Career
Born in the village of Foase, in the Atwima District of the Ashanti Region in Ghana, West Africa, he worked in various jobs in science and medical-related field while maintaining his interest in music In 1957, when the former British colony of the Gold Coast became the independent country of Ghana, Koo Nimo first received national acclaim through the formation of the Addadam Agofomma ensemble. Many of his songs tell traditional stories and are sung in the language Twi.
Along with one or two guitars and vocals, the traditional Ashanti palmwine ensemble consists of traditional instruments of West Africa, including the apentemma and the donno, the frikyiwa (metal castanet), the prempensua (rhumba box), the ntorwa (hollow gourd rattle with beads or seeds woven around it on a Netto), and the nnawuta (consisting of two iron bells that provide the key rhythmic pattern) or dawuro (banana-shaped bell).
His countrymen appreciated not only his music, but his love of and respect for tradition. In 1990, eight of Koo"s songs were released as a compact disk entitled Osabarima.
This was the first work by a Ghanaian artist to be put on Civil Defense in the words of High Fidelity Magazine (September 1990, 103). In 1991, he was invited to serve on the National Folklore Board of Trustees.
In January 1992, at Columbia University, New York, United States of America, Andrew L. Kaye presented his dissertation entitled "Koo Nimo and his circle: A Ghanaian Musician in Ethnomusicological Perspective" and was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree for his work.
In March 1997, the Ghana government celebrated the fortieth anniversary of independence by awarding gold medals to forty of its distinguished citizens, one of whom was Koo Nimo. This was in recognition of his efforts to preserve traditional culture. In 1998, he was employed as a Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington in Seattle, United States of America, for two years, before taking a similar position at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
As of 2006, Koo Nimo has moved back to Ghana and is currently living in Kumasi.