YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Touching Africa, Touching The World!
FLYafrica ISSUE 8
HOW SKATEBOARDING IS CHANGING LIVES IN GHANA
PAGE 22
THE SISTERS LEADING A CHOCOLATE REVOLUTION PAGE 10
KUMI GUITAR LIVING THE HIGHLIFE COMPETITION
WIN
A MONTH’S FREE GYM MEMBERSHIP
SEPT-NOV 2020
Contents PAGE 22
‘57 CHOCOLATE
Sisters leading a revolution
Regulars
Features
3 Foreword
10 Highlife hero
6 FLYsafe
13 Members of the board
Africa World Airlines Head Office - UNA Homes Building 2nd/3rd floor Airport Bypass Road Airport City Road PMB CT67 Accra, Ghana Tel: +233 24 243 8888 Toll Free: 0800 200 200 Email: awaoffice@flyafricaworld.com www.flyAfricaWorld.com FLYafrica Magazine is published for Africa World Airlines by: Land & Marine Publications Ltd 1 Kings Court, Newcomen Way Severalls Business Park Colchester, Essex CO4 9RA United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com ADVERTISING: Email: flyafrica@landmarine.org Paul Hutchings Cell: +44 (0)7701 062533 (WhatsApp)
Our Covid-19 safety measures
Ghanaian gifts
Win a month’s gym membership
Our new beauty columnist on how to achieve flawless skin throughout your flight We have world leading cocoa so why not chocolate? Meet the bean-to-bar sisters
26 Ballet takes a leap in Lagos
25 Wisdom World
Life coach Da Lady Rev talks relationships
37 Inflightmindfulness with Bliss Yoga Accra
38 INVESTMENT market review
We help fly stranded Brasilians home
22 ‘57 Chocolate
Tamale
A skateboarding scene is building in Ghana
20 AWA repatriation flight
18 STARdestination
Kumi Guitar reveals the inspirations behind his hugely popular songs
21 Alexiglam
17 WINafrica
8 INSIDER information
Dance academy teaching children for free
30 Tune in to Tamale
Why the north has Ghana’s best new music
34 CrossFit comes to Ghana
Accra’s Laila taking on world’s fittest
40 Kofi Annan
Legacy of Ghanaian hero lives on
Stocks dip further into value territory
Aaron Daunor Tel: +233 24 346 7506 The contents and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publication. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy in preparing the magazine, the Publisher and Africa World Airlines assume no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracies or omissions. All submitted material is accepted on the understanding that the material can be edited, amended or abridged for publication.
A message from our CEO
AWA Information
42 STAYafrica
Ahanta Eco Lodge, Busua
4 AWAnews 45 AWAroutes
Subscribe to FLYafrica
Email: subscribe@landmarine.org
46 TRAVELinformation 48 AWAcontacts
©2020 Land & Marine Publications Ltd
Book online
flyAfricaWorld.com FLYafrica
1
Foreword
Welcome
Connect with AWA Facebook
www.facebook.com/ flyafricaworld
SO GOOD TO SHARE THE SKIES WITH YOU AGAIN
@flyafricaworld
@flyafricaworld
Dear passengers, On behalf of the entire Africa World Airlines team, it is wonderful to welcome you back on board one of our flights today. As the world opens up once again, AWA remains committed to keep you flying to the people and places that mean the most to you. We live in a different world than we did just a few months ago, and consequently you may experience small but important changes at various stages of your journey. We are constantly reviewing our processes and implementing updated measures to ensure we continue to maintain industry leading best practices for the safety of our passengers, staff and crew. In May, Ghana became the first country in Africa and only the second in the world to restart domestic flights under enhanced safety protocols after an initial suspension due to the COVID19 pandemic. Since then more and more passengers each month have placed their confidence in AWA to meet their essential domestic transport requirements. The technology of our modern Embraer ERJ-145 jets ensures air flow in the cabin is safer than almost
all other indoor spaces and you will also never be stuck in a middle seat between two other passengers on an AWA flight due to the seating layout of our fleet. We are proud we have been able to maintain our high standard of reliability and on-time performance despite the additional workload the new protocols generate. This is testament both to the dedication of our amazing AWA team, as well as to the co-operation of our passengers. We appreciate the faith you have put in us as your airline of choice. You have been with us from the first day of our return to flying when we sold out every seat. Thank you for also helping minimise the risk of spreading the virus by wearing your mask and following social distancing guidelines.
Cover image courtesy of Arinzechukwu Patr ick
It is a pleasure to share the skies with you once again as we “Fly Safe, Fly Confident!� together.
Michael C. Luo Chief Executive Officer Africa World Airlines
Book online
flyAfricaWorld.com FLYafrica
3
AWAnews Faster, safer, better: let us deliver your critical documents As part of our commitment to provide essential connections between the communities we serve, Africa World Airlines (AWA) has introduced an airport-toairport courier service for urgent shipments to all our domestic destinations.
Congratulations to our new captains and senior cabin crew During the Covid-19 outbreak Africa
Officers to Captain. Social distancing
World Airlines (AWA) has faced many
protocols meant the celebrations were
new challenges, but also seized the
a little muted, but our pride in their
opportunities. With fewer aircraft in
achievements can never be diminished.
the sky, we have focused on providing additional training to our team
Congratulations then to (from left to
members to build on their skills.
right) SCCM Ransford Anane, Captain Kofi Addai-Mensah, Captain Kwasi
This investment in young Ghanaian
Oteng (CSO / Chief Instructor), SCCM
talent is a key part of our efforts
Esther Addae, Capt. Patrick Owusu-
to build the country’s homegrown
Afriyie and SCCM Gideon Awuah.
aviation capacity. So we are thrilled to announce the promotion of three of
‘Fly Safe, Fly Confident’ with our
our Cabin Crew to Senior Cabin Crew
dedicated, highly qualified team of
Member (SCCM), and two of our First
Ghanaian professionals.
With rates starting at GHS 40, we can transport your documents or small parcels between Accra, Kumasi and Tamale in just one hour. Visit the AWA airport offices at any of the domestic airports to drop off your package. All shipments are subject to security inspection prior to acceptance, and restricted items will not be transported.
HOW TO BOOK Passengers can book flights online by visiting flyAfricaWorld.com and using the ‘Book A Flight’ function. You can then choose your flight, book your seats and select your payment method. AWA offers various methods of payment for customers in Ghana and Nigeria including debit/credit card, MTN Mobile Service (Ghana only), Quickteller (Nigeria only) and bank transfer. For detailed information, check out our website.
Book online 4
flyAfricaWorld.com
Sticking to our schedule while staying safe Africa World Airlines (AWA) is very proud of our reliability ratings over the past few months. The figures are impressive on their own, but even more so when you take into account the additional safety and enhanced cleaning measures we have introduced after every flight due to the pandemic. That we have been able to meet our tight turnaround times while maintaining industry-leading safety protocols is testament to the commitment of our staff. As an example, in June and July we logged a perfect 100 per cent schedule execution rate for every flight operated while since May the percentage of items of baggage checked in on our flights and delivered safely back to their owners without any delays or damage has never dropped below 99.98%. For the full figures from May to July, see the table below.
Reliability statistics for May - July 2020
Total flights delayed beyond two hours
2 0 July 3
Number of flights scheduled
236 362 July 448
Schedule execution rate
99.58% 100% July 100%
May
May
June
June
Flights delayed beyond two hours due to ATC
Numbers of passengers booked
2 0 July 3
5,686 9,631 July 12,543
May
May
May
June
June
June
Passengers denied boarding due to oversales
Number of bags checked in
Bags delivered on time
1 1 July 1 May
June
8,877 8,364 July 11,433
99.99% 99.99% July 99.98%
May
May
June
June
Telephone bookings can be made by calling +233 24 243 8888 or our
Toll free number:
0800 200 200
FLYafrica INFLIGHT MAGAZINE
Are you reading this? Then potentially so are 400,000+ AWA passengers each year! Advertise your business • Attract new customers and generate continuous business • Advertisements enjoy strong and sustained exposure • Highly targeted audience and guaranteed readership • Multiple discounts on series bookings • Magazine available on-board and online • Multiple destinations in Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cote d’lvoire
flyAfricaWorld.com
To advertise contact: Paul Hutchings +44 (0)7701 062533 (WhatsApp) Aaron Daunor +233 24 346 7506 Head Office: +44 (0)1206 752902
Book now for the next issue flyafrica@landmarine.org Touching Africa, Touching The World! Payment is required on publication date via bank transfer and payable to Land & Marine Publications Ltd. Bank details can be found on the invoice.
FLYafrica
5
FLYsafe fly confident The safety and well-being of Africa World Airlines (AWA) passengers, crew and staff is the top priority at all times and since the global outbreak of Covid-19 we have been committed to putting extra measures in place to make sure you ‘Fly Safe, Fly Confident’ with us. You’ll see changes at every step of the journey so let’s take a closer look at what’s new and what you can do to help.
#FlySafeFlyConfident The safety and well-being of our passengers, crew and staff is the top priority at all times. The AWA team is monitoring the situation and developments around the clock, in co-ordination with International Air Transport Association (IATA) as well as various health and governmental authorities in the countries we fly to. Nonetheless, we would like to reassure our passengers regarding the steps we are taking to ensure your safety.
Above and beyond safety protocols Our enhanced sanitary protocols remain in effect and exceed IATA standards. We have resumed domestic flights under industry leading safety protocols which were jointly developed by the domestic airlines, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Ghana Airports Company Ltd and Ghana Health Service.
Temperature checks Thermal screening on entry to the terminal.
Contactless check-in Non-contact ID check procedures at check-in, security and boarding.
You will never get a middle seat! You will also never be stuck in a middle seat between two other passengers due to the layout of our modern Embraer ERJ-145 jets. Nobody will have another passenger other than their child under 12 seated next to them. There will also be enforced social distancing at boarding gates.
Masks, not meals • Mandatory use of face masks by all passengers, airport staff and crew throughout the journey.
6
• Prohibition of food and drink consumption on board domestic flights – which have a maximum duration of one hour – so that passengers keep their masks on at all time.
Enhanced cleaning • Aircraft will be subjected to an enhanced cleaning regime after each sector that targets high risk surfaces such as windows, side walls, tray tables, arm rests, air vents and more • Spraying of all checked baggage with an approved disinfectant spray prior to loading and at delivery point • Sterilisation of baggage trays at security checkpoints prior to re-use.
Continuously cleaned air We are ensuring that the air you breathe on our aircraft continues to be filtered to the highest standards. All AWA aircraft are equipped with filters that remove most pollutants, including dust, bacteria and viruses, from the air circulating in the cabin. The air on board AWA aircraft is actually cleaner than the air you breathe on the ground in most circumstances.
How you can help? While we are doing all we can to ensure your safety, we need a bit of help from you.
Get all of the latest information online at flyAfricaWorld.com
Face mask
Hands
Passport
Distance
Make sure you wear a face mask at all times, in the airport and onboard.
Sanitise your hands at touchpoints such as checkin, security and boarding to avoid crosscontamination.
When you reach the departure gates, have your passport open and boarding pass ready. Then sit back and enjoy your flight. We’ll take it from here.
When we land, observe safe distance markers through customs and baggage collection.
FLYafrica
7
INSIDER information Ghanaian gifts Shopping for a gift in Ghana’s capital can be an exciting retail experience if you let it be. Accra is a cosmopolitan city with a shopping scene bursting with cool and innovative homemade products. Whether you are after a souvenir or just want to champion Ghanaian innovation, Nathan Tollo has put together a gift guide from stores across the city.
CHOCOLATE ‘57 CHOCOLATES 57chocolategh.com Ghana is the home of cocoa; the integral ingredient used in making the world’s favourite dessert, chocolate. This ecofriendly company is run by two Ghanaian sisters who draw from the country’s folklore – using Adinkra symbols and national landmarks in designing the chocolate. Together they are raising the chocolate bar.
JEWELLERY FOR THE ANCESTORS @fortheancestors on Facebook Among this collection are rings made of gold and cowrie shells as well as Africa-shaped bracelets. Explore the range at The Shop Accra.
NECK BIBS OPHELIA CROSSLAND opheliacrosslandgh.com Eponymous design brand Ophelia Crossland makes eye-candy neck bibs for the Afrocentric woman at heart. Inspired by the bold women in her life, Crossland celebrates these women with three types of bib that have an African touch to it. You can shop at her flagship studio in Osu or at The Lotte.
CANDLES AMBIANCE BY TALATA CANDLES bytalata.com Talata candles and diffusers are made in Accra with locally sourced natural ingredients. The range can be purchased at department store The Lotte at Icon House, Airport City.
