How Joy FM was born over a bowl of fufu

Veteran broadcaster Tommy Annan-Forson has revealed the unlikely origins of Joy FM, Ghana’s first private radio station, recalling how its foundation was laid in his living room in 1995 during a meeting over a bowl of fufu.

At the time, Ghana was still under the leadership of Jerry John Rawlings, and the idea of private radio seemed improbable. Annan-Forson, then at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), said he first heard rumors of licenses being granted. “I thought, hey, private radio, would that even be allowed in this country?” he recalled.

The turning point came when Kwasi Twum, now CEO of Multimedia Group Limited, approached him with an offer to join the new station. Leaving the security of a government job was a risk, but Annan-Forson decided to take the leap.

The early planning was modest. Just three people, including Twum and Annan-Forson, met in his living room to map out programming and direction. “Every single programme initiated on Joy FM was done by just three people, over a bowl of fufu,” he said.

A smiling man and woman pose together in a brightly colored room; the man is wearing an African-inspired shirt, and the woman is dressed in a patterned outfit.

On April 30, 1995, Annan-Forson resigned from GBC. By 6 a.m. the next day, he was on air for Joy FM’s test transmission. Initially, listeners were unsure if it was a new GBC frequency, but once clarified, Joy FM quickly gained recognition as Ghana’s first commercial private station.

Annan-Forson credited Joy FM’s rapid rise to the creative freedom granted by Kwasi Twum. “He gave me the green light to do whatever I thought was best for the station. That trust allowed Joy FM to grow quickly,” he said.

This environment nurtured some of Ghana’s most celebrated broadcasters, including Mark Okraku-Mantey, Gabby Adjetey, Kofi Kum Bilson, Doreen Andoh, and the late Komla Dumor.

Leaving GBC was not without backlash. Annan-Forson recalled being called a “traitor” when he returned to collect his records. Yet, despite criticism and operational challenges, from equipment management to scheduling, the team persevered.

Relocating to Kokomlemle, Joy FM launched iconic programmes such as the Super Morning Show, cementing its place in Ghana’s media landscape.

Reflecting on the journey, Annan-Forson said: “It was an experience worth leaving a job for. I am very proud to say that I am one of the success stories of Joy FM today. It all started over a simple bowl of fufu.”