Sankofaonline News Desk | March 15,2026.
Willowbrook, IL — March 13, 2026
On a night when Ghana’s colors glowed like embers in the hall of Ashton Place, when drums whispered the old stories and the diaspora gathered to salute 69 years of independence, Dr. Mark Kutame’s name was one of five that rose above the applause like a libation poured to the ancestors.
Other recipients include the following distinguished honorees:
Rev. Dr. Mary Adufah was honored with the Community Excellence Award, a distinction accepted on her behalf by Pastor Gideon Barden, who conveyed her deep commitment to service, empowerment, and community uplift.
The celebration also recognized Mr.Godwin Asanga, who received a Special Recognition Award for his impactful contributions and steadfast dedication to community advancement.
Nana Baffour Ampoma Ahwene was presented with the Cultural Preservation and Heritage Award, acknowledging his vital role in safeguarding cultural identity and championing the traditions that strengthen communal bonds.
Completing the roster of honorees, Nana Adututu Bofa received the Community Partner Award in recognition of his collaborative leadership and his meaningful efforts to support and elevate community initiatives.
Dr. Kutame , scholar, mentor, cultural guardian, and unshakable pillar of the Ghanaian community , was summoned to the stage to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ghana National Council. And as he rose and walked forward, the room did not merely applaud; it released a long, grateful breath.
For more than 25 years, Dr. Kutame shaped minds at Chicago State University, teaching Health and Physical Education with the quiet authority of a man who knows that knowledge is a seed and students are fertile ground. But his classroom was only one of his sanctuaries.
In the community, he became something larger , a bridge, a compass, a keeper of the flame.He serves as the Right‑Wing Chief of the Ewe Association, a ceremonial seat of honor that affirms his stature as a guardian of tradition and a steady hand beside the leadership.
He served the Council of Ewe Associations of North America, CEANA, and the Ghana National Council with a devotion that turned service into legacy. His fingerprints are on the great cultural milestones of the diaspora , GhanaFest, Ghana@50, and countless initiatives that stitched the community together across generations.
Today, he stands as President of the Anfoega Association of North America and Chairman of the NDC Chicago Branch, roles he carries with the same steady humility that has defined his life’s journey.
So when his name was announced at Ghana @69, it felt less like an award and more like a coronation , a recognition of a man who has spent decades lifting others, preserving culture, and reminding the diaspora that identity is not a memory but a living inheritance.
The Ghana National Council described him as a man whose life “embodies the spirit of service that strengthens our community.” But the community itself said even more , in the warmth of its applause, in the pride in its eyes, in the quiet nods of elders who know what it means to labor for the future.
On this night, Ghana celebrated 69 years of independence.But it also celebrated a man who has spent his life ensuring that the story of Ghana , its culture, its people, its dignity , continues to shine far from home.
Dr. Mark Kutame’s legacy continues to inspire, reminding the community that true leadership is measured not only by titles held, but by lives touched and traditions preserved.
Well deserved Dr. Kutame .