I was Born and raised in Sefwi Amafie, in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality of Western North Region, Mr. Yaw Kwateng—known in the music industry as Mandem Yopic—shared his inspiring journey from hardship to becoming both a recognized musician and a professional immigration officer.
Growing up, Mandem Yopic described his early childhood as happy and promising. But life took a sudden turn when his father fell seriously ill. At the time, he was attending a private school, but the financial strain on the family forced him to drop out.
“My uncle saw potential in me and insisted I shouldn’t stop school because I was good academically,” he recalled. His uncle enrolled him in Nana Kwadwo Aduhene Memorial School, a public school in Sefwi Wiawso. There, he met a kind teacher named Madam Effe, who played a life-changing role in his upbringing.
Mandem explained that after his father’s illness, the burden of supporting the family fell heavily on his young shoulders. “I was the firstborn, and my mother was pregnant. I had to step up, even though I was just a child,” he said. To support the household, he would carry loads at the Tuesday market in Sefwi Edwensi, collect and sell sachet rubber, and carry firewood to earn money.
His absence from school on Tuesdays caught the attention of Madam Effe. When she asked why, and he explained his situation, she took him into her home and treated him as her own son. “She gave me love and support like a mother. If you ask me who my mother is, I wouldn’t know what to say—because Madam Effe gave me motherly love,” he said.
Madam Effe supported his education through Junior High School and then Sefwi Wiawso Senior High School (SEWASS). After SHS, life didn’t get easier. Mandem sold airtime and worked as a cleaner at Liberty FM in Sefwi Wiawso. Although the pay was low, he was more interested in getting his music played on air. “I was happy when they played my songs in the morning, afternoon, and evening.”
Unable to afford university, he studied short courses at home in areas like health and safety. His passion for music continued after high school, drawing inspiration from the hardships he faced and mentors like Okomfo Kwadee.
In 2020, he applied and successfully joined the Ghana Immigration Service. After training, he released a song that became a hit in Sefwi. Balancing work and music was a challenge, so he focused first on learning the job. However, in 2023, Mandem Yopic suffered an accident while on duty and returned home for treatment.
During his recovery, he rekindled his music career, dropping freestyles like Textile Akosua, which started gaining traction. But it was the release of “Kwaku Sampson” that became his breakthrough, bringing him national recognition. “Kwaku Sampson brought me into the limelight,” he said.
Following that success, he got the opportunity to perform on major platforms and later signed with Colla Music, a record label. He shared that the song Kwaku Sampson was based on a storyline and inspired by storytelling legends like Okomfo Kwadee.
“Music must be creative and different,” Mandem Yopic emphasized. “You can’t just stick to one style.”
Today, Mandem Yopic continues to balance his dual roles as a professional immigration officer and seasonal musician, proving that with determination, hard work, and prayer, success is possible—even from the most humble beginnings.
Credit to Kofi TV
By Emmanuel Sowah
