The younger brother of the late Teddy Osei of Osibisa fame, Joe Tontoh, has revealed that several international musicians are expected to attend Teddy’s funeral slated to take place on April 5.
According to him, Teddy Osei’s funeral will be held in his hometown Kyiriapatre, a community in the Asokwa municipality of the Ashanti Region.
After a brief illness, Teddy Osei, a Ghanaian saxophonist and musician who co-founded the London-based afro-rock group Osibisa, died on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at the age of 88. He left behind three children.
His passing marks the end of an era for Osibisa, as he was the last surviving member of the three founding members of the band, following the death of Sol Armafio and Mark Tontoh.
Carl Bannerman, Robert Bailey, Dell Richarson, and Wendell Richardson are among the foreign artistes who are anticipated to attend the memorial service, according to Joe Tontoh.
It is anticipated that the musicians will perform at Teddy’s tribute concert at +233 Jazz Bar and Grill in Accra alongside a few chosen local artistes, such as Bessa Simons.
Original members of Osibisa who have passed away include Mac Tontoh who died in 2010, Sol Amarfio died in December 2022, Grenadian Roger Bedeau also known as Spartacus R died in 2010, Abdul Lasisi died in 1988 and Teddy Osei in 2025.
In June 2023, long-time Osibisa bass player and producer Victor Mensah died at the age of 66, after a protracted illness.
Osibisa is a British-Ghanaian-Caribbean Afro-rock band founded in London in the late 1960s by four expatriate West African and three London-based Caribbean musicians.
Members of the band were Teddy Osei (born Francis Osei, 1937-died 2025) – lead vocals, saxophone, flutes, percussion, Mac Tontoh (born Kweku Adabanka Tonto, 1940–2010) – trumpet, horns, percussion, Sol Amarfio (died 2022) – drums, percussion, Robert Bailey – keyboards, percussion, Wendell (Dell) Richardson – guitars, lead vocals, percussion, Abdul Lasisi Amao (born 1936 – died 1988) – flute, vocals, percussion and Spartacus R. (born 1948 – died 2010) – bass, percussion and vocals.
By George Clifford Owusu