TRIBUTE BY NII ADDOKWEI MOFFATT
THE 21 DANCE SALUTE
From humble beginnings
You rose to become a
dance colossus.
Developing and promoting dance.
And
to many you gave a chance
to shine and glitter as stars,
to take bows if even on Mars.
Nii, you reached the pinnacle
Of
your trade and sold articles
of your creativity across the world
that put Ghana on the map.
You crafted dance to the joy
Of
many in Ghana, Africa and beyond.
Your distinct footprints would
enable others to walk in paths
you had trodden for posterity’s
Benefit.
Go on as others before you did,
to tell the ancestors what you achieved.
Tell them you passed with distinction
and left legacies that would root
Generations
in our culture, show them the way
to what is right and proper.
Now you can drink and dine with them
that left before you.
Your
work is done, good worker.
The path has been cleared for your passage,
to the great beyond and guides wait
to lead you to them who would keep you
Company.
Quicken your steps, divine dancer
for the drums beat the message of your arrival
as the atentenben begin to whine in solemn harmony.
We salute you! For you have played your part.
Welldone,
welldone, welldone, welldone, welldone
The fontonfrom proclaims 21 times
Receive your 21 dance salute
Take your place brother… Take your place
For you have earned a place among them that are GREAT.
MY journey into the fold of the arts family was influenced by a number of people as a young man. The first on the list was the late Saka Acquaye whom I watched most evenings rehearse “Obadjen” a musical with his group, the late Evans Hunter and Emary Brown who held my hand on the drama trail and Edward Ameyibor who pointed the road for me in the area of journalism.
Then came Nii Yartey who out of the blue with tact and cunning got me to work with him for over a decade. Even when I managed to slip out of his hands, he still managed to get me to work with him on many of his dance projects.
I owe some of the sharp skills in administration, the discipline and sound work ethics I possess to this gem of a man who decided that I had something to offer the Ghana Dance Ensemble and the University of Ghana.
In 1986, while working as the Public Relations Manager of the Arts Council of Ghana, I was approached by F. Nii Yartey (The F remains that even though it is Francis) to join the Ghana Dance Ensemble, based at the Institute of African Studies of the University of Ghana. He explained why he needed me.
According to him, he wanted to have a National Dance Company like the Guinea Ballet, which travels around the world and has made Guinea very popular while raking in so much money for that country.
“Moff, we have more dances from our many ethnic groups than they have and yet we are not making it as we should. Please, join me to push Ghana on the map of the world,” he said to me.
I told him I would think about it.
However, I did not even have that luxury of thinking about it and within a month, I was a staff of the Ghana Dance Ensemble. The rest is history. We researched dances, ran workshops and participated in dance festivals and engagements at theatres across the world.
Nii was a genius in every sense of the word and managed to spot talents as soon as he came into contact with them. He moulded them to suit his purpose, which was dance and included them in his team. Dance was his life and just editing his articles and papers on dance and its development was enough tutorial for me to understand that performing art.
He was the epitome of strength and never seemed to tire and worked the group like a military set–up, drilling dancers and drummers into sharp disciplined performers who were not allowed to bleach, grow unnecessarily fat or belong to other groups apart from the Ghana Dance Ensemble.
Many who complained about the drill, after exiting the company, eventually praised his strict training regime especially on joining other professional dance companies.
The production and administrative staff, closed only after he called it a day. Not many people who joined the company lasted long but thankfully, his executive team of Grace Djabaki Djabatey, Production Manager, myself, Theatre and PR Manager, David Amoo, Stage Manager and our Secretary Juliana Hanson stuck together through thick and thin. We ate together and watched each other’s backs, so to speak.
It was, however, not always rosy. There were times when tempers rose purely in the area of work. This happened mostly when there was an upcoming production.
Nii was a perfectionist and wanted everything done to the last detail. That was not always possible and the frustrations and anguish turned into shouts and threats, which became normal after the production. He could not stand to see anyone moody or out of sorts especially if he thought he was the cause.
We often took advantage of this soft nature of his to keep him in line and sober during rehearsals for major productions. His ready smile and affable nature was extremely infectious and I am yet to find anyone who does not like Nii.
A believer in our culture and a true patriot who recognised the need to have a sound foundation of our dance, music and dramatic traditions, he fought and employed Prof. Emeritus Mawere Opoku and Saka Acquaye who were both retired as resource persons to impart their vast knowledge to the group.
He did everything to ensure that the National Dance Company was the best in Ghanaian dance. I don’t know if the University of Ghana has forgiven us for moving out with the company to become the resident company of the National Theatre.
He, together with Dr Mohammed Ibn Abdallah, fought for the autonomy of the National Dance and Drama companies to enable them blossom to the fullest. One of his major concerns as Chairman of the National Theatre of Ghana Board, was the plan by the National Theatre to integrate the national companies, which he believed would lead to the curtailment of their independence, something we know was not won on a silver platter.
The formation of the Noyam Dance Institute was another of his dreams that came into fruition and has successfully trained a number of young people who have become professional dancers holding their own in Ghana and abroad.
Nii’s creative pieces, which can be classified as classics, were and are still a joy to watch and they would be around for generations to come. Moreover, he trained so many people who would follow his footsteps as his footprints are imprinted at several places across the world.
Prof. F. Nii Yartey, our plans remain on hold until we meet again because you have taken the lead too early without even a goodbye. What more can I say, except to thank the good Lord for your life, which you lived to the fullest.
My brother, colleague and friend, farewell! May you be guided to the right path to the great beyond by the light, which will lead you to the ancestors and into the bosom of your maker, where you will enjoy eternal peace.
Nii Yartey Yaa Wo Odjogban
Rest In Perfect Peace
God Be With You