The family of Michael Dwamena have announced that there will be no wake for the late musician and that the body will be laid in state from 4:00 am on October 4 at house number A235/20 South Odorkor Estates, near Mays Educational Centre in Accra and later buried at the Osu Cemetery. Watch Video: Ngozi by Michael Dwamena feat. Nii Lante

“A reception and the final funeral rites will be held after the burial, at the VAG Club House near the Immigration Headquarters in Accra,” a family source said.

Dwamena, 44, made a name for himself in this country in 1999 with his Tibidibi song from his Mene Wo Beye album. One of the tracks from his Omo Woti album, Ngozi, is a favourite of many music lovers in the country. He died in Texas in a hospital in the United States on Monday, July 28.

Many music fans hoped it was just a rumour making the rounds when news of Dwamena’s death was announced in July.

Michael’s music business manager in Ghana, Prince Tsegah, talking about the musician soon after the announcement of his death last July said: “He was a very straight forward and kind-hearted. He was always willing to help solve other people’s problems. He was very generous. To say I will miss him is an understatement. All of us at Soul Records will feel the vacuum his departure has caused.”

Having worked with Michael on three of his four albums, Zapp Mallet, one of Ghana’s finest sound engineers said he had not only lost a colleague but a brother too. “I have lost a dear friend and a brother. I worked with him on his Chaskele, Prayer and Owo Moti albums. We had so much in common.”

Commenting on rumours that the musician died as a result of swallowing cocaine, his cousin Theo Jones, said the autopsy showed he had toxin in his pancreas and that the family suspects foul play.

“We found out that the news of Michael’s death was put on the Internet at 1:20am though he died at 2:55am. He left Ghana for the United States two months before his death so how could he be carrying cocaine in his system for so long?”

Jones added that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in the US are investigating the circumstances surrounding Michael’s death.

A native of Kwahu Mpraeso, Dwamena was born to Mr Kwame Siaw Dwamena, a businessman and Mrs Esther Dwamena a.k.a Auntie Mansa a business woman on May 30 1964 in Takoradi. He attended Takoradi Secondary School.

He lived abroad for close to 26 years and had always loved music. Family sources said he started his music career at a very early age.

He left for Nigeria when he was about 17 years old. After living in Nigeria for a while, he returned to Ghana but left again for Belgium where he joined the Belgium Army.

While there, he studied Law and IT. He later relocated to London and then to the US where he was based till his death.

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