AMA JAWULA, the obese lady who starred as ‘Ngozi’ in the hit music
video of the late ace Ghanaian musician, Michael Dwamena, has expressed
utter shock at the news of his death which occurred in a Texas hospital
last Monday.

Michael Dwamena’s mother and relatives also said they could not believe that the musician was really dead, when DAILY GUIDE called on them at their Dansoman residence yesterday.

Ama Jawula, who shot to fame after playing the role of a fat lady by name Ngozi in the video clip of the said track, told DAILY GUIDE yesterday that she still could not believe that her idol and mentor in showbiz was really dead.

“I feel it is not true and that I may be dreaming but everybody is talking about it; so I think it may be true that Michael is really dead and I still can’t just believe it or even think of why it should happen.”

She said she first heard the news from a friend on Monday morning but was quick to dismiss it as an untruth until it was aired on various radio stations.

“I have not been myself since then and even till now, a small voice in me keeps telling me it can not be true.

“I can never forget Michael because after the video, everywhere I go, people call me ‘Ngozi’, ‘Ngozi’.

Even at home my mother and children all call me Ngozi. It is not a bad name, it is an Ibo name which means blessing and although some people call me Ngozi just to make fun of me I am not disturbed because it is a good name,” Ama Jawula noted.

When asked what would happen to her showbiz career now that her mentor was gone, Ngozi had this to say: “I am still interested in music and showbiz but after Michael’s death I feel very scared, and though I would like to remain in showbiz, I can not really confirm that now because of the fear.”

Ama Jawula explained how she met Michael Dwamena:

“I was at my stall at the Osu Oxford Street in Accra when a friend came to me with some people and told me that they needed me to dance in a music video but I explained that I did not know how to dance.

“They insisted, saying they would teach me how to dance; so we fixed a date. I went to see them later only to realise the music was for Michael Dwamena.

He was nice to me the very moment we met but after several attempts, I was still not able to pick the dance.

And as they were satisfied with the way I walked, the video director said I should just walk for the video to be shot.

“It was very difficult dancing. We danced from about 9.00am to around 6.00pm but I enjoyed it because it was like an exercise for me. When I got home that day, I was very tired and could not do anything.”

Ngozi, the mother of two children aged 11 and 9, was at the Dansoman residence of the late musician to mourn with his family yesterday.

The musician’s mother, Mrs. Esther Dwamena told DAILY GUIDE that the last time she set eyes on her son was about two months ago and that she first heard the news of his death being broadcast on one of the private radio stations on Monday morning.

“It was on radio that I first heard it and I could not believe it until we did some further checks and established that my son was really dead.

He was not ill, and he had not informed me that there was anything wrong with him. We did not ever expect this to happen,” the late star’s mother lamented.

Yesterday, family members, friends and sympathisers clad in mourning attire congregated at the Dansoman residence of the late musician.

One of Michael’s aunts, a High Court Judge, Justice Beatrice Ageman-Bempah registered the family’s displeasure at the manner in which a section of the Ghanaian media broke the news of his death moments after it occurred even before his family was informed.

The entire family expressed surprise at the death and said they were yet to come to terms with the reality that Michael was really dead.

Michael Dwamena, a Royal from Kwahu Mpraeso, was born on May 30, 1964 at Sekondi in the Western Region.

He schooled at Takoradi Secondary School after which he traveled to Belgium under the sponsorship of a Belgian lady he later married.

Until his death, Michael resided in New York and is a direct cousin of Papa Owusu Ankomah, Member of Parliament for Sekondi.
He was survived by a wife and four children.

Relatives would hold a brief solemn ceremony next Tuesday at his Dansoman residence as arrangements are underway for his mortal remains to be flown to Ghana for burial.