President John Dramani Mahama has called on the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, to organise a national ceremony in honour of highlife icon Agya Koo Nimo. The appeal was made during the official launch of the Black Star Experience, held at Black Star Square in Accra on Thursday, May 1, 2025.
Commending the Legon Palmwine Band’s performance at the event, President Mahama paid special tribute to Agya Koo Nimo, hailing him as a pioneer of the palmwine music genre and a key figure in Ghana’s cultural and musical heritage. Mahama stressed the importance of celebrating such legends while they are still alive to witness the nation’s appreciation of their contributions.
“We watched the palmwine music and I asked if the King of Palmwine music was still alive—Agya Koo Nimo—and I hear he is. This is a man we must honour before he passes. That genre has become part of our musical archive and folklore. We shouldn’t wait until people like him are gone before we mourn them at their funerals,” the President remarked.
He urged Dzifa Gomashie and her team to spearhead the planning of the tribute. “I know he has been honoured before, but let’s honour him again before God calls him,” he added.
Agya Koo Nimo, a revered figure in Ghana’s music scene, has received several prestigious accolades over the years, including the Order of the Volta Award in 2007, the Asanteman Award from the Asantehene, the Konkoma Award, and Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards and the Entertainment Achievement Awards.
The Black Star Experience, which Mahama graced as Guest of Honour, brought together key stakeholders from the tourism, arts, and creative sectors. Positioned as Ghana’s flagship brand in culture, arts, and tourism, the Black Star Experience is designed to connect local and global audiences to the heart of Ghanaian hospitality and heritage. It offers a platform for exploration and appreciation of the country’s cultural richness and creative expression.
Rex Owusu Marfo, popularly known as Rex Omar and Coordinator of the Black Star Experience, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the performers, speakers, partners, volunteers, and attendees—both in person and online—for making the launch a success. “As we celebrate this milestone, let’s sustain the momentum and continue to embody the spirit of the Black Star,” he said.
The launch also featured the unveiling of the official Black Star Experience logo, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana’s cultural tourism journey.