The Obokese Foundation has, as part of its Chieftaincy Development project Thursday night in Kumasi, launched the first ever Ghana Chieftaincy Awards with the support from the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, National Commission on Culture and the Manhyia Palace.
The event, which took place at Golden Bean Hotel, brought together regional presidents of National House of Chiefs and the leadership of Queen mothers Association of Ghana and representation from National Peace Council, British High Commission and others.
The event was chaired by the immediate past Vice President of National House of Chiefs, Daasebre Kwebu Ewusie VII of Abeadze Traditional Area.
Daasebre reiterated the relevance of the Chieftaincy institution in the development of the country and urged that the institution stays on its ground in reshaping the moral fabric of our society and to continue to play that vital role in the development of respective communities and Ghana as a whole.
The chairman of the event, Daasebre Ewusie VII, who doubles as the chairman of Ghana Chieftaincy Awards, said “this award scheme will provide the opportunity for us to reflect upon, celebrate, resurrect and further empower the essential and often unrecognized role that this esteemed institution has played in the republic’s pre-colonial history, its activism and perseverance during the colonial era, and, the role it alone must play in Ghana’s present neo-colonial chapter.”
He continued: “As we look forward, projecting to a new Ghana and new Africa that will reflect our traditional values, institutional structures and true interests, chieftaincy must lead the resistance against unbridled ‘westernization’ as well as the charge towards the Ghana and Africa that is in our best interests.”
He ended his speech by urging “all to lend their enthusiastic support for this important initiative that will complete the independence work of 1957 which ended the European occupation. This effort will place Ghana firmly on the path towards the eradication of the two remaining legs of the colonial table and usher us into a new era of growth and prosperity befitting our Adehyeman mantra.”
The Director of Community Youlth Cultural Centre under the National Commission on Culture, Dr Akosua Abdallah, who represented the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Awal Mohammed, and Executive Director of the Commission, expressed the need for collaborations to place the Chieftaincy institution in its rightful place for it is pivotal in the development of the country.
Other speakers took turns with an insightful delivery.
Notable among them were Nana Obokese Ampah, the Apagyahen of Asebu Traditional Area and the chairman of Obokese Foundation, Professor Amonoo Koufie and Nana Ama Amissah II, the Queenmother of Mankessim Traditional Area.
Prof. Amonoo Koufie, who chairs the Evaluation and Selection Committee of the scheme, encouraged that all is not lost and that there is another chance to right the wrongs of the past.
He also urged Nananom to support this noble initiative to the benefit of tomorrow and generations to come.
On his part, Nana Obokese Ampah said: “There will be a funded community projects to awardees dubbed ‘The Asodzi Project’ and this awards scheme will see to the effective implementation of these Asodzi Project, consistent with the unique community needs”.
He also said there will be a travel package for all awardees.
Rabbi Kohain Halevi, the Executive Director of Panafest Foundation, enforced that the call of return is not just the optic display of the diasporians showing up at the Kotoka International Airport but rather a call to return to the traditions and culture of the land, and urged Nananom to rather rally behind this call to make the institution the spotlight to generations to come.
Speaking with the Executive Director of the Obokese Foundation, Ibrahim Kwame Baidoo, on the sidelines, he further explained the importance for all Ghanaians and people of African descent as a whole to forge a common union in the push to regain “ourselves through ourselves”.
He mentioned that the era where Nananom served as moral police for communities is what we need again to bounce back to a disciplined society to curb the menace of social vices experienced today.
The MCs for the night were Abeiku Santana Aggrey of Okay FM and Ms Nana Ama Egyirba of Darling FM.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana