate the poetry, we’ve got you covered. Below is the full transcription and breakdown of ‘Abankaba’, straight from the Westside King himself.
Verse 1
Ao, muhunii a nka na wɔaka ekyir o
Anyɛnkogor beberebe yi (iii hmm)
Ao, wɔkae o na menntsie (iii iii iii)
Gangster, ɔnnyɛ medze a merefa
Ah, ma me w’asowa ma menka asɛm bi nkyerɛ wo
Wiase no so paa but echeap a annhwɛ a ɛnnkɔ mu
Ehuhur so a ɛbɔtɔ mu
Nnyɛ wo dze a hwɛ na ammfa
Hwɛ na annka dɛ muhunii a anka
Na enyibue anaa guyman
Obiara nnkyɛn fie nyansa
Mama akyerɛ me ɔdɔ oo
Daddy mpo dze woara fa hwɛ
Ma mebɛka biara a ɔbɛyɛ
Na mahwɛ mu esu adze
Naaso anyɛnkosɛm ntsi dabiara different story
Wɔnonom na sɛ mannom bi a meyɛ very boring
Na i come turn jonky
Wey my life make messy
The addiction got me stealing
Now I come dey prison
Sɛ ndɛ ehu me wɔ ha a, abankaba da me nsa
Nyɛnko, no ho asɛm ara nyi o
Chorus
Ao, wɔkae o na menntsie
(No ho asɛm ara nyi o)
Anyɛnkogor beberebe yi
(No ho asɛm ara nyi o)
Skuul wɔnye me kɔe nso mennwie
(No ho asɛm ara nyi o)
Gangster, ɔnnyɛ me dze merefa
(No ho asɛm ara nyi o)
(Intrumentals)
Verse 2
One Sunday morning, ago drop wifey and the kids for church
I wan go boiling.
Emo-tuo special bi me then my friends
We san do mixes
W’eve been drinking alongside some girls
I make fine, still I wan drive
Wey the car knock somebody
So we rush her go hospital
Survival just so little
Doctor ayɛ ayɛ araa a still ɔannyɛ yie
Eii ɔannyɛ yie
Ɔyɛe araa ɔannyɛ yie
Ma medze kaar bɔɔ no no saana onyinsen
Wɔyɛe araa ɔannyɛ yie
Abeg you call my wife for me,
Make she know say meda prison
Caught, arrested by police
Drunking driving be the reason
Sɛ ndɛ ehu me wɔ ha a,
Abankaba da me nsa a,
Nyɛnko, no ho asɛm ara nyi o
Repeat Chorus
Ao, wɔkae o na menntsie
(No ho asɛm ara nyi o)
Anyɛnkogor beberebe yi
(No ho asɛm ara nyi o)
Skuul wɔnye me kɔe nso mennwie
(No ho asɛm ara nyi o)
Gangster, ɔnnyɛ me dze merefa
(No ho asɛm ara nyi o)
(Intrumentals)
Song Breakdown: Kofi Kinaata – Abankaba
In ‘Abankaba’, Kofi Kinaata delivers a powerful narrative with a sense of regret, life choices, and the consequences of ignoring good counsel. The song tells the personal story of a man, portrayed as Kinaata himself, who grows up surrounded by love, especially from his parents, who wished for him to focus on his education and become a better person in the future. However, he turns a deaf ear to their advice, choosing instead to follow his friends down a destructive path.
Lured by peer pressure and the desire to “fit in,” he engages in gangster activities, spends nights clubbing, and falls into substance abuse; smoking, drinking, and taking hard drugs. These behaviors become his way of avoiding being labeled as “boring” by his peers. Over time, this lifestyle leads to addiction and eventually lands him in prison, symbolized by the ‘abankaba’ (handcuffs) referenced in the song’s title.
The most tragic part of his journey unfolds on a Sunday morning. After dropping off his wife and children at church, he meets up with his friends to go “boil”, a Ghanaian slang term for excessive partying or drinking. Intoxicated and impaired, he gets behind the wheel and accidentally knocks down a pedestrian, not just anyone, but a pregnant woman. Despite efforts to save her, the woman sadly does not survive. The incident leads to his arrest for drunk driving and, ultimately, imprisonment.
From behind bars, Kinaata narrates this painful story, requesting a mobile phone to call his wife and inform her of his whereabouts and the events that led him to prison. The emotional weight of the call shows the depth of his remorse and the irreversible consequences of his actions.
True to Kinaata’s trademark style, ‘Abankaba’ is more than a song, it’s a heartfelt message and a cautionary tale aimed at the youth. It warns against the dangers of peer pressure, substance abuse, and reckless behavior. With vivid storytelling and emotional depth, Kinaata urges listeners to choose the right path while they still can, before it’s too late.
Conclusion
Kofi Kinaata once again proves why he’s not just a musician but a storyteller with purpose. ‘Abankaba’ is more than a song, it’s a life lesson wrapped in melody. Through this emotional narrative, Kinaata tells the harsh realities of peer pressure, addiction, and the consequences of reckless choices. His ability to turn personal stories into public wisdom makes this track another timeless masterpiece in his catalogue of advice-driven music. As we vibe to the rhythm, let’s not miss the message: the choices we make today can either build our future or chain us to regret.
Editor: Ama Gyesiwaa Quansah
