When the Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF) notified me about the nomination of ‘Dr. Yaw Perbi’ as a 2025 awardee in the ‘Inspirational, Motivation & Mind’ category, they requested a one-minute, sort-of ‘justification’ video. I’m reliably informed they were… let’s just say, not disappointed.

But I was quick to write back to remind them that I had had the honour of being an awardee before, nearly two decades prior (2006), thus this might be a tautologous oversight. That said award ceremony—the National Youth Excellence Awards—was barely a week after our August 12 wedding, at the University of Ghana’s Great Hall atop the Legon hill.

Of course the MEF had the records; after all this was a public matter, nay national, for the award presented to me by the then-Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, was the Highest Achievement Award, or Highest Award for Excellence, crowning all the various sectoral awards for sports, writing, entrepreneurship etc. The twenty-three other awardees cut across all then-ten regions of Ghana. 

In the presence of several ministers of state, members of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries, I received the topmost award–Highest Award for Excellence–for males and Abena Amoah (now Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange) for females. We were featured in the national newspapers and other media. Ghana’s Minister of Health then, Major (Rtd.) Courage Quashigah, took it upon himself to drive all the way to the 37 Military Hospital, where I was serving as a house officer, to pay homage to my Commanding Officer and congratulate me. He put his admiration and hope together in a letter, dated September 28, 2006, a portion of which read:

“I write to personally congratulate you for being a recipient of the Highest Award for Excellence at the recent Newmont Ghana National Youth Achievers 2006 Awards… We in the health sector are very proud of you and urge you to continue to be an Outstanding Achiever… It is my hope that you will bring your charisma and devotion to bear on every youth you encounter and they in turn will emulate your leadership example. On behalf of the entire health sector and on my own behalf, please accept my congratulations.”

Despite all of that significance of that Highest Achievement Award back in 2006, the MEF was quick to remind me that that was a special #YOUTH awards edition, title-sponsored by Newmont Corporation Ghana. As part of their corporate social responsibility, they were bent on contributing to shaping talents in Ghana. Now, THIS—the 2025 Millennium Excellence Awards—was the real deal. For boys to men. And that the great Asante king himself, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, was not just party to but even patron of this ‘new and improved,’ and adult, edition.

To have twice received this most prestigious national recognition in two decades for just being what the Almighty made me to be and for merely doing what He’s commissioned me to do, with excellence, is my humblest honour.

O for more of my utmost for much more of His highest glory!

PS. You may view the one-minute impact video now on YouTube.

REFERENCES 

Ghana News Agency (GNA). “We are committed to shaping talents in Ghana – Newmont.” See Ghana Web: https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/We-are-committed-to-shaping-talents-in-Ghana-Newmont-109326

Abubakar, Razak Mardorgyz. “Ghana: Excellent Awards Foundation Honours Ghanaian Youth.” All Africa. See https://allafrica.com/stories/200608220578.html

Quashiga, Courage (Major Rtd.). Congratulatory Letter to Dr. Yaw Perbi dated September 28, 2006.