Highlife icon AB Crentsil to be buried on November 5

LATE Highlife musician, AB Crentsil will be buried on November 5,2022 in Ewoyaa, near Saltpond in the Central Region.

This was made known at the one week memorial of his passing which was held at the Bethel Methodist Church, Tema Community 8 on Saturday, August 13,2022.

A family member, Joseph Kofi Quainoo who announced the funeral and burial plans said a wake keeping and thanksgiving service will be held on November 4 and 6 respectively.

The Highlife star died at The Bank Hospital, Accra on Wednesday, July 13, 2022.

Highlife legend AB Crentsil dies aged 79

The memorial service was characterised by the singing of a series of hymns, a biography of the deceased and brief eulogies from selected guests.

Many sympathisers, friends and family converged at the Bethel Methodist Church and later at the Community 8 Park in Tema to celebrate the life of Highlife  great, AB Crentsil.

Also in attendance are political figures mostly from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Former President John Dramani Mahama was in attendance to mourn the late AB Crentsil, who he described as a personal friend.

He eulogised AB Crentsil for his music prowess and stage craft.

Former President John Mahama

Mr Mahama was accompanied by the General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC, Joseph Ade Coker, some Members of Parliament including, Isaac Ashai Odamtten,( Tema East), Joseph Tetteh, (Kpone Katamanso) and other officials of the party in the Tema East, Central and West constituencies.

Also present are a number of musicians and officials of the Musican Union of Ghana(MUSIGA) and other players in the creative industry including, Diana Hopson, Bice Osei Kuffour(Obour), who is also MD for Ghana Post, Rex Omar, Ahuma Ocansey,, Clement Bonney, known in showbiz circles as Mr Beautiful, Kwasi Kyei Darkwah(KKD), Bessa Simmons, Lady Talata, Smart Nkansah among others.

Biography
Alfred Benjamin Crentsil, known in local and intemational music circles as AB Crentsil, was born to Alfred Benjamin Crentsil Snr and Esi Yaaba on January 15 1943 at Prestea in the Westem Region.

He had his formal elementary schoo! education at the Bedu Addo Methodist Primary and Rev. Cleveland Middle Schools.

MUSIGA mourns with AB Crentsil’s family

After his middie school education, he was apprenticed as an electrician, following in the footsteps of his father who was himself an astute electrician, employed in the service of the Railway Company in Takoradi.

However, this venture was shortlived, because his interest in music, which seed was planted at the tender age of thirteen (13) years while in Middle School under the tutorship of his mentor, Mr. Tandoh, gradually superseded any interest he had developed in the trade he was engaged in.

In no time, he abandoned the trade and engaged all his energies in pursuing music as a career.

AB Crentsil quickly mastered the rudiments of guitar playing and readied himself to play in live bands.

He was profoundly gifted in the art of music composition and vocals. With these hamessed talents tucked under his armpit, he joined his first band, Strollers Dance Band which was based in Takoradi, in 1968. Subsequentty, he played in other bands such Os Lantics in Takoradi and El Dorados at Aboso.

Thanks for the music, AB Crentsil

He was a founding member of the Sweet Talks Band which was based at the Talk Of The Town Hotel in Community No. 2, Tema, alongside seasoned musicians such as Smart Nkansah, the late Jewel Ackah and Pope Flynn. He formed his own band the Ahenfo Band in 1982.

AB Crentsil had 25 albums to his credit: some of his songs which caught both local and international attention are Papa Samo, Landlord Abodwese, Devil, Osokoo among others.

AB Crentsil was baptised into the Methodist Church from infancy and remained in the faith until his demise. For a good part of the fifty-two (52) years that he lived in Tema, he worshipped at the Bethel Methodist Church at Community No. 8, Tema.

AB Crentsil left behind his beloved wife Elizabeth and eight children

Sermon
The Bishop of the Tema Diocese and Chairman of the College of Bishops, Action Chapel International, Bishop Koffy Oko-Adjei in a brief sermon on the theme,  Impossible to finish all said as humans, it is not possible to finish our tasks on earth adding that people must pitch their task on earth on Christ, who is the only one who was able to accomplish whatever task was assigned to Him by God.

Very Rev Major Ebo Ephraim (rtd) Superintendent Minister, Tema North Circuit of the Methodist Church who presided over the service urged all to remember the family in prayers.