I refer to the story published on your online portal on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, titled “Ga Mantse Unveils Sacred Crown Awards.”
In that report, it was stated that the Paramount Chief of Ga Marshie, Nii Tecko Tsuru, has launched a “Sacred Crown Award” aimed at recognizing individuals, institutions, and communities that preserve and promote African culture. The award also seeks to identify, honor, and promote outstanding contributors in the areas of integrity, impact, leadership, spirituality, wellness, and service to humanity. The categories include Spirituality, African Heritage, and Wellness.
However, I must express my strong reservations about this initiative. In my view, this award is unnecessary and adds to the already saturated landscape of awards, which continue to erode public trust. It does little to promote economic development and appears to be a waste of resources.
This venture seems to be a purely individualistic effort focused on self-promotion rather than delivering meaningful service to the people of Ghana. It is important to note that Ghana already boasts numerous awards that celebrate mastery, creativity, entrepreneurship, craftsmanship, leadership, community engagement, and cultural preservation across various sectors—including the arts, manufacturing, business, and governance.
Examples include the Gong Gong Awards by the Advertising Association of Ghana, the TVET Excellence Awards by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Commission, Ghana Manufacturing Awards, Ghana CEO Awards, and the AGI Ghana Industry and Quality Awards. These recognize excellence in business, craftsmanship, and industry.
Furthermore, awards like the Otumfuo/UNESCO Arts Awards, Sankofa Pan-African Awards, Joy Impact Makers Awards, and the National Photo Competition by the Ministry of Tourism honor individuals, NGOs, and institutions engaged in tradition, heritage preservation, education, and community service.
The most prestigious awards—namely the State Awards, Millennium Excellence Awards, and Ghana Club 100—also recognize leaders and institutions making significant contributions to academia, culture, youth development, business, and national progress.
It is clear that the current awards landscape already covers the areas this new “Sacred Crown Award” purports to address. This new initiative is therefore redundant, unprogressive, and unlikely to contribute positively to Ghana’s growth.
Moreover, the title “Sacred Crown Award” is un-Ghanaian and un-African in tone. It offers no clear path toward fostering unity, healing, or transformation among Ghanaians. How will this award help preserve our spirituality and wellness? What scientific or transparent metrics can be used to evaluate such intangible qualities?
This initiative appears to be a publicity stunt—a self-promotional enterprise for Nii Tecko Tsuru, aimed at elevating his profile above that of other chiefs in Greater Accra. The proliferation of questionable awards over the years has resulted in what I term a “vanity award” system, which devalues genuine recognitions and diminishes public confidence in awards altogether.
We cannot continue the trend of introducing unmeritorious awards under the guise of national significance, while secretly serving individual or parochial interests.
If any group truly needs unity, identity, healing, and transformation, it is the people of Ga Marshie. This community faces pressing issues such as filth, flooding, and poverty—challenges far more deserving of urgent attention than ceremonial awards.
I urge Ghanaians—especially the government, the National Chief Imam, and the media—to boycott such unnecessary, self-promoting awards. I also humbly appeal to Nii Tecko Tsuru to reconsider his agenda of self-promotion and instead collaborate with other chiefs in Accra. Let us focus on addressing the fundamental issues affecting Ga Marshie and Greater Accra at large, for the collective good of Ghana.
By Kwaku Yeboah, Accra
ykelvin@yahoo.com
