Pamela & Mufty DabreThere were people from every segment of society: radio presenters, actors, Muslims, Christians, students, journalists, parliamentarians, ministers of state, CEOs of companies, women, men, children and all manner of persons.
It was, to say the least, a jam-packed affair.

This was the situation at the Nii Boi Town last Saturday where the final funeral ceremony of former Peace FM presenter, A.M. Mufty-Dabre (or Mufty as he was affectionately called), took place.

The last I could remember of such a huge gathering at a funeral was at those of Bob Santo and Terry Bonchaka.

The question I kept asking my self while still at Nii Boi Town and subsequently at the premises of Peace FM (where the attendance was about twice the number at the former) was why so many people would leave whatever they were doing to be present at Mufty’s funeral.

I found the answer in the fact that it probably was due to the affability of the man when he was alive.

In my life, one has come across many radio presenters and only a few are as affable as Mufty was. I and not saying this because he is no more but because it is a fact that can be verified from those who came close to him as well.

As a close friend and business partner (we founded and managed an event and artiste management company last year), I am aware that for a great part of this year Mufty has not been too well.

The question many have asked is why he was always cheerful both on and off air if he was as ill as it had been reported?

The answer is simple. Mufty had a positive attitude towards life and as far as he was concerned things would take their natural course no matter what one did about them.

Thus anytime he was in a real difficult situation, he looked inward for strength to carry on. Even while he was sick, he thought positively that he would get healed eventually.

Exactly two weeks before he died, I had a lengthy conversation with him on the phone and for about two-thirds of the time, I wanted to know what it was that was bothering him.

This was because about a month preceding that conversation anytime I called he was either asleep after taking his medication or had gone for check-up at the hospital. He gave me an idea of what he thought was bothering him with the assurance that “I will give you the full detail when I next see you.” We never saw each other again, though we spoke briefly on a couple of occasions.

In his lifetime, Mufty was among Accra’s most accomplished bachelors and the fact that he had gone past his fortieth birthday but had not married was a big worry to his close relatives.

I remember him telling me more than once that his elder sister at Kumasi was one person he loved but did not like visiting because anytime she saw him she brought up the subject of marriage.

One of the holidays last December saw Mufty, myself and Fiifi Banson having a conversation on Peace FM. The subject was Mufty and when he hoped to get married. He assured me, Fiifi and those listening at the time that he was planning to get married to his sweetheart on his next birthday in March 2007.

When the day was due and I asked him about his assurance his response was “kwasea do you think this is the time to get married”? and then produced his trade mark chuckle of a laugh to end that conversation.

One quality about him that many experienced was that the things he held dear he really protected with all the strength he had. One of such is his two-year old daughter Relwana Amama Dabre whom he loved to a fault that he would sometimes call off a meeting we scheduled just to go see her.

Another quality that endeared him to many was his penchant to trust people no matter how short it took him to know them. He acted as though he knew you long ago although you were probably introduced to him moments ago.

That attitude was a deliberate act he employed to mesmerize people in order to win them over for whatever he desired to discuss with them. One must add that he did this regardless of the acquaintances age, religion or ethnicity.

This was the reason why even as the only Muslim on air music presenter at Peace FM he was the one who played more gospel than any other presenter (perhaps with the exception of Kwesi Aboagye) at the station.

“Music is music and for me once it is good music, it does not matter the genre I will play it”, was his response when I once asked why he loved to play gospel even as a Muslim.

It was no secret at Peace FM that Osei Kwame Despite, the CEO and Fadda Dickson, the Finance and Administrative Manager of the station loved his dedication to duty. He was always on hand to perform any duty whether it was assigned to him or not.

I remember in December when we were running around in his car seeking sponsorship for a concert we organized, we got to Peace FM at about 7.50pm one Tuesday and there was no one to handle the next programme at 8pm because the host of the show was temporarily grounded.

Although he was as beat as I was, Mufty went to his vehicle took his CD bag and waving me good bye he went to the studio to present a music show in place of the talk programme. Such was his sense of duty.

In as much as he was cool, calm and easy going in most situations Mufty was also very principled, forthright and where he had to be firm he really was.

I remember asking him once to record some songs for me and he told me point blank that he would not do it because he considered it to be piracy and for someone who desired to make things work in the local music industry he would do no such thing. I was surprised but realized a quality I did not know existed at the time.

Among the things that he loved to do was manage musicians. It was that which informed his decision to take up and hold on to the management of Ofori Amponsah to the extent that even when things went awry in the camp and many people (like myself) would have left, he held on till his demise.

Mufty did not keep grudges and that manifested in his relationship with people who it was obvious he should not be. When people thought he was at loggerheads with Barosky for leaving the 4reez camp amid controversy he was in constant conversation with him to the chagrin of some other members of the camp.

Mufty was a critique of every situation and I must say today that if there was one person who criticized Peace FM more than anybody else it was Mufty-Dabre. He was of the view that a lot could improve with regard to music, talk and sports at the station.

Like everybody else Mufty had his faults among which was his impatience with people who would not see and act in obvious situations. He was short fused when people know what to do but refuse to do it.

I remember him walking out of a negotiation we had with a musician. We were trying to talk to for him to feature on our show, because the musician mentioned a very high figure as his fee.

For me Mufty represented those friends who come into ones life and act more than a brother would. He was also among those breed of people who put on a lot of hats at the same time.

As a radio presenter, actor, music producer, show organizer, father, lover and student Mufty was the quintessential master of all trades.

What more could I say than to wish my good friend, brother and partner a safe journey into the arms of the creator. May your soul rest in perfect peace, Mufty the Dabre.

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