Accra, April 28, GNA - Musical performances, intersperse with tributes will precede the burial service of the late Professor William Oscar Anku, immediate past Director of the School of Performing Arts of the University of Ghana.
The ceremony dubbed: "The Night of Music and Tributes," which will take place at the Drama Studio of the academic facility on Wednesday, April 28 at 1800 hours, is being organised by the family in conjunction with the university authorities.
The event is aimed at acknowledging the immortalised role and achievements of Prof. Anku in the development of music and drama at the university and the country as whole. Prof. Anku, was involved in a motor accident on the Accra-Ho road and died later at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on February 1, 2010. He will be buried at Gbadzeme-Avatime near Amedzofe in the Avatime Traditional Area in the Volta Region. Burial and funeral arrangements announced by the bereaved family and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday said there would be another pre-burial service on Friday April 30, at the Legon Inter-Denominational Church. His burial service will take place at the Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P) Church, Gbadzeme-Avatime which will be followed by his internment at the Church Cemetery.
The memorial service will be held on Sunday May 2, at the E.P Church at Gbedzeme. On Sunday, May 9, there will be another memorial and thanksgiving service at Legon Inter-Denominational Church. Prof. Anku was the Co-Director of "Diary of Adam and Eve", a musical concert performed on the 40th Anniversary of the School of Performing Arts. He was the music Director of the Ghana's Cultural contingent in a music programme, presented in Pyongyang, North Korea. Prof. Anku was among Ghana's cultural contingent, honoured at the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students, Pyongyang, North Korea in 1989. He co-ordinated and performed at a Pittsburgh Community and School- based programme in the US, including the New City Theatre and Three River Arts Festival.
"Kawie saka saka" an oral composition for drums and voice and "Ogoplnapk" Retrograde Kpanlogo an oral composition for drums chorus were some of Prof. Anku's compositions. He was a visiting Professor at Simon Fraser University and California State University, San Marcos. Prof. Anku, who many has described as legendary figure was survived by his wife, Madam Eva Ebeli at the University of Education, Winneba and three children.