8
BAGS VELMA’S ACCESSORIES velmasaccessories.com This luxury Ghanaian bag maker uses her ingenuity and creativity to make beaded clutches that are patterned in popular kente fabrics including the Fatia Fata Nkrumah. Making a patriotic fashion statement never looked this chic. Find them at The Lotte, Viva Concept Store and Velma’s Boutique in Osu.
STATIONERY MEL ARTHUR PHOTO @melarthurphotog on Instagram For a beautiful and quintessentially Ghanaian gift for the home, you can order a print from fashion photographer Mel Arthur’s latest collection ‘Yesterday and Today’. It takes inspiration from the women in his family, highlighting key fashion trends from the 90s and life back in the day. Choose your print size and frame at his studio in Adenta.
SKINCARE R&R LUXURY SKINCARE RANGE randrluxury.com This Ghanaian skincare company uses Shea butter sourced from the Northern region to create beauty products that are gentle on the skin. They also make lemongrass oils, black soaps and lip balm all from unrefined natural products from Africa and have become a favourite for both locals and international tourists. R&R can be found in The Lotte and other beauty stores across Ghana.
T-SHIRTS
NINETEEN 57 @nineteen57_africa on Instagram This Pan-African brand was set up in 2013 uses iconic landmarks and the 1957 logo to create exciting T-shirts for the urban youth and the funky oldies too. Creative director and fashionista Kofi Okyere Darko makes it cool to be Ghanaian wearing these sporty Tees all over the world. The Lotte and Nineteen57’s flagship store houses these streetwear staples.
SUNGLASSES VASTIES vastiesonline.com This Ghanaian-owned sunglasses company makes some exciting frames for the melanin skin. Choose from a huge range online or go to stockists The Shop Accra and Elle Lokko.
BOOKS AND POSTERS HARMATTAN CO @harmattancollectibles on Facebook Harmattan Co prides itself in the creation of unique souvenirs inspired by the motherland. Cities, public figures and popular Ghanaians names are the source of inspiration. You’ll always have a piece of Ghana with you this way. Shop from Elle Lokko or The Shop Accra.
FLYafrica
9
Guitar star
Kumi Guitar has taken one of Ghana’s oldest and most-loved musical genres, highlife, and given it a modern makeover. Here he reveals to Mark Edwards how he found his voice and how musical inspiration for his songs can come at any time.
G
hanaian highlife artist Kumi
he’s stuck in traffic – which in car-
‘Betweener’, a lilting love song in
Guitar is rarely without his
crammed Accra is a regular occur-
which Kumi acts as a kind of highlife
namesake instrument. He
rence – and even takes it with him
Cyrano de Bergerac to a friend,
turns up to our interview carrying
into the bathroom, where he can
advising him on how to win back
a beautiful maroon six-string (he
disappear for hours if inspiration hits.
his girl. Critical approval has also
describes it as the “side-chick” to
“My kids know if they can’t find
followed with Kumi nominated as
the black guitar he normally records
me, I’ll be in the bathroom working
Highlife Artist of the Year at the 2018
with) and, strumming it wistfully,
on a new song,” he says. “All the
Greater Accra Music Awards and
he proceeds to sing a song about
props to Jehovah. I take inspira-
named Urban Highlife Music of the
me he has made up on the spot.
tion from the things around me and
Year at last year’s Highlife Awards.
Chances are slim this improvised
before you know it’s flowing.”
track that welcomes me to Ghana
Kumi sees these achievements as groundwork for even greater
and hopes our interview will be a
New album
“beautiful experience” will make his
The artist, who was born Nana Yaw
keen to continue to pay back the
new album due out later this year,
Kumi in Accra’s Ablekuma district, is
faith the company has showed
but I think it has got hit written all
certainly in a musical flow state right
in him.
over it.
now. He tells me he has enough
success with Zylofon and he is
He goes on to tell me the guitar
material for two albums and is in the
Collaborations
even comes with him on car journeys
middle of choosing the best of them
“Zylofon has been good to
and he’ll start playing whenever
for his debut long player for label
me,” he says. “Music is not just
Zylofon Media, the creative arts
about singing. It’s a package.
company at whose headquarters in
Your branding counts. I love
East Legon we hold the interview.
to be around creativity and
Kumi, whose music is melodious
there are lots of beautiful
mixture of highlife young and old
musicians to collaborate
with added elements of Afro-fusion,
with here [‘Brown Sugar’
was Zylofon’s first signing – a five-
features the rapping
year deal that handed the artist a
talents of labelmate
new Hyundai Sonata saloon car,
Obibini] that I can
a house in East Legon and US$
introduce to
100,000. The partnership has proved
highlife.
a commercial success, spawning hits
There is
such as ‘Brown Sugar’ and last year’s
much
I had a friend who was recording in a studio and he wanted a singer but he didn’t turn up. Out of frustration he asked me to step up 10
HIGHLIFE HERO Kumi Guitar
more to be done with Zylofon and me. I know I need to work hard and make the investment worth it.” The key upcoming project is the new album. Fans of Kumi will recognise some of the tracks when it is released from his recent live shows. Not surprising for a man who needs little excuse to break into song, Kumi loves playing live and sees it as one of the truest expressions of his talent. “Live performance brings out the best of me,” he says. “You need to make sure you are on point. It puts me on my toes. It makes me feel like I’m working.” Kumi has been working on his music from an early age. While he was a 16-year-old student at Adisadel, an Anglican boys’ boarding school in Cape Coast, he formed a rap group – the less-than-streetwise-sounding Chamber Hall – with three of his friends.
Finding a voice Though he could rap he found that he also had a singular singing voice when he asked to provide vocals during a recording session at aged 19. Kumi says: “I had a friend who was recording in a studio and he wanted a singer but he didn’t turn up. Out of frustration he asked me to step up. I did it and it came out nice. I did the tenor and lower vocal parts and when I listened back to it, I thought ‘did I do this?’ I had no idea I could sing.”
FLYafrica
11
While hip hop was an early love, as he got older he began to move towards music that spoke more
not come by magic and I am still
Kumi’s profile. Along with the new
learning.”
album there are plans for a European
Soon the guitar became so synon-
tour and a string of festival dates.
about his own origins. He chose
ymous with Kumi it became part of
These plans may be affected by
highlife, which retains the melodies
his “showbiz name” given to him by
the international Covid-19 restric-
and rhythms of traditional Akan
the boss of Sugar Tone, his first label.
tions, but nothing can stop the song
music melded with more contempo-
Kumi Guitar’s first release was on a
machine that is Kumi Guitar once
rary sounds.
Sugar Tome compilation and it was
inspiration hits. Whether it’s in the
an immediate hit. “My track came out
bathroom, in his car or meeting
flying,” Kumi says.
someone new, his irrepressibly joyful
“My father was friends to many highlife musicians,” Kumi tells me. “He would play the music of acts
The Zylofon era continues to raise
songs are always being written.
such as Paa Boateng in the car.
Highlife calling “I thought to myself if I want to make music it should be something that showed my identity. I wanted a genre of music that belonged to me as a Ghanaian. I went back to my dad’s old highlife CDs and tried to get into them. “What drew me close from the start was the rhythms. They sounded beautiful and I felt immediately relaxed when I listened to them.” Most of these rhythms were produced by guitars and Kumi knew that rare is the highlife star who doesn’t play the instrument so he took to learning. “I knew I had to learn the rudiments of the guitar,” he says. “In
The stars of
Highlife
2011 I got a guitar coach, Daniel Daku, who taught me everything I know. He’s a beautiful player. It did INTERVIEW Kumi Guitar with Mark Edwards at Zylofon Studios
12
E.T Mensah Emmanuel Tettey Mensah was known as the “King of Highlife” music. He led the band The Tempos, a group that toured widely in West Africa and had hits with ‘Donkey Calypso’ and School Girl’.
Nana Acheampong Also known as Champion Lover Boy or Ernest ‘Owoahene’ Nana Acheampong (to his mum) he popularised Burger highlife (created by Ghanaians immigrants to Germany) along with Charles Kojo Fosu, aka Daddy Lumba
Paapa Yankson Benjamin Paapa Kofi Yankson recorded two dozen albums during his career. His hit songs included “Wiase Mu Nsem”, “Show Your Love”, “Wo Yere Anaa Wo Maame”, and “Tena Menkyen
Rex Omar A Ghanaian afro-jazz and highlife singer, composer, arranger, producer and culture advocate who did much to raise the profile of highlife overseas. C.K Mann Highlife musician and producer with a career spanning four decades. He was awarded the Grand Medal of Ghana in 2006.
Skateboarding in Ghana
Spreading the skateboarding word The pioneers of skateboarding in Ghana are taking to the road in country-wide tours to spread the word on this fun, free and fitness-building sport.
S
kateboarding is in essence surfing on land and was invented by surfers keen to keep their balance sharp on days when there was no swell.
Ghana’s nascent homegrown surfing scene has the benefit of world-class waves all-year round, warm waters and beautiful beaches, but conditions here for skateboarding are not as ideal. There are no skateparks, the quality of roads can generously be described as uneven and finding a smooth stretch of pavement is as rare as‌well, Ghanaian skateboarders. Still, when Sandy Alibo set up social enterprise Surf Ghana, the extreme sports enthusiast was keen it would champion both surfing and skateboarding. The French national was introduced to the small group of local surfers in Busua on holiday in Ghana with friends and was as impressed by their willingness to teach others in the community and spread the sport as with their skills in the water. Drawing on contacts she had built up during her time as the action sports strategist of mobile phone company Orange back home, Alibo was able to help out by organising the importing of donated surf boards and get more villagers riding the glassy waves. Time in Busua also introduced Alibo to the village’s skateboarding scene, which at that time began and ended with one man.
FLYafrica
13
“His name is Jacob,” Alibo tells me. “People in the village thought he was mad and he had pretty much been rejected by everyone.” Alibo felt for him. Her time with
from outside the country. This was the beginning of Skate Nation with Odamtten selecting members that shared his love of his
Orange had involved hanging
skateboarding as well as his desire to
out with BMX riders, surfers and
teach others and spread the growth
skateboarders and she had seen and
of the sport in Ghana. The collec-
experienced the sense of belonging
tive’s unofficial home is the smooth
those communities offered. It was
apron of asphalt in front of the Trade
empowering. She wanted Jacob to
Fair where they set up a collection of
feel that too and set about organis-
makeshift ramps and rails for tricks.
ing a skateboarding event, inviting
“The ground is perfect for skating
other skaters from across Ghana
there and no-one kicks you out
and paying for their travel and
like the other spots so we skate in
accommodation.
comfort, any day, any time,” he says.
Among those who answered the call to come to Busua were
Skate Sundays
members of Accra skate group Skate
Odamtten can be found here up
Nation, including its founder Joshua
to five times a week, practising
Odamtten.
his tricks or teaching others – his
It’s fair to say that without the
renown is now so established he is
30-year-old Odamtten there would
able to charge for lessons for those
be no Ghana skateboarding scene.
that can afford it. Still he dispenses
Now 30, the Accra native was just
plenty of free advice and ‘Skate
entering his teens when he first saw
Sundays’ at the Trade Fair have
someone ride a skateboard in the
become a popular opportunity for
capital. Fascinated, he secured his
anyone interested in skating to come
own board through a Chinese friend
and watch some of the country’s
and set about trying to teach himself
best skaters in action, hear some
through YouTube videos.
great music from Skate Nation DJ
“I was the first person to start doing tricks on a skateboard in Accra,” he says. “I learned watch-
and manager JP Dadson and give skateboarding a try. “We started Skate Sundays as
Joshua Odamtten is one of the best skateboarders in Ghana and has probably taught about 80 per cent of Accra’s skaters over the years
ing clips of my heroes such as
a chance for skaters from all over
[American] Chris Coles.”
just to meet, skate, compete and
Alibo is also keen to overturn
teach others,” says Odamtten. “It
notions that skateboarding is reac-
The start of a scene
has helped develop the love for the
The initial reactions among Accra
sport and gain ground and follow-
residents to the teenage Odamtten’s
ers. Exhibiting to the general public
skateboarding efforts were bemuse-
has helped to override the percep-
ment and even disdain.
tion of some that skateboarding is
He says: “Some felt I was wasting my time skating and that I am stupid to be roaming the city with a piece
dangerous.”
SHOP Skateboards are now available to buy at Decathlon’s Accra branch Image: Decathlon Ghana Limited
tionary. With the sport to be one of the events in the delayed 2021 Olympics and 85 million skateboarders worldwide, she says its outdated to think of it as rebellious and rulebreaking and the focus should be on how it can bring people together. This was the intention behind Surf
of wood with wheels while my peers
Ghana’s first skateboarding event in
are playing football and making
Busua. Skate Nation brought around
money.”
