BY ISSAH OLEGOR
The final years of veteran Ghanaian gospel musician Bernice Offei were marked by a health battle that remained largely away from the public eye until after her death.
According to her former manager, Kwasi Ernest, the celebrated gospel singer had been living with dementia for approximately four to five years before she died at the age of 63.
Kwasi Ernest disclosed the information during an interview on Max TV on September 14, 2026, while confirming the death of the musician and reflecting on the final period of her life.
His account has provided new insight into the circumstances surrounding Bernice Offei’s declining health, including an incident that reportedly led to a public search for the musician after she left home and was unable to find her way back.
According to the manager, Bernice Offei’s condition progressively affected her memory and her ability to manage aspects of her everyday life.
He explained that dementia had increasingly interfered with her normal activities and ability to navigate familiar surroundings.
“For four to five years, she had been battling with dementia that affected her brain.”
The former manager said the condition became particularly challenging as it progressed, affecting the singer’s independence and daily functioning.
The revelation has offered a different perspective on the final chapter of the life of a musician who had spent decades in the public eye but whose health struggle was largely kept private.
Kwasi Ernest explained that her family initially conducted a private search after realising that she was missing.
When their efforts failed to locate her, the family reportedly decided to make the search public, appealing for assistance in finding the veteran musician.
He said: “She left home and the ailment was triggered, so she couldn’t locate her house.”
The public appeal eventually helped lead to her being found. Her family subsequently took her to hospital for medical attention as her condition continued to deteriorate.
Beyond her music, Kwasi Ernest highlighted the character and Christian convictions that, in his view, defined Bernice Offei.
He described her as a disciplined musician whose Christian faith was not merely part of her public image but something she sought to practise in her everyday life.
According to him, Bernice made a deliberate effort to live by the principles she preached through her gospel music.
Her faith, therefore, became inseparable from both her music and the way colleagues who knew her closely remember her.
