Senate Resolution No. 1573
BY: Senator PARKER
HONORING the Young, Gifted, & Black
Entrepreneurial Awards for its continued commitment
to celebrating cultural leadership, global
citizenship, and community empowerment, and for
bestowing the Global Citizen Icon Award upon
Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend institutions and initiatives that preserve cultural heritage,
advance global unity, and uplift communities through principled
stewardship, visionary leadership, and service grounded in tradition and
innovation; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
the Young, Gifted, & Black Entrepreneurial Awards, upon the occasion of
its presentation of the Global Citizen Icon Award in Cultural Identity,
Diaspora Advancement, and Socioeconomic Empowerment on Wednesday,
February 25, 2026, celebrating exemplary leadership rooted in culture,
service, and global responsibility; and
WHEREAS, Established in 2006 by founder Carl Gray, the Young,
Gifted, & Black Entrepreneurial Awards is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to recognizing and celebrating distinguished individuals of
color whose leadership and service have made lasting global impact,
while uplifting excellence grounded in community, culture, and purpose;
and
WHEREAS, In furtherance of this mission, the Young, Gifted, & Black
Entrepreneurial Awards has selected Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, the 26th
occupant of the Ofori Kuma Stool of Akuapem and King of the Akuapems
(Okuapehene), as the recipient of the Global Citizen Icon Award in
Cultural Identity, Diaspora Advancement, and Socioeconomic Empowerment,
in recognition of his exemplary stewardship of tradition, commitment to
socioeconomic advancement, and leadership within the global African
diaspora; and
WHEREAS, Born Odehye Kwadwo Kesse Antwi on February 24, 1986,
Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III ascended the Ofori Kuma Stool on May 3, 2020,
following his selection as the eligible heir to his late uncle,
Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III, thereby continuing a revered lineage of
traditional authority, cultural guardianship, and service to the Akuapem
people; and
WHEREAS, Rooted in royal heritage through both parental lineages of
the Agona and Asona clans, His Majesty embodies the values of
discipline, faith, service, and leadership instilled through an
upbringing dedicated to cultural continuity and national service; and
WHEREAS, His Majesty pursued academic and professional excellence in
Ghana and the United States, completing his secondary education at
Presbyterian Boys' High School (PRESEC) in Legon, Ghana, earning an
Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration from Westchester
Community College in Valhalla, New York-where he was inducted into the
Alpha Beta Gamma Business Honor Society-and later earning a Bachelor of
Science in Business Administration from Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry,
New York; and
WHEREAS, While residing in New York City, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III
gained extensive experience in hospitality management, operations, and
entrepreneurship, holding leadership roles at The Mark Hotel, Empire
City Casino, and Crowne Plaza Times Square, and founding American Link
Estates LLC, reflecting a global perspective shaped by diaspora
engagement; and
WHEREAS, Upon returning to Ghana, His Majesty co-founded Jupe Global
Company Limited, a business consulting and investment facilitation firm
committed to transforming emerging and struggling enterprises into
sustainable ventures across agriculture, waste recycling, healthcare,
and technology, aligning economic growth with social responsibility; and
WHEREAS, As Okuapehene, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III has articulated a
forward-looking vision for peace, unity, justice, and sustainable
development within Okuapeman, working collaboratively with traditional
authorities and government institutions to advance education,
industrialization, youth empowerment, poverty alleviation, and the
preservation of Akuapem customs and laws; and
WHEREAS, In furtherance of this vision, His Majesty established the
Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo Foundation (OKWAF), a philanthropic initiative
dedicated to expanding access to healthcare, education, and sustainable
employment, with particular emphasis on supporting schools for the blind
and deaf, rural students, aged citizens, and low-income families
throughout Okuapeman and Ghana's Eastern Region; and
WHEREAS, Through his leadership, philanthropy, and lived experience
within the African diaspora, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III exemplifies the
ideals of cultural preservation, socioeconomic empowerment, and
transnational engagement that define responsible modern traditional
leadership; and
WHEREAS, The Global Citizen Icon Award in Cultural Identity,
Diaspora Advancement, and Socioeconomic Empowerment, bestowed by the
Young, Gifted, & Black Entrepreneurial Awards, fittingly reflects the
organization's mission to honor leaders who strengthen global Black
identity while advancing inclusive development rooted in heritage and
innovation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor the Young, Gifted, & Black Entrepreneurial Awards for its
continued commitment to celebrating cultural leadership, global
citizenship, and community empowerment, and for bestowing the Global
Citizen Icon Award upon Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Young, Gifted, & Black Entrepreneurial Awards and to
Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, as a lasting expression of the highest
respect and esteem of this Legislative Body.
