By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah
Tema, Nov. 6, GNA – Scores of mourners at the funeral ceremony of the late musical legend Alfred Benjamin Crentsil, known in showbiz as A. B. Crentsil as an innovative and creative songwriter.
A. B. Crentsil was described as a musician with a revolutionary characteristic who challenged Ghana and the world through music; set the pace and moved outside the box to produce songs “which people love to hate”.
The mourners through their tribute at the final funeral rites of the Musical Legend A. B. Crentsil at Tema Community Eight, Number Two School Park on Saturday.
The Right Reverend Samuel Ofori Akyea, of the Bethel Methodist Church at Tema Community eight in a sermon described A. B. Crentsil as a ground-breaking and imaginative songwriter and musician who needed to be celebrated
Taking the scripture from Psalm 90 Rev. Akyea said the Bible compared life on earth to temporarily living in a foreign country and noted that one’s homeland is heaven and urged humans to yearn toward building mansions in heaven.
He said there was more to life than just a few years of living on the planet and acquiring things on the earth and said it was only one’s relationship with God that would last.
Some other dignitaries that graced the ceremony were Former President, John Dramani Mahama, Mr. Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade; MUSIGA members, and a large contingent of family members and a cross-section of the public.
A. B. Crentsil died on July 13th, 2022 leaving behind nine children and 28 grandchildren. and a spouse Mrs Elizabeth Crentsil.
A.B. Crentsil who is known both locally and internationally was born on January 15, 1943, at Prestea in the then Western Region, and had his formal elementary school education at the Bedu Addo Methodist Primary and Rev. Cleveland Middle Schools.
After his middle school education, he was apprenticed as an electrician, following in the footsteps of his father, he however abandoned it and channeled all his energies toward his interest in music and pursued it as a career.
He mastered the rudiments of guitar playing and readied himself to play in live bands, with a profound gift of music composition and vocals.
A.B. Crenstil joined his first band, ‘Strollers Dance Band’ which was based in Takoradi, in 1968 and subsequently played in other bands such as ‘Lantics’ in Takoradi and ‘El Dorados’ at Aboso.
He was a founding member of the ‘Sweet Talks Band’ which was based at the ‘Talk Of The Town Hotel’ in Tema Community two, alongside seasoned musicians such as Mr. Smart Nkansah, the late Jewel Ackah, and Pope Flynn.
He formed his own band the ‘Ahenfo Band’ in 1982 and has 25 albums to his credit, with some of his hit songs being ‘Papa Samo’, ‘Landlord Abodwese’, ‘Devil’, and ‘Osokoo’.
Mr. Crentsil who worshiped with the Bethel Methodist Church at Tema Community eight.
GNA