... to a hero's welcome
... Glad You’re Home, Kofi - JAK
Accra, Jan. 24, GNA - Busumuru Kofi Annan, Ghana's top diplomat and Immediate-Past Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) arrived back home on Tuesday night to a hero's welcome.

Among the huge crowd of people from all walks of life who thronged the Kotoka International Airport to welcome him and his Swedish wife, Nane, were President John Agyekum Kufuor and wife Theresa; Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama and wife Ramatu; the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi-Huges, Professor Daniel Adzei Bekoe, Chairman of the Council of State; Ministers of State, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Chiefs and religious leaders.

As the Alitalia flight carrying Busumuru Annan touched down at exactly 2210 hours, the people went into frenzy, cheered and waved miniature Ghanaian flags amidst traditional drumming and dancing. The Former UN Chief and the wife were presented with the "Akwaaba" bouquet by Janet Afriyie Mensah and Susana Manu, when they stepped down from the gangway.

He then exchanged pleasantries with President Kufuor and Vice President Mahama after which the President escorted him to do same with the welcoming party accompanied by Kete drumming, an honour reserved for only chiefs.

With that over President Kufuor and Busumuru Annan went into the VVIP lounge, in front of which, two giant portraits of the retired UN Secretary-General had been placed on the walls, for private discussions.

Later in brief remarks, Busumuru Annan thanked the entire nation for the support and encouragement, without which, he said he could not have done the job the way he did it.

"The journey had been long and I have completed a cycle."

Born in Kumasi on April 8, 1938, Busumuru Annan joined the UN in 1962, working with the World Health Organisation in Geneva and also served with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. At the UN Headquarters in New York, he held senior positions in diverse range of areas including human resource management, budget and finance and peacekeeping.

Busumuru Annan was Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping at a time when nearly 70,000 military and civilian personnel were deployed in UN operations around the world.

He was elected the Secretary-General of the World Body in 1997 and completed his two five-year term on December 31, 2006.