Exactly ten years ago, hiplife artiste Terry Bonchaka was involved in an accident on the main Tetteh Quarshie-Legon-Madina Road. He was returning from a previous night?s performance at the University of Ghana.
His car skidded off the road and hit a tree. Many hoped and prayed that the nation?s most promising artiste at the time, was doing fine. But fate would have none of that.
In the early hours of Friday October 31, 2003, it was confirmed that the afro-haired musician had passed at the young age of 21.
A Ga and the third of four children, Terry Adjetey as he was officially known was the grandson of Former Speaker of Parliament, Peter Ala Adjetey of blessed memory.
He attended Ewit Greenwich Classical Academy, where he was Entertainment Prefect, and also the Adisadel College for his basic and secondary school education respectively.
Friends say, he was a brilliant student.
He got excellent passes at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which guaranteed him a place at his first choice school St. Augustines College.
He however didn?t get to attend St. Augustines due to what officials said at the time, was an administrative glitch. He opted for Adisadel College. At Adsico, he was part of a music group known as Purple Triangle.
Bonchaka had plans of reading Law someday. That dream was curtailed on October 31, 2003.
His favorite food was boiled Yam and Kontomire stew. He loved reading the Bible, and was a dedicated member of the Jehovah Witnesses Church. He played table tennis during his leisure hours, and also wrote poems as an aside.
He took to music as a way of staying away from trouble, he said in the many interviews he granted before his demise. The decision to do music however didn?t come without drama, as his parents oft-insisted he quit, suggesting it was at variance with the family?s religious beliefs. Somehow, Bonchaka had his eyes on the bigger prize, and sneaked his way to instant stardom.
His professional music career started when in 2001, he contested and won the Central regional championship of the now defunct hiplife segment introduced as part of the Miss Ghana competition by the then Franchise holders, Media Whizz kids. He won the national contest. His first major show was at the Joy FM ?Nite with the Stars? the same year.
Terry?s debut and only album Ghana Mmma (Ghana Ladies) was produced by Kaakyire Kwame Appiah of Kaakyire Music Productions. The album had hits such as Poulele, Ghana Ladies, and Zoozey. He did some decent appearances, one being his collaboration with Nana Agyemang on Mr. Ode.
An amazing performer, Bonchaka was hot in demand. He travelled the length and breadth of this country, performing to thousands. Everwhere he went, he left a mark ? what would later become a positive paper trail of a fine act whose time had come.
He performed at major concerts including the Spacefon legend of The Year in Accra and Kumasi in 2003, West African Xplosion For Aids & Peace which had Nigerian actors Aki and Porpo as guests. He also played in the United Kingdom.
His trademark afro hair and comb were a constant on-stage feature. He dazzled audiences with his awesome performances. Some of his great stage antics included coming on stage in a vehicle tyre, and grinding pepper in an earthenware bowl whilst performing among other weird yet captivating theatrics. He made popular the dance that later became known as Poulele.
Often seen as a cool chap, he was loved by some industry persons who either worked with him, or knew of his existence.
?I was close enough to Terry musically. Terry had so much in him, he was somebody who would wow a crowd, and he could just swing a show towards his side and carry the whole crowd and carry the day. That was one of his big strengths; he was on top of his game,? says music producer, Zapp Mallet.
Almost everyone that mattered in the creative arts community in Ghana at the time, was present at his funeral. His casket was specially designed a microphone, speaking of who he was during his days on earth.
Terry?s death wasn?t free from controversy. His friend Emmanuel Yeboah (Rasta) who was in the car with him at the time of the accident, was accused of being behind the conspiracy to murder Terry. A then sixteen year old girl also claimed she had a revelation from God to pray for the dead body of Bonchaka. That also, came with some drama.
Former Radio Gold Presenter Ambrose Darryl Mmah managed him at a point in his career. Mmah?s station was in fact one of the few media houses that supported him through and through. In 2004, Radio Gold with the support of TV3, organized a concert in his memory.
His friend, Reagan Mends, later took over from Mmah and managed him until his untimely death.
Bonchaka?s free-spirited, and down-to-earth posture, which he mostly kept, was loved by most industry people.
Zapp Mallet fondly adds: ?Terry Bonchaka was a vivacious, lively, bubbly full of fine type of guy that I knew very talented, very energetic. I never saw him with any frown on his face. With all the years that we worked together, Terry was so much fun to be with, I handled Terry right from the beginning.?
Radio/TV presenter Bola Ray, deeply wounded by his passing on October 31, 2003, described it as ?very pathetic?. ?I just came out of the morgue, its indescribable, Ghana has lost a very important personality as far as showbiz is concerned.?
?Like all geniuses, Terry wasn?t meant to stay with ordinaries forever, or for long. He was sent to put some energy into this industry and leave just immediately, we began to feel him. Terry and I had planned to do something together on my upcoming album? The Last Show. But who am I to stop God?s plans for Terry,? hiplife pioneer, Reggie Rockstone said.
Fellow musician Okomfo Kwadee, whose career had also taken off major just around the time, said ?I only wish that people will now open their hearts and show love to one another until another soul is lost again.
?All the noises going on as if people loved Terry is pure hot air. For his creativity, this is also another reason why every person who calls himself or herself a performer should learn to do it their own way.
?I?m not sure if I?m already doing something unique, but I think I have learnt enough lessons after Terry?s sad end. I will always try to do something very unique so that one day when I?m not around everyone will have a vivid memory of me.?
Abrewanana, a visible female act at the time, also said ?When I first heard that Terry was dead, the world came to an impossible halt. I had to rush to the 37-millitary hospital to see it for myself.
?Terry should have lived for at least a few more weeks and the music industry would have registered a real superstar. So sad the fire had to be extinguished just about when it was lighted.?
?I?m very sad he didn?t stay for another few hours,? Obrafour said, adding ?he kept asking me hours before he died to leave some space on my album for him. I should have put other artistes aside to even allow him do so before he answered the Almighty God?s call.
?By that, I would have had even more time to get to know him better. I?m yet to see another person?s death in this country that had caused so much heartbreak as Terry?s.?
Loved by all and hated by none. Terry Bonchaka lives! Forever in our hearts.
By: Gameli Hamelo ? A enewsgh.com Special
