President Akufo-Addo shaking hands with Prof Kwabena Nketia
President Akufo-Addo has paid glowing tribute to one of the living legends of Ghana, Professor Emeritus Joseph Hanson Kwabena Nketia.
He believes the life experience of the celebrated scholar, composer, instrumentalist and ethnomusicologist points to the significance of education, describing him as “one of the legends of the ages.”
Speaking at an event put together by the Africa University College of Communication (AUCC) in honour of the 96-year-old Professor Wednesday evening, President Akufo-Addo said, “One runs out of adjectives trying to describe this noble Ghanaian. A few come readily to mind, though – composer, ethnomusicologist, writer, scholar, instrumentalist, and, above all, Ghanaian patriot.”
The reason for the eulogy is the fact that Prof. J.H. Nketiah’s work in the field of music has been globally acknowledged.
“Indeed, such has been his impact that today, his concept and interpretation of time and rhythmic patterns in Ghanaian, and other African folk music have become the standard for music scholars around the world, complementing that of another Ghanaian musical legend, Ephraim Amu, who, coincidentally, was his mentor. Such is the quality of the man we are celebrating today,” he underscored.
Touting the achievements of Prof. Nketia, the president noted that they are worth celebrating “because they give us formidable cultural capital to fortify our unique African identity, forge a great Ghanaian nation and pursue our historic pan-African vocation. His life’s work is a great message for the youth, that the sky is the limit for anyone who wants to work hard.
“This celebration also affords us the opportunity to apply Professor Emeritus Nketia’s ideas to nation building. He has given us the gilded marbles, retrieved from the past, and it is our duty to incorporate them in the architecture of our culture and national identity, going forward.”
Touching on inclusive education, which has been stressed through the years by Professor J.H Nketia, President Akufo-Addo noted, “This is the reasoning behind the learning of Ghanaian and African history, our cultures, oral traditions, festivals, languages, folklore, dance and music, amongst others.”
He was of the belief that education that seeks to apply local knowledge to foreign ones, as advocated by Professor Nketia, is what Ghana needs at this point of globalisation, where holistic cultures and identities play key roles in how to navigate the challenges posed by globalization. “Education, which combines performing arts, such as music and the humanities, is what will define our identity and cohesiveness as Ghanaians,” he noted.
President Akufo-Addo was confident that if the nation applies the works of Professor Nketia in helping to reclaim the past, in order to nourish the present and to seize the future, “we shall be further emboldened to construct a modern, democratic nation based on equity, respect and inclusion. We will then build a new Ghanaian civilization, a Ghana beyond aid, a new flowering of Ghanaian art and culture.”
Elated Prof. Nketia encouraged the younger generation to take interest in the cultural heritage of the country and to continuously find ways of improving “our ethnicity and culture” which is central to the existence and development of the nation.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent