Profile of the late Ghanaian gospel musician KODA

Augustine Kofi Owusu Dua Anto popularly known as KODA was a Ghanaian multi-talented and dynamic gospel music minister with a very unique style of delivering contemporary Gospel music.

He told His message in a manner most musicians will not have the courage to, with an accompaniment of world-class tunes you just can’t resist.

Having shot onto the Gospel music scene after producing a couple of timeless Gospel tunes for some well-known Gospel acts both in Ghana and abroad including the likes of Pastor Joe Beecham, the late Danny Nettey, Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Nii Okai, Pastor Helen Yawson, Joyful Way Incorporated and Nathaniel Bassey, he not only wowed the nation when he further released songs he had written, produced and sang, but came across with such a strong message that he was tagged the “PREACHER’s PREACHER.”

A name he earned after releasing songs with messages that many preachers have avoided addressing in recent times.

KODA had been doing this for well over two decades, being behind the scenes for some major gospel hit songs and collaborating with some of the world’s finest.

KODA fell in love with musical instruments at a tender age. His mother enrolled him in a music class at the age of 10 where he developed his skills to play the guitar.

He went to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) where he became the mass choir director of the university.

KODA was also the music director and instrumentalist of the “Music Wing of Baptist Students Union”, “KNUST’s Simply Jazz Crew”, “God’s Instruments” and a leading member of “DA PROJECT” which was a legendary Ghanaian contemporary gospel group then.

During his time with the group, he was adjudged “male vocalist of the year” at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA). After tertiary education, he co-wrote, mixed, mastered and produced the exceptional album, ‘Awurade Ei’ for KNUST’s “God’s Instruments” at KODED studios, Takoradi, Ghana.

The album received massive recognition in the country. It had great hits such as ‘Awurade Ei (Se Woma Wonsa Soa), ‘Tumi’ and ‘Onyame Ye da wase’. He also worked on Nii Okai’s ‘Moko Be’ and ‘Gye W’ayeyi’ albums, which actually blew him up as a producer.

KODA’s style of music was unconventional. One would expect that a contemporary musician with all the experiences he harnessed over the years will produce a sound that is skewed towards the “Western” style of music, but contrary to that, KODA used his “white” or “Western” influences to produce music that the African can truly appreciate, with the quality of sound one would hear in “western music.”

This made his work exceptional and deeply appreciated even by world-renowned musicians and Africans based in the diaspora. One can be sure to hear a unique groove of indigenous Ghanaian or some great African rhythm woven into some impressive Western music whenever they listen to a song produced by KODA.

It leaves a lasting impression and keeps you wondering how he created his music.

His message is purely Christian. He was a deep-rooted believer who believed in true Christianity, the teachings of the Holy Bible and how Christians should be guided by this unadulterated word of God.

KODA, over the years, released songs that have blessed Ghana and the world at large and gone on to win some notable awards. Some of these awards are: “Record of the Year” for Nkwa Boodoo at the 2015 Ghana Music Awards; “Producer of the year” at the Africa Gospel Music Awards in 2014. He was nominated for this same award in 2012.

His song “Nsem pii” was also nominated at the 2012 Christian Community Music Awards under the category “song with a cause.” He has four vocal and two gospel jazz albums too, to his credit. “Nyame Beye” which is the first and “Waye ewie” which had hits including ‘Waye ewie’, ‘Zion’s song’, ‘Poma’, ‘Amen’ and others. His third album “Black & White” had many hits like; ‘Guide Me O’, ‘Nkwa Abodoo’, ‘Obiara Nte Se Wo’, including the controversial hit single, ‘Nsem Pii’.

His latest project, released in 2016, is OXYGEN, containing hit songs like “Adooso ”, ‘Yaa Pae’, ‘Chimo’ and many other soul-inspiring tunes.

As a music tutor, he released two instructional DVDs on bass and lead guitar and also 3 live DVDs of his major concerts; ‘KODA live 2008′, Black and White live 2013’ and ‘Oxygen Live 2016″



His project ASOR (which means “church” in the Fante local dialect) was scheduled to run in 3 phases.

The first phase was a concert and live recording of the album project.

The other phase of this ASOR project was the KODA TOUR in 3 major cities in Ghana. These are TAKORADI where he hails from, ACCRA and finally KUMASI.

KODA was married to “Ewurama Dua Anto,” also an anointed singer with an album to her credit and they currently have 2 sons and a baby girl.



AE