MUSIGA mourns C.K. Man

The President and executives of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has expressed its grief at the death of the highlife legend, C.K Mann which occurred at the Ghana Ports and Harbor Authority (GAPOHA) Hospital in the Western region.

The eighty-three year old musician was one of five Music Heroes honored by MUSIGA at the recent Presidential Grand Ball which had His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the Special Guest of Honor. According to MUSIGA President Bice Osei Kuffour, although C.K. Mann is well advanced in age and had been ill for some-time now, his death has still come as a shock to the industry.

Last year, MUSIGA also honored C.K with the Evergreen Highlife Honour at the Ghana Music Honours and International Music Concert event at the National Theatre as part of the Ghana 60 Years On Celebrations. The Music Industry Honours is for individuals who have been of great support and have played pivotal roles in the development and promotion of the music sector.

C.K Mann came to the prominence in the late sixties with songs like Edina Benya after cutting his musical teeth with Kakaiku Internationals before joining the Ocean Strings and eventually establishing the Carousel 7 band which featured Paapa Yankson and Bessa Simons among others. He is widely credited with popularizing the coastal music of fishermen dubbed Osode by infusing western musical instruments into it.
MUSIGA 1st Vice President Bessa Simons who played with C.K Mann recalls, “C.K. Mann was a great musician who empowered me most times he was around. His attitude towards work alone was an inspiration. He was always found teaching, motivating and encouraging. He made sure those who are around him always preserve the roots of Ghanaian highlife music.” Bessa added, “He encouraged a whole lot of Ghanaian young musicians to understand what Ghana music is. He was a great band leader who had one of the greatest bands in Ghana, called the Carousel Seven. He is indeed a great person and to me, he is totally irreplaceable!”
Some of his hit tunes are ‘Okwan Tsintsin Awar’, ‘Kolomashi’, ‘Yebe yi wo Aye’ with his last album ‘Wope Nyeho ’ coming out in 2013.
In 2006, President J.A Kuffour awarded C.K. Mann the Grand Medal for his meritorious contribution to the music industry in Ghana.
The final funeral rites will be announced shortly.