Gospel icon Yaw Sarpong is dead
Yaw Sarpong's death was confirmed by his manager
Legendary Ghanaian gospel musician, Yaw Sarpong, has reportedly passed away. The musician’s death was confirmed by artiste manager, Nana Poku Ashis, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Further details regarding the cause of death are yet to be disclosed.Yaw Sarpong has been in the music industry for nearly five decades, releasing his first album, "Adesrede" in 1981. He went on to compose various hit songs, including 'Awurade Kasa,' 'Tie Obiaa,' and 'Wo Haw Ne Hwan.' He also founded the Asomafo gospel group, a group that shaped the sound and impact of Akan gospel music in Ghana.We still haven't told Yaw Sarpong about Tiwaa's death, we don't know how – Bishop AduLongstanding illnessIn October 2020, the musician was involved in a ghastly motor accident on the Accra–Kumasi highway, during which he, family members, and members of his team sustained various degrees of injuries, but all survived.In 2024, a video of Maame Tiwaa, his long-time colleague and friend, fervently praying for his healing, went viral. It was later revealed that Yaw Sarpong had suffered a stroke and had been ill since 2023.Pictures and videos of his frail state went viral online, sparking massive public reactions and shock.He was subsequently sighted in April 2024 performing before a congregation.Since then, his public appearances have been rare.In 2025, Yaw Sarpong was honoured at the 2025 Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMAs) with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to music, which was received by Maame Tiwaa. In December 2025, Maame Tiwaa, the one person taking care of him in his sick state, passed away, shocking the gospel industry and the country as a whole. News flooded online that his family could not break the news to him because it would have been extremely hard for him to take in.A few weeks later, Yaw Sarpong also passed away.Yaw Sarpong's death has come as a big blow to Ghanaians, with many flocking to social media to share their tributes to the late icon.ID/EBWatch the latest episode of Talkertainment with Elsie Lamar and David Oscar Dogbe below:
