“My children I’m very sick. I’m dying, I can’t do anything. Only my God can get me out of this situation”. These were some of the words of Bishop Michael Osei Bonsu when Weekly Fylla paid him a visit in his sick days.

Though the death of Bishop Michael Osei Bonsu is such a great loss to the whole music industry, it is not a shock to the people who were around him as they described his last ten months of his life a suffering-den and going through pains with a disease no one could really tell its source.

A nasal problem he was trying to cure remained the only notable illness until it became very serious with an unknown disease with thick and bad scented blood clouts flowing through his nose and mouth.

A disease, which could not be cured by traditionalists, herbalists and even medical doctors. This sickness was even attributed to a ¢70 million controversy between the late Bishop and Pastor Love Hammond which amounted to an alleged death threats from Poster Love.

Pastor Love denied the allegation and reconciled with Bishop but his name will be obliviously mentioned anywhere Bishop's story is told. His family trusts that his death is a natural one.

During his last days when Bishop had suffered enough and seen that death was getting closer, he made some wishes as to where he should be buried and how certain things must be done if death visits him. A mighty tree has fallen.... another great gospel musician is gone and his words will always be respected. His wish was to be buried at the Osu Cemetery.

In view of this a special committee has been set up to plan and run the affairs of Bishop’s burial, his final funeral rights and anything that has to do with Bishop's death. Led by Papkard, the committee has agreed to fulfill anything he wished to be done after his demise.

Last Friday the family, Church members, friends and sympathizers of Bishop gathered at his former residence to celebrate one week of his death. Some gospel musiscians who attended the function were not too happy about the absence of their circular colleagues.

They stressed that they are all one people irrespective of the type of music you do. Since this was just a one week right, they urged all musicians to come and support the family to lay Bishop to rest.

The date for his wake-keeping, where his body will be laid in state at MUSIGA head office in Accra, is on Friday 7th September 2007.

On Saturday, September 8, his mortal remains will be buried at Osu Cemetery as he wished after which family and well-wishers of the great man will sit and mourn at the MUSIGA office. Thanks-giving service will be at the Back to God Church International where he was the general overseer and founder on Sunday 9th September.

Bishop has indeed paid his dues as a preacher, an inspirer, a true man of God and role model.

He was very popular in areas like Kantamanto, Okaishie, Makola, Tema Station and other parts of Accra Central where he was well known for playing the accordion and preaching along at such public places.

Bishop's quest of spreading the word of God has always been clear.

He once said if God blesses him and he becomes wealthy he will build a house and dedicated for the service of the Lord and truly build a church before his death.

He is said to be the first person to have commercialized accordion music in Ghana. Of all the twenty something albums he released, a song cannot be singled out as the best; every song he did is equally inspiring, heart touching and very emotional.

His popular song "ASEM BI REBA" was the song boxing professor Zoom Zoom man intrigued with whenever he made (Azumah Nelson) appearance in the boxing ring. The song was played slowly at the background whiles Zoom Zoom walked majestically from the dressing room to the ring in his hay days.

That is how far Bishop's influence traveled after his over 40 years as a musician. He died at age 53 and left behind five children. We at Weekly Fylla express our deepest condolence to the bereaved family.