Ghana @ 62

GHANA @ 62

With 62 years on the board, Ghana has bags of past events to look back on. For as far back as any Ghanaian’s memory can travel, the independence anniversary has been synonymous with holiday, Black Star Square and parades. Accra, the capital, takes center stage and the entire world becomes an audience. However, this year’s independence anniversary celebration saw an unprecedented move of the independence tradition to Tamale, the Northern Region of Ghana. Although an unpopular opinion, the independence day anniversary in Ghana has lost a bit of the luster originally associated with it simply because of the predictability of events surrounding the celebrations each year. Hence, this shake-up was very much warranted.

What was a customary hot and dry day in the north did nothing to suppress the sheer joy celebrants at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium possessed because they were witnessing the first independence anniversary celebrated outside Accra. It was also particularly pleasing to see the spotlight thrown on Tamale, which is an often forgotten gem in Ghana. More so, 2019 has seen the end of a 16-year chieftaincy conflict in the kingdom of Dagbon (in the Northern Region) climaxed with the enskinment of a new chief. What better way cement the peace that is finally reigning over there than holding the national celebration which was under the theme ‘Celebrating Peace and Unity’ in the Northern Region. Perhaps, this move to Northern Region will be a blueprint for each region gaining the chance to host subsequent independence anniversaries, which will allow them to showcase their riches on the big stage.

Ghanaians love nothing more than a holiday. Accra in particular was bubbling with all kinds of activity on March 6th, even though the customary parade was not being observed out there. The colorful experience at the Accra Goods Market fair was probably the substitute for the parade. The pop-up fair, which occurs every holiday in Accra, saw a flurry of people throng to the location to shop for Made in Ghana goods and familiarize with entrepreneurs. With food being a global glue, the pick of the activities had to be all the top eateries in Accra being in sync about an all-Ghanaian menu for the day. The buffet tables were laid and the all-inclusive #EatGhana was in full swing. 6th March was probably the most opportune time to taste food which isn’t commercial in Accra. Some corporations and media houses have even gone a step further to dub the entire month of March an #EatGhana month, adding to the pace the #SeeGhana, #WearGhana and Heritage Month movements have already garnered.

Indeed, March is the second most special month in Ghana, only behind December. As Ghana collectively connects with her roots and remembers the journey to independence in order to fuel her charge for greatness, it is also highly important to note that her independence is finally being linked to the total liberation of Africa, with the Year of Return being slated for 2019. All eyes are on the sub-Saharan country. It is her move now.