Dr. Ephraim Amu married Nee' Yao now Mrs. Beatrice Martina Amu a.ka. Nanaa in 1942 and had five children; Mrs.Ameewu Atiase (Nee' Amu), Mr. Kwasi N. Amu, Miss Misonu Amu (Music Lecturer, IAS, Legon), Mr. Kwadzo A. Amu, and Mrs. Emefa Atiase (Nee' Amu). The multilingual composer of numerous Twi, Ewe, Ga and English songs has 14 grandchildren between the ages of 34 and 7 years. Dr. Ephraim Amu, a versatile musicologist was one of the pillars in the contemporary Ghanaian Music with 200 compositions. Dr. Amu's unusual gift for awakening consciousness especially in respect of ethical, social and political values and assertion of identity made him a national symbol of cultural activism and creative patriotism. His great contributions to both Ghana and African culture has earned him a permanent place in the history of Ghana. Even before political activism reached its zenith in the then Gold Coast now Ghana, Dr. Amu had nearly two decades earlier composed and circulated the patriotic song Yen ara asase ni (This land is ours) to help reawaken the consciousness of the people and galvanise them into action for their freedom. His rejection of western church music led to the creation of a new style of African Music which became the foundation for the development of a choral music tradition that combines indigenous African melodic, rhythmic and textual resources and western harmonic techniques. Other great memorable compositions of both secular and sacred nature by Dr. Amu include Yaanom Abibirima, Onipa da wo ho so, Abosomakotre nam brebre, Mawu do na Yesu, (I shall work for Jesus), Hadzidzi amefe gbogbo (Singing the soul of man) and Yehowa nye sitsofe (the Lord is my refugee). Dr. Amu developed a new phase of music at Akropong Presbyterian Training College in 1927 where he was first posted to served upon successful completion of his vocational training as Teacher-Catechist. It was here that his conversion to African music began. His way of thinking was shaped more at this place by his encounters with traditional musicians and cultural specialists. The reactions of his generation as has always been was conversative and therefore it was no wonder that when disagreement with the authorities of the Presbyterian Church on some cultural issues and his resolve to preach in the pulpit in traditional attire led to his dismissal. Dr. Ephraim Amu also devoted time to learn to play and construct Akan musical instruments like seprewa, atenteben, fontomfrom, and odurugya as well as Ewe musical instruments such as tumpani. His musical prowess began unravelling in 1926 when he started what has been termed as ''Cultural Renaissance'' when he translated Presbyterian Hymns into local languages especially Twi and Ewe after realising that the indigeneous members of his congregation could not singing along the hymns.In 1933, an introduction of the Study of African Rhythms in the educational system popularly became known as ''Twenty-Five African Songs. Then in 1949, Dr. Amu established and directed what is now the National Academy of Music, at Achimota. Significantly, this school as well as cllege were transferred from Achimota to form the nucleus of the Kumasi College of Arts, Science and Technology in 1952. Consequent to a memorandum he submitted to the then Prime Ministerof Ghana, the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, another music school was established as part of the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana (now International Music Centre). Tata Amu's awards/honours for his lifetime achievements included;Saturday 27 March 1965, the first ever Doctor of Music degree by University of Ghana, 1976; an Honorary Doctorate degree in recognition of his outstanding services to KNUST and Ghana. In 1972 Dr. Amu was given the Grand Medal of the Republic of Ghana posthumously by NLC govt of 1966 to 1969, an award and citation by the Arts Council of Ghana in 1972, January 1973, he was made a member of the Order of the Volta by the NRC govt of I.K. Acheampong, National award of ¢500.00 cum citattion for contributions towards development of Ghanaian art and culture in 1976 as well as the International Music Council awarding him the UNESCO Music Prize in Bratislava. He also celebrated his 95th birthday at the National Threater in Accra, a great honour. Among other awards he got were the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences posthumously instituting the "Ephraim Amu Memoria l Lectures" 1998, incorporation of the "Ephraim Amu Foundation" to fulfil vision for the promotion of music making in Ghana, building a fitting concert hall in his honour at Peki Avetile, and preserving, producing, promoting, protection and marketing the rights to Dr. Amu's works 2003. More recently, the Government has engraved his effigy on the new twenty thousand cedi note (the highest denomination), a first ever for a musician in Ghana.The ardent believer of the power of music gave up his ghost on Monday January 2, 1995 at the ripe age of 96 years in his sleep in his house at Peki Avetile and was buried in a graveyard at the forecourt of House at Peki Avetile according to his wishes. Reflecting his simple way of life even at death, Dr. Amu prepared his own funeral programme which included a short life history for his internment service and a wish to be buried immediately after his death at the forecourt of house. the room in whic h he was laid in state was equally refllective of his simple way of life. His corpse was dressed in ''adwene asa kente'' cloth over a white jumper with his palms resting on two white handkerchiefs. In his memory, all national flags were hoisted at half mast on the Saturday of his funeral. Tata Amu would forever stand tall in the memory of Ghanaians and Pan Africanists for the pride, honour and dignity he so admirably dedicated his long life to attaining for the African in particular and humanity in general. Though he has been dead and gone for nearly ten years, his patriotic compositions particularly yen are asase ni (this land is ours) often hailed as the "unofficial national anthem" continues to inspire and kindle nationalism in Ghanaians daily as the closing song for Ghana Television (GTV).
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