MTN’s night of heroes and music

Some of her well-wishers in the hall screamed out loud and rushed onto the stage to embrace her  as Madam Paulina Priscilla Opei was announced as the ultimate winner of the MTN Heroes of Change Season II project last Friday, February 19 at the   Accra International Conference Centre.

She was overcome with emotion as everyone clapped and ‘made some noise’ in her honour for coming up tops in the MTN Ghana Foundation project to identify and honour unsung heroes making a difference in their communities. 

The young people who crowded the stage cheerily took selfies with her and after receiving her citation, trophy and dummy cheque for GH¢100,000, it was dancing all the way for Madam Opei and her supporters.

Some of the nine other finalists in the programme joined in the dancing but the hero everyone hailed most on the night was Madam Opei, a trained nurse  who has over the last 22 years,  devoted her life to transforming lives  and giving hope to children with no parents and no opportunities.

The MTN Heroes of Change  finalists were judged on how their various initiatives in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment

Had impacted the lives of the intended beneficiaries.

The programme was shown on television for 13 weeks and a panel of four judges, with some

Input from the public through voting, determined the winners.

In the health category, Dr Emmanuel Bidzakin was declared winner. He established Faith Community Hospital, the only hospital in Nakpanduri in the Northern Region. The hospital has so far catered for nearly 97,000 people.

Rev Jehu Appiah walked away with the prize in the education category for his   courage and determination in setting up a centre dedicated to the care of children with physical disabilities at Apam in the Central Region.

A social entrepreneur, Mr Nayina Karim, was adjudged winner in the economic empowerment   category. He was recognised for establishing a rehabilitation centre for malnourished children at Karaga in the Northern Region.

Each category winner was given a trophy, citation and GH¢20,000.  All the contestants received hampers and six who did not win in any category had GH¢5,000 each.

The citation from MTN to Madam Opei praised her for devoting decades of  her life to saving lives of children and educating them to the highest levels they could attain because she recognises that educating a child  gives him or her an opportunity to make a good living.

“Thanks to your dedication and love, over 300 children who may otherwise not have made it, can now look forward to a future of endless opportunities,” the citation further said.

There was good, inspiring music on the night as well.  The El Dunamis Choir has steadily established itself as a delightful act and the singers won hearts with their sparkling voices. 

Abena, first runner-up at last year’s MTN Hit-Maker talent contest came on in a shiny, long red dress. Her rendition of Celine Dion’s Hero and Michael Jackson’s Heal the World went down well with the audience as the songs fitted in well with the objective for the gathering.  She also did a track of her own which she said put together purposely for the programme.

Saxophonist Steve Bedie, wore a highlife cloak as he blew his horn away on re-arrangements of the popular Yen Ara Yen Asase Ni and Akan folk song, Kaa No Wa.

Something Inside So Strong, a Labia Siffre original which has been given numerous interpretations over the years, was Becca’s introductory piece. She also did her own pieces, African Woman and Hwe but her long, flowing dress seemed to hinder her movement and she was not as mobile as she usually is on stage.

Kwabena Kwabena sang four songs, Bue Kwan and Bye Bye. He did well to get the audience involved in his act.

The ultimate winner was announced right after his set and bassist Dan Grahl and his band which had backed all the artistes, pumped up the music with El Dunamis in full flow, for Madam Odei and her fans to keep on celebrating her win.