20 of its members – it now more
The criticism didn’t bother
than 50 – and Alibo, immediately
Odamtten. He relished his outsider
recognised Odamtten’s talent on
status. “The skateboarder’s lifestyle
and off his board. She could see he
is an individual way of living,” he
would be fundamental to her plans
says. He persisted with his passion,
for the evolution of skateboarding
finding and frequenting the city’s
here and asked him to become a
best skate spots such as the prom-
board member of Surf Ghana.
enade outside the National Theatre,
14
including helping get them boards
“Joshua is the book of skateboard-
Mile 7 in Achimota and the Accra
ing,” Alibo says. “He is one of the
International Trade Fair. Other kids
best skateboarders in Ghana and has
began turning up eager to learn
probably taught about 80 per cent
and Odamtten offered guidance,
of Accra’s skaters over the years. He
competition, but is focused on your own ideas and taking a risk. Our community is strong and it celebrates street culture and art. Skaters are very open-minded.” Most skaters are also pretty fit. Skateboarding burns calories, is good for your heart and encourages you to work on your agility and flexibility. Alibo believes the sport could be an important tool in combatting Ghana’s public health challenges.
Fitness benefits “Research shows nearly half of Ghanaians are overweight,” says Alibo. “The country has a young
TAKING TO THE AIR A skater in action in Accra
shape, but Alibo’s bigger picture vision includes spreading the transformative effects of skateboarding
population, but you’ll find most
to more remote parts of the country
playing of sports and most sport
where recreational options are more
facilities in schools or universities.
limited and most young people have
Once you are out of education it is
never even seen a skateboard before.
difficult to get involved and there are
To this end, in 2018 she began road
no public youth centres. With skate-
trip Skate Tour GH.
boarding all you need is a board for
Skate tour
daily exercise.” Getting your own skateboard is
“The first year we started in the
now easier and more affordable.
Western Region and visited Busua,
While Surf Ghana has overseen
Cape Three Point and Kumasi,”
the donation and delivery of 230
Alibo says. “The idea was to teach
life-changing power of skateboard-
surfboards and skateboards since
600 children to skate. We would
ing. Odamtten says there are many
it began and has long-term plans
stop randomly at schools on the
among Skate Nation who were
to produce its own affordable
street and start skating. We held
once troubled youths, but who have
made-in-Ghana skateboards, the
gained a new sense of self-worth
decision by global sporting goods
from the discipline required to learn
chain Decathlon to start selling
skills on their boards.
skateboards at its outlet in Accra’s
is an ambassador for the sport.” The pair share a belief in the
“A lot had family and anger issues,”
pop-up skate event with DJ sets and SKATE SPOT A skater at Trade Fair in Accra
Junction Mall has upped availability
an art workshop. We would teach both boys and girls how to skate and reward the best skater with a skateboard.”
he says. “But once they stared
considerably. With prices starting at
skating their attitude has totally
GHC 250 (US$ 43), these kid-friend-
we are doing, but we always got
“Many villagers don’t know what
changed. Now they teach others and
ly boards have begun many a skate-
a warm welcome once they have
feel they are giving back to society.”
boarding journey. Decathlon has
realised we are not bandits, just cool
For her part, Alibo sees skate-
recognised the market that is there in
teenagers who want to share our
boarding as a much-needed source
the capital and along Ghana’s coastal
passion.”
of creativity and community for the
axis a skateboarding scene is taking
The following year was even
youth of Ghana, a country where more than half of the population are under 25. Scan the Surf Ghana Instagram site, which is now closing in on 8,000 followers, and you’ll find the team involved in fashion shoots, some of the country’s coolest festivals such as Chale Wote and Afrochella and teaming up with talented local artists like Art Soul Kojo, Ahmed Partey, David Alabo and Awo Tsegah. “People seek the freedom skateboarding inspires. They are looking for a space to escape and pursue a sport that’s not about teams or
How to master your first ‘ollie’ Joshua Odamtten is one of Ghana’s best skaters – his signature trick is the very advanced half cab flip – but here he breaks down one of the simpler, but still impressive skateboarding tricks: the ollie. • Position your front foot an inch from the front truck (that the front wheels are attached to) while ball of the back foot is placed in the middle of the tail of the board.
• Bend both knees as you get ready to jump • Press the back foot quickly down on the tail towards the ground • Drag your front foot along the board as you jump. • Try to land with knees bent and both feet over the trucks (Remember: the higher you jump the better chance of making a good ollie) FLYafrica
15
bigger, attracting the sponsorship of skate clothing and accessories
The next big project is the creation
brand Vans, and targeting 1,000
of a skate park in Ghana. It would
children from nine villages across
be the first of its kind in West Africa
800km. There were new stop-offs
and offer, Alibo says, a safe place to
at the Volta Region’s Piki, Akosombo
practise the sport and a hub for the
and Lomé as well as return visits that
scene’s artists and other creatives.
convinced the team of the positive effect they were having. Alibo says: “We left a skateboard
Skate park campaign It would also help to put Ghana on
behind at one village. They didn’t
the global skateboarding map and
know we were returning, but when
signal the country as skater-friendly
we arrived we found children riding
to a potentially massive tourism
it, practising a sport when there is no
market. “We want surfers and skate-
sport infrastructure.”
boarders to come here and chill with
The tour was just as life-changing
us,” Alibo says. “That connection
for the skaters who accompanied
will only improve diversity and black
Alibo. Many had never travelled
representation in these sports.”
beyond their hometowns before. For
The building of the skate park is
Odamtten it was the chance to meet
scheduled for early 2021 but the
new communities of skaters such as
campaign has been running for close
those in Lomé on the Togo border
to two years now and Alibo admits
and in Kumasi, where the donation
they are still looking for land and
of 20 skateboards by Alibo helped
partners and for their crowdfunding
in setting up Troop Skateboarding
scheme is still shy of its target.
Club.
Odamtten is excited about the
“Getting to travel and meet new
prospect of the park, but he realises
faces and teach them skateboarding
there is much work still to be done.
is such fun,” he says.
“The campaign for the skate park
This year’s tour – which was due
“It needs total commitment from
d’Ivoire and create a DIY skate park
individuals to make that dream come
near Lake Bosomtwi – has had to
through.”
pandemic. Alibo is still hoping it will
Surf Ghana in numbers
230
Sports equipment collected and donated
2,000
Children trained in skateboarding and surfing
15
Sports and cultural events per year
8,491
Fans and supporters on Instagram @surfghana
SKATEBOARD START Youngsters get their first skateboarding lessons on Skate Tour GH
as skateboarding involves many falls before a trick is perfected, they know how important it is to put in the time. As Odamtten says: “The challenges that come with skateboarding are what appeal to me most.”
SKATE CREW The scene is growing
has not been an easy one,” he says.
to visit Tamale, Wa and the Côte
be postponed due to the Covid-19
16
happen before the end of the year
He and Alibo will keep pushing to make the skate park a reality. Just
To contribute to the campaign to build Ghana ‘s first skatepark, go to Surf Ghana’s GoFundMe site Follow the latest Surf Ghana events at its Instagram page. To help fund the work of Skate Nation, visit its website at skatenationgh.org To watch or take part in Skate Sundays, head to Trade Fair in Labadi, Accra, on any Sunday afternoon.
Skate Gal Club While Ghana’s skateboarding scene has a few very talented women skaters, Alibo (right) noticed that the vast majority were men. She has made sure that the skate tours target just as many girls as boys at the schools they visit, but she also wanted to give girls their own space and chance to shine. She says: “Skate Gal Club is a series of events that celebrate women. Women can be shy about skating in front of men when they know they are beginners. These women-only sessions are more comfortable and not about competition. There is also the chance to talk about women entrepreneurship or art and every event has a guest speaker.
“It’s a sisterhood and the push many women need. Having these women around me make me stronger to face all these men – most men think women don’t have a seat in the sports industry. We are launching a big movement – bigger than us”
WINafrica Win a month’s free membership at Ghana’s biggest gym Now more than ever it’s important to keep to a regular fitness routine and stay healthy. To get you started we are offering an amazing chance to win a free month’s membership at Fitrip, in Accra. It’s Ghana’s biggest gym and offers a huge range of fitness options for all levels and interests. Studio classes range from spinning, through fight aerobics to azonto dance.
FLYafrica competition You’ll also find a boxing and martial arts studio, a squash court, a huge resistance machine and free weight area and Ghana’s only CrossFit-affiliated gym, 233 CrossFit. Fitrip is an inclusive place, welcoming everyone on their fitness journey. You’ll find expert help from the team of gym instructors and personal trainers as well as plenty of encouragement from your fellow members to ensure you enjoy and stick to your workouts. To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, answer the three questions below and send them along with a picture of yourself holding issue 8 of FLYafrica to awacompetition@landmarine.org Good luck!
QUESTIONS 1. What is the name of the women-only skateboarding collective set up by Sandy Alibo? 2. What was the name of the band Kumi Guitar formed with his school friends? 3. Which singer broke attendance records at the Alhaji Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale for his album launch?
COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Closing date is 12 November. Photographs should be sent along with your entry. One entry per person. Entrants must be 18 or over. The winning entry will be selected by Land & Marine Publications Ltd. This competition is not open to employees of Africa World Airlines, Fitrip or Land & Marine Publications Ltd.
CONGRATULATIONS WELL DONE TO LAST ISSUE’S WINNER EMMANUEL BOTCHWAY Emmanuel and a friend will soon be enjoying a two-night break at Hillburi, a beautiful resort in the Akwapim Mountains. Emmanuel, we hope you enjoy your stay and thank you for flying Africa World Airlines.
Book online
ER N IN W
Emmanuel Botchway
flyAfricaWorld.com FLYafrica
17
STAR DESTINATION
Tamale
18
Sura Nualpradid / Shutterstock.com
Neja Hrovat / Shutterstock.com
fivepointsix / Shutterstock.com
Tamale, the fastest-growing city in West Africa, is a vibrant mass of mosques, markets and mapukas (motorycles). The capital of the Northern Region has been transformed with tall modern buildings now dominating the skyline, but the traditional mud huts with their conical straw roofs of the many ethnic groups that congregate here can still be found to the east.
SAFARI TOURS Elephants in Mole National Park STAND OUT Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque ZSM | Wikimedia Commons | CC-BY-SA-3.0
No building can escape the
handicrafts of the Northern
dusty residue of the Harmattan
and Savannah Regions such
dry desert wind that blows eight
as kente weaving, ceramics,
months of the year up here. It
mask making, carpentry and
may make washing your car a
leatherware are great to browse
rather pointless task, but it does
for souvenirs. At around 5pm
give Tamale some otherworldly
most days a traditional dance
hazy sunsets that bring beauty
troupe rehearse and perform in
to the city’s bustle. Here’s your
the centre’s open-air square. It’s
need-to-know guide.
free to watch.
TRAVEL: AWA flies every
DO: As Northern Ghana’s trade
day of the week from its hub
hub, Tamale’s markets draw
at Accra’s Kotoka International
sellers from across the region
Airport to Tamale Airport
and even abroad. The Central
with up to seven flights each
Market, located, as you’d
day between the two cities.
expect in the middle of the city,
For more flight details, prices
is a maze of stalls where you
and to make a booking, visit
can buy fabric, fresh produce
flyafricaworld.com
(including the most amazing
SEE: The King’s Palace. A vast
mangoes) and huge blocks of pure, unrefined shea butter.
mix of ethnic tribes have been drawn to the economic hub
It’s possible to experience
of Tamale and their unofficial,
Ghana’s largest wildlife reserve,
cross-tribal leader is the
Mole National Park, as a day
Dakpena, who resides amid the
trip from Tamale. Game drives
mud fortifications of his own
head into the park’s savannah
palace on the eastern outskirts
and forest space – which
of the city. It’s an incredible
contain elephants, buffalo,
looking compound and worth
hippos, leopards and rare
a visit.
birds such as the white-backed
Tamale’s population is largely
and late afternoon so make sure
Muslim and there are several
you time your three-hour drive
interesting mosques around
from Tamale to catch one.
town, notably on Bolgatanga Road. The stand-out is the Ahmadiyya mosque with its crenelated walls giving the pristine white structure a lace-
vulture – in the early morning
Kukuo is one of the developed suburbs of Tamale, though it used to be a village. It is known for its pottery industry, an
like delicacy.
occupation almost exclusively
Take time to explore the
Excursions can be arranged
National Cultural Centre.
to see the women at work
While its central cavernous
moulding the clay pots and
concert hall is rarely used, the
the firing them under a shell of
shops and artist studios that
straw. Kukuo women also take
surround it and which showcase
the lead in collecting shea nuts
done by local women.
before grinding, roasting and extracting the oil to produce the shea butter Northern Ghana is internationally famous for. EAT: In thriving Tamale, new restaurants are popping up all the time, but one of the most impressive has to be Luxury Restaurant with its rooftop setting, array of banquettes and sofas to lounge on and a delicious menu of fresh, healthy dishes and fruit juices. It’s the perfect spot to take in a Harmattan sunset. Restaurant and music venue Bernard’s Takeout has expanded to open a second, larger establishment on Airport Road. The food is top notch and the venue attracts some of the best local DJs for its weekend club nights. SLEEP: Africa Dream Hotel is a welcoming bed and breakfast with rooms opening out onto a pretty garden, which provides a welcome lush oasis amid arid Tamale. The family-friendly Hotel Zosimli is a little further out of town, but has its own outdoor pool and restaurant.
