Veteran Ghanaian gospel musician Bernice Offei has died at the age of 63, days after she was reported missing in Accra and later found.
Offei died on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Her death was confirmed by fellow gospel musicians, including Nii Noi and music producer Kwesi Ernest. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
The news comes just days after concern grew over the musician’s whereabouts. Offei was reported missing after she was last seen around Nyaho-Tamakloe Street in the Agbogba area of Accra on Tuesday, September 1.
Her family subsequently appealed to the public for help in locating her, with the missing-person alert widely circulated on social media. She was found the following day, September 2, and reunited with her family.
Details surrounding her disappearance and where she was found were not made public. Offei was one of the veteran voices of Ghana’s gospel music scene, with a career spanning several decades.
Her music was known for its themes of faith, perseverance, gratitude and the realities of life.Some of her best-known songs include “Life Is Short,” “Hold On,” “Kaashe Gbeyi,” “Odo A Wodo Mi Nti,” “Nyame Kokroko,” “N’adom Ara Kwa,” “Don Bi Rebo” and “Nyame Aye Bi Ama Yen.”
Her 2007 album Bernice Offei also featured songs including “No One Compares,” “Whom Am I,” “Me Gyefo Te Ase,” “Suomo,” “Your Handiwork” and “Take Your Glory.”
Offei’s contribution to Ghanaian gospel music was recognised at the 2009 Ghana Music Awards, where she won Best Female Vocal Performance and Songwriter of the Year.
Her death has come as a loss to Ghana’s gospel music community, with her body of work continuing to form part of the country’s gospel music heritage.