Ajax Bukana was the first Ghanaian state comedian. [1]
Ajax Bukana was the first Ghanaian state comedian. [1]
Born James Kehinde Ajayi, Ajax Bukana was a Nigerian musician and comedian who played with Nigerian musicians such as Bobby Benson in Nigeria. He was an octobassist before settling in Ghana in 1952. [2] [3] In Accra, Ghana, he began finding fame in 1958 for his juggling aerobatics, jokes and dance. [1] He was the leader of the jive dancers who welcomed the noted American jazz musician Louis Armstrong to Ghana on his Africa tour. [4] He caught the eye of Ghana's first president Kwame Nkrumah. In 1963, Nkrumah sent Ajax Bukana to the Russian Circus School. He was to train for a year and assumed the headship of the national circus in Ghana. [5] He, however, became Ghana's national comedian in 1964. [1] Through this role, he met and entertained many guests on national visits. He was briefly imprisoned following Nkrumah's overthrow in 1966. [3] [6]
He established the satirical political party the Mosquito Production Party in 1969 in the run up to Ghana's national elections. [7] He served as the MC for the Ramblers International Band's concert at Star Hotel in 1976. [8]
Ajax Bukana died at the age of 89 in 2006 in Accra. [1]