FLYafrica
19
AWArepatriation flights AWA helps fly stranded Brazilians home Africa World Airlines (AWA) was honoured to assist the Brazilian Embassy in Ghana to repatriate Brazilian citizens stranded throughout West Africa due to travel restrictions imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In July we operated simultaneous special charter flights to bring Brasilians from Dakar, in Senegal; Bissau in GuineaBissau; Lagos, Nigeria; and Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso to our hub at Kotoka International Airport in Accra. From here they connected onwards to Recife and then Campinas in Brazil on a special flight operated by Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras. The team effort meant that the repatriated Brazilians were able to reunite with friends and family. AWA was commended for its efforts in an official letter from the embassy as well as a Twitter post from Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who applauded the “bom trabalho” (good work). Ajuda para nossos amigos do Brasil!
Book online 20
flyAfricaWorld.com
Alexiglam HOW TO RETAIN
FLAWLESS
SKIN ON YOUR FLIGHT
FLYAfrica has a new beauty columnist, Ghanaian make-up artist and vlogger Alexandrina. She is the founder and CEO of Alexiglam, a beauty brand and studio based in Accra, and her make-up skills have been used by homegrown stars such as Juliet Ibrahim and Joselyn Dumas as well as on the catwalk at the New York Fashion show.
A
ll you beauty warriors here.... this one’s for you. Now that we can see
Use a toner to hydrate the skin and close pores. I recommend TM Essential Hydro Splash Spray (pour a
a return to some type of new
small amount into a travel size spray
normalcy, the thought of a holiday
bottle and use this to hydrate your
trip never seemed so alluring. Here’s
skin all through your flight)
how to look your glamorous best from takeoff to touchdown.
Before you leave for the Airport Give your face a deep cleanse. Skin
Next apply a moisturizing serum to your face; allow it to penetrate the skin fully for about two to three minutes. I personally love The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. Apply an eye cream to soothe
Gourmet’s Tea Tree Black Soap is
and nourish the under eye area. Try
a good natural soap that also helps
Elizabeth Arden’s Visible Difference
fight any inflammation on the skin.
Moisturizing Eye Cream
Use an exfoliator such a
Carry-on beauty must-haves: Pack these travel-sized beauty items into a small clear pouch: • Hand sanitiser / sanitising wipes • Hydrating spray • Moisturising shea butter lip balm • Shea butter nourishing hand cream • A clear sealable bag with a set of unused masks and gloves.
Finally apply a moisturizer to
Hibiscus Tea Tree Scrub to gently
keep your skin, plump and hydrated.
Shop these items and more on my page on Instagram
scrub your face; this will prepare it
You’ll love the Nuban Beauty
@alexiglam and website www.alexiglam.com. Follow
for the next step.
Hydrating Base.
my personal beauty journey @alexandrinamakeup FLYafrica
21
Sweet sisters leading a chocolate revolution in Ghana
22
Sisters Kimberly and Priscilla Addison are the founders of ’57 Chocolate, a Ghanaian brand using the country’s world-famous cocoa beans to make luxury handmade chocolate that looks as good as it tastes and which celebrates Ghanaian art and culture. Here’s all you need to know about this sweet start-up that is proving premium chocolate is not the preserve of Europe.
The chocolate could not be more Ghanaian if it tried…
were from Ghana, the second largest
Every step of the sisters’ chocolate-
“Switzerland is known as a chocolate
making process is steeped in their
nation,” Kim explained. “However, they
homeland. The cocoa beans are
do not grow cocoa at all. A majority of
sourced from farms in Ghana’s Eastern
their beans are Ghanaian beans.”
Region then sorted and roasted before
cocoa producing country in the world.
She shared her vision with her sister
being ground by machine into a liquid
and together they hatched a plan to
chocolate. This is then smoothed and
add value to these local resources and
moulded in the small factory the sisters
produce chocolate that was compara-
set up in the family home in the Accra
ble to top European brands in quality,
neighbourhood of East Legon. For the
but was unmistakably African.
bite-sized collection, the chocolate is
Ghanaian aphorism – which form the
The sisters started small. Their first factory was the family kitchen…
shape of the finished 10 gram bar. Even
In 2014, Priscilla and Kim left their Swiss
the flavourings, such as hibiscus and
jobs and returned to the family home
toasted coconut, are home sourced. The
in Accra set on pursuing their choco-
packaging, too, is fiercely patriotic from
late-making dream. For the next two
the ’57 Chocolate name, celebrating
years, the pair of university graduates,
the country’s year of independence, to
who Kimberly admits “had no back-
the national landmarks, such as Accra’s
ground in chocolate making”, set about
Kwame Nkrumah Memorial and Cape
researching the market. They attended
Coast Castle, on the label of each bar.
a chocolate making class together in
poured into ‘Adinkra’ symbol moulds – each one representing a traditional
The inspiration for the venture came from the home of chocolate (for now) – Switzerland…
the UK and Kimberly worked as an apprentice at factories in the UK and in Switzerland before they felt ready to launch ’57 Chocolate. It literally was the two of them to begin with, using
As children of parents who worked in international development, the sisters have had a global upbringing with extended periods in Senegal, the US and Switzerland. While living and working in Geneva, Kimberly went on a factory tour of Swiss chocolate maker Maison Cailler. While the chocolate was delicious it came as a surprise to her that the cocoa beans used to make the chocolate
FLYafrica 23
their mother’s stove in the kitchen
own chocolate.” Taste, however,
signature teas if they choose. Kim
to roast the sun-dried cocoa beans
is always paramount, even if that
is keen to increase capacity even
for their chocolate. Such humble
means discounting a sugar-free
further and reveal the chocolate-
beginnings proved, as Kimberly says,
option. “We did try out a chocolate
making process to tour groups. “I
“you can do it alone” and gave the
sweetened with Stevia,” Kimberly
would have us move to a bigger
pair the opportunity to be exact-
says. “It was horrendous. I’d rather
factory where people could actu-
ing with their standards. “We trial
come up with a sugar-free chocolate
ally do tours and where we would
tested on ourselves and family and
that people enjoy for the taste and
hopefully also be holding classes,”
friends,” Priscilla adds. “We would
not just for the health purposes.”
she says. “Sort of like a Willy Wonka
never send out a product we don’t
[The sisters have a sugar-free choco-
experience. We’d like to have a
like ourselves.” Initial supplies were
late they are very happy with set for
factory in every cocoa-growing
made to order for corporate events
release soon.]
nation in West Africa.”
The venture channels the ‘can-do’ spirit of independence…
Cultivating a chocolate culture in Ghana…
The Addison sisters came up with
the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel, at
the name ’57 Chocolate as they
branches of Baa & Bean in the capital
The Addison sisters are united in
wanted their brand to recapture the
and they provide ideal souvenirs for
their drive to make ’57 Chocolate a
spirit of hope and opportunity for
chocolate lovers from across the
success, but they have their differ-
homegrown businesses that met
world at Wild Gecko Handicrafts at
ences, even down to their taste in
the dawn of Ghana’s independence.
Kotoka International Airport.
chocolate – Priscilla prefers the 55
Both sisters are far too young to
per cent milk chocolate variety with
remember that time, but they know
the allure of chocolate is something
almond and sea salt while Kim’s
their history. Priscilla says: “We want
new. The sisters have taken it upon
favourite is 73 per cent dark with sea
to re-inspire this awakening by being
themselves to sensitise Ghanaians
salt. Priscilla says: “It’s great to find
a business that adds value to local
to a quality chocolate culture by
someone with equal drive. It makes
resources. Our first president Kwame
organising tasting sessions and visit-
it so much easier than doing it alone.
Nkrumah started this movement. At
ing schools to explain the chocolate
We have very different strengths and
one time Ghana had a growing dairy
making process.
weaknesses, which helps our busi-
industry and dairy farms.”
and weddings.
The sisters are a great team, but each bring their own flavour to the company…
Still, among everyday Ghanaians
As well as creating jobs for more
To explore the full range of ’57
aspects and attention to detail. She
Ghanaians to be part of their journey
Chocolate products, place an
is always seeking to improve produc-
– four years in ’57 Chocolate now has
order and book a group tasting
tion. I tend to focus on the artistic
a team of eight overseeing produc-
session, visit 57chocolategh.com
side. Kim is more technical.”
tion of around 1,000 chocolate bars
ness. Kim is stronger on the technical
Kim says: “Priscilla’s strengths lie in
a week to cope with its growing
marketing our products and creating
network of customers at home and
brand awareness. Where we work
abroad – the sisters hope to inspire
really well together and with our
more young budding entrepreneurs
team as a whole is the creative and
to start their own businesses and,
artistic side of the business.”
as Kim says, “show what Ghana is
This is chocolate you won’t feel bad about eating…
24
You can find the luxury chocolates at
capable of”.
The ’57 chocolate range, especially
Becoming the Willy Wonkas of Ghana chocolate…
the 73 per cent dark variety packs
Producing chocolate in the family
in plenty of antioxidant-rich cocoa
kitchen was never going to keep
with little in the way of sugar. The
pace with growing demand led by
sisters also avoid additives where
word of mouth from happy custom-
possible throughout the range. “We
ers and the sisters’ strong social
try to keep the cocoa in its truest
media profile. A small chocolate-
form. We don’t add a lot of sugar.”
making factory was built next to
says Priscilla. “We always wanted
the family home which upped
to create a reputable high-quality
production and allowed the sisters
chocolate that contains no preserva-
to organise tasting events for group
tives and no additives. We didn’t
bookings. Visitors can taste test the
want to feel bad about eating our
’57 Chocolate range and pair it with
PATRIOTIC PACKAGING Scenes include Makola Market and the Wli waterfalls
FLYafrica has its own life coach! Da Lady Rev is a pastor, radio presenter, author and motivational speaker and each issue will be helping FLYafrica readers excel in all areas of their life. She begins with how to recognise when it is time to move on in a relationship.
We work really well together and with our team as a whole on the creative and artistic side of the business
Not every relationship ends up with verbal break-up. Some end up with action so if you sit down hoping to repair something that is dead, you’ll end up wasting your time. These are some principles that let you know it’s time for a change. When communication is dead. Communication is physical and emotional. Physical communication is dead when the two of you cannot have even a couple of minute’s conversation. Emotional communication is the point in your life when you feel like asking your partner questions because they don’t react in the way they used to. If we have that cord broken, it tells us it is time to move on. When there is no commitment. Relationships are supposed to be between two people. When you find out he/she is still holding on to a past relationship with another person, it’s time you move on. Be bold, pack your things, put value on yourself and go.
FLAVOURS Choose from dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, mocha latte and bissap
When you find out they wanted you for what you are and not who you are. When your partner likes you because of your profession, money, car or your achievement and never because of who you are without those things then there is no guarantee they are going to be there forever. When there are too many excuses. The relationship gets to a point where your partner always has an excuse not to call you, visit you or when there’s excuse for everything that is done or not done right. Love deals with situations; it doesn’t come with too many excuses. When it is getting violent. No Matter what, when a partner begins to be violent with you, pack up and leave. You can get angry but not to the extent of using heels on the head of your partner or slapping her whenever there’s disagreement.
Follow De Lady Rev on Facebook at de Lady Rev and Instagram @de_lady_Rev
FLYafrica 25
Dancers hope to make leap to a new life He’s inspired by a cheesy 20-year-old romantic film and learned his craft through YouTube videos, but in just two years Daniel Owoseni has trained students at his ballet academy in one of the most under-privileged neighbourhoods in Lagos to such a standard that the world is taking notice.
