President Mahama eulogises late Prof Francis Nii Yartey

President John Dramani Mahama has eulogised the late Prof. Francis Nii-Yartey, describing him as an icon who paid his dues to his nation.

During a visit to the home of the deceased last Friday to express his condolence to the bereaved family, the President said Professor Yartey became synonymous with the National Dance Company.

Government, he stated, would provide the needed support to the family and the Creative Arts industry towards his funeral and burial.

Prof. Nii-Yartey who is acknowledged as Ghana's foremost dance and theatre teacher, died in India late last month.

Earlier at the National Honours and Awards Ceremony 2015, President Mahama had called for a minute's silence to be observed in honour of the late dance choreographer.

Professor Francis Nii-Yartey was for many years, the Artistic Director and Choreographer of the Ghana Dance Ensemble, which later became the National Dance Company of the National Theatre of Ghana.

An Associate Professor at the School of Performing Arts of the University of Ghana, the late Nii-Yartey was also a Visiting Cornell Professor at the Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, USA.

He fell ill while on an international assignment in India during the India Africa Summit and died a few days later on November 26, 2015. His body has since been brought home for burial.