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Otuo Siriboe steals show at National
Awards ceremony
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Accra, July 6, GNA – Nana Otuo Serebour II, Paramount Chief
of Asante Juabeng, on Friday stole the show with his
one-minute Adowa dance after President John Agyekum Kufuor
decorated him with the country’s highest award, The Order of
the Star of Ghana, at the National Awards Ceremony 2007.
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He was one of three who received
the highest honour and his award was for his contribution to
industry and public service (traditional category).
The other two recipients were Dr Paul Acquah, Governor of
the Bank of Ghana and Her Lordship Mrs Justice Georgina
Wood, first lady Chief Justice of Ghana, both for public
service. |
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Decorating CJ Woods |
Even though Nana Serebour
attracted the most attention for his graceful steps, it was
Mrs. Justice Georgina Wood who received the loudest and most
spontaneous applause for her historic achievement as Ghana’s
maiden lady Chief Justice.
The audience, made up of very eminent persons including
ministers, members of parliament, members of the diplomatic
corps, religious and traditional leaders, corporate
executives, veteran politicians and officers and men of the
security service, could not wait for the “grand master”
Gordon Avenorgbor to complete the citation for Mrs. Georgina
Wood before they started applauding.
Even the police band sounded the trumpets and drums ahead of
Mr Avenorgbo’s cue and he had to stop them to complete the
citation before cueing them to play in honour of Her
Lordship.
Dr. Acquah was actually the first of the three to be
decorated with the honour and the audience would not let him
go without screaming out what is arguably the most popular
catch phrase in electronic media jingles today - “The value
is the same”, which is the catch phrase for the
redenomination of the cedi.
In all, 78 personalities were each decorated by the
President with three different categories of awards.
Those who enjoyed most applause from the audience included
famous Ghanaian highlife, folklore, western highlife, gospel
and Afro-pop musicians, including Agya Koo Nimo, Nana Ampadu,
Amanzeba, Diana Akiwumi, Grace Ashie, Cyndie Thompson,
Sidiku Buari, Ofori Amponsah and Pat Thomas. They each
receive Grand Medal awards except Nana Ampadu and Koo Nimo.
For sports, it was only Ike “Bazooka” Quartey who was
presented with a Grand Medal Award.
Ike was late to the ceremony so his decoration came after
the Order of the Volta group had been completed.
The decoration of Dr Kofi Noamesi, for his contribution to
traditional medicine and Mr Kwesi Awuku Yirenkyi, former
headmaster of Presbyterian Secondary School, Bechem, were
also pensive moments as the President walked down to where
they sat and decorated them because they could not climb up
the platform due to ill health.
Mr. Sam Okudzeto, a Private Legal Practitioner and Mr. Smart
Chigabatia, Executive Secretary of the Civil Servants’
Association, also enjoyed great warmth from the audience,
who thought they both deserved the awards for their
outspoken nature on national issues.
When it was the turn of Nene Dawutey Ologo VI, President of
Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, the programme was halted
for about a minute because the MC asked the president to
take his seat before the chief got to the platform to
receive his award.
Apostle Kwadwo Sarfo of Christo Asafo fame and Bishop
Charles Agyin Asare of Word Miracle Church were the only two
from the religious community who received awards.
But for the awards ceremony several popular names, which
seemed to have been forgotten would probably not have come
up anytime soon.
These were personalities such as Imoro Ayarna, Mike Eghan,
Jones Ofori Atta, G. K. Agama, Professor Akilagpa, Attoh
Quarshie, Imoro Ayana and Kofi Ghanaba, among others.
Prof. Atukwei Okai, himself an award winner recited a poem,
which by interpretation meant, “You are Because we are”,
apparently to tell the award winners that the honour done
them was in recognition for the fact that Ghana was because
they (the award winners) were.
The Police Brass Band was there to do the award winners the
honours while the Prisons Band treated both the award
winners and audience to some danceable music at the post
ceremony reception in the lobby of Accra International
Conference Centre (AICC).
Ghanadot/GNA............More
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