Kiki Gyan Bouncing Back

Kiki Gyan, the world-renowned keyboard maestro of Osibisa fame, written off as a loss to music because of cocaine addiction, is coming out with two new albums. They will feature 20 songs he wrote about halfway into his five-week long drug rehabilitation programme in South Africa late last year.

Kiki Gyan disclosed to The Weekend Heritage that during his short stay in South Africa "I seized the opportunity to write songs. I did a Bob Marley and a Stevie Wonder, my own versions of their kind of music and I hope to record a double album."

Kiki Gyan added: "If all goes well, this will be my contribution to our music pageantry on the music landscape to engulf the frontiers of music."

Kiki Gyan's successful detoxification was made possible through the collaboration of the Musicians, Artiste's Assistance Programme of South Africa, (MAAPSA), whose founding President and ace trumpeter Hugh Masekela and the Ghana Substance Abuse Recovery Programme (GASAP) with the support of Dr. L.L Lamptey of Valley View Clinic, Dzorwulu, Accra.

In an exclusive interview, Kiki Gyan described Etin Clinic where he was admitted as a very big medical rehabilitation centre outside Johannesburg at Campton Park and that he was under the strict supervision of his therapist Ms Malett Els. Kiki Gyan expressed his profound gratitude to God for the stupendous support he has been enjoying both at home and in South Africa, and prayed that his being lifted from the "abyss of drug addiction be definite and a reality for good."

Other benefactors Kiki Gyan expressed his gratitude to, include Mac Tontoh, a legend of Osibisa and member of the National Commission on Culture, Baba Amadu, Mpah Hayford, Yaw Djin and Kofi Poku, all businessmen whose support he enjoyed when he was in the doldrums.

Kiki, 45, was well noted for his contribution to Osibisa's greatness in the latter stages of their musical orbit. This catapulted him to international stardom and earning him, according to his own estimates, over one billion pounds sterling, which he blew on friends, girls and drugs.

In his hey days, Kiki Gyan was a cynosure of every eye as his talent started to bloom. His dexterity on keyboard was extremely remarkable especially when he played ‘solos’.

Five years ago when the going was tough, many said Kiki was finished and wrote him off. But on that historic night of February 19, 1998 at the erstwhile Bassline Jazz Club, Kiki left a memorable night on the minds of many sceptics who saw him perform and said Kiki was one of the blessed few who have an indefinable something extra that makes great stars.

However, Kiki needs to prove to cynics that what is more important to him now is being able to stay off drugs to maintain his health.

The world is watching and waiting to see if he can make it. Meanwhile, Kiki has appealed to all who may wish to help him to channel their assistance through GASAP, to keep him out of temptation.