Highlife legend Agya Koo Nimo honored by gov’t
The Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, alongside her Deputy, Yussif Jajah, paid a courtesy visit to veteran highlife legend Agya Koo Nimo at his residence in Kumasi over the weekend.
The visit was in line with a presidential directive to honor living legends who have made significant contributions to Ghana’s cultural and creative heritage.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, who accompanied the delegation, shared news of the visit via his official Facebook page.
“Today, I had the honor of accompanying the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, and her Deputy, Hon. Yussif Jajah, to visit our legendary highlife musician, Agya Koo Nimo. This is part of the President’s directive to honor our living legends and heroes who have contributed immensely to Ghana’s cultural and creative heritage,” he wrote.
The initiative follows President John Dramani Mahama’s recent public call to recognize the contributions of cultural icons while they are still alive.
Speaking at the launch of the 2025 Black Star Experience, the President underscored the importance of honoring pioneers such as Agya Koo Nimo during their lifetime rather than posthumously.
Born Kwabena Boa-Amponsem, Agya Koo Nimo rose to national prominence in the 1950s as a pioneer of palm-wine and traditional highlife music. He is the founder of the Addadam Agofomma ensemble, a group known for its deep-rooted storytelling, masterful guitar rhythms, and indigenous instrumentation that helped shape the identity of Ghanaian music.
Over the decades, Agya Koo Nimo has earned numerous accolades, including the prestigious Order of the Volta in 2007, the Asanteman Award from the Asantehene, and multiple lifetime achievement honors. Beyond his performances, he has held key leadership roles within Ghana’s music industry, serving as President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) in 1979 and as interim chairman of the Copyright Society of Ghana (COSGA) in 1985.
The Minister of Tourism disclosed that this recognition is part of a broader government effort to celebrate and support aging creatives. She noted that assistance has already been extended to 25 elderly actors from the Kumawood film industry as well as the families of deceased creative industry figures.
