His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, former President of the Republic of Ghana, has formally urged the Honourable Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ms. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, to take appropriate steps to organise an official ceremony in recognition of the distinguished contributions of highlife music legend, Mr. Agya Koo Nimo.
This request was articulated by President Mahama on the occasion of the official launch of the Blackstar Experience, held at Blackstar Square in Accra on Thursday, the 1st day of May, 2025.
During remarks delivered at the official launch of the Blackstar Experience at Blackstar Square, Accra, on May 1, 2025, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, former President of the Republic of Ghana, commended the Legon Palmwine Band for their performance and took the occasion to publicly pay tribute to Mr. Agya Koo Nimo, widely regarded as a pioneer of the palmwine music genre and a key figure in Ghana’s musical and cultural heritage.
President Mahama, while reflecting on the performance, inquired whether Mr. Koo Nimo was still living and, upon confirmation, expressed the urgent necessity of organising an official recognition ceremony in his honour. He emphasized that such recognition should not be posthumous but should occur during the lifetime of the honouree, so as to properly celebrate his enduring contributions to the nation’s cultural fabric.
In his address, the former President stated: “We watched the palmwine music and I asked if the King of Palmwine music was still alive — Agya Koo Nimo — and I hear he is alive. This is a man we must honour before he passes. Because that was a genre of music that has become a part of our musical archive and our folklore. For people like this, we should not wait till they die and we go and cry at their funerals.”
He continued by directly appealing to the Honourable Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ms. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, stating: “So wherever Agya Koo Nimo is, Dzifa, you and your team [should] organise some ceremony, let’s honour him. I know he has been honoured in the past. Let’s honour him again before God calls him.”
Mr. Agya Koo Nimo, a celebrated figure in highlife music, has previously been the recipient of numerous national and cultural accolades. Among his distinctions are the Order of the Volta (2007), conferred by then-President John Agyekum Kufuor; the Asanteman Award, bestowed by the Asantehene; the Konkoma Award; and Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards and the Entertainment Achievement Awards.
The national launch of the Blackstar Experience, at which His Excellency John Dramani Mahama served as Guest of Honour, was attended by distinguished stakeholders and principal actors within Ghana’s Tourism, Arts, and Creative industries.
The Blackstar Experience is hereby recognised as the Republic of Ghana’s premier cultural and creative engagement brand, dedicated to promoting the convergence of local and international audiences through immersive experiences in the fields of culture, arts, tourism, and creative expression.
The initiative embodies the essence of Ghanaian hospitality—globally acclaimed for its warmth and authenticity—and reflects the full spectrum of cultural interactions available within the nation. It is designed to institutionalise and enhance the frameworks through which both citizens and international visitors may access, participate in, and derive appreciation from Ghana’s diverse cultural assets, historical attractions, and unique aesthetic pleasures.#newsafro_
