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Even when the rains came pouring down heavily on the evening of Wednesday, June 21, 2023, it couldn’t stop patrons from witnessing African University College of Communications (AUCC), Accra, confer the first ever Boabab Lifetime Achievement Award on the legendary Highlife musician, Agya Koo Nimo.

Of course, they wanted to enjoy and be part of the moment when he was celebrated but unfortunately the iconic Agya Koo Nimo, 92, could not be present due to ill health. However, his absence didn’t mar the celebration. It was a good evening.

Agya Koo Nimo is Ghana’s foremost living exponent of acoustic guitar Highlife. Together with his Adadam Agofomma Group, they have served music enthusiasts with beautiful compositions that deal with the events of daily life, sometimes with a comic touch.

On Wednesday evening, the hall at the AUCC where the ceremony took place was filled with traditional music provided by the Legon Palmwine Band and Osei Kwame Korankye as guests took their seats.

The well-attended programme was graced by academia, dignitaries and royalty including Naa Korkor Aadzieoyi I, Queenmother of Adabraka, Nii Ahene Nuunu II, Abola Mantse representing the Ga Mantse King Tackie Tieko Tsuru and Nuumo Akwaa Mensah III, Naa Wulomo, Chief High Priest of the Ga Traditional Council.

After solidarity messages were given by the Pan African Heritage Museum, National Commission on Culture (NCC) and UNESCO, the award was received on behalf of Agya Koo Nimo by his son,

Emmanuel Nana Kwarteng, and Dr Adrian Nii Oddoye of +233 Jazz Bar and Grill. The award also came with a cash of GH¢10,000.

Agya Koo Nimo, however, did a video recording expressing his gratitude to the organisers for the award. He apologised for his inability to be present and asked all to bear with him.

President of AUCC, Professor Abeiku Blankson, said the award has been on their minds for sometime now, “This award is something we thought about at AUCC because we realised a disconnection between education and our culture.”

“I want to thank management for making this dream a reality. As the only university which bears the name African, we have to walk the talk, so here we are today, living that dream. I want to thank the AUCC management for embracing this idea.”

“We are happy that we have someone who really lived the African dream with his music. We also want to bring the attention of the young ones to the contributions of our elderly,” he
stated.

The evening hosted by Nana Sika Acheampong, Director, Department of Creative Arts, AUCC, saw some spectacular performances by the Legon Palmwine Band, Highlife musicians Osei Kwame Korankye and Kwame Brenya and poet Nana Asaase.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Agya Koo Nimo’s son, Emmanuel Nana Kwarteng, said the award meant so much to his father.

“It means a lot to him, on behalf of the family and the band, we thank AUCC for this award. Professor Kojo Yankah is very instrumental to Papa so to be awarded by his university meansso much to him and brings him a lot of joy and humility. I am excited to receive this on his behalf,” he said.

Agya Koo Nimo the music godfather

It’s been decades of fruitful musicianship for singer, composer and guitarist Agya Koo Nimo and several Ghanaian musicians and on his 92nd birthday which fell on January 27, 2023, many have complimented him for how far his music has enriched, entertained and inspired us.

Guitarist Akablay is one of Agya Koo Nimo’s protégés and has performed live with him on several occasions. He says it is always a delight to play with his mentor because there is always a lot to learn from the old master.

Though he started playing guitar professionally in the late 1980s, Akablay felt a better understanding of Agya Koo Nimo’s approach would enhance his knowledge. He, therefore, went to  Kumasi and took lessons from him in 1996.

“Since then, we’ve had a sort of father and son relationship.

I respect his vast knowledge and he appreciates my desire to follow in his steps and become a guru like him.

He loves how I approach his Adadam music with my Kundum styleso we enjoy playing together,” Akablay said.

Germany-based drummer Ekow Alabi Savage said he was “grateful to God that Agya Koo Nimo is still with us and for the fact that he has been a great inspiration all these years”.

‘’Those of us playing outside appreciate his worth greatly because you mention him in serious music circles here in Germany and people know who he is. I’m sure a similar situation exists in other parts of Europe and America. We thank God for giving us Agya Koo Nimo,’’ Alabi stated.

Guitarist Enoch Owuraku Kissi also said Agya Koo Nimo has been one of the best things to ever happen to Ghanaian guitar players. According to the young guitar player, he has learnt a lot from the nonagenarian’s palm-wine style approach and listening to him has helped raise his musicianship level.

“God bless him for impacting our lives positively. We hope to follow in his footsteps and also impact the generations after us. His legacy will live on forever,” Owuraku remarked.

Another young guitarist, Dominic Quarchie, compared Agya Koo Nimo to a giant tree with the current crop of guitarists as some of his branches. He described him as an amazing musician
who had been an inspiration to almost every Ghanaian guitar player, including George Darko, Akablay, Sloopy Mike Gyamfi and the rest.

“Even players in our generation who have never met him admit he has influenced them. So he is an amazing godfather to all Ghanaian guitar players. The guitar fraternity in Ghana will always cherish him,” Dominic stated.

Biography

Born Kwabena Boa-Amponsem on January 27, 1931, and baptised Daniel Amponsah, the legend, popularly known as Agya Koo Nimo, is Ghana’s foremost living exponent of acoustic guitar Highlife.

For the past 70 years, Ghanaians and the rest of the world have enjoyed his unique, delicate finger-picking palm wine guitar style in public spaces and in the privacy of our homes.

Relaxed and informal, with basic essential accompaniment, Koo Nimo and his Adadam Agofomma Group have entertained us with memorable compositions that deal with the events of daily life, sometimes with a comic touch.

In recognition of these and more Agya Koo Nimo has received numerous awards and citations including the prestigious Asanteman Award from the Asantehene and the Flagstar Award from ECRAG (Entertainment Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana.)
 
Career

1979—1990 President, Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA)
1979—1990 Interim Chairman of Copyright Society of Ghana (COSGA)
1980—Member - Board of Directors of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
1980—Visiting Senior Lecturer, Music Department, Cape Coast University, Ghana
1984—1990 Member, Education Commission of Ghana
1988—Played a leading role in a film, Crossing Over in Trinidad and Tobago commissioned by UNESCO. The film was adjudged the best video documentary in Trinidad and Tobago and Martinique in 1989 and 1990 respectively among many others.