info@businessghana.com
A culturalist, Nii Alabi Bortey, has composed a two-minute dirge to honour the memory of the eight men who lost their lives in the August 6 tragic helicopter crash at the Adansi Akrofuom District in the Ashanti Region.
Nii Bortey, who is popularly known as Suade and is renowned for composing and performing dirges at state funerals, has devoted over four decades of his life to the sacred art of crafting dirges with the atenteben, a traditional Ghanaian musical instrument.
He deftly used rhythms and notes to immortalise the eight men who died in the line of duty to compose the solemn, mournful song and soul-stirring melody.
The eulogist, who has performed at the funerals of prominent figures, including former Presidents Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and Jerry John Rawlings, was in the studios of the Graphic Online at the offices of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL) to perform his new dirge.
Known for keeping the spirit of those lost through his art, Suade seeks to perform the new dirge at the state funeral for the eight gallant men tomorrow.
Titled, “Ayekoo to wit congratulations,” the emotional tribute, which was composed and perfected over eight years, aims to honour the fallen eight's contributions and inspire resilience among Ghanaians.
Drawing from the strength of the timeless folkloric traditions of the country and resonating with the inner spirit of mourners, while honouring the memories of those who have passed, Suade said the song had been perfected over the years through various trials.
He said his intention to perform this song publicly for the first time at tomorrow's state funeral was to honour the gallant heroes for their service to the state.
“The deeper thing is that these were significant people in Ghana, and we must acknowledge their impact on our lives,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic.
“Let us put politics aside and unite to celebrate their lives,” he said and appealed for formal recognition as a state atenteben eulogist, and advocated for a budget allocation for future state engagements.Suade’s first dirge was released in 2018 to eulogise Kofi Annan, the only black African to become United Nations (UN) Secretary-General.
It was titled, “Yaawo”, meaning fare-thee-well in the Ga language.
His journey began at age 13 and has since established the Suade Cultural Academy.
“Yaawo” is currently etched in the archives of a library dedicated to the memory of Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia, a renowned Ghanaian ethnomusicologist and composer known for the popular Damirifa Due dirge.
The nation was thrown into a state of deep mourning when eight personalities, including two cabinet ministers, lost their lives in the tragic helicopter crash at Adansi Brofoyedu in the Adansi Akrofuom District in the Ashanti Region.
They included the Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah; the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central; the acting Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, and the Vice-Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Sarpong.
The rest were the NDC parliamentary candidate for Obuasi East in the 2024 election, Samuel Aboagye, who was also the Deputy Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO); Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala; Flying Officer Manaen Twum-Ampadu and Sergeant Ernest Addo-Mensah.
