Jingles had been played for weeks, tickets sold out, 70-strong choir had arrived, patrons were seated at the Accra Sports Stadium. Everybody had done his part. The cameras dotted the top bar of the stage positioned for the event -  All that was left, was for the domestic and international stars to grace the stage.

Ransford Abossey, Master of Ceremony stood sparkling on stage– like a white dove.  White powerful camera light rays washed into his white linen dress.

It was a brilliance that typified the theme of Ghana Praise Festival 2013– a time to thank God for peace as Ghana’s democracy passed another strenuous test of authenticity between last December to August this year.

Joy FM and Urban Link had collaborated to bring Ghanaians, a South African version of gospel music to tell God in two languages - 'Massa, we are grateful' - translate that into Ga or Twi for Ghanaians and isiZulu, isiXhosa for South Africans.

The presence of a respected peace campaigner Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey of governance think-tank IDEG, was a tell-tale that the peace chorus was over - at least for now. A chorus of gratitude to God was now in order.

Time for some great South African music.

Ghana's Joyful Way ticked off the festivities. Beautiful goddesses, handsome gods, these young bunch of energetic choir fired off classics like 'Barima Yesu' and 'B3 gyi w'ayeyi'

The crowd fired back with similar energy. You could sense that Ghanaians have missed the choir. This 1972 group made up of students from Adisadel College, Mfantsipim and Wesley Girls High School students have recycled itself like the proverbial eagle.

A couple I sat next to, screamed out the lyrics  on their feet as if the song meant more to them than the aggregate crowd. She lifted her baby into the air  - that's her 'Barima Yesu' - or so you would think.

There was a guy who did some Ga gospel rap we have never known to be part of the original lyrics - and he did it like a pro. We watched eager for him to pull it off, cheering him along the way until he finished in perfect synergy with the choir. Watch out for him- there is an album in him.

'DSP' Kofi Sarpong strode onto the stage clad in a commanding and compelling red police attire.

And he sang 'Captain of Israel Host'.  His attire is a visible evidence confirming an  invisible fact - that angels were on guard.

The worshipful tunes allowed a Joyful -Way- excited crowd to settle down like fizzy Spirit drink.

'Owura tena yekyen' deepened the worship mood. 'DSP' was laying the foundation for  purposeful praise by getting any sensitive audience to do some reflective soul searching and appreciation of God's goodness  for the past nine months.

And it was working. The police man walked off the stage and a sense of tangible expectation descended on the audience. Somebody had to break the thick silent anticipation - And Ransford Abbossey appeared  to do just that.

Joyous Celebration marched onto the stage. Dressed in traditional African dresses. There was nothing international about their appearance, they were just like us - Africans - until they lifted up a song.

A class apart, a world of difference. South Africans are genetic singers. Each singer had a microphone strapped  to his o her mouth so that the individual quality of each singer was obvious and the collective brilliance - awe-inspiring.

We didn't need to understand the lyrics. We perhaps didn't even care. If we couldn't sing, we could dance with them and the audience mimicked the  intricate moves of the choir.

Without prompting, we postured like hunchbacks, and swung from left to right in an uncoordinated but flawless unison after the choir.

It seems many among the audience were very familiar with South African lyrics, so they sang along.  Zulu, Xhosa flowed. If we could sing South African music, then the argument that our local language songs are un-exportable has no 'pink sheet' to support it.

Quality performance is 'tribe-less', 'language-less'. It will travel from any remote origin and land on an international scene for worldwide consumption.

Joyous Celebration was doing just that.

A few songs rung out of the choir before the flagship hit-  Pindukulu tore through the audience. It evoked a magnetic response - perhaps similar to the declaration of Ghana's independence at the old polo grounds.

It was everybody's last chance to speak that local language. Joyful Way Incorporated sitting in the front row, joined the heavy chorus. DSP was clapping turn to the left and right spotting a wide smile. People posed and sang like it was a last ditch audition to join the group back to South Africa.

Midnight sneaked up on us but praise kept us up, careless of time and Joyful Celebration left no one in doubt that thier stuff was near-genetic.