The final funeral rites for the late gospel singer Kofi Owusu Dua Anto, better known as KODA, will take place at the Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) on Spintex Road in Accra on Friday, July 5, 2024.
His family made the announcement on Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Takoradi, following a one-week observation held in his honour on Friday. The singer and producer left an indelible impact on the Ghanaian Gospel scene with songs such as ‘Nsempii,’ “Nkwa Abodoo,” and “Adorso.”
KODA died on Sunday, April 21, 2024, due to kidney complications. He is survived by his spouse, Ewurama Dua Anto, and three children.
Background
Augustine Kofi Owusu Dua Anto, also known as KODA, was a Ghanaian contemporary gospel singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Takoradi, Ghana.
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He attended Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where he was appointed the university’s mass choir director. Right after completion, he planned to pursue music full-time, despite the warnings from his parents. Eventually, his parents gave in to his request and let him utilize one of the guest rooms as a home studio. The Koded Studios was first established in a small room with a borrowed Pentium 2 computer and a Panasonic twin deck tape monitor.
The songs “Mokobe” by Nii Okai, “Obaatampa” by Uncle Ato, “Yesu Yesu” by Ike Nanor, and “Merensesa Me Nyame da” by Kwame Amponsah were all produced by KODA. Later on, he produced, mixed, recorded, and mastered albums for other gospel performers.
Additionally, KODA served as the music director and lead instrumentalist for the “Music Wing of Baptist Students Union,” “God’s Instruments,” and was a prominent member of the renowned Ghanaian contemporary gospel group “Da Project.”
KODA formed the Anointed music group with his friends based in Takoradi. KODA currently has four vocal and two gospel jazz albums to his credit. “Nyame Beye,” which is the first, and “Waye Wie,” which had hits including “Waye Wie,” ‘Zion’s song,’ “Poma,” ‘Amen,’ and others.
His third album “Black & White” had many hits like “Guide Me O”, “Nkwa Abodoo” and the controversial single, “Nsem Pii”.
His last project, OXYGEN, was released in 2016, and it includes hit songs such as “Adooso,” “Yaa Pae,” “Chimo,” and so on.
As a music tutor, he released two instructional DVDs on bass and lead guitar, as well as three live DVDs of his major concerts: “KODA Live 2008,” “Black and White Live 2013,” and “Oxygen Live 2016.”
