A week-long observance honouring the life and legacy of gospel icon Yaw Sarpong will take place on February 19, 2026, at Asuofua Park in Kumasi. The ceremony follows his passing on January 20, 2026, at age 66, after a prolonged illness. His manager, Nana Poku Ashis, confirmed the news, which has since prompted heartfelt tributes from Ghana’s gospel fraternity and beyond.
Yaw Sarpong’s death has left the Asomafo family and the wider gospel community in deep mourning, compounded by the recent loss of Maame Tiwaa, a long-serving member of the group. The February 19 gathering is expected to unite family, fellow musicians, clergy, and fans in celebrating a career that shaped Akan gospel music for more than four decades.
Sarpong founded the Asomafo Band in 1986 while in Liberia and later relocated to Ghana, where the group grew into a respected national gospel institution. Over the course of his ministry, he released more than 25 albums and over 100 songs, including enduring worship favourites such as Wo Haw Ne Sɛn, Oko Yi, Wo Haw Ne Hwan, Tie Obiaa, Aduro Yesu, and Awurade Kasa. The songs remain widely performed in churches and featured on gospel radio playlists across the country. Together with Asomafo, Sarpong became known for blending traditional Ghanaian rhythms with disciplined vocal delivery, structured choral harmonies, and strong theological themes.
His artistry shaped church choirs across the nation and set the course for contemporary Akan gospel music. In 2025, he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Telecel Ghana Music Awards, recognising his enduring impact on the genre. The upcoming one-week observance will include worship sessions, musical tributes, and reflections on his role as a songwriter, mentor, and leader. More than a memorial, the ceremony will stand as both a celebration of his ministry and a collective remembrance of a figure whose music guided generations of Ghanaian worshippers
Source: Amelley Djosu
