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WWE Champion Kofi Kingston Meets President Nana Akufo-Addo
After a full day meeting fans and doing press interviews, Kofi Kingston, the first African to win the WWE Championship, paid a visit to the Jubilee House to meet President Nana Akufo-Addo. It’s always an honour to meet the president, especially for someone who never imagined the level of success he has achieved. While patiently waiting for the president, Kingston expressed how incredible it was that he was about to meet the president of Ghana. It’s not anything he would have ever imagined as a young boy.
“If you’re able to achieve your dream there’s nothing more fulfilling,” Kingston said. When asked how he felt about the opportunity to meet the president, “I’m hoping that through this visit, people will know more about Ghana.” He hopes to work towards encouraging other Ghanaians in the diaspora to make a visit home. He expressed that one of his biggest regrets is not travelling with his father to Ghana while he was a senior in high school. His priorities were in finding a job rather than making the trip. It’s only later in life that he realises and appreciates the value in connecting to Ghana.
After a few formal greetings with presidential staff, President Akufo-Addo made his way into the room full of friends, family, WWE crew, members of the Year of Return team, Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Akwasi Agyeman, CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority and Akwasi Ababio, Director of Diaspora Affairs. “We follow you on DSTV and I’m very proud to see the work that you’re doing, the success that you’re having it’s a good advertisement for Ghana, so keep it up,” Akufo-Addo said to Kofi. “You’re very welcome back, 26 years is a long time and I’m assuming it’s not going to be another 26 years.” The president went on to speak highly of Kinston’s mother, H.E. Dr. Elizabeth Sarkodie-Mensah, who is Ghana’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.
“I’m sure this visit will also touch the hearts of some young people in Ghana who will also one day want to become WWE champions,” the president said to Kofi. He presented the WWE champ with a gift; a handwoven Kente sash with his name embroidered. While Kofi presented the president with an honourary Championship belt.
Written by Ivy Prosper
Women in business and tourism call on the Tourism Minister, Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi
Executives of Women in Business and Tourism pay a Courtesy Call on Hon Minister of Tourism, Creative Arts and Culture to welcome her to her new role as the Minister of Tourism, Creative Arts and Culture. The Executive team was led by the President of Women in Business and Tourism Miss Eunice Ogbugo, the Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Organiser, Media and Publicity.
Members of the Group recently visited South Africa for Africa’s Travel Indaba and the Women in Tourism Dinner that was held there were members of Women in Business and Tourism from other SADC countries such as Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Angola were present including Ghana and Nigeria representing West Africa.
The Group informed the Honourable Minister of their plans to officially launch the Women in Business and Tourism Ghana Chapter and West Africa or Ecowas Chapter in Ghana on the 28th of June 2019 at which they have requested the presence of the Honourable Minister to give a keynote address as her Ministry is one of the umbrella ministries they work hand in hand with. The other Ministries the group works under are the Ministry of Business Development, The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The Group also informed the Minister of the reason for the name Women in Business and Tourism because Tourism is multi-sectoral and works for hand in hand with various sectors such as construction, telecom, banking and finance, health and wellness, fashion industries, hospitality, beauty, agriculture, aviation, etc not forgetting the services such as law, accounting, etc etc. The President informed the Minister that their group comprised women owning companies or businesses in all these various sectors including the Tourism industry.
The main objective of the Group is to see to the ownership of Businesses by women, expansion of existing businesses from Small scale to large enterprises, diversification from one Business into other businesses or other business sectors or areas, and expansion beyond the borders of our various countries into other Africa Countries.
By: Kakra Kusi
Kofi Kingston’s Mother and Film Crew Visit Ghana Tourism Authority
Accra – May 29, 2019 / Written by Ivy Prosper
Kofi Kingston’s team, along with his mother, Elizabeth Sarkodie-Mensah, paid a visit to the Ghana Tourism Authority ahead of his arrival on 30th May 2019. In the surprise visit, Mr Akwasi Agyeman, CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), introduced them to the “Year of Return” Secretariat and members of the GTA team.
It was a warm and unexpected visit as the production crew who will be filming Kingston in a documentary about his life and his homecoming journey to Ghana, extended their greetings to everyone. Discussions about Kofi Kingston’s itinerary were in order and preparations for what to expect over the next few days were also discussed.
