Agya Koo Nimo to Be Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at 2025 Ghana Celebrity Impact Awards

On June 7, 2025, Ghanaian music legend Agya Koo Nimo will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ghana Celebrity Impact Awards (GCIA) at the Conference Centre Arena in Accra, celebrating his unparalleled contributions to palm wine music and highlife. Known as the "King of Palm Wine Music," the 90-year-old icon, born Daniel Amponsah, has shaped Ghana’s cultural landscape over seven decades with his delicate finger-picking guitar style and soulful compositions like Ͻdͻnson and ABROKYIRE ABRABO. 

His work with the Addadam Agofomma ensemble, formed in 1957, blends traditional Akan storytelling with modern rhythms, inspiring generations of musicians. The GCIA recognition, announced on May 5, 2025, follows a call from President John Mahama to honor Nimo’s legacy, highlighting his role as a national treasure.

The award celebrates Nimo’s enduring influence, from his groundbreaking 1990 CD Osabarima. The first by a Ghanaian artiste to his mentorship of guitarists like Akablay and Enoch Owuraku Kissi, who credit him as a “godfather” of Ghanaian guitarists. Dr. Kwami E. Ametorvie, GCIA’s Director of Programs, praised Nimo’s “immeasurable” contributions, noting his global impact through performances and lectures at universities like Columbia and the University of Washington. 

Despite health challenges that prevented his attendance at the 2023 AUCC Boabab Lifetime Achievement Award, Nimo’s legacy remains vibrant, with the upcoming GCIA ceremony promising a spectacular tribute featuring performances by the Legon Palmwine Band. This honor underscores Nimo’s role in preserving Ghana’s cultural heritage and his timeless resonance in African music.