The Obokese Foundation has, as part of its Chieftaincy Development project has launched the first-ever Ghana Chieftaincy Awards with support from the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, National Cultural Commission, and the Manhyia Palac on Thursday night.

The Awards Committee Chairman, Rev. Prof. H. S Amonoo Koufie, emphasised the need for government to throw its weight behind the award scheme because it has the potential to uplift the moral fibre of the country.

He explained in totality the criteria to determine who wins what and assured the country that the Ghana Chieftaincy Awards will soon become the model for award programs in Ghana.

The event, which took place at Golden Bean Hotel, brought together regional presidents of the National House of Chiefs and the leadership of the Queen Mothers Association of Ghana and representation from the National Peace Council, British High Commission, among others.

The event was chaired by the immediate past vice president of the National House of Chiefs Daasebre Kwebu Ewusie VII of Abeadze traditional area.

Daasebre reiterated the relevance of the Chieftaincy institution in the country's development and urged that the institution stay on its ground in reshaping the moral fabric of our society and continue to play that vital role in the development of respective communities and Ghana as a whole.

The chairman of the event, who doubles as the chairman of Ghana Chieftaincy Awards, said, "this award scheme will provide the opportunity for us to reflect upon, celebrate, resurrect and further empower the essential and often unrecognised role that this esteemed institution has played in the republic's pre-colonial history, its' activism and perseverance during the colonial era, and, the role it alone must play in Ghana's present neo-colonial chapter."

He said, "As we look forward, projecting to a new Ghana and new Africa that will reflect our traditional values, institutional structures, and true interests, the Chieftaincy must lead the resistance against unbridled 'westernisation' as well as the charge towards the Ghana and Africa that is in our best interests."

He urged "all to lend their enthusiastic support for this important initiative to complete the independence work of 1957 which ended the European occupation.

This effort will place Ghana firmly on the path towards the eradication of the two remaining legs of the colonial table and usher us into a new era of growth and prosperity befitting our Adehyeman mantra."

Mad. Akosua Abdallah, a director of the National Cultural Commission who represented the Minister for Tourism Culture and Creative Arts, Dr Awal Muhammed, expressed the need for collaborations to place the Chieftaincy institution in its rightful place since it is pivotal in the development of the country.

Other speakers took turns with an insightful delivery, notable among them were Nana Obokese Ampah, the Apagyahen of Asebu Traditional Area, and the chairman of Obokese Foundation said, "there will be a funded community project to awardees dubbed "The Asodzi Project", and this awards scheme will see to the effective implementation of these Asodzi Project, consistent with the unique community needs".

He also said there will be a travel package for all awardees. Rabbi Kohain Halevi, the executive director of Panafest Foundation, enforced that the call of return is not just the optic display of the diasporans showing up at Kotoka International Airport but rather a call to return to the traditions and culture of the land, and urged Nananom to instead rally behind this call to make the institution the spotlight to generations to come.

Speaking with the executive director of the Obokese foundation Ibrahim Kwame Baidoo, on the side, he further explained the importance of the need for all Ghanaians and people of African descent as a whole to forge a common union in the push to regain ourselves through ourselves.

He mentioned that the era where Nananom served as moral police for communities is needed again to bounce back to a disciplined society to curb the menace of social vices we experience today.