‘Lord Kenya advised Terry Bonchaka to seek spiritual protection, but he ignored’ – Former manager

Former manager of late Ghanaian musician Terry Bonchaka, Reagan Mends, has revealed that veteran rapper Lord Kenya once warned the young artiste to seek spiritual protection as his fame continued to rise, but he allegedly ignored the advice.

Mends, recounting his experiences with the late musician, said the warning came during a visit to Lord Kenya’s residence in Kumasi, where the rapper had invited Bonchaka to collaborate on a song.

According to him, Lord Kenya used the opportunity to caution Bonchaka about the dangers that could come with fame in the music industry, drawing from his own experiences as a successful musician.

He said Lord Kenya told Bonchaka that he had previously faced attempts on his life and urged him not to take his safety for granted now that he had become one of the country’s prominent young music stars.

“Lord Kenya advised Terry that, ‘Terry, where you are now, I’ve been there before, and people try to kill me. Now you are the superstar. You are the main artist in Ghana. So if you don’t protect yourself, they will kill you,’” Mends recounted.

The former manager said the advice was not entirely new to them, as another pastor they had encountered during a performance in Tamale had earlier cautioned Terry Bonchaka about the need for protection while pursuing a music career.

Mends said he also encouraged the musician to seek spiritual guidance, even suggesting that they consult a pastor. However, Bonchaka, who came from a Jehovah’s Witness background, reportedly dismissed the suggestions, insisting that nobody could harm him.

Mends said he became increasingly concerned after a series of disturbing incidents during a trip from Accra to Kumasi for a performance.

He recalled that the vehicle they were travelling in suffered four separate tyre punctures along the journey. After reaching Kumasi, the car was involved in another crash at the Bantama Roundabout while Bonchaka’s younger brother, Jerry, was driving.

The vehicle was badly damaged and later crashed into again by another driver after it had been abandoned.

Mends said he and Bonchaka subsequently travelled back to Accra in a commercial vehicle, which also experienced four tyre punctures before they arrived.

He recalled telling his mother after the journey that he feared Bonchaka could die young, given the strange incidents they had experienced.

Reflecting on the events, Mends described the circumstances surrounding the musician’s eventual death as mysterious, particularly because of the earlier warnings and incidents.

Bonchaka died in a road accident in 2003 at the age of 21, cutting short a promising music career.