Retired professor of Linguistics, Kwesi Yankah, has been awarded the Distinguished Scholar Award by the Association for African Rhetoric (AAR) for his significant contributions to the field of African rhetoric.

The award was presented at the AAR’s 10th Biennial Conference in Accra, Ghana. This year's conference, themed "The Rhetoric of Crisis: Centering Global African Epistemologies," took place from July 3-5 at the University of Ghana and attracted academics from across Africa and the African diaspora.

The AAR, based in South Africa, is a group of scholars, rhetoricians, and researchers dedicated to exploring the role of rhetoric and speech communication within political, social, and cultural contexts. At the conference’s concluding banquet, Professor Yankah was celebrated for his extensive work in African rhetoric.

Professor Yankah previously delivered a keynote address titled "Africa as Crisis: Rhetorical Responses to Epidemics." His award citation highlighted his profound impact on the study of rhetoric in various areas, including royal oratory, proverbial discourse, health narratives, political communication, and democratic practices.

The citation read: "The African Association for Rhetoric (AAR) is honored to present the Distinguished Scholar Award to Kwesi Yankah, a former professor of Linguistics and fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. Through his insightful scholarship, Professor Yankah has made significant breakthroughs in the study of African rhetoric, paving the way for a new generation of African rhetoricians.

His scholarly work, spanning royal oratory, proverbial discourse, health narratives, political communication, and democratic practice, has enriched our understanding of the power of language and culture. It has also provided essential material for scholars seeking to expand the theoretical language of a field dominated by Euro-American perspectives.

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As a public intellectual, Professor Yankah has bridged the gap between academia and the community through his journalistic discourse. His eloquent writing, as Kwatriot and Abonsam Fireman, for example, showcases the power of rhetoric to shape and transform civic life. The African Association for Rhetoric presents Professor Yankah with this award as a testament to his remarkable contributions to the study of African rhetoric."

Professor Yankah’s work has not only enriched the understanding of language and culture but also provided valuable insights for scholars aiming to expand the theoretical framework of a field traditionally dominated by Euro-American perspectives.

His achievements in royal oratory, proverbial discourse, health narratives, political communication, and democratic practices have made a lasting impact on both academia and the wider community.