It was the New York-born Irish author Stewart Stafford who said, “Do not weep for those who have found Death’s embrace early, for they weep for us who linger on in this mortal world of pain.”

While I am tempted to embrace the positive aspect of Stafford’s quote about dying young and escaping the tumultuous and dangerous world we live in, I would not have traded the loss of my dear friend and brother, Mos-B, for anything. With a wife and children to care for and his unwavering determination to bring positive change to his country through music, I would have preferred that he persevere, regardless of the circumstances.

I will never forget waking up in the early hours of Sunday morning on October 21 to the news of the passing of Sierra Leone’s music sensation, Mos-B, whose real name was Moses Bangura. I had spent the entire night celebrating at Fatmata Kandeh’s 40th birthday party at the View restaurant, partying until 4:00 a.m. when my friend Sallieu Kanu dropped me off at home.

On October 26, the soon-to-be-released song would be available on all streaming platforms, and on November 3, the video would be on YouTube. I’ve listened to the teaser. The song was titled “Last Night,” and the lyrics resonated deeply: “Last night, last night, you made me cry, last night, you made me cry, cry, cry, cry. You promised you told me you would never leave me; you promised you would never leave me.”

Now, those words made sense. It was likely his way of hinting that the end was near. Mos-B made me cry when I heard of his shocking passing.

Mos-B, you have made me cry forever, and indeed, you have left your wife, children, father, fans, and the rest of your family in tears. He was in a hurry to accomplish his goals, taking charge of his social media accounts, making public statements, and insisting on being present during meetings with producers. Rest in peace, Mos-B, and may your legacy endure.