Nana Tuffour biography: 10 facts about Highlife musician who has passed away

Legendary Ghanaian Highlife musician Nana Tuffour, popularly known by his nickname 9924, is no more.

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The Abeiku hitmaker passed away on Monday, June 15, 2020, after a short illness.

As earlier reported by YEN.com.gh, the news of his passing was confirmed by a relative to Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM.

Following the news, YEN.com.gh has put together some interesting facts about the legend.

1. Real name:

The stage name Nana Tuffour and the '9924' nickname coined out of it have been so popular that people have forgotten his real name. But he was born and christened James Kwaku Tuffour

2. Age:

Nana Tuffour was born in 1954. Interestingly, he was born on Valentine's Day February 14 and thus celebrated his 66th birthday about four months ago.

3. Parents:

Agnes Adowa Sakyiraa and Opanin Tuffour of blessed memory

4. Hometown:

Nana Tuffour comes from Kenyasi-Adwumam near Kumasi.

5. Childhood:

He was born and raised within the environs of the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

6. Education:

Nana Tuffour had his basic education at St Peter's Basic School at Roman Hill in Kumasi from where he proceeded to Asanteman Secondary School and completed his O'Level.

At Asanteman, he was an entertainment prefect.

7. Career start:

Nana Tuffour's career as a musician started right after he completed secondary school form five but it was not as a singer but a keyboardist with Alex Konadu's band.

In one of his most recent radio interviews, Nana Tuffour revealed that his O'Level result was not so good and while he was home contemplating what to do with his life, he was approached by Alex Konadu to join him on a tour to the north.

After seeing how much he had got, he decided to choose that career path. He played with the band and recorded some of Konadu's best songs including Asaase Asa as a keyboardist.

8. Solo career and sojourn to Nigeria:

Nana Tuffour left Konadu's band to join Waza Afriko Band as a keyboardist but he later became the group's lead singer.

From there he sojourned to Nigeria where he worked with King Sunny Ade as a keyboardist before he eventually released his first album called Highlife Romance in 1979.

9. Albums:

41 years after releasing his first album, Nana Tuffour is widely credited to have recorded over 15 albums. But in an interview on Adom FM in 2018, he put the number of his albums to be over 20. The last of his albums was Sausage which was released two years ago.

10. Most popular songs:

Nana Tuffour's most popular song is inarguably Abeiku which comes of the Abeiku album released in 2003. Other hits include Aketekyiwa (1991), Owuo Sei Fie (1991), Yewo Asaa (1984),

11. Wife and children:

Nana Tuffour left behind a wife, Augustina Derky Tuffour, and four children, three guys and one lady.

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Source: YEN.com.gh