T
he rain is pouring down, collecting in puddles on an unsurfaced road in Lagos’
Ajangbani district, but it doesn’t seem to bother Anthony Mmesoma Madu. The 11-year-old ballet student is focused on his dancing, pirouetting in the puddles and performing soaring leaps, taking off on one bare foot and splashing down on the other. It’s a study in poise and focus oblivious to the harsh surroundings. When the video of Madu’s dance was released on Instagram, it went viral, garnering hundreds of thousands of views around the world with Hollywood actresses Cynthia Erivo
26
Images courtesy of leapofdanceacademy
and Viola Davis among those moved
scholarship for Madu to come to
by what they saw. Oscar-winner
the US to train next year and in the
Davis shared it on her Twitter page,
meantime is providing him with an
saying it captured: “the beauty of my
online tutor to hone his skills.
people. We create, soar… despite the
The online training was also
brutal obstacles that have been put
extended to the man responsible
in front of us! Our people can fly!”
for instilling Madu’s love of ballet in
Mentors
Nigeria, Daniel Owoseni. Madu is one of a dozen students between the
Madu’s moves also so impressed the
ages of six and 15 at Owoseni’s Leap
global Grishko brand of handmade
of Dance Academy.
point shoes and dance clothing it
Ballet is a very highly disciplined art and dancers don’t only use it in class but throughout one’s life
Owoseni set up the academy in
provide for your family. The academy DISCIPLINE Dancers at the barre
offers something beyond the grind to survive – an avenue of selfexpression and self-belief – but also a fortitude to take on life’s challenges.
appointed Colombian ballet dancer
2017 in Afromedia Ajanbani in Oju,
and soloist Fernando Montaño to
Lagos, and it offers far more to
highly disciplined art and dancers
Owoseni says: “Ballet is a very
be his mentor while Cynthia Harvey,
pupils than just free training in ballet.
don’t only use it in class but
the artistic director of the ABT
Ajanbani is a peaceful, low-income
throughout one’s life. Our students
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
neighbourhood where childhood
carry themselves differently, they
of Dance in New York, arranged a
is often truncated by the need to
carry themselves with a sense of
FLYafrica 27
distinguished character and pride,
limited resources,” he says. “In Save
with elegance and people notice that
the Last Dance, I saw the dedication
when they walk down the street.”
and commitment it takes to do this
Such distinguishing deportment is
do this. My go-to source of teach-
the students out when the academy
ing was YouTube videos and Google
first opened. Then Owoseni strug-
searches, which gave me the best
gled to get five students for his
understanding I could get then.
classes amid criticism among parents
“I had it in mind to take dance seri-
in the neighbourhood that dancing
ously and when I was at university, I
was just a distraction from school-
had more exposure, but that was in
work, would encourage laziness and
African dance. When I finished my
was even indecent. However, the
time with the National Youth Service
Lagos University graduate with a
Corps (NYSC) in 2016 I was running
lifelong love of dancing is living proof
an outreach dance programme and
that ballet and academic learning
that prepared me to begin work with
can coexist.
the academy.
“I was able to convince them by
“When I was looking for a name
being different, showing them not all
for the academy, I remembered my
dancers are loafers,” Owoseni says.
background and that I had to take a
“I told them I am a graduate of busi-
step or a leap that was not consid-
ness administration, which that gave
ered to be possible. It wasn’t just any
them a different approach instantly,
leap but a leap into dance and not
seeing their children can still make
just any dance but ballet.”
good grades and dance also.
Taking a leap into dance
With the Leap of Dance Academy, Owoseni wants to give his students opportunities he didn’t have when he
“We organised a programme
was their age, but at the same time
called Sit and Read for our kids to
he is looking for a quality in them
read their regular school work and
that he can’t teach.
we assist them to get good grades
“Our students are selected with or
in school. This also convinced
no prior training,” he says. “Anyone
the parents their kids are in good
can dance, but you get your place
hands.”
here once you show commitment
Owoseni knows Oju well. The 29-year-old was born and raised
and dedication.” The dozen current students have
here, in fact the classes at the
that drive to improve. Madu has
academy – which does not currently
grabbed the headlines, but his video
have a permanent home – take place
going viral has also raised global
outside of Owoseni’s house or in a
awareness of the depth of talent at
small nearby room when the weather
the academy.
is bad. He knows how difficult it is to
HIGH LEVEL Daniel Owoseni with students from the Leap of Dance Academy
here and we are hopeful for the future of dance in Africa.” Owoseni has done wonderfully well to get his students to such a high level in just two years of training, but the recent rise in profile
pursue a career in dance when you
Amazing opportunities
live here. Central Lagos has a few
“Many amazing opportunities have
renowned teachers offering to lend a
dance schools, but they are private
been presented to us now,” says
hand. With the covid travel restric-
and prohibitively expensive for most
Owoseni. “Our students have trained
tions most now are sharing their
residents.
and continue to train at a high-
skills through online workshops. “We
quality level so that when opportuni-
have many guest teachers coming
When Owoseni was in Year 9 at
28
kind of art and I told myself I want to
in contrast to the stigma that singled
High School and first fell in love with
ties like this arise, they will be ready
ballet watching the hit US film Save
to travel and take their talent and
the Last Dance about an aspiring
hard work abroad. We have many
ballerina, he knew it was down to him
scholarship opportunities around the
if he wanted to follow his dream.
world and we are very grateful. As
“I am self-taught and that has
for Nigeria we are at the forefront of
inspired me to learn more despite
making a name for dance and ballet
for the academy has seen world-
We will be putting a website up where we will start raising funds to build our own dance school for the kids
Ballet basics Getting started in ballet? Here are the three moves beginners have to master first. plie (plee-ay): to bend. Keeping both feet flat on the floor at all times, bend your knees.... releve (ruh-leh-vay’): the dancer rises up onto the balls of their feet saute (soh-tay): any jump on two feet landing on two feet.
in,” says Owoseni. the upcoming
“Once our academy is established
months to teach some workshops.
as an NGO, we will be putting a
Our current teachers online are Kat
website up where we will start raising
Wildish, Linda Hurkmans and Mary
funds to build our own dance school
Hubbs from the Ballet Academy East
for the kids,” he says. “Recently, we
in New York.”
have gained the support of many,
International interest There has been some financial
which will put together resources for the students.” It looks like this dedication and
support for the academy in the past
commitment is paying off for
in the form of small private donations
Owoseni and his pupils, who can be
and the students are kitted out for
spotted in Ajangbani – the ones who
free in new and donated dancewear
hold their heads a little higher, their
from international not-for-profit
backs a little straighter and keep
organisation Travelling Tutus, but
their eyes on their dance dream.
Owoseni hopes to channel this increased international interest into
For more information,
funding for a permanent home for
visit the Instagram page
the academy.
@leapofdanceacademy
FLYafrica 29
Tune in to Tamale
THE MUSIC CAPITAL OF GHANA Time was when music from Tamale artists was rarely heard beyond Ghana’s Northern Region, but the countrywide success of acts such as Fancy Gadam and Maccasio has led to the spotlight being shone on the thriving and culturally crucial music scene here. Mark Edwards gets a guide to the new names from the north.
A
mong the tall structures
who has just released his fourth
that punctuate the skyline
album, ‘Zero 2 Hero’ to great acclaim,
of the Northern Region’s
have a strong national following.
rapidly expanding capital Tamale are the masts of the eleven FM radio
of this city’s music industry to the
stations operating in the city.
amount of airtime Tamale music
Day and night, they broadcast
available is Duah Anthony Akwesi. The 24-year-old is also known around town as DJ Ephya and is a regular presence behind the decks at the hottest club nights in the city. We meet on a baking Friday
gets on the radio here. Among the
afternoon at Tamale restaurant
the latest sounds of a vibrant local
city’s radio stations championing
and weekend night club Bernard’s
music scene that is attuned to the
local music is Fiila FM. It was the
Takeout. Aside from a few brave
diverse tribal traditions of the region
second private radio station to set
souls sweating away in the gym –
as well as more modern movements
up in Tamale and has been now been
yes, it also has a gym, Bernard is a
of Afropop, dancehall, hiplife and
broadcasting across the city for 17
hip-hop.
years.
Once marginalised in favour of
TAMALE HEROES Maccasio and Fancy Gadam
keen bodybuilder – we are the only ones here, but the place will comes to life tonight as Tamale’s bright
the music coming out of Accra and
Fiila FM
the south coast, the whole country
About two thirds of its output is
line-up of DJs, including Ephya, spin
is now waking up to the Tamale
talk shows, discussing politics and
the tunes. Ephya means Friday-
sound. Shatta Wale, one of the most
community matters, but the rest is
born in Twi and the DJ lives for the
popular and commercially success-
given over to music with the empha-
weekend club nights, but he says the
ful artists in the capital, released a
sis on songs by local artists. One of
moniker was given to him because
song, ‘Tamale’, in 2017 praising the
the station’s most popular shows,
it is a girl’s name and supposedly
strength of the city’s musical culture
hosted by DJ Carlos, consists entirely
suited the gentle and softly spoken
and high profile local artists such as
of music of Tamale origin.
Akwesi. Opposition was pointless, he
Fancy Gaddam, who this year was
30
Many have attributed the success
TASTEMAKERS DJs are spreading the word on new Tamale music
Among the station’s team of
named Best Afrobeat Entertainer at
sound engineers who do much
the International Reggae and World
to ensure the weekly playlist
Music Awards, and rapper Maccasio,
reflects the diversity of new music
young things come to party and a
says. “The more you try to stop it the more it spreads.” As ever, there will be plenty of tracks from local artists in DJ Ephya’s
set-list tonight. “Anytime I drop a track from a Tamale artist it gets a huge response from the crowd,” he says. “Tamale people love melody. It’s part of our culture and you can’t escape it in our music. It’s instantly recognisable.”
Remixes The DJ likes to play his own remixes of local artists to, he says, “distinguish myself from others”. His efforts often get back to the original artists and Maccasio recently gave his seal of approval to a DJ Ephya twist on one of his tracks.
Local bloggers and local artists bring their music into us and some send their audio in through WhatsApp
There is plenty of homegrown music for DJ Ephya to choose from. Music has been key to life here for centuries when early settlers the Dagbamba tribe used it as a form of emotional expression and interaction. Modern Tamale has harnessed the region’s musical creativity and heritage as part of its cosmopolitan development. There are now public music studios such as Blue Beats,
CLUB FAVOURITE DJ Ephya
FLYafrica
31
Web Studios, Carlos Entertainment to record in and the city’s youth are creating their own local informal music industry by using readily available music production tools and sharing music and inspiration online.
Tamale tastemaker As a DJ and radio sound engineer,
Fancy Gadam broke records at the launch of his ‘Dream’ album when 15,000 of his loyal fans – known as the Gadam Nation – watched him at the Alhaji Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium
DJ Ephya – who started DJing
FM goes out every day from 10am to 12pm and features traditional music performed live in the studio or captured in field recordings on visits to the tribal villages. Recent shows have included Dagbon hunting songs, acapella singing and some intense drumming sessions.
professionally five years ago after
in from 4pm to 12am to catch the
Tradition and innovation
working on his scratching and mixing
latest releases.
You can hear echoes of those drum
skills in his bedroom – has become
The majority of that music would
beats in many hiplife songs and the
a sort of Tamale tastemaker, sifting
be classed as hiplife, a musical genre
ties that bind traditional and modern
through the latest releases and
which fuses traditional Ghanaian
styles here mean music means a
showcasing the best in his live shows
music with hip-hop and reggae.
great deal to both young and old.
and on the radio. “Local bloggers
The popularity of such a hybrid
Musicians such as rapper Nandos
and local artists bring their music
musical genre in Tamale is telling. As
the Dagbandoo and singer Dabba
into us and some send their audio in
DJ Ephya tells it: “Here in the north
Lamaley have experimented with
through WhatsApp” he says. “All Fiila
if the melody is good, we jump to it.
blending traditional Dagbdon instru-
FM’s sound engineers are always
We don’t care where it came from.
ments to produce genre-blending
catching up with new music.
We don’t know the language of salsa
“Even if a DJ decides not to play your music, you can put it on social
but we move to it.” The inclusivity of modern musical
TAMLE FAN Shatta Wale
music. In May, Fancy Gadam, who when he won the Best New Artist at the 2017 Ghana Music Awards visited
media and get people to start
tastes in Tamale extends to an
the palace of Tamale’s traditional
listening to it. There’s nothing to
appreciation and encouragement
chief the Naa Dakpema as a sign of
stop it.”
of traditional music. The city is a
respect, released the single ‘Corona’,
multi-ethnic melting pot with many
sung in Dagbani, to promote the
Fiila FM’s output brings in the older
different tribes having been drawn to
need for self-hygiene during the
listeners, Tamale’s fervent fan base
the economic trading hub with by far
virus outbreak.
of young music lovers know to tune
the largest being the Dagomba. One
While the talk show portion of
32
of the most popular shows on Fiila
DJ Ephya believes the Tamale
Still nowhere shows Fancy Gadam love quite like his hometown. The ‘Ma Baby’ singer broke records at the launch of his ‘Dream’ album in October last year when 15,000 of his loyal fans – known as the Gadam Nation – watched him perform at the Alhaji Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium.
