Age is just a number, and 92 never looked this good on a man as it does on the veteran highlife musician, Agya Koo Nimo, who has demonstrated so much humility in his career as a musician.
The doyen, known in real life as Daniel Amponsah was born in a village called Foase, in the Ashanti Region in Ghana, West Africa.
He worked in various science and medical related fields while maintaining his interest in music.
In 1957, when the former British colony of the Gold Coast became the independent country of Ghana, Koo Nimo received national acclaim through the formation of the Addadem Ago(ro)mma ensemble and subsequent songs to boost the pride of Ghanaians.
Many of his songs tell traditional stories and are mostly sung in the twi language. He is also popularly known for his Palm Wine ensemble which consists of traditional instruments of West Africa, including the apentemma and the donno, the frikyiwa (metal castanet), the ntorwa, etc.
Agya Koo Nimo was the first Ghanaian musician to record on CD! He was President of MUSIGA, The Musicians Union of Ghana. Agya Koo Nimo has received many awards including the prestigious Asanteman award from the Asantehene. He has received the Flagstar Award from Ghana’s Entertainment Critics, a gold medal awarded to distinguished citizens of the country, and also the Konkoma Award for his contribution to Ghanaian Highlife Music. He is also a recipient of an honorary doctorate degree from the Kwame Nkrumah university of science and technology.
And here I was, a young teacher, who never dreamt of ever meeting this legend, sitting at his feet and listening to his wisdom .
The 2023 WTIG cohort Sankofa participated in a workshop with Agya Koo Nimo at his residence. The workshop, Proverbs, Music and the Royal Palace, stressed the importance of story-telling, music, dance and proverbs in social commentary. The traditions of the Akan royal courts formed the foundations for these elements of Akan culture. The Cohort learned how to dance and interpret dance movements and gestures. The highlight of the workshop was listening to Agya Koo Nimo and his group play the famous Palm Wine Music. Yes, and here I was in the presence of a bigger than life personality, and yet I felt at ease.
As I watched the legend play his guitar and sing, I felt a surge of wonder. I wanted to celebrate him even more. I found out why I was at ease in his presence. It was his gentle ways, his warm manners , his respect, his authenticity and above all, his humility.
My group of foreign and local teachers soaked in Koo Nimo’s words of wisdom and some even asked him to bless them. In Ghana you may ask an older person like Agya (father) Koo Nimo to bless you before you leave their presence. I knew that is simple act like that would inspire many young teachers and give them confidence to influence the future. In his speech to us, the father of palmwine music ( Koo Nimo doesn’t drink alcohol) encouraged us to use education to change the world and spread the good virtues of Ghanaian traditions and culture.
Through his music, proverbs and life example, Agya Koo Nimo has contributed to Ghanaian society, and more importantly, to educators all over the world.
In his interactions with the cohort of North American and Ghanaian teachers, Agya Koo Nimo demonstrated not only mastery, knowledge but also humility. You felt you were the only one he spoke to; the only one he paid attention to, and the only one he saw.
I left the workshop with my head held up high! Koo Nimo continues to inspire young people like me to become lifelong learners and leaders even in his later years, and I am one of the beneficiaries!
Agya koo Nimo is the solution to what seems to me to be the deterioration of focus by the average Ghanaian youth. Young people find foreign cultures and traditions outside theirs more attractive, and seem to be corrupting our culture and values in the process.
I consider myself lucky and privileged to have sat under Agya Koo Nimo's feet and to receive not only his inspiring wisdom, but also his blessings.
I figured it out. It is this man’s humility that allowed him to be filled with such wisdom.
Like the spider once did, Koo Nimo seems to have gathered as much wisdom in the world but continues to listen and search for more, even from the youth and unexpected places.
AYEKOO Agya Koo Nimo! Mo Mo Mo!
By Samuel Delali Awutey, Computing and Creative Arts Teacher for Grades 7-9, The Doryumu Methodist Basic School, Shai Osudoku District, Greater Accra, and The Witness Tree Institute of Ghana.