Mrs. Rita Afihene Osei

As Christians, we believe victory will be ours when we all meet in heaven. We are, therefore, celebrating her life and the ultimate triumph worn by Christ for us. “If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him (Roman 6:8).” After a valiant fight to live, Mrs. Rita Afihene Osei, went to be with the Lord on March 6th 2020. Her courage and bravery embodied her attitude toward life.

Mrs. Afihene Osei, whose life we are celebrating today, was born on August 24th, 1966, to the Late Mr. Isaac Kwame Yeboah Afihene from the Trede Royal Family and Madam Comfort Mensah from the Asokwa Royal Family of Adanse, both of which are in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. She was the second of five children of her parent. However, all our fathers surviving children are eight: Phyllis, Kwame, Kofi, Kwasi, Olivia, Kwaku, Akua, and Cornelia.

She spent her childhood years with her parents and siblings in Kumasi, where she started her nursery education at St Elizabeth Day Nursery and primary school at the Royal International School. She was then transferred to Patasi Experimental School and finally completed her elementary school education at the State Experimental Primary School, in 1979. She completed her high school education in 1984 at St. Monica’s Secondary School. She then proceeded to Kumasi Polytechnic to pursue tertiary professional education in Domestic Science.

Upon completion of her tertiary education, she got married and moved to the USA in 1986. In the USA, she continued her education by pursuing an associate degree in Hotel and Hospitality Management. She worked for the DoubleTree Hotel as a manager for three years. After her tenure in the hotel and hospitality industry, her passion for fashion, coupled with her intense creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, led her into starting her own Fashion business, which she branded “Sankofa Design.” She then transitioned into the high fashion and couture space within the clothing industry. She then founded Reetiz and Tullipe couture at Willow Bend Mall in Plano, Texas. She thrived in the fashion industry for over twenty years.

The eldest of Rita’s surviving children are Andrew, followed by Candice and then Elysiann. Our beloved sister was a Christian who believed in the power of faith and prayer. Let us “fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).” She was a committed investor to the construction of the new Adansi Asokwa Methodist church in the Ashanti region in Ghana. She was dedicated to her children and work and had a passion for travel and elegance in life. She was an excellent cook, and she enjoyed soft and gentle music and her favorite TV program besides the news and Oprah Winfery’s OWN network. One of her favorite artists besides the Christian Hymn composers was Anita Baker. She also enjoyed African Folk Music. She attended Park Way Hills Church in Colony, Texas. She was also a member of several sororities, including the SMOSA [Saint Monica’s Old Student Association].