Kingston will be in Ghana from 30th May to 2nd June 2019. The WWE Champion hasn’t been to Ghana since 1993 and this trip is expected to be a bittersweet homecoming. When asked why his trip is only four days considering it’s been over 25 years since his last visit, “His schedule,” was the answer given by one of the film producers. His mother said she had hoped he would do seven days, but with his hectic schedule doing live events in different countries, getting four days free to travel was already a challenge.
The next few days will be very exciting for both Kingston and the nation. He exemplifies the level of success many Ghanaians admire. His presence here will be significant because so many people of African descent living in the diaspora have longed to make the same journey. It may inspire many more to experience what Ghana has to offer.
Kofi Kingston Comes Home
Kofi Kingston
Ghana is gearing up to give a warm reception to the current World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Champion, Kofi “Kingston”. He has not been to his homeland of Ghana in 26 years. His arrival this week is going to be bittersweet. Especially with this year being declared, ‘Year of Return” welcoming all those of African descent to Ghana.
Kingston, who was born, Kofi Sarkodie-Mensah, will be on a four-day visit from Thursday 30th May 2019 to Sunday 2nd June 2019. He will be travelling with a film crew documenting his journey as a world champion, who returns home to his humble beginnings. His visit will include a trip to Manhyia Palace in Kumasi where he will pay homage to the current Asante King, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. Kingston’s visit will also include a meeting with President Nana Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
His journey through Ghana will also take him through some key tourist sites including the Christianborg Castle (Osu), Bonwire and Ntonso and Lake Bosomtwe. He’ll also make a visit to the Mother and Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
Of course, like most Ghanaians, a visit to your family hometown is in order. Kingston will pay a visit to his paternal hometown Ejisu and to Atwima Techiman, his maternal hometown. His family members must be so proud and anticipating seeing him after all these years away. He certainly has made them proud of becoming the first African to ever win the WWE Championship title.
Expect to see him making the rounds on the media circuit in Ghana. Everyone is excited to see him and welcome him home to Ghana.
For the first time in History and African won the WWE Championship, and he’s from Ghana
The World Wrestling Entertainment Champion, Kofi “Kington” Sarkodie-Mensah comes home to Ghana for the first time in 26 years.
Media Partnerships
CitiTV and Graphic meetings
Since President Nana Akufo-Addo declared 2019 as the ‘Year of Return’ welcoming all those of African descent to make their birthright journey home to Ghana, there’s been a significant amount of positive response from those living in the diaspora. Just search the hashtag #yearofreturn and you’ll find so many images ope people who have made the trip to Ghana. Equally, there are several making plans to visit Ghana and celebrate the year of return. Travellers making the journey visit historical sites, attend events and gain a sense of reconnection with their ancestral roots.
Ask anyone in the diaspora about ‘year of return’ and most have heard about the commemoration of 400 years since the first documented slaves arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. But ask a local Ghanaian if they know what ‘year of the return’ is about and you’re often left with blank stares and a lack of knowledge about the entire year. With the few who are aware, something it’s a single climax event that is yet to come or that they already missed out on.
Speaking to a young man in Labone, who wished to remain nameless, he was asked if he knows about Year of Return. “No I’ve not heard about that,” he said. I explained to him that Year of Return When explaining what it is, he said he thought it was a good thing because by all means “the people who come back will feel like they are home.” He went on to say that he attended the TINA Fest but had no idea it was part of this year of return.
Forming strategic partnerships with local media will be key to getting local Ghanaians engaged in Year of Return Events.
Getting Ghanaians Involved in ‘Year of Return’ Events
Accra / May 27, 2019 / Written by Ivy Prosper
In September 2018, President Nana Akufo-Addo declared that 2019 would be ‘The Year of Return; to celebrate the resilience of African people and to mark the 400 years since the first documented ship with enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, USA. It was an invitation to all those of African descent to make the journey back to the motherland. The Year of Return Steering Committee was created under the Ghana Tourism Authority to help celebrate and promote the year filled with activities that will attract visitors from around the world.
