The music maestro Kojo Antwi has lost his father, Opanin Kwadwo Asiamah Asubonten.
Confirming the news to Joy Entertainment, Kojo Antwi revealed that his father passed away on Monday, January 2.
Opanin Kwadwo Asiamah Asubonten died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. He died at the age of 104.
In a tribute dedicated to his father, Kojo Antwi wrote “My heart is saddened by your departure, my dear father. You lived a full life and lived it well. Your widow mourns you. All 17 of your children mourn you.”
“We are all little branches of the mighty tree that you were in this life. You did the best you could for your family. I may not have understood you as a child, but I have appreciated and celebrated you since becoming an adult,” he noted.
The Maestro as he is known added that it took him days after his father’s passing to come to terms with the fact that they may not speak, hug or smile at each other anymore.
“I feel blessed to have mentioned your good name NANA ASIAMAH years ago in my song ‘BRE BRE ANOWAA’. It is an appreciation for the striving of you and every good father for their children. It is recognition of your fatherly love, protection and provision for me and my siblings. It represents giving you your flowers while you were alive to see and smell them.”
Kojo Antwi said he will continue to sing his father’s praises on every stage he is given the opportunity to sing on. “I shall continue to honour you.”
Read his full tribute below:
To my deeply respected father OPANIN KWADWO ASIAMAH ASUBONTEN who died on Monday 2nd January 2023.
“There will come a time, when I shall close my mouth; I will speak no more.
There will come a time when I will be placed in a coffin; I will be seen no more.”
Inevitable death for the great and small. A subject I try to not dwell on as a composer, for LOVE and UPLIFTMENT for LIFE itself come more naturally to me, flow more easily from my mind and spirit, and are dearer to my heart.
My heart is saddened by your departure, my dear father.
You lived a full life and lived it well. Your widow mourns you. All seventeen of your children mourn you. We are all little branches of the mighty tree that you were in this life.
You did the best you could for your family. I may not have understood you as a child but I have appreciated and celebrated you since becoming an adult
Four long days and nights it has taken for me to come to terms with the fact that you and I will speak no more, shake hands no more, embrace and smile at each other no more.
Oh life, so fragile.
Oh death; no matter how strong, no matter how loved, you lurk and strike and snatch our loved ones at your will.
GONE BUT NEVER WILL YOU BE FORGOTTEN.
THANK YOU DAD; WE LOVE YOU.
THANK YOU DAD; I HONOUR YOU.
I feel blessed to have mentioned your good name NANA ASIAMAH years ago in my song ‘BRE BRE ANOWAA’
It is an appreciation for the striving of you and every good father for their children. It is recognition of your fatherly love, protection and provision for me and my siblings. It represents giving you your flowers while you were alive to see and smell them.
I shall continue to let your name be heard on every land and stage where God Almighty grants me the voice to sing. I shall continue to honour you.
BRE BRE AGYA PA NANA ASIAMAH, AGYA NYAME NHYIRA WO.
You imparted many priceless things to me through your words and stares. You taught me plenty but I feel lost now. I don’t know how to grieve your departure. It is not among the invaluable things you taught me, Dad.
The father who gave my mother the seed to germinate and nurture with love that I, a humble singer-songwriter, may be born. The good man who hears my silence is gone. Here I am, naked, saddened and lonely even among the crowd.
OPANIN KWADWO ASIAMAH ASUBONTEN, you lived to be 104 years old.
I have listened patiently. I hear you. I hear you, father.
I should not mourn you.
I should bring all of us, Royals, leaders, elders and youths of all our tribes and clans together, and we should join hands as one great family to celebrate you.
Agya Asiamah, we will celebrate you.
God be with you till we meet again.
OPANIN KWADWO ASIAMAH ASUBONTEN, DAMIRIFA DUE;
DUE NE AMANIHUNU