Abeiku Aggrey Santana
The Obokese Foundation, as part of its chieftaincy development project, has launched the first ever Ghana Chieftaincy Awards with the support from the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, National Cultural Commission and the Manhyia Palace, Kumasi.
Media personality Abeiku Aggrey Santana, a brand ambassador for Ghana Chieftaincy Awards who emceed the event, underscored the need for Nananom to embrace the awards because it will bring issues bothering the chieftaincy institution up and subsequently help solve them.
He thanked the organisers for such a noble initiative and pledged his unbridled support for the awards.
The launch ceremony, which took place at Golden Bean Hotel, was chaired by the immediate past Vice President of National House of Chiefs, Daasebre Kwebu Ewusie VII of Abeadze Traditional Area.
It was graced by the regional presidents of National House of Chiefs and the leadership of Queen Mother’s Association of Ghana as well as representation from National Peace Council, British High Commission among others.
Speaking at the event, Daasebre Kwebu Ewusie VII reiterated the relevance of the chieftaincy institution in the development of the country and urged that the institution stay 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 event, 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 unrecognised 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, the Chieftaincy must lead the resistance against unbridled ‘westernisation’ as well as the charge towards the Ghana and Africa that is in our best interests.”
Madam Akosua Abdallah, a director of National Commission on Culture who represented the Minister for Tourism Culture and Creative Art, Dr. Awal Mohammed, expressed the need for collaborations to place the chieftaincy institution in its rightful place, for it is pivotal in the development of the country.
On his part, Nana Obokese Ampah, the Apagyahen of Asebu Traditional Area and the Chairman of Obokese Foundation said “there will be a funded community project to awardees dubbed ‘The Asodzi Project’ and the awards scheme will see to the effective implementation of the Asodzi Project, consistent with the unique community needs.”