It’s all grief and devastation as relatives and friends of a Kumasi-based popular sound engineer, programme, guitarist and keyboardist mourn his sudden demise.
George Yaw Owusu popularly known as George Forest, died at the Komfo Anokye Hospital where he had been on admission after being referred from a private facility.
The 44-year old multi- talented musician had been admitted for what close relatives describe as ‘small fever’, but it turned out to be the last moments of his days on earth.
George Forest gave up the ghost Wednesday morning at the KATH Accident and Emergency Center, three days after he had been admitted at the facility. The deceased’s private residence at Atimatim-Chairman Junction in the Afigya Kwabre District and the family house at Old Tafo have suddenly become mourning grounds.
Sympathizers, including musicians, joined his wife and children to mourn the husband and father.
Stylish and patented George Forest sound- tracks became a household staple as it labeled almost all new gospel hit songs from the late 90s.
He helped highlife and gospel artistes such as Nana Acheampong, Diana Asamoah, Osuani Afrifah, Akwasi Ampofo Adjei among others, to record hit albums. Besides his recording studio, he also owned Adepa Band, a popular group in Kumasi.
George Forest was first admitted at the Siaw Larbi Hospital at Old Tafo before being referred to Komfo Anokye.
His sudden departure has left the family in shock.
His traumatized eldest daughter, Agnes Owusu spoke to Nhyira FM.
“It’s very shocking. I didn’t expect this thing to happen at this time,” she summed it all.
You cannot begrudge that young graduate who had enjoyed a fatherly counsel from her father few days before his sudden demise. Her father advised her to think of making a family, after securing a job to help lessen the burden of taking care of her younger siblings on his shoulders.
For young Agnes, her father’s departing words are still fresh in her mind. “The last thing he told me was, I should try to get a very good job to do so that I can help him. I have siblings who are very young so I should take very good care of the house. I didn’t know he was just speaking to me the last time”, she sobbed.
George Forest’s brother Rev Isaac Gyamfi is yet to come to terms with the passing of his brother as he struggles to gather few words to quantify the loss of the family breadwinner.
“He is the number one in our family. We don’t have anybody like him in the family. He is the pillar of the family. He has carried the family from his childhood. He’s everything to the family and I don’t know what we are going to do”
Some musicians have been sharing their sentiments over Mr. Owusu’s passing. Asebu Amenfi, a Highlife artiste and Osuani Afrifah who enjoyed from the professional exploits of the deceased wondered how a ‘mere’ fever could cause the death of a once very strong man.
