LETS LEARN ABOUT GHANA
Formerly known as the Gold Coast, Ghana gained independence from its colonial masters; Britain, in 1957. It was the first country in Sub Sahara Africa to break free of its colonial yoke. As it gained independence quite early on, it later on became influential in setting up the pan African movement and in the decolonization struggle of other African nations.
The first president, Kwame Nkrumah was the first head of state to champion the concept of Pan-Africanism. This is a concept he was introduced to while studying at Lincoln University, USA, in which he merged the teachings of W.E.B. Du Bois, Martin Luther King and Marcus Garvey. Even though he helped liberate Ghana from colonial rule, his rule was considered dictatorial and he was overthrown through a coup in 1966 by the Ghana Armed Forces. The current president is Nana Akufo Addo who attained the presidency when he won the general elections in 2020.
Ghana is a diverse country with the largest ethnic group being the Akan at 47.3% of the population. When it comes to food, fish is an important part of the Ghanaian diet, followed by Banku, and Komi, which are a staple Ghanaian starchy food made from ground corn, or from cornmeal. Contemporary Ghanaian fashion has made its way onto both the global and Africans scenes. This fashion is called ‘Ankara’ and is popular among African Americans and Caribbean people.
The ‘Year of Return, Ghana 2019’ was a year long program of activities marking the 400th anniversary of the first recorded enslaved African arriving in Jamestown Virginia. The purpose of the campaign was to make Ghana the focus for millions of African descendants who felt marginalized and wanted to reconnect with their roots, African identity and also trace their ancestry. This made Ghana a beacon and a hub for those living in the diaspora as well as those living on the continent. The campaign resonated with a lot of people, with the number of visitors to Ghana, and those in the diaspora settling back in the country increasing significantly.
