What was expected to have been a memorable event in remembrance of popular highlife musician Michael Dwamena last Saturday, turned out to be a dull quickly-to-be-forgotten funeral that drew only a handful of mourners. Watch Video: Ngozi by Michael Dwamena feat. Nii Lante

Perhaps signs of the controversy that led to the poor organisation and attendance were there for all to see long before the funeral day.

First, the obituary that appeared in last Tuesday’s edition of the Daily Graphic, suggested that the dead man was open to a charge of bigamy as two widows in the persons of Mrs Gloria Dwamena and Mrs Felicia Dwamena were announced.

Secondly, one of the supposed wives of the late musician came on Peace FM to register her objection to a decision by some members of the family to organise a concert in honour of Dwamena at the Trade Fair Centre which was a different venue from the VAG Club House which they had hired for the final funeral rites.

Thirdly, the funeral arrangements of Dwamena lacked the expected publicity as is usually accorded other late artistes such as Suzzy Williams, Terry Bonchaka and Kwame Owusu Ansah among others.

All these signs and fears were translated into reality during Dwamena’s funeral. In the absence of prominent artistes in the entertainment industry, except veteran musicians Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Mac Tontoh, Zapp Mallet and Charles Amoah the scene at the funeral of the Ngozi man, which was held at Dansoman was like a funeral of an ‘ordinary man’.

Obviously, there was some degree of rift between the family members, as after the burial service which was also held in the same Dansoman house, there came an announcement that suggested that mourners were expected to converge at the VAG Club House after the burial at the Osu Cemetery for the final funeral rites and not anywhere else.

The scene at the VAG Club House was no different. There was nothing ‘extraordinary’ happening except for a band stand with a few singers who tried to provide comfort for the mourners.

According to Theo Jones, a cousin of the deceased, a part of the family including himself, decided to boycott the funeral in allegiance to Dwamena.

“How can they treat Michael as though he was an inferior person or just someone on the streets with no reputation? If I attend the funeral at Dansoman, that will mean disrespecting Michael.

There’s so much going on that I can’t say now, but you’ll hear from me,” he said.

In effect, they decided to organise their own funeral at the Trade Fair Centre just about the same time that the burial service for Dwamena was in session at Dansoman.

At the Trade Fair Centre where a concert was to take place for Dwamena, at about 2:30 pm as against the stipulated 10 am, the venue which was decorated with balloons, ribbons and portraits of Dwamena had a handful of sympathisers with no sign of the concert taking off.

Speaking to Showbiz, Mr Kwabena Adu-Poku, a younger brother of the deceased, said: “I’m angry and hurt at this development.

We had dreams that never came true. You know, before his death and some years back when I was staying with him in the UK, he told me that he was going to be a star, go to the US and he did. But his promise to take me to the US never materialised, he’s dead,” he said in despair.

A visibly shaken sister, Nana Akua from the UK, told Showbiz that she would remember Michael for his jokes, sense of humour, generosity and his ability to bring the family together.

“He was like a pillar that supported the entire family with his love, presence and was able to pull all of us together.

He organised parties whenever he visited UK or US, it was his way of bringing us together.

“Although he’s gone, I will forever remember him for the lovely person he was and the impact he made in the lives of those who were fortunate to have known him,” she said.

As for Ewurama, a younger sister resident in Germany, she would never forget Michael, “particularly, when he is trying to catch your attention in conversation, he goes like, Some k-i-n-d way; Won tell wo anaa and Se woahu nea mee pe akyere no.

He was always in a good mood.”

The death of Michael Dwamena hit the airwaves in Ghana last July.

He died after a short illness in Texas, USA. Dwamena came to the limelight in 1999 with his Tibidi song from his Mene Wo Beye album.

Ngozi from his latest album, Omo Moti is the favourite of most music lovers and fans in the country.

A native of Kwahu Mpraeso, Michael was the sixth of seven children born to Mr Kwame Siaw Dwamena and Mrs Esther Dwamena in Sekondi on May 30, 1964.

He attended Takoradi Secondary School and lived close to 26 years abroad. According to family sources, he began his music career at a very early age and left the country for Nigeria when he was about 17 years old.

Michael returned to Ghana but left again for Belgium where he joined the Belgium Army.

While there, he studied Law and IT and later relocated to London and then to the US where he was based till his death. During his lifetime, he married Anne, a Belgian, Gloria and Felicia.

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