Since the launch of YOR festivities, there’s been a significant amount of positive response internationally. Just Google search “year of return” online and you’ll find several stories and social media images of people who have made the trip to Ghana. Equally there are many making plans to visit and celebrate the year of return. There are so many asking, “How do I move to Ghana?” “How can I travel to Ghana?” “Can I get citizenship in Ghana?” With all the buzz in the diaspora, the exact opposite is true within Ghana. Much of the general population is not aware of year of return.
The Year of Return (YOR) Steering Committee, Ghana Tourism Authority and the Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, are committed to forming partnerships with local media so that Ghanaians are informed of activities and can prepare themselves to welcome our brothers and sisters from the diaspora as they make their journey to Ghana.
In speaking to a young man in Labone, who wished to remain nameless, he was asked if he knows about Year of Return. “No, I’ve not heard about that,” he said. I explained to him the desire of people of African descent to make a journey back to their roots and that the president made the declaration last year in Washington, D.C. He said he thought it was a good thing for people to come because “By all means the people who come back will feel like they are home.” In telling him about past YOR events, he admits having attended TINA Fest in January, but he had no idea it was part of the year of return.
How Do We Make Ghanaians More Aware?
Mr. Akwasi Ababio, Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President and Chairman of the Year of Return Steering Committee and the Vice Chair of the Committee, Mr. Gaddy Laryea together with Mr. Akwasi Agyeman, CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority, and Coordinator for the Committee as well as other members of the YOR Steering Committee, recently paid a visit to some media houses. Their first point of call was the Graphic Communications Group Limited, where they met with Managing Director, Mr. Ato Afful and his team. Discussions were centred on how they can support promotional efforts through their various media channels. With platforms like The Mirror, Daily Graphic and Showbiz, reaching the mass population in Ghana, this partnership would most certainly see results.
The team also met with Managing Director of CitiTV, Mr. Samuel Attah-Mensah. Their goal was to initiate a dialogue about how they can work together to publicise events related to the year of return using radio and television platforms. It was a positive meeting that left the team feeling confident about engaging the community about how they can also participate in the events throughout the year. A commitment was made to communicate on both radio and television about upcoming events and show the local population how they can also be involved in the year of return.
To learn more about Year of Return, visit the website at www.yearofreturn.com
About Year of Return
The “Year of Return, Ghana 2019” is a major landmark marketing campaign targeting the African – American and Diaspora Market to mark 400 years of the first enslaved African arriving in Jamestown Virginia. The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) under the Auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is leading the project in collaboration with the Office of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, the Panafest Foundation and the Adinkra Group of USA.
The Year of Return seeks to make Ghana the focus for millions of African descendants reacting to their marginalisation by tracing their ancestry and identity. By this, Ghana becomes the beacon for African people living on the continent and the diaspora.
The United States Congress recently passed an Act H.R. 1242 – 400 Years of African-American which is a historically significant milestone. Ghana’s unique position as the location for 75 per cent of the slave dungeons built on the west coast of Africa and the current President’s policy of making it a national priority to extend a hand of welcome back home to Africans in the diaspora cannot be overemphasised.
There are still numerous imposing European forts and castles harbouring harrowing reminders of an intense and complex history of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade in our land over centuries. This on its own has made Ghana the focus for millions of African descendants reacting to their marginalization by tracing their ancestry and identity.
However, even more, important is the recognition of Ghana as a beacon of hope for African people living on the continent and in the Diaspora. This status was earned not by coincidence but by conscious efforts to validate the struggles, strengths and linkages between African descendants on a Pan-African scale.
GTA to embark on nationwide enforcement exercise
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) will embark on a nationwide enforcement exercise beginning 3rdJune, 2019 to clamp down on all illegal tourism enterprises.
All operators of unlicensed establishment who fail to regularise their operations on or before 2ndJune, 2019 will have their establishments closed down and sanctioned.
Tourism enterprises are therefore advised to contact any GTA Regional Office or the Head Office on 0302682601 and on email: corporateaffairs@visitghana.com
Tourism Enterprise operators are encouraged to willingly approach the GTA to have their licensing process regularised or completed before the enforcement exercise begins.
