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Artist
Stephen Kujo Oti became an icon of the zeitgeist that was Savannah, Georgia in the mid-1990s. A student of the Savannah College of Art & Design, he arrived from Ghana in 1995 to pursue a degree in visual art. But most who knew Oti remember him as the warm and ever-smiling front-man of the band Aluta. Aluta was the brainchild of three SCAD students: Oti (Bass, Vocals), Mike Rosado (Drums) and George Gonzales (Guitar). The trio met while attending classes at the Georgia-based art college in 1995 and combined their talents to produce a unique and often indefinable sound that deftly straddled the genres of reggae, rock and funk. Eventually expanding to include percussionists Paul Downie and Joe Farmer as well as guitarist Mike Hughes, their raw and unique sound became swiftly popular in the burgeoning Savannah club scene, drawing ever-growing crowds to some of the citys hottest night spots, including The Velvet Elvis, Bay Street Bar, Café Loco and Devin Michaels. Aluta disbanded in 1998, its members dispersing to pursue new career opportunities as well as other interests of the heart and home. Oti married in 1999 and, with his new bride, returned to his native Ghana to pursue his new-found calling: spreading the word of God through music. He recorded a solo album entitled A Test of Faith, and also contributed two tracks to the compilation album Africa Anointed released in 2002. Kujo Oti passed away on July 17, 2001 at the age of 28. He is survived by his wife, Salema, son, Stephe