Record-breaking concert It was an unforgettable night for the city and one which DJ Ephya kept going until the early hours, playing in a club packed with punters fresh from the concert who did not want the celebrations to end. “You had to be there,” he says. The stadium was almost, but not quite, as full when Stonebwoy played live a couple of months later and Maccasio has also brought huge crowds to the venue. It also has hosted the Northern Ghana Music music scene’s ability to join the dots
uploading a pool of local music to be
between many different forms of
accessed by DJs across the country.
music and singing in local dialects
Their work is certainly being helped
adds to its depth and uniqueness
by crossover local artists such as
but that it has also been its undoing
Fancy Gadam, whose amazing
in the north”, says DJ Ephya and
in getting recognition from the
dance moves and blend of Afropop
their appeal and by extension that
Afrobeat-loving south of the country
and hiplife, have brought him huge
of the city is growing across Ghana.
and in international markets.
success across the country. In
Tamale’s time in the spotlight is
Ghana, nothing shows you’ve made
revealing the depth of musical talent
“Ghana is huge and you can’t just do
it quite like becoming the brand
here and DJ Ephya believes there are
music for us. Tamale artists are doing
ambassador of a soft drink. Fancy
plenty more stars of the future to be
their best to compete. They have
Gadam has followed Stonebwoy
unearthed here. In his DJ sets he is
always done the heavy promotion in
and Shatta Wale into the market by
currently playing to death ‘Monica’,
the north, but now they are pushing
becoming the face of the caffeine-
the latest release from local hero
down to the south on radio tours.”
packed Rasta Choco Malt. He has
Sapashini, and he says there are
also played shows across the Upper
many more where he came from.
doing their bit to spread the word
West, Ashanti and Greater Accra
The future is bright, the future is
on Tamale artists by working on
regions.
Tamale.
“Language is a barrier,” he says.
Ephya and other local DJs are
DJ Ephya’s top five tracks from Tamale artists
Mangbuni The Boy by Fadlan
by Maccasio
DJ EPHYA The future is Tamale
Awards for the past five years, with Wa-born singer Samini headlining the last event. These Tamale stars “are reigning
Fara
by Fancy Gadam ft Kofi Kinaata
Monica
by Sapashini
Sister
by DJ Flex ft Fadlan
FLYafrica 33
Laila putting Ghana on the
CrossFit map Even the fittest in the world have had to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic. The annual grand event of ‘the sport of fitness’, the CrossFit Games, in Wisconsin, US, will now take place without the usual thousands of cheering fans and without much of its international contingent of contenders. This is especially heartbreaking for Laila Zangwio, who had been set to be the first person to represent Ghana at the Games. Mark Edwards reveals how the former triathlete had to have a crash course in CrossFit to make it to the Games and how losing the chance to compete on the world stage has only sharpened her desire to improve in the sport and come back stronger at next year’s event.
L
aila Zangwio’s morning alarm is set for 5am. The 26-year-old never hears it, though, because
Laila and Eugene joining the other members of Ghana’s masochistic
she gets up at 4.58am every day and
fitness community in running up the
is out of bed to switch it off before
eye-wateringly steep Aburi hill.
it has a chance to ring. The Accraborn athlete’s body is attuned to her
Being a beginner again
mission – to represent her country at
Fitrip is one of Accra’s newest gyms
the CrossFit Games – and that requires an early start to attack the day’s training regime. By 5.30am she is at the Fitrip gym in Accra’s Dworzulu district to begin the morning’s weightlifting session alongside training partner Eugene Abraham, a Fitrip personal trainer and promising CrossFit athlete with ambitions to make the Games in the future. Once the morning session is complete, Laila heads to her job as assistant to the athletics director at the private Lincoln Community School in the capital. By 5pm she will be back at Fitrip for more training, this time with the emphasis on conditioning and gymnastics. She rarely leaves before 9pm. This is the drill six days a week. Only on Sunday does it vary, 34
when at 6.30am you’ll find both
– it opened at the start of last year –
GHANA’S BIGGEST GYM Fitrip in Accra and (right) Laila at 233 CrossFit
and the only one in the country to be CrossFit affiliated. It is fantastically well appointed with facilities including a squash court, an MMA and boxing mezzanine floor, a spin studio and a free weights and resistance machines area, but Laila focuses her work in the gym’s CrossFit ‘box’. Here there are climbing ropes, pull-up bars, barbells and plenty of floor space for the sport’s hybrid test of total fitness.
background is triathlons, a sport she excelled in, becoming Ghana’s female champion seven times over and coming third at the 2019 African championship and fourth at the same year’s World Championships in her age group. Still, when Fitrip manager Houssam Hamidi introduced Laila to her first CrossFit class in June 2019 what
Laila first turned up at Fitrip in the hope
appealed most was the feeling of
of landing a job as a trainer, but the visit
being a beginner again. The innately
transformed Laila’s athletic journey. Her
competitive Laila relished this new
I’ve come from an endurance background,” she says. “So the long, conditioning workouts feel comfortable, but I had never done weightlifting before…”
Images: Mark Edwards
wanted to come back and ensure I could do it. I was back the following day.”
challenge. The class was a testing mixture of box jumps, double-unders (an advanced skipping technique in which the rope passes under your feet twice with each jump) and barbell cleans. None of the movements were familiar to Laila, but the innate competitor in her wanted to get better straight away. “I couldn’t lift the weight and couldn’t do double-unders,” she remembers. “It was so tough. I went home and for the first time I felt I was challenged. I
Triathlon is a solitary sport and Laila had to self-support her ambitions, becoming her own trainer and getting herself to events.
CrossFit family By contrast, she was also immediately taken by the community of CrossFit. Everyone in her class encouraged each other and bonded in the joint effort to make it through the workout. “I really enjoy the group classes,” she says. “It’s amazing to train with people of the same mindset who support you. We are a CrossFit family.”
Fitrip took Laila under its wing from the start and while she says she struggled through those early unfamiliar classes, Houssam was quick to see her potential in her sport. He found training partners to push her, devised a weekly workout routine to keep to and even took charge of her nutrition. Right next door to Fitrip is nutrition and diet centre Wholesome Crafts that prepares three meals a day for Laila to fuel her workouts. “This is the first sport where I have a coach,” she says. “I feel supported here. I had to choose between triathlon and CrossFit. CrossFit won.” Despite all the support and her triathlon background, getting good at her new sport has been a steep learning curve. FLYafrica 35
“I’ve come from an endurance background,” she says. “So the long, conditioning workouts feel comfortable, but I had never done weightlifting before and doing a handstand against a wall was the extent of my gymnastics, now I can do handstand walks and muscle-ups [One of the toughest CrossFit moves that involves continuing a pull up so you press your whole upper body above the bar with arms extended]. Now I do weight-lifting five times a week. It can be boring, but when I get a PR [personal record] then I love it.” Laila saw rapid changes in her weightlifting numbers, but also in her physique as she began to add muscle to her slim triathlete’s frame. She has that defined athlete’s physique you’d think most would aspire to, but she says many women in Ghana are keen to cling on to their curves. “I’ve gained some muscle and got a bit heavier,” she says. “Friends told me ‘You’re going to look so boyish’, which is not something that’s encouraged here.
Girls can be strong “I’ve grown up always hearing that as an athlete. I’m looking forward to being an example for girls to go with what they can do. To believe in themselves.” Laila has not had not long to get accustomed to the range of CrossFit movements. Just a few months after she arrived at Fitrip, the first of the CrossFit Open workouts were announced. These are a series of four workouts – a new one is released each
week and athletes have a week to post their best score – which are open to anyone to attempt from the world’s elite battling for a Games place to weekend warriors who just want to test themselves against their friends. In 2018, more than 429,000 people took part, but only 32 different countries were represented. In 2019 the rules were changed to ensure that every country that practices CrossFit sends an athlete to the Games.
Representing Ghana Despite only having taken up CrossFit a matter of weeks before the Open, Laila posted the best scores by a woman in Ghana. Her workouts were captured on video and sent away for verification and soon word came that she was on her way to the US as a Games athlete. “I was excited when I saw the email to get in the Games,” she says. “But a week later, I found myself in a zone where I realised how much there is still to do if I want impress when I get there. I’ve watched the Games and most of the African athletes don’t get beyond the first stage [the field is cut by half after the first event with the worst performing athletes left eliminated and the number of competitors is further cut down after each subsequent event] I’m not going there to win, but I want to leave a mark. I know I won’t come first, but I won’t be last and I want to show that Ghana came and this is what happened.” The responsibility and pride of representing her country has driven her to up the intensity of her workouts even further with both her and Eugene testing each other to their limits. “Eugene is hard on me and I am the same for him,” she says. “It’s friendly competition, but we always go hard. Every evening before the class I practise the movements and work on my weaknesses.”
36
Such commitment to ensure Laila made herself and her country proud at the Games makes it heart-breaking that the Covid 19 outbreak and the subsequent social distancing have meant it will be an almost unrecognisable Games running from July 27 to August 2 this year. It will now take place behind closed doors in California with just 30 invited athletes for the men’s and women’s competition. Laila like hundreds of other amazing athletes from around the world will not be there.
Refocus for next year I catch up with Laila in May, just a few weeks after the changes to the Games were announced. She is disappointed, of course, but with the Open series of workouts for the 2021 Games this November, focusing on using the extra time to hone her fitness and exercise technique so she is ready to post winning numbers again and make the Games next year. She is still able to train at Fitrip. While the gym, like all others in Accra, closed for the government-enforced lockdown it has been one of the first to reopen,
Inflight mindfulness with Bliss Yoga Accra
Breathing techniques to help nervous flyers Nana Amoaka-Anin is the founder of Osu yoga and wellness centre Bliss Yoga and she is also, we are very pleased to say, FLYafrica’s new inflight mindfulness teacher. In each issue she will guide you through a physically and spiritually relaxing practice to make your flight fly by. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, whether you are taking off, landing, or halfway through a six-hour flight, you are always breathing. Flying can bring up feelings of anxiety. Luckily it takes just 60 seconds to calm down and you can do it using your breathing. To help ease stress on your flight, here are two breathing exercises to help you relax. making sure that members stay safe with temperature checks on arrival, a disinfectant booth that everyone must pass through to enter the gym floor and social distancing observed throughout. Laila still never gets to hear her alarm. Getting better every day at CrossFit and becoming the first Ghanaian to compete at the Games all the wake-up call she needs.
To find out more about Fitrip and joining fees for its CrossFit box, 233 CrossFit, and the rest of the gym’s facilities, visit fitripgh.com or email info@fitripgh.com
MUSCLE UPS Laila performs one of CrossFit’s most testing moves
Stretch your breathing
COMMUNITY Laila has loved the family feel of training at Fitrip
Alternate breathing between nostrils
Sit up straight in your seat and inhale deeply through your nose. Exhale slowly through your nose (instead of your mouth), for two to three seconds longer than the amount of time it took to breathe in. Do this for 60 seconds and feel instantly calmer.
Block one nostril with your thumb and inhale through the other nostril until your lungs are full. Hold your breath as you move your thumb to close off the other nostril. Exhale slowly and repeat through each nostril. Find out more about the classes at blissyogaaccra.com or @blissyogaaccra Instagram FLYafrica 37
INVESTMENT market review Brought to you by: Strategic African Securities Limited
Stocks dip further into value territory The stock market continued its
price gain as spot gold soared
downward trend in the first half
globally based on inflation fears
of the year, as the GSE Composite
and safe-haven demand. Gains
Index closed down 15.83% while
were also seen in SIC Insurance,
the GSE Financial Stock Index
Camelot and Aluworks, which
saw a 14.59% decline. In compari-
rose 25.00%, 22.22% and 10.00%,
son, during the same period last
respectively. Fan Milk was the top
year, the GSE Composite Index
loser during the period, shedding
was down 6.90% while the GSE
56.31% possibly in anticipation of
Financial Stock Index was 2.96%
poor performance from lockdown
lower. Total market turnover at
induced inventory and receivable
GH₵ 194.01 million (up 91.9% from
write-offs.
the prior comparable period’s GH₵ 101.12 million) was largely
Fan Milk had a difficult half year,
dominated by trades in MTN Ghana
recording a 17.83% decline in
(78.71% of total), Ghana Commer-
revenue to GH₵ 184.74 million.
cial Bank (7.85%) and Ecobank
Profit After Tax (PAT) fell 93.35%
Ghana (4.33%). Total volume
to GH₵ 0.70million, while net
traded was 262.25 million shares
margin worsened to 0.4% from
compared to 98.21 million shares
4.70%.
same time last year.
