Veteran gospel singer Bernice Offei laid to rest

Veteran gospel musician and award-winning songwriter Bernice Offei has been laid to rest following a funeral service at the Legon Interdenominational Church at the University of Ghana on Saturday, November 14.

The service brought together family members, friends, former colleagues, church members and personalities from the gospel music fraternity to celebrate her life and legacy.

The ceremony featured tributes from various individuals and institutions that had been part of her life, with recordings of her songs playing as mourners filed past her casket after the opening hymns.

Among those who paid tribute were old students of Achimota School, where she served as girls' senior prefect.

Her former colleagues at Standard Chartered Bank Ghana also remembered her contributions to the institution, where she managed the bank's card services for more than 11 years.

In their tribute, the bank and its ex-staff association said: "Today, we remember not simply the positions she held, but the person who occupied them."

Members of the gospel music fraternity also celebrated her contribution to the industry, describing her as a founding member who gave herself fully to gospel music.

"You laughed so deeply and you gave your all to the gospel," their tribute read.

Her sisters and the daughters she raised also paid emotional tributes.

A video profile and biography presented during the service highlighted her journey through Achimota School, the University of Ghana and University College London before she committed herself fully to gospel ministry.

Her mother, two sons and husband, Professor Samuel Kwame Offei, also paid tribute to her.

The Legon Interdenominational Church, where she served as deputy music leader, recognised her contribution to its music ministry, describing her solo ministry as one that spanned nearly 40 years.

Preaching at the service, Apostle JFK Mensah reflected on the brevity of life and the importance of preparing for eternity.

He encouraged Christians to allow their knowledge of God to reflect in their ministry, telling the congregation.

"You can bring the depth of your knowledge of God onto the stage."

He also expressed confidence that Bernice Offei's musical legacy would endure beyond her lifetime.

"Her songs live forever because they are built on the Bible words which live forever," he said.

Ministers from several churches were also acknowledged, including Bishop Dag Heward-Mills of Lighthouse Chapel and Apostle Jude Hama, a former Director-General of Scripture Union.

Speaking on behalf of the Djoleto family and her mother's family, the head of the family expressed gratitude to sympathizers for their support and announced that the burial would be private.

Bernice Offei died in September at the age of 63. She is survived by her husband, two sons, her mother, three sisters and the daughters she raised.