Ghana's 66th Independence Day celebration took place at the Regional Youth Resource Centre at Adaklu in the Volta Region, under the theme “Our Unity, Our Strength, Our Purpose.”
Lord Commey, Director of Operations at the office of the president, said that the president chose the region as host of the annual celebration in line with his personal commitment to rotate the event among the regions to enhance national cohesion.
The occasion was graced by the President of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo who doubles as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as the special guest of honour, as well as some powerful chiefs in the region including Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, Togbui Sri III, Togbui Fiti among others.
While speaking at the anniversary, President Nana Akufo-Addo praised some individuals from the region who have greatly contributed to the nation's development.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is part of Ghana has produced, arguably, the nation’s two greatest composers, Ephraim Amu, composer of that great anthem, Mia denyigba lorlor la (Yen Ara Asase Ni), who taught us to take pride in our culture, and Phillip Gbeho, composer of Ghana’s vibrant and much loved national anthem; Daniel Chapman Nyaho, one of Ghana’s most eminent administrators who, at independence, helped ensure a seamless transition when the British left; the Reverend Ametorwobla, that powerful orator who proved you could be both a priest and a politician; and Esther Ocloo, née Nkulenu, trail-blazer and industrialist extraordinaire, whose entrepreneurial spirit lives on.
"This is the part of Ghana that also gave us Komla Agbeli Gbedemah, Ghana’s first Minister for Finance and one of the founding fathers of our nation, and the charismatic Jerry John Rawlings, first president of the Fourth Republic and Ghana’s longest serving head of state,” part of the president's speech said.
GhanaWeb has compiled a list of all the seven Voltarians lauded by the president during his speech at the 66th Independence Day celebration.
1. Jerry John Rawlings
John Jerry Rawlings was the first president of the Fourth Republic and Ghana’s longest-serving head of state. He was a Ghanaian military officer and a politician who led the country in 1979, and then from 1981 to 2001. He was born on June 22, 1947, and died on November 12, 2020.
2. Ephraim Amu
He was born on 13 September 1899 at Peki-Avetile of the Volta Region and died on 2 January 1995.
Ephraim Amu was a Ghanaian composer, musicologist, and teacher. He is well known as the composer of one of Ghana's most popular patriotic songs, 'Yen Ara Asase Ni'.
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3. Komla Agbeli Gbedemah
He was a Ghanaian politician and the first ever Ghana Minister of Finance in Nkrumah’s government between 1954 and 1961. He is popularly known as ‘Afro Gbede’. Gbedemah was born at Anyako in the Volta region on June 17, 1913, and died on July 11, 1998.
4. Phillip Gbeho
Philip Comi Gbeho was a Ghanaian musician, composer, and teacher
He was born on January 14, 1904, in a fishing community at Keta in the Volta region and died on September 24, 1976.
Philp Gbeho is also known as the composer of the Ghana National Anthem; God bless our homeland Ghana.
5. Daniel Ahmling Chapman Nyaho
Daniel Ahmling was a Ghanaian statesman and a diplomat. He was born on July 5, 1909, at Keta in the Volta region and died on July 13, 2021 at age 92.
Chapman Nyaho was one of Ghana’s most eminent administrators who, at independence, helped ensure a seamless transition when the British left.
6. Esther Ocloo
Esther Afua Ocloo was a Ghanaian businesswoman, who was among the founders of Women's World Banking in 1976. She was born on April 18, 1919, at Peki Dzake and died on February 8 2002 at age 82.
7. Reverend Ametorwobla,
Reverend Ametorwobla was a powerful orator who proved that one could be both a priest and a politician.
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