38
It is worth noting that all listed
Net sellers continued to dominate
banks shares except for those of
the market, with 19 price declin-
Agriculture Development Bank
ers versus five advancers. New
and Standard Chartered Bank’s
Gold Exchange-Traded Fund
Preference closed in the nega-
was the top riser with a 68.33%
tive. The recent directive by the
Stock Market Indices (per cent)
Source: GSE, SAS Research
Performance of GSE Listed Companies Top Advancers
Closing Price (GH₵) Change
New Gold SIC Insurance Camelot Aluworks Standard Chartered Bank Pref Top Decliners
90.90 0.10 0.11 0.11 0.87
68.33% 25.00% 22.22% 10.00% 1.16%
Closing Price (GH₵) Change
Fan Milk Intravenous Infusions Ghana Commercial Bank Guinness Ghana Breweries Republic Bank Source: GSE,SAS Equities Desk
1.75 0.03 3.40 1.20 0.40
-56.31% -40.00% -33.33% -28.99% -28.57%
1 Jan - 30 Jun, 2020
low gearing, a defensive and diversi-
Bank of Ghana for banks to temporarily suspend dividend payments due to Covid-19 appears to be affecting demand for bank shares, bucking generally good operating results.
fied product portfolio and a strong market position, such as MTN Ghana
and GOIL. Banks that have taken the
91 Day Tbill
14.69%
13.97%
182 Day Tbill
15.15%
14.05%
-1.10%
ing to transactions) such as Ecobank
1 Year Note
17.88%
16.87%
-1.01%
Ghana, Ghana Commercial Bank and
2 Year Note
20.95%
18.75%
-2.20%
Standard Chartered Bank are likely to
3 Year Bond
19.70%
18.85%
-0.85%
fair better than peers that are behind
5 Year Bond
19.50%
19.25%
-0.25%
the curve. Rather than timing the
7 Year Bond
21.37%
19.24%
-2.13%
bottom of the market, we recom-
10 Year Bond
21.77%
20.31%
-1.46%
mend investors take advantage of new
15 Year Bond
21.56%
21.12%
-0.44%
lead in digitalization (from onboard-
Ecobank Ghana posted a 23.4% improvement in total operating income at GH₵ 878.46million for the first half of the year. PAT improved to GH₵ 253.25 million (+18.5%). Ghana Commercial Bank also performed well, reporting a 26% growth in total operating income to GH₵ 913.39 million while PAT improved to GH₵ 186.86 million (+41.9%). Standard Chartered Bank improved total operating income by 14.9% and PAT by 56.7%. While we expect recent job losses to constrain demand and impact capacity utilisation and inventory build-up/ receivable write-offs in some cases while debt (largely payables) accumulate on the balance sheet in the medium term, we believe that Ghana Stock Exchange prices may have already captured all of these factors, and valuations generally are rather cheap at an average market price-to-earnings ratio of 4.21. In our view, the extended selling over the past two years offers opportunities to buy into good quality counters at discounts. To discerning longterm investors, we recommend well managed, high quality companies with
Treasury Rates
value opportunities to rebalance their portfolios. MTN Ghana continues to improve its margins: revenue growth of 19.46% to GH₵ 2.90billion and 10.05% decline in direct costs led to an improvement in EBITDA Margin to 53.56% (vs 49.55%). The group reported EBITDA of GH₵ 1.55 billion (+29.14%) and PAT of GH₵ 689.51 million (+52.33%). GOIL, affected by the restrictions on movement during the lockdown, saw a 21.7% dip in revenue to GH₵ 2.42 billion. PAT fell 41.29% to GH₵ 60.01 million
Avg. Open
further easing for the remainder of the year. Government currently expects a fiscal deficit of around 11.4% of GDP (GH₵ 44.1 billion) for 2020 compared to about 4.7% of GDP (GH₵ 18.9 billion) in the original budget for the year. Net treasury securities issuance is expected to remain relatively high in the medium term, with the risk of higher yields.
(net margin eased to 1.42% vs 2.16% during 1H19).
GH₵ Exchange Rates
In the bond market, we see limited
Currency
Avg. Open
impetus for bond prices to rally much
US Dollar
5.54
5.67 -2.30%
further this year
Pound Sterling
7.32
7.00
4.46%
Canadian Dollar
4.27
4.16
2.60%
At the last Monetary Policy Commit-
South African Rand 0.40
tee meeting in July, the MPR was left
Euro
unchanged at 14.5%. We do not expect
Chinese Renmimbi 0.80
Market Activity Volume Traded
MTN Ghana Ghana Commercial Bank Ecobank Ghana Limited Standard Chartered Bank
Volume Contr. Value Traded (GH₵) Value Contr.
243,499,256
92.85%
152,709,655
3,690,623
1.41%
15,234,869
7.85%
1,159,398
0.44%
8,408,857
4.33% 3.39%
363,139
0.14%
6,571,195
3,841,792
1.46%
3,238,046
1.67%
Fan Milk
1,314,728
0.50%
3,075,804
1.59%
Enterprise Group
1,525,568
0.58%
2,448,134
1.26%
Ghana Oil Company
355,150
0.14%
590,962
0.30%
Société Générale
763,327
0.29%
533,018
0.27%
Other Total
137,437
0.05%
388,804
0.20%
5,598,003
2.13%
808,180
0.42%
262,248,421
100.00%
194,007,524
100.00%
Source: Ghana Stock Exchange, SAS Research
Avg. % Close Change
0.33 21.29%
6.21 6.36 -2.36% 55.39
0.80 -0.89% 63.65 -12.99%
Source: Bank of Ghana, SAS Research 1 Jan -30 Jun, 2020
78.71%
CAL Bank
Total Petroleum
-0.72%
Source: Bank of Ghana, SAS Research 1 Jan -30 Jun, 2020
Nigerian Naira Company
Avg. % Close Change
1 Jan -30 Jun, 2020
Find out more Strategic African Securities Limited, 14th Floor, World Trade Centre, Independence Avenue, Accra Tel: +233 302 661 990 / 770 / 008 Email: info@sasghana.com, research@sasghana.com www.sasghana.com FLYafrica 39
Legacy of Ghanaian hero
Kofi Annan lives on
There are few who embody the rallying cry of AWA, “Touching Africa, Touching the World”, to the extent of late Nobel Peace Prize winner and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. So last year we were delighted to support the establishment of the Kofi Annan Living Memorial that took his legacy into the future. Here Olubanke King-Akerele, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia and the driving force behind the living memorial, reveals how its work in instilling Annan’s values of peace and justice in a new generation is progressing.
T
he Kofi Annan Living
Centre for Peace, Good Governance
in 2006 and endorsed by Annan
Memorial (KALM) is based on
and Human Rights. There could be
during his farewell visit to Monrovia
an earlier living memorial in
no better way to commemorate him
when he received Liberia’s highest
honour of the second UN Secretary
than promoting these ideals which
honour. Its work is partnered by the
General, Dag Hammarskjöld, who
he held so dearly.”
United Nations in Liberia, the Angie
died fighting for peace in the then
Brooks International Centre and the
Congo when the aircraft he was
believed there was no better way
Liberian government. The Liberian
travelling in came down in what is
to commemorate the late United
legislature passed an act establishing
now Zambia.
Nations Secretary General Kofi
the institute.
Kofi Annan spoke about the Dag
Annan than promoting the ideals
There are four components to the
Hammarskjöld Living Memorial,
which he held so dearly through the
living memorial’s work and each has
on 6 September 2001 in Uppsala,
establishment of a similar memorial,
seen considerable progress made
Sweden, at a commemoration
which would take his legacy into the
since they were set up. As of July this
ceremony: “In Zambia too which, as
future.
year, these are the developments in
you know where he actually died-
40
Eighteen years later, we
Annan is revered in Liberia,
each component.
Hammarskjöld’s death is commemo-
where his work with the UN helped
rated annually. The Zambian
bring an end to civil war in the
Government, together with your
country and consolidate peace.
own, and the United Nations System,
The memorial takes the form of a
The training of Young Diplomats for Conflict Prevention
has launched a Living Memorial,
programme of initiatives run through
Two groups of Young Diplomats
which includes a programme
the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict
have completed the three months
to educate Young Africans as
Transformation at the University
training for their certificates. The
Messengers of Peace, as well as a
of Liberia, which was established
training of the first 30-strong
Martin Good | Shutterstock.com
joyful | shutterstock
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
SUCCESSOR Kofi Annan with Ban Ki-moon
The Development of an Educational Board Game: Sustaining Liberia’s Peace
The SDGs are the blueprint to
The board game is based on the
achieve a better and more sustain-
model of the Growing Africa’s
able future for all. They address the
Emergent Leadership Game launched
global challenges we face, including
in 2016. This component is well
group was financed by the The
those related to poverty, inequal-
advanced with field testing expected
Office of the United Nations High
ity, climate change, environmental
to take place by end of the year.
Commissioner for Human Rights
degradation, peace and justice. All 17
in Liberia, while the second cohort
goals are interconnected in order to
in Ghana Consultations are under-
of 50 was financed by United
leave no one behind.
way with the Ghana International
Nations Population Fund regional
The Kofi Annan Living Memorial
The Establishment of SDG Clubs
School and the Ghana Institute of
programme in Dakar, Senegal. The
in high schools is being coordi-
Management & Public Administration
Kofi Annan Institute and the Angie
nated by the Spiritan Academy
on implementing the living memo-
Brooks International Centre – the
Demonstration School of Stella
rial in Ghana. Africa World Airlines
lead implementing partners of the
Maris Polytechnic. Currently the
(AWA) flew the Liberia KALM team
initiative – are indebted to these
pilot covers selected high schools
to Accra for meetings last year for
institutions.
and organizations in Montserrado,
The first group of Young
Margibi and Bong Counties. The
Diplomats were awarded their
curriculum for the clubs is being
certificates in August 2019 by the
developed.
outgoing UN Resident Co-ordinator
FOREVER IN OUR THOUGHTS Kofi Annan
which we are most grateful. The Government of Ghana has also endorsed the Kofi Annan Living Memorial. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs &
received their certificates on August
Out of School Youth Training
18 this year, the second anniver-
This component is expected to
Embassy of Ghana in Liberia, to say:
sary of the death of Annan and
be activated in concert with the
“We in Ghana…are pleased to be
date, in 2003, of the signing of the
programmes of selected UN agen-
part of any project to promote and
Comprehensive peace Agreement
cies and the SDG clubs in the second
sustain the memory of this African
that brought peace to Liberia.
half of 2020.
hero and global icon.”
Yacoub El Hillo. The second group
Regional Integration of Ghana, recently wrote to me through the
FLYafrica
41
STAYafrica
Room and board The small fishing village of Busua on the south west coast of Ghana is riding a wave of tourism interest thanks to its paradise-like beaches and consistent waves even beginner surfers can shred. The surf school that first taught locals to ride the waves has recently expanded operations with the opening of the Ahanta Eco Lodge, offering cool and classy accommodation just footsteps from the beach and its world-class breaks. Images courtesy of Ahanta Waves Surf School & Camp
Location Busua is a small fishing village with only one paved street that sees more goats than cars. Life here centres around the sickle of salt-white sand and sapphire sea of Busua beach and Ahanta Eco Lodge, lat the end of the beach where the Busua River meets the ocean is the ideal spot to take it all in. Early starts are essential for surfers to make the most of the dawn’s glassy waves and offshore winds and the beach provides its own alarm call in the sounds of villagers
and there’s drinking and dancing lit by beach bonfires. The beach is big enough to find a place of peace and quiet if that’s what you prefer or a 25-minute walk will get you to neighbouring fishing village of Dixcove with its old original British stronghold Fort Metal Cross and former Dutch fortress Fort Batenstein, both amazingly well preserved reminders of the Gold Coast’s colonial legacy.
Style and character
pulling the fishing boats into the
The owners of Ahanta Eco Lodge
sea accompanied by rhythmic
and the Ahanta Waves Surf
chants. Later in the day you’ll
School are husband and wife
see the boats return laden with
Peter Ansah and Julia Overas.
catches of tuna, swordfish,
Peter grew up in Busua and was
dorado and lobster. Women
involved in running the Black
and children will gather around and bring their purchase home for dinner and you’ll be able to sample some spiced and grilled fish that night at one of the many
42
Sound systems shake the sand
Star Surf Shop, the country’s first surfing outpost which introduced locals to the sport. His surfing heritage and the Norwegian Julia’s studies in environmental
beach-side restaurants here.
management came together
As the evening draws in the
lodge which has been built as a
beach draws the party crowd.
traditional Ghanaian beachside
in the construction of the
settlement with a thatched roof, rammed earth walls and more sustainable materials to complement and maintain the environment. It’s a stylish and comfortable place with cool furniture touches such as locally made tree stump coffee tables and bamboo rocking chairs.
