AU Arts Festival Celebrates Kufuor

Samira Bawumia and ex-President Kufuor

The good works of ex-President John Kufuor have attracted the attention of creative arts outfits- Malaika Media and OK Communications.

Consequently, the duo honoured the statesman in a grand arts exhibition show at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra recently for his exemplary leadership.

The event primarily sought to raise funds to support the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation (JAK) towards the completion of the Kufuor Centre for Leadership & Governance at University of Ghana, Legon.

It is also aimed at promoting and developing the creative arts industry in Ghana.

Themed ‘Leadership; Africa Through Arts, Celebrating  President John Agyekum Kufuor, Second President of The Fourth Republic of Ghana’, the three-day event drew high-profile personalities like the wife of the vice president, Samira Bawumia, Tourism & Creative Arts Minister, Catherine Afeku, among others.

The honoree, enthralled by the gathering, summed up his observation as, thus, “I am touched to be celebrated by all of you, especially coming from a generation younger than mine. Celebrating me while I live attests to the fact that I have done something good and worth celebrating. You have touched me to the core of my heart. You have demonstrated to me that all is not lost regarding creative arts.”

Mrs Bawumia pointed out that the former president is worth celebrating taking into account the economic strides he recorded under his tenure.

Mrs Afeku conferred on ex-President Kufuor the title of Agrohene (king of creative arts); describing him as an embodiment of creative arts

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Malaika Media, Kojo Ampah Sahara, traced the achievements of ex-President Kufuor with unparalleled excitement and pledged to use his outfit to constantly remind and promote what he stood for and did for Ghana and Africa.

He appealed passionately that a day should be set aside annually to celebrate the iconic leader, and promised to celebrate another leader in next year’s edition.

To Anica Nsiah Apau, Marketing & Communications Director of AU Arts Festival Secretariat, this generation owes Ghana a duty in reminding everyone about how ex-President Kufuor ushered Ghana into a new era of freedom on the dawn of the new millennium.

Beautiful wall hanging paintings depicting the works of the statesman which went for auction was showcased at the event.

Okyeame Kwame, a renowned hip-life artiste and an ambassador for the JAK Foundation, said this year’s event sought to raise a minimum of GH¢50m.