Why Study Abroad and the “Year of Return: Ghana 2019” Matter
“Wow!” That was Deken Taylor’s reaction when I showed him 20 Cedis from Ghana. Taylor, a University of North Texas public relations student from Pittsburg, Texas, had never seen money featuring six Black men.
Dorothy Bland
Just as the images of U.S. presidents on U.S. currency, the six men on the 20 Cedis are history makers and famous in Ghana for being leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC).
The six men – Ebenezer Ako Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, Joseph Kwame Kyeretwie Boakye Danquah, Kwame Nkrumah, Emmanuel Odarwei Obsetsebi-Lamptey and William Ofori Atta – are founding fathers of the nation that gained its independence from British rule in 1957. The banknote was just one of the souvenirs I used as a teaching tool with some UNT students after giving three guest lectures about mobile/social media trends, digital disruption in media and gender disparities in media at the University of Ghana in March.
I realized there is much opportunity to educate our students and others about study abroad options on the African continent after a colleague asked what language was spoken at the University of Ghana, the largest university in West Africa with nearly 45,000 students. My reply: English.
He also asked if the men were separated from the women in classes. My response: No. And based on research and various advertising billboards, religion is big in Ghana.
Djuana Young, an associate vice president for enrollment at Texas Wesleyan University, first visited Ghana in 1990 as a student and returned this spring with her daughter, Avery, for a mother-daughter vacation.
Young said the Ghanaian “people live, work, and have the same goals and desires” that Americans do. “Parents want their child to be successful,” she said.
Audrey Gadzekpo, a University of Ghana professor, said women outnumber men in the masters and PhD program in the Department of Communication Studies. The university attracts students from more than 70 nations or territories.
For those who work in international education programs, it comes as no surprise that there is much work to do in diversifying international programs in higher education.
Most outbound study abroad students from the U.S. are likely to be White and female. According to a 2018 Diversity Abroad report, “professionals in international education mirror the present demographic profile of students in education abroad in the United States.”
About 71 percent of the survey respondents were White and 29 percent were people of color. No survey respondents identified as Native American. Women represented about 79 percent of the respondents, followed by men at 20 percent and about 0.2 percent identified as transgender.
Adam Freed, a university relations manager with CIS abroad, offered the following counsel in a 2018 Diversity Abroad blog post: “First, we need to elevate diverse professionals in the field and provide them opportunities to share their knowledge and unique perspective. Secondly, we need to hire diverse staff to fill our study abroad offices at all levels.”
It is a blessing that folks like Marquita Smith, a John Brown University professor and Fulbright scholar, as well as UNT colleagues with Ghanaian roots such as Gideon Alorwoyie, a music professor and world-class drummer, Charles Blankson, a business professor, and Joseph Oppong, a geography professor and associate dean of the UNT Toulouse Graduate School, shared their expertise and experiences.
Thanks in part to a UNT International grant, my March mission was to explore options for a study abroad program with students in 2020 and future research collaborations. It was a professional development treat as the Ghanaian government is promoting “Year of Return, Ghana 2019.”
The celebration marks the 400th anniversary of slave ships from the coast of West Africa arriving in Virginia. It also coincides with the biennial Pan African Historical Theatre Festival, which is scheduled for July 25-31. Read more about the festival here.
Although I will not make that festival, I recommend touring at least four sites: the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre in Accra, Kakum National Park, the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles.
Du Bois is cited for being the first Black to earn a doctorate from Harvard, a historian, sociologist, Pan-Africanist, author of The Souls of Black Folk and one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. His wife, Shirley Graham DuBois, was a founding director of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in addition to being an author, playwright, composer and social/political activist.
Tours to Kakum National Park, the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles are day trips from Accra. Tour guides shared that each castle had a “door of no return” as thousands of slaves passed through dungeons before they were shipped to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade era from the 16th to 19th centuries.
At Cape Coast Castle, the “door of no return” has been updated and labelled the “door of return,” to encourage descendants of the African Diaspora to visit and learn more about their African roots. The castles have become museums, tourist attractions and world heritage sites under the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Besides experiencing lots of history, culture, food, music and adventure, part of the joy in travel is the people you meet. The “spring break” adventure was Young’s first mother-daughter trip to Ghana. “I wanted her to see and understand what a strong people we come from,” said Young. “We have what it takes to persevere and make it.”