Rooms Nestled among trees – including a 60-metre-high silk cotton tree thought to be several hundred years old are the eight
PARADISE The view from Busua beach
SURFING LESSONS Boards and clothing can be hired
spacious rooms of Ahanta Eco Lodge. Each room is built with sustainable materials and all have comfortable beds, organic cotton bed linens and towels and there is homemade soap in the bathrooms. They are kept cool with overhead fans (the electricity is generated by solar power), but the cross facing large windows and overhanging roof also maximise shade and ventilation. The six ground floor rooms all have private bathrooms and showers with the largest sleeping six with bunk beds – ideal for families. Two first-floor budget room has a lovely outdoor shower as well as a wooden veranda offering fantastic views. .
Food and drink
that grill and spice the catch of the day and serve it up with bags
The lodge grows its own fruit and vegetables to supply the kitchen with organic produce for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is always a vegan or vegetarian option and both local and international dishes are on the regularly updated menu.
of banku, made from fermented SURF SCENE Busua is at the heart of the sport in Ghana
corn and cassava and rolled into balls. It is too delicious for words. There’s also plenty of bars to enjoy a Club beer or cocktail as the sun goes down or you may run into ‘The Juice Man’, a charming local who walks the
For more dining options, the
beach selling smoothies packed
beach is braided with restaurants
with fresh-picked fruit and stored FLYafrica 43
SUSTAINABLE STYLE The lodge tries at all times to protect its environment
in a freezer box for maximum thirst quenching effect.
Facilities If you’re staying at the Ahanta Eco Lodge it’s because you want to be surfing your stay away and Busua Beach is the perfect place to do it. The slowbuilding southern hemisphere swells that break on Busua beach in long, organised, headhigh lines are truly things of beauty. The lodge offers a week-long all-inclusive package aimed at beginners that provides unlimited use of all equipment – from boards to sunscreen – and five 90-minute surf lessons at Busua Beach where there are no strong currents and, between November and April, the waves rarely get higher than one metre. Other features include a day out to a neighbouring village and a sunset boat trip. You’ll also be grateful of the hardy LandCruiser used for the complimentary pick-up and drop-off at Takoradi Airport to top and tail your stay. Getting a taxi is not cheap (the driver will, understandably, expect to be compensated for the expense of the return journey) and travelling by tro tro, while far cheaper, will mean you feel every bump – and there are many – of the 35km journey. Surfers not staying at the lodge can still hire boards at Ahanta Waves and get lessons individually or in groups. If you’re looking for more challenging waves to ride, just paddling distance from Busua Beach is a challenging 44
The lodge offers a week-long allinclusive package aimed at beginners that provides unlimited use of all equipment right hand point break known as Black Mamba with waves that break at over two metres. Similar sized waves can be found at Dixcove Point, but here they can unfurl for 100 metres or more for a majestic ride.
Value for money Double rooms are US$ 45 a night, the large double room is US$ 45 a night for a double occupancy with every additional
person charged at US$ 15 a night. The budget double room is US$ 27 a night. RELIABLE WAVES You can surf every day in Busua
The week-long beginners surfing package is US$ 400 if staying in the budget double room or US$450 per person in the standard double rooms.
For more details and to book your stay, visit ahantawaves.com
AWAroutes
Wa Freetown Sierra Leone
Nigeria
Tamale Ghana Côte d’lvoire Monrovia Kumasi Liberia
Abidjan
Abuja Lagos
Takoradi
Explore West Africa with Africa World Airlines GHANA
Accra
Wa
Abidjan
Kotoka International Airport
Wa Airport
Capital city of Ghana with an estimated population of 2.27 million. Economic and administrative hub for Greater Accra region and home to Ghana’s government administration.
AWA is the first airline to operate commercial flights out of Wa Airport, which serves the city of Wa, the capital of Ghana’s Upper West region with a population of 78,000.
Aéroport Félix Houphouët Boigny
Kumasi Kumasi International Airport Located in Ashanti Region and one of Ghana’s biggest metropolitan areas with a population of 2.07 million.
Tamale Tamale Airport Capital of Ghana’s Northern Region and hub for administrative and commercial activities.
Takoradi Takoradi Airport Port town combined with Sekondi to form Sekondi-Takoradi, capital of the Western Region.
CÔTE D’IVOIRE
The economic capital of Cote D’Ivoire is the second largest city in West Africa after Lagos. Its skyscrapers tower between lagoons and waterways, overlooking the Atlantic.
NIGERIA LIBERIA
Lagos
Monrovia
Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Roberts International Airport
Nigeria’s largest city and the most populous in Africa. Major financial centre and home to one of Africa’s biggest ports.
Capital and most populous city of Liberia with more than 1 million inhabitants.
Abuja
SIERRA LEONE
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
Freetown
Capital of Nigeria and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Administrative and political centre of Nigeria.
Capital of Sierra Leone and the country’s economic, financial, cultural and political centre.
Lungi International Airport
Book online
flyAfricaWorld.com FLYafrica 45
TRAVELinformation Before your flight
1.
2.
3 .
4.
5.
Allow enough time to arrive at the airport at least two hours before the flight departure time and no later than 40 minutes before departure.
Unaccompanied minors Children aged five to 12 must travel as an unaccompanied minor (UM) on AWA. Only children mature enough to
If you are a special needs passenger, arrive at the airport in ample time to allow the airport staff to process documents.
travel with limited supervision
Make sure you have the correct identification for check-in, such as a voter’s ID card, National Health Insurance card, driver’s licence or any form of government identification before you travel on AWA’s domestic routes and a valid passport on regional routes. A visa is required for non-ECOWAS passport holders. Without a valid physical government-issued ID you will not be checked in.
receiving a UM at final
are allowed to travel as a UM. Details of parent/guardian destination must be provided by a parent/guardian during reservation. Proof of age such as a valid passport, birth certificate or National Health Insurance card must be presented at check-in.
Check that your bags are within the correct weight and size limits for your product class (see table below).
AWA ground staff will assist the UM with check-in, transfers and boarding.
Check your seat assignment, which will be given to you at the airport.
Once on board, a flight attendant with observe and/
During your flight
6.
7.
8.
periodically.
Enjoy complimentary hot beverages, served on some routes, as well as fresh fruit juice and snacks including croissants, biscuits and fish/meat pies.
UMs are only allowed to travel on non-stop or same-
The parent/guardian receiv-
Pay close attention to the safety procedures outlined by the cabin crew and take note of your nearest exit.
plane services.
ing the UM should arrive at the gate 30 minutes prior to
AWA does not accept
scheduled arrival and present
responsibility for a UM’s
valid photo ID to an AWA
actions. The parent/guardian
representative. AWA will not
agrees to hold AWA blame-
release a UM to anyone other
less for any injuries to UM
than the designated parent/
caused by or out of UM’s own
guardian.
negligence.
Sit back, relax and enjoy FLYafrica magazine! AWA reserves the right to
Baggage allowances
46
or communicate with the UM
Checked baggage
Hand luggage
Excess baggage
Should the UM’s flight be
transport UMs on flights that
disrupted or should the guard-
may have been diverted or
ian or parent fail to meet the
cancelled due to weather or
UM on arrival, AWA is author-
operational disruptions.
ized to take necessary and
Domestic Regional 23 kg
30 kg
One piece up to 5 kg and 1 handbag/laptop bag GHS 5/kg
US$ 3/kg
book stating the duration of
to AWA representatives of the
pregnancy at the date of travel.
person’s condition upon ticket purchase.
A new mother is permitted to fly 48 hours after a normal
Pre-boarding to find a suit-
delivery, provided that she has
able seat. Passengers with
a certificate from her obstetri-
disabilities are not permitted to
cian stating she is fit to fly.
sit in the emergency exit rows.
Babies under 14 days old are not permitted to fly.
Receipt of checked-in wheelchair or other assistance device upon disembarking or
Passengers with reduced mobility
at baggage claim. AWA is not insured, permitted
AWA provides assistance to
or equipped for staff to carry
passengers with special needs
any passenger who is unable to
during the reservation process,
assist himself or herself onboard
check-in, during the flight
an AWA aircraft, even if he or
and at final destination. AWA
she is able to walk but needs a
will ensure provision of the
trained and accredited bearer.
following: AWA is not equipped to Transport of passengers
reasonable action under the
agrees to reimburse AWA for
Pregnant women Expectant mothers are permitted to fly until the 28th medical certificate. From the 28th to the
seated on the lap of an adult
34th week of pregnancy, an
over 15 years of age. However,
expectant mother is required
a passenger may choose to
to provide a medical certifi-
purchase a seat for the infant
cate from her obstetrician
as long as there is a proper
stating that the pregnancy is
child restraint device.
progressing without complications and stating the expected
Only one child is permitted
delivery date.
to sit on an adult’s lap. An additional seat must be purchased
or contained gas either in the
safety-related regulation that
passenger cabin or as cargo/
requires us not to do so.
baggage. AWA is not equipped to
chairs or other assistance
transport passengers who
devices for personal use at
require stretchers, incubators,
no charge, in addition to
respirators or other devices
enplaning and deplaning.
that may rely on aircraft power
Attention should be brought
supply.
week of pregnancy without a
AWA requires all children under two years old to be
other hazardous materials and/
unless there is a specific
Transport of wheel-
any expenses incurred.
Infants and toddlers
with disabilities of any kind
and more comfortable flight.
circumstances. In the case of the latter, the parent/guardian
transport medical oxygen or
Expectant mothers more
if one adult is travelling with
than 34 weeks pregnant are
two infants.
not permitted to fly with AWA.
AWA recommends that
For pregnancies less than
a child over 20 kg in weight
28 weeks, passengers should
should use a seat for a safer
possess an ante-natal card/
Fleet information Embraer ERJ-145LR Length:
29.87 m / 98 ft 0 in
Height:
6.76 m / 22 ft 2 in
Wingspan:
20.04 m / 65 ft 9 in
Capacity: Engines:
50 passengers Rolls Royce AE 3007-A1 Turbofans
Range: Maximum speed:
2,870 km Mach 0.78
Number of aircraft: 8 FLYafrica 47
AWAcontacts Connect with AWA Facebook
www.facebook.com/ flyafricaworld
@flyafricaworld
Get in touch Email Contacts Local Offices Accra – Head Office UNA Homes Building 2nd/3rd floor Airport Bypass Road Airport City Road PMB CT67 Accra, Ghana Tel: +233 24 243 8888 +233 30 701 2024 Toll Free: 0800 200 200 Email: awaoffice@flyafricaworld.com Opening hours: 08.00-17.00 (Monday to Friday)
Kumasi Airport Office Opening hours 05:00 - 20:00 (Monday to Sunday) Tel: +233 30 297 4918
Takoradi Airport Office Opening hours 05:30 - 18:00 (Monday to Saturday) 08:00 - 18:00 (Sunday) Tel: +233 57 770 2854
48
@flyafricaworld
Concerns concerns@flyafricaworld.com Charters charters@flyafricaworld.com
Tamale Airport Office Opening hours 06:00 - 17:30 (Monday to Sunday) Town Office Opposite Block “B” School Zogbeli, Tamale Opening hours 08:00 - 17:00 (Monday to Friday) 09:00 - 14:00 (Saturday and holidays) 12:00 - 17:00 (Sunday) Tel: +233 30 297 4919
Wa Airport office Opening hours 08:00 - 17:00 (Monday to Sunday)
Regional Offices Lagos Airport Ticketing Office Room 2030, 2nd Floor (Airline Floor), D Wing Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja, Lagos Tel: +234 1 342 7130/2 Email: sales.lagos@flyafricaworld.com
Opening hours 05:45 - 16:00 (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday) 08:00 - 18:00 (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) 05:45 - 18:00 (Friday)
Abuja Airport Office Public Concourse, Terminal C Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Tel: +234 90 9558 0924 +234 90 9558 0987 +234 90 9558 0960 Email: abujasales@flyafricaworld.com Opening hours 08:00 - 16:00 (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday) 08:00 - 18:00 (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday)
Abidjan AJ Aviation Imm. Trade Center, AV. Nogues Plateau, Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire Tel: +225 75 777777
+225 44807047
Book online
Monrovia Airport Office Roberts International Airport, Lower Margibi County, Monrovia, Liberia Tel: +231 886 691 623 +231 881 108 682/666 Opening hours: 08.00-17.00 (Monday to Sunday) Town Office 1st Floor, Kabah Building Benson/Mechlin Street Tel: +231 77 044 4400/4433 +231 77 545 0010 Email: sales@air-mc.com Opening hours: 09.00-17.00 (Monday to Saturday)
Freