His Excellency Ex-President J. A. Kufuor is to receive a special award by the Suma Traditional Council in the Jaman North District of the Brong-Ahafo Region on March 19, 2016 at a grand durbar to climax this year's Suma Akwantu Kese Festival.
The award christened Suma State Adinkra Award is in recognition of President Kufuor's tremendous contribution to the development of the Suma area and across the country when he served as President of the Republic from 2001 to 2009.
The announcement for President Kufuor's award was made at his residence in Accra by the Omanhene of the Suma Traditional Area, Odeneho Dr Affram Brempong III, when he paid a courtesy call on the former President in the company of a team of 20 divisional chiefs and queens.
According to the Omanehene, the Suma State Adinkra Award has been instituted in honour of King Adinkra of Gyaman who invented the philosophical Adinkra symbols. He said that the role that the late Gyaman king played in originating the Adinkra symbols is very significant as it shows the contribution of Africa in the world of creativity and philosophy. He expressed worry that nothing had been done to honour the memory of the late king. “In order not to repeat the mistake we have done in not recognising the role of our forebears, including my late uncle King Adinkra, we have instituted this award to acknowledge the devoted services and pragmatic leadership of contemporary leaders and servants of our country and humanity,” the chief emphasised.
Odeneho Affram Brempong III thanked President Kufuor on behalf of the people of his traditional, noting that the people of Suma would always be grateful to the former President for his development interventions in the area. “Mr President, those who claim not to have seen your contribution to this country's development may say what they like but those of us of the Suma Traditional area know the water situation before you came to power and the massive improvement you made in that sector and many others. We are grateful to you,” the chief said.
The Akwantu Kese Festival, according to the chief aims at commemorating the journey of the Suma and Gyaman people from their ancestral home in Akwamu in present day Eastern Region centuries ago.
Among the dignitaries invited to the Festival are eminent traditional rulers in Ghana and in the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, including His Majesty Nana Kwasi Adinkra Agyemang, the Gyamanhene also known as Bonohene of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire.
For his part, President Kufuor expressed appreciation for the chief's recognition of his contribution to his area and Ghana. He was impressed with the achievements and vision of the Sumahene and pledged his support in any way he could to make the dreams a reality. He also appealed to other traditional rulers to emulate the example of the Sumahene to champion developments in their traditional areas in ways that would impact the larger Ghanaian society.
Mr Anane-Agyei, the CEO of Abibrem Communications, the events consultants, who accompanied the chief noted that the traditional rulers occupied a strategic position to champion development.
According to sources of the Suma Palace a good number of people in various disciplines have been penciled down for the award. They include H. E. Ex-President Flt. J. J. Rawlings as well as Excellences Lordina Mahama and Theresa Kufuor, current and former first ladies of Ghana.
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