EBONY’S UNTIMELY EXIT, RECOUNTING OUR LOST

By: Jerry Otoyo

Ghanaians woke up on 9^th February, 2018 to the sad news and sudden exit of a twenty years old Ghana’s rising Dancehall Diva, Miss Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng known in the Music Industry as: EBONY REIGNS. Her painful demise happened on the night of 8^th February, 2018 at Bechem Government Hospital, Brong Ahafo Region after being involved in an accident that took place at Nyamebekyere near Mankranso in the Ahafo Ano South, a District in the Ashanti Region, Ghana.

Ebony father, Nana Opoku Kwateng confirms that his daughter went to visit her mother, Madam Beatrice Oppong Martin at Sunyani, Brong Ahafo Region. Since Madam Beatrice returned from London for over a month before this time, Ebony was said to have gotten no chance to visit her mother due to tight schedules within the industry. It was on her way returning to the Accra after the visit that she met with her sudden and untimely death.

It was reported by COP Ken Yeboah, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander that the Jeep with registration number AS 497-16 which EBONY REIGNS and three others were travelling on crashed against a VIP Luxurious Bus with registration number GT 3232-17 at Nyamebekyere near Mankranso where the Dancehall Diva with two others lost their lives leaving many hearts of her teaming fans and family members broken.

It was also confirmed on one of the Country’s major Radio Station, Citi FM that two out of the three persons who travelled with Ebony in the Jeep died which includes: her assistance (Francisca Nkansah Kuri, aged 27) and a military man in uniform (Lance Corporal Vondee Francis Atsu, aged 29) as revealed by DSP John Adusie, the Divisional Commander of Mankranso Police Station. No casualty was reported of any passenger in the VIP Bus. The Driver of the Jeep (Mr. Chartey Oko Pinehad, aged 29) was the only survivor and unconscious on arrival at the Hospital but currently responding to treatment.

The Road accident that ruthlessly took the life of young Ebony was not the first which this country has experienced. Incidence of this nature keeps reviving the ugly memories of cruel-some acts that accidents has inflicted on Ghanaian Act Industry as great and promising stars keep dying through occurrences that could have been avoided.

In Ghana, road accidents have claimed so many lives of those who were so talented in one field or the other. Zeroing on to the Art Industry with the latest exit of EBONY REIGN, this article aims at throwing some lights on the talent whose lives were cut short due this avoidable menace.

Not too long ago, a 29 years old Dancehall Musician, Emmanuel Kojo Quayson who was known in the Music Industry as: Vybrant Faya lost his life at the 37 Military Hospital after being involved in a fatal accident along Tema Motorway on 23^rd October, 2016. He was a citizen of Tema in the Greater Accra Region having been born to Mr. Samuel K. Quayson and Miss Theresa Ackon on the 13^th April, 1987.

Terry Bonchaka who was also known in his real life as Terry Nii Okang Mensah Adjetey died at the young age of 21 through same fate at Tetteh Quarshie Interchange on 29^th October, 2003. He was a rising popular Hip-life musician who died on his way back from performing at an event held at the University of Ghana, Legon. As a grandson of the then Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Peter Ala Adjetey, Bonchaka’s sudden passing shook the entire Music Industry and indeed, the nation.

Terry Bonchaka grows so rapidly to become the face of Dancehall Music with a unique fusion of indigenous instruments that made his genre so outstanding. This youngster had a great future to live for but was cut off before his peak.

Zuzzy Williams who rose so sharply in the late 90’s with her presence being felt in almost every movies stared in Ghana with advertisers and television programme producers all hunting for her services died at age of 23 on 8^th September, 2005 in a tragic accident that took place in Accra. Her dead shook the foundation of film industry in Ghana and throws the whole nation into a state of mourning.

Kwame Owusu Ansah was one of the greatest male actors in Ghana who starred in most of Nigerian and Ghanaian Movies. It is believed that actors like Majid Michel, John Dumelo and host of others were inspired by this icon whose life was cut short while he was about to make the greatest move in his life.

He was the Media Director for Madhaus Incorporation, it was a new music label in Ghana then but his live was cut shot through another fatal accident on 2^nd May, 2008 along Accra – Tema Motorway.

The recent tragic accident which took the life of EBONY REIGN opened up fresh wounds to the past heroes whose lives were cut short through avoidable road accidents. Crystallising our roads are plaguing lawlessness and indiscipline which have been grievously overlooked by instituted authorities. We’ve watched recklessness on our Roads growing to becoming acceptable behaviour with madness that is continually bedevilling our society.

In this particular case of Ebony’s demised, Police report reveals that there was heaps of sand meant for rehabilitation on the road. The Jeep’s driver on trying to avoid it swerved onto the opposite lane and grazed the nearside portion of the on-coming VIP bus, plunging into this fatality. An act of recklessness on the side of those contracted to work on that road.

Hours after the unfortunate occurrences, another accident was reported to have occurred at the same spot where Ebony and two others died. The sad aspect is focus of our media discuss and phone calls on Radio Stations being directed to Prophets from Churches in trying to unravel the cause of her death instead of dealing with the visible recklessness on our road. Time to act is now!