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Miss Golden Stool Week Three: Animuonyam adjudged Star Performer
Representing the people of Kumawu in the Ashanti Region, Animuonyam was last Sunday, November 19, 2023, adjudged Star performer in week three of the Miss Golden Stool Beauty Pageant.
Week three was dedicated to the history of the various Akan communities the contestants represented.
As a result, contestants took their time to narrate these historic feats creatively by blending culture and tradition.
On the night, Animuonyam told the audience the history of the people of Kumawu, how the town started as Apemso, their festival, difficult moments and triumphs.
She was able to tell the historical relationship between the people of Kumawu and Kumasi, as well as how Kum seed was used to determine the traditional capital of the Asante Kingdom.
Animuonyam said, Okomfo Anokye planted two kum trees in the forest and predicted that one tree would live and become the capital of Ashanti. Hence the name Kumasi (the tree lived); the place in which the other tree was planted became Kumawu (the tree died).
“The kum tree planted at Apemso withered, thus died, Apemso was subsequently referred to as Kumawu (“Kum awu” – Kum has died). That of Kwamang flourished hence Kwamang became known as Kumasi (“Kum asi – under the Kum),” she narrated.
Nana Adwoa Awindor the chief judge on the night announced the Star Performer by saying, “According to the judges and our technical team the best performer is Animuonyam.”
She advised Animuonyam to consider acting because she was able to aptly tell the stories through her amazing display on stage.
The judges on the night were enthused with her articulation and audience engagement to the extent that they clapped for her.
For her reward, Animuonyam received souvenirs from sponsors of the programme.
At the end of week three, two contestants, Araba and Oseikrom were evicted for lack of votes.
The judges for Week Three were Nana Adwoa Awindor, Agya Brefa and Mary Nyamekye.
Patrons would be thrilled with another exciting display this Sunday on Adom TV at 8:30 PM.
Season 5 of Miss Golden Stool was launched at a spectacular event on October 15, 2023 on Adom TV.
The pageant is aimed at celebrating Ghana’s cultural diversity, beauty, talent, and intelligence of the contestants.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
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Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
