President John Dramani Mahama has called for a national celebration to honour Ghana’s iconic “King of Palmwine Music,” Agya Koo Nimo, while he is still alive.
“We watched the Palmwine music, and I asked if the king of Palmwine music was still alive and I hear he’s alive,” he said when he launched the Black Star Experience on Thursday May 1.
“This is a man we must honour before he passes because that was a genre of music that has become a part of our musical archive and our folklore.”
Palmwine music, a soulful genre blending traditional Ghanaian rhythms with guitar melodies, owes much of its prominence to Agya Koo Nimo, a revered figure whose work has preserved and popularised this cultural treasure.
The President emphasised the need to act swiftly to celebrate such luminaries, rather than waiting to mourn them.
“For people like this, we shouldn’t wait until they die and go and cry at their funerals,” he continued. “So wherever our Agya Koo Nimo is, Dzifa, you and your team, organise some ceremony. Let’s honour him. I know he’s been honoured in the past. Let’s honor him again before God calls him.”
Agya Koo Nimo, now in his advanced years, remains a towering figure in Ghanaian music, known for his storytelling through song and his dedication to preserving traditional sounds. Fans and cultural advocates are hopeful that this renewed call to honor him will inspire similar recognition for other living legends.
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