Source: diverseeducation.com
About Writer
Dorothy Bland is a journalism professor at the University of North Texas. She has traveled to 30 nations and written articles from six continents.
Jamaican Reggae Star Gramps Morgan applauds Ghana for ‘Year of Return’
Alisa Hotel, Accra/ Friday, May 17, 2019/ Written by Ivy Prosper
In the last few years, so many people from the African diaspora have lent their voice, talents and skills to help develop those in Ghana. One person who has made a commitment to helping Ghanaians is Reggae superstar Roy ‘Gramps’ Morgan. He started his career at age 9 as part of the group, Morgan Heritage with his siblings and has gone on to have a successful solo career with multiple hits and awards. He recently conducted his annual Music Clinic at the Alisa Hotel in Accra. He was in the country for the Ghana Jamaica Homecoming Festival as part of the Year of Return festivities. Several local artists were in attendance in hopes of not only hearing Morgan speak but to also take invaluable information to help them develop their careers as artists and musicians. Upon being introduced to the crowd he took a moment to thank President Nana Akufo-Addo for his vision. “I want to take this moment to big up the President of Ghana because he has made my dream come true when I hear him declare, and remember 400 years since slavery…..[and] that most nations in Europe and the U.S. took [part] in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and to commemorate this year….he said this will be the year of return!”
Gramps Morgan was born into the music business. His father is well-known reggae artist Denroy Morgan and since he was a young child he’s been surrounded by the music. With a lifetime of knowledge and experience in the music industry, he spoke from the heart giving words of wisdom to the aspiring artists in attendance. “There is a lot of talent in Ghana,” he said to the crowd. He spoke about the importance of having a vision, even when talent exists, or Ghana’s industry would fail. Because of his passion to help the next generation of artists, he’s taken it upon himself to share his expertise in Ghana with his annual music clinic.
Artists in the music industry abroad have had the upper hand for decades because of knowing and understanding the business aspect more so than many artists in Ghana. Before Morgan spoke, other members of Ghana’s music industry shared their experiences in the business saying that “Many musicians don’t know much about the business aspect of the music industry.” Some don’t even realise that to build their careers in music they need more than a manager. Ras, a respected person in Ghana’s music scene, said, “In the business, we have personal managers, road managers, technical managers and business managers…. these all make the artist.” He wanted them to understand the bigger picture is more than just the music, it’s a complete package.
With Morgan’s ability to spot talent, it’s no surprise that artists wanted to meet him and share their music with him in hopes they can be Ghana’s next superstar. A few years ago, one artist stuck out to Gramps Morgan on his visit to Ghana. He was talking to Reggie Rockstone those years ago when he pointed a young man out and declared, “This guy is going to change the face of music in Ghana, this boy has something special.” He was speaking about Stonebwoy, now one of Ghana’s most celebrated artists on a global platform. Morgan surprised Stonebwoy those years ago when he called him asking, “Please, can you come and tour with me?” He made Stoneboy the opening act on his tour and said to him, “This is where your life begins internationally.”
There is no denying the power of collaboration and uplifting emerging singers and musicians. Morgan’s Music Clinic is opening doors for artists in Ghana. His passion for helping is deeply rooted in the connection he feels with the continent. “I feel like it’s my job to build the bridge from the diaspora, to come home…build the bridge from Australia, from the UK, from Europe…because there were Africans that were born there, but they need to have a connection with Africa. This is Africa and it’s time.”
New Resource Map Shows Africans and Diaspora Where to Invest
With this year being declared ‘year of return‘ by Ghana’s government, the country is encouraging people of African descent not only to visit but also to invest in the economy. Through business development, import-export businesses, working with local industry and tapping into the country’s resources, people from the diaspora can make an impact in Ghana. The continent of Africa has a resource potential that cannot be denied. For decades the world has been tapping into the continent’s resources without consequence. It’s been said that Africa has much of the world’s remaining resources and it’s the last major region to be fully explored. In the past, it was mainly European and Western countries digging up and exporting the continent’s resources. Today we see China as a major stakeholder taking its opportunity to grab a piece of the African pie.
This is the perfect time to make those in the diaspora aware of the potential investment in Ghana’s natural resources. It was evident through research made by Professor Kwame Addo, a Development Architect, that much of Ghana and Africa’s land still has an abundance of natural resources available.
Professor Addo spent a considerable amount of his time and money researching the resources still available in Africa. He developed a most fascinating map that details all of Africa’s potential laid out by resource. On Tuesday 14th May 2019, he did a presentation at the UDS Guest House in Cantonments Accra, where he revealed three detailed maps that were the result of all his efforts. These maps were of the entire continent of Africa, a close of up West Africa’s resources and a fully mapped out Ghana showing everything from agriculture to minerals based on geographic region.
Dignitaries who were present for the revealing of the maps included Claudia Turbay Quintero, Ambassador, Embassy of Colombia, H.E. Alhousseini Ousmane, Ambassador of Niger, Professor Stephen Adei, Chairman NDPC, and Ambassador Erica Bennett.
Mike Aman-Kwarfo, a Design Consultant and Former Director at GBC, gave his account of when he first met Professor Addo during the 1970s when they were students. Over the years they have developed a strong relationship as friends and colleagues. As an artist, he said that Addo has always been so versatile and he exhausts all the creative elements. So, it’s not surprising that he would create something that would benefit the continent. “This is a man who has crossed cultures in terms of his output in different countries,” he continued praising him until he finally introduced him.
Professor Addo began his presentation by going through Africa’s history using a series of images, graphs and historical information. He touched on the size of Africa’s land mass as compared to other countries using graphics that showed its size relative to America, the U.K, Europe and China. “What are we doing to our continent?” is a question he asked when going through the history of our challenges and how we are in the position we’re in today. “Let’s look at our continent, where all the resources in Africa were before and where they are now.”
Addo began explaining that some of our biggest challenges when it comes to our growth has been trade wars and conflict. Not only that, but communication has also been one of our biggest hindrances. Even though Arabic, Swahili and Hausa are widely spoken languages on the continent, there are so many others spoken that unifying has been a challenge. We should also take note that the colonial division of borders created a formal disconnect that continues today.
With an invitation to the diaspora to return home to Ghana, it presents an opportunity for local Ghanaians to work with them to create opportunities to build and grow the country and continent for the future. When you have people with a vested interest in preserving Ghana while maximizing the output of resources without exploiting the people it puts Ghana in a better position.
This is just the beginning of what’s to come. The maps Professor Addo revealed were exactly what can be used as tools in government legislation when it comes to maintaining control of our resources. “Kwame has taken the time to map out Ghana based on resources…it’s brilliant,” said Professor Stephen Adei, Chairman NDPC. Now that there is a map clearly demarcating what resources we have and where they are located, it’s an opportunity to use it to our advantage and to make is a good negotiation tool. “If you don’t know what you have, you lose in the negotiation,” he continued.
The detailed map of Ghana reveals the fact that Ghana has one of the biggest bauxite resources in the world. It also revealed that Ghana’s biggest deposits of iron ore are in the northeast where there are millions of tonnes.
The Ambassador of Niger gave his remarks in French using a translator to add his thoughts to the conversation. He was very impressed with the presentation and he hopes that the maps are used to benefit the continent.
Everyone shared in excitement about what’s in store for the continent when we use the information on these maps correctly. Professor Addo expressed his concern about whether this information will even be used. He said that we as individuals can contribute to our society. These tools he has provided are just the beginning and the seeds that will bear fruit. This is especially true when we are willing to collaborate with our brothers and sisters in the diaspora.
Written by Ivy Prosper
A sense of home: A Trini remembers her visit to Ghana
The Door of No Return in Ghana. Photos by Annabelle Brasnell
Last week, Loop ran a story about Ghana’s Year of Return in which the West African nation is beckoning the diaspora to return home. One reader, Annabelle Brasnell, visited Ghana recently and shares her experience.
Things you didn’t learn in school #105: Lord Kitchener penned a song, “Birth of Ghana”, in honour of Ghana’s independence in 1957, echoing the pride of the people of the diaspora for the first sub-Saharan country to gain independence from Britain.
Trinbagonians also felt a special kinship for then-new president Kwame Nkrumah, as his politics was said to be influenced by local born George Padmore and CLR James.
