Otuo Siriboe steals show at National Awards ceremony

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.

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.

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).