Comedian Jeneral Ntatia has opened up about the painful loss of his father, revealing how the experience transformed his life and thrust him into the difficult reality of carrying family responsibilities as the firstborn son.
The comedian became emotional as he recounted the events surrounding his father’s death, describing how a day that began with reassurance that everything would be fine ended with news that changed his life forever.
Speaking in an interview on Joy Prime with Nikki Samonas, Ntatia disclosed that he was undertaking his national service when his mother called one morning to inform him that his father was unwell. His father later took the phone and assured him there was no cause for alarm, explaining that his mother was simply worried about his condition.
However, a second call later in the afternoon brought a more worrying update: his father was in critical condition, and he needed to rush home to Osino.
“So I was going to Osino and then when I got to Suhum, a friend of his called me and it was like, at first they said I should come to the hospital, Chebi Hospital. And then on the way they called me that I should come home to Osino because they’ve done everything. They’ve left him there, so I should come home and then tomorrow morning we’ll go and visit him”.
It was only after arriving home that the devastating truth began to emerge.
For Ntatia, that was the moment the reality of his loss finally sank in. He had imagined losing a loved one might happen someday, but nothing could have prepared him for the moment it became his own reality.
As the firstborn son, his grief came with an overwhelming list of responsibilities. He had to think about how to inform his grandmother, how to break the news to his siblings and how to support his mother, who was living on someone else’s land in Osino, far from their roots in Adansi Fomena.
Despite the shock, Ntatia believes his father had, in some ways, prepared him for the responsibility that lay ahead.
During his later years, his father repeatedly reminded him that he was the captain of the ship and would eventually have to take charge and continue the journey.
“A lot of things are running through my head. But then I think my dad did an ) amazing job. In his latter days, he kept telling me that I’m the captain of the ship and then he’s going to leave the battle for me to continue so I should be ready for anything.”
Although his father had been unwell, the family had remained hopeful that he would recover. His condition had not appeared to them to be something that would take his life, making the loss even harder to accept.
Born Prince Kwame Amoabeng, the death of his father was more than just a heartbreaking family loss; it was a turning point that forced him to confront adulthood.
His account offers a glimpse into the private struggles behind the laughter audiences’ associate with the comedian.