At 238,000 square kilometres (Trinidad and Tobago can fit into it about 46 times) you will need an extended stay to explore the 10 administrative regions of Ghana, each with a unique cultural identity, but with about 10 days you can fit most of the “must see” sites. Depending on your interests though (not everybody wants to go on safari), tour companies would be happy to create a custom trip for one or many.
This year, 2019, the government of Ghana is offering a special welcome for people of African descent in the diaspora, inviting them to come home during this “Year of Return”.
A visit to Elmina Castle, one hub of the transatlantic slave trade, is an emotional journey to the place many people of African descent regard as the main point of connection to otherwise unknown history.
The town of Elmina from the Fort
On a balmy Sunday afternoon, both the Elmina and Cape Coast castles, recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site, had a steady flow of visitors retracing the steps of ancestors through cells and narrow passages.
The lecturing intonations of the guides’ well-practiced stories and the presence of strangers engaged in low chatter could be an intrusion on attempts at personal reflection, but you can’t long be distracted from the foot high stain on a wall that is a permanent marker of the height of the human excrement that slaves stood in while they awaited “processing” or the pitiful, thin “drain” scratched into the floor to allow some of the liquid waste to slowly escape or sense the spirit of girls in the courtyard outside the female cells at Elmina where truculent ones were chained in the elements until they became more docile, or where the attractive ones would be paraded for the General who stood on his balcony above the yard and selected one who suited his fancy that day.
At Elmina, a simple wooden sign above the low passageway to the “DOOR OF NO RETURN” automatically slows your steps. While at Cape Coast castle, The Door is in a courtyard—a giant, oversized wooden french-style that was enlarged after the slave trade because the castle still served as a trading post for the Europeans—at Elmina, the original is still there.
Set about one storey above the ground, measuring about two feet wide and four feet high, it is no more than a window, through which slaves passed, down a ladder into the ship that would anchor alongside. Shackled, and pounds lighter than when they were first captured, adult slaves “easily” went through the narrow width said the guide. The anteroom holds faded bouquets and wreaths left by visitors in memory of the departed souls whose cries echo silently in your head.
Looking through both doors on this Sunday, the warmth and the brilliance of the sun are undeniable. The water line has long receded, leaving a sandy beach where men mend nets or tend to beached boats in the soft breeze. In the pristine water, the softly clouded sky is reflected and the joy of people playing in the water rings out occasionally. The irony is searing.
Village Life
Elmina, the village, is a fishing community. It is home to men from other villages along the coast, many living in tin shacks on the water’s edge, who eke a living in this bustling port.
On Monday morning, the day before the communal day of rest when no trade to takes place and all hands come together to clean the market and streets, some villagers stand on the massive steel bridge looking out to sea and applaud returning fisherman in their small wooden boats who may have been out for several nights.
It is a testimony to the strength of community and a poignant counterpoint to the commercial Chinese fishing vessels seen out on the horizon, fierce competition for the locals who mainly use traditional methods for harvesting their catch.
About an hour away from Elmina, the Assin Manso slave market was the largest slave market in Ghana, and the acknowledged starting point for people who ended up at the slave castles.
The eponymous river provided the last bath after the arduous trek through the forest, some as far from Nigeria, or nearer, Benin or Togo. Not trusting them, guards stood watch as they were made to wash in the shallowest, near stagnant part of the river for fear they would use the currents to escape.
The former auction yard marks the “point of return” for descendants and symbolically reverses the significance of the door of no return. It is the resting place of Madam Crystal aka Queen/ Granny Nanny and Samuel Carson, former slaves from Jamaica and the United States respectively, whose remains were re-interred in 1998 as a prelude to Ghana’s first emancipation day celebrations.
A casket in progress
Both bodies were returned through the door of no return at Cape Coast, retracing the steps back to Assin Manso. The market serves as a sort of pilgrimage site for people from the diaspora. A memorial wall of return has been erected for visitors to write their names, indelibly marking their return.
The Kakum national park is a “must visit”. It features a gentle forest hike and heart-stopping treetop rope bridge tour that reminds you to revere nature, as well as an option for an overnight camping trip in a tree house. The latter is said to offer a better opportunity to spot major wildlife as they are more likely to come out when it’s quiet.
Another must-see is the Kente craft village in Bonwire where you can try your hand at a traditional loom before figuring out what you can leave behind in Ghana to make space in your luggage for authentic Kente cloth. Lots more shopping bargains are also available at the Arts Centre (Centre for National Culture) in Accra where the art of haggling, patience, and cool clothing are important to make it through the experience.
A sense of home
In most cases that “sense of home” you can experience in a new place is just a sense of comfort. In Ghana, you could literally see yourself reflected in the faces of strangers. A friend who lived there for several years said at first, he kept asking people where he knew them from until he accepted that these people were literally his “tribe” and shared similar features.
It came to a head when someone asked why he was ignoring them, and it turned out that person really was another Trinidadian visiting the country. In my case, a visit to a funeral repast for a relative of my driver introduced me to his distant cousins, two who looked exactly like my paternal aunts, one of whom, according to my father, positioned her arm “just like” his sister!
In Accra, the capital, I had a moment of unease when my tour guide told me that my hotel was in a hot spot. I gently explained to him that where I come from hotspot carries a different connotation.
According to Time Out, an online travel and culture magazine, Oxford St is ” a hub of activity 24/7 probably the busiest street in Accra, it’s the site of bars, clubs, restaurants and boutique shops”.
Annabelle Brasnell on the rope bridge
They did acknowledge the lack of “sights” though. The energy is akin to Charlotte Street in Port-of-Spain with the clothes and street hawkers (one man carried unpackaged chunks of smoked fish on an open tray) but with open box drains and no sidewalk.
There is obviously poverty here, the preponderance of street vendors competing to sell the same products in the same space (bread, sweets, drinks, detergent, linens, boiled eggs, nuts…) is just one clue, but as seen in that day’s business paper, in some areas they have bested many islands in the Caribbean.
Mobile money technology is widely accepted and since 2013, 1BGH¢ in transactions have been processed; improvements to protect and improve the local fashion industry are occupying state attention and; and a locally developed software programme is making educational materials available to all schools whether they have internet or not.
Accra is a 137-year-old city and boasts the W. E. B. Dubois Centre for Pan African Culture, Independence/Black Star Square, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, James Town and other smaller sites of cultural interest that headline any Ghana itinerary.
For foodies, Ghanaian food can be comfortingly familiar—fried plantain and yam are ubiquitous—yet intriguing, as with Banku and stew. Banku is a steamed, fermented corn dough served in the shape of a ball. Simply pull off a piece of the ball and scoop up your stew – fish, beef, goat or ochre—much like you would with buss-up-shut.
Red red, a dish of black eye peas and fried plantain, both cooked in red palm oil, is deliciously simple and calls for seconds. Options are endless but, as with anywhere, be wary of street food unless you know you have a strong constitution.
Funeral culture
Ghana’s funeral culture is a fascinating lesson in honouring and celebrating those who have passed on. Its fashion, rituals and casket art have been featured in the international press, scholastic and fashion research papers.
The unique caskets that feature on the shoulders of dancing pallbearers at many funerals are a final showcase of the key interests of the dead person, but it could have taken weeks, months and in some cases up to a year, to get the funeral.
The culmination of the final rites, which spans about three days, is largely reserved for weekends. Driving through the Ashanti region on a Saturday, most travellers were dressed in the traditional red and black patterned mourning fabric and red and black striped marquee tents with matching chairs dotted the landscape.
An array of caskets
On one 200 meter stretch, five different celebrations were in progress and on a recreation ground five families had come together to have a joint farewell. Given the high prices of funerals, joint rites help to manage costs, my driver, Albert said. This is unsurprising, given the process for announcing a death includes any combination of radio and television ads, flyers and posters stuck on vehicle windscreens and massive roadside banners, not to mention hosting hundreds for several days, printing detailed programmes and constructing a custom wood or glass coffin.
Ghana offers a myriad of experiences, depending on your interests. The best approach to exploring this intriguing country is to plan well. In addition to the typical sites, look for off the beaten path options (donate some time to a charitable organisation?) and make every moment count.
Source: loopnewsbarbados.com
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