WENDELL Richardson rendition of the hit ‘Welcome Home, one of the best in Osibisa albums collection hit the jackpot after Sol Amarfio’s early Master piece Woyaya which became a signature tune for our drama group Osofo Dadzie, on the TV screens in the 70’s.

Mac said the other Africans who were equally a dominant force in the group were loughty pronounced (lofty) Lasisi Arnao, the late Nigerian tenor and concas player whose death, he said, brought a tremendous remorse to the Osibisa family.

Freddie Coker, the stoutly built and talented bassist also from Nigeria took over from Spartacus ft and copied his stage craft — by walking across the stage during performance.

At a point in time, others like Kofi Ayivor congalist and the late Kiki Gyan, the maestro keyboardist came to the scene. The success story of Osibisa dated back in 1962 when Teddy, then a young man left his native home in Kumasi for England.

Working with Kumasi City Council as it was then known now KMA to study in London with a scholarship grant but unfortunately the 1966 military take over from civilian administration caused an abrupt end to his student grant and had to find a recourse to stay on in London.

Finally music making became his bread winning occupation with a kind offer of instruments presented by the Ghana High Commission at the time. Teddy, Mac said he was burning with a strong optimism for a better tomorrow, together with his junior brother Mac Tontoh who had then joined him and fellow Ghanaian Sol Amarfio from his native Akoto Lante, a suburb in the Ga Marshie, organised the group to play gigs to entertain fellow students.

Something unusual seriously started at London West Hampstead County Club where people from all walks of life went to feed on the ‘diet’ of Osibisa every Wednesday in a mid week jam.

Their music was superb and caught on everyone. It had a hypnotising effect, a real magic in the flesh of music fans and did well to acquit themselves creditably on the British music chart and undoubtedly won the hearts of countless admirers.

From then on Teddy and his embryonic group worked tirelessly in London and kept cutting good things in the arena of world music to become fully fledged musical giants. Their two tours at that time to North America and Europe was an index to the steady growth of success.