'I want pipo to take dance as serious career choice like medicine and law'

When Dr Terry Bright Ofosu win di national dance championship for Ghana in 1989, e become local celebrity.

For im community and di street of Accra, pipo dey hail am.

But e no make di dance end for street, e go school to study and now im be dance scholar.

Im be di first dance champion wey get PhD for dance studies for di kontri University of Ghana.

"Di most fulfilling tin for me now be say I be di first school of performing arts faculty member wey graduate for di Africa studies department wit PhD," Dr Terry Ofosu tok BBC Pidgin.

Im currently be di head of di dance department for di university wia im dey teach students.

Dr Ofosu say "for my time in di 90s, we be only six dance students for di Diploma level for dis university – today we get BFA and BA students, ova 600 pipo wey dey study dance but tins fit improve."

But e still dey vex say pipo dey disrespect dance wey dem dey drag im students and any oda pesin wey dey study dance for di university.

'Pipo still no dey respect dance, but dat mentality for change'

For some pipo, dance no be serious tin pesin gatz study for school when you compare to medicine, engineering, politics, law and odas, but Dr Ofosu say dis mentality need to change.

"Whenever pipo ask my students wetin dem go do wit dance degree from di university for future, I bin dey vex well well – sake of till date, pipo still tink say dance be useless tin. But dat no be true."

E say, "you no eva dey ask medical student or law student wetin dem wan carry dia certificate do for future, so why you go ask dance student wetin im wan use di dance degree for."

Meanwhile, di industry dey use dance and choreography for music, movies, documentaries, public events and even to sell products.

Di dance lecturer wan change dat mentality, e say im no go stop unless pipo take dance serious sake of e be multi-dollar industry for di west.

Dr Terry Ofosu say "legendary artistes from di West, like Michael Jackson, Usher and di odas dey fill stadiums wey dem get plenty followers, so dance be powerful tool for dis industry. Even for Ghana, some pipo from di performing arts sector dey parliament and oda places for govment."

Di former dance champion wey dey teach Pop dance, traditional African dance and contemporary dance for di kontri premier university for many years, say im want make im students ignore di negativity and focus.

Dr Ofosu say di drags on top social media dey fit affect some of dis students wey make dem no dey pursue di dance career proper.

"Today I dey happy to see my students say dem be proud of diaserf, wey dem dey enjoy dance for school unlike for di past. Now, dem sabi say someone dey dia side wey bin dey advocate for dance."

Im explain to BBC News Pidgin say "across Africa, Afropop dancers like Limpopo boy from South Africa, DanceGod Lloyd, Afronitaaa, Endurance, Incredible Zigi, E-flex, Afro beast and odas dey make am for di industry wey dem dey fly di flag of Africa high.

But wen you check for di university, my students wey bin graduate for di past, dem no dey out dia sake of dem make di drags affect dem wey dem dey divert to oda places afta school.

E dey pain me say I no dey see my students out dia – sake of dem learn Afropop, Salsa, Kizomba, Contemporary African dance and Traditional African dance, so dem get plenty variety dem fit use and put out dia. Time don reach say dem go rise up and use social media to put diaserf out dia."

Di dancing lecturer wey dey im 50s recently go viral wit im moves

Weeks ago, Dr Terry Ofosu bin go viral wit some of im dance videos and choreography for di university.

On top social media, pipo dey ask how old pesin like dat, wit plenty grey hair still fit dey dance wey im dey strong.

Di viral moment put attention on top Dr Ofosu and im students for di university dance department, wey some musicians already reach out to collaborate wit dem for dia projects.

Dr Ofosu say im dey happy about dat viral moment.

"Na divine tin say we go trend at dis time, if God say your time don reach, noting go fit change am. Also for di past, I bin dey use hair dye for my hair for almost 15 years to cover di grey hair but I decide two years ago say I go make di grey hair grow, so pipo dey shock say old pesin like me dey dance."

Dr Ofosu say "when we decide to post my dance session on top social media, pipo happy well well, e be wonderful tin say our work dey trend wey pipo now dey follow our work online."

Even though im dey happy say social media dey hype dia work for di dance department of di university, some pipo still dey drag dem for comment section, but Dr Ofosu say, "we no dey bother anymore as long as majority of Ghanaians and odas understand di importance and value of dance today."

Im get advice for parents:

"Di world no fit get only doctors, footballers, lawyers, everibodi for dis world dey important. Dance be aspect of life we need for our society, pipo dey make am big, so parents need to allow dia children to pursue dance if dem decide say dat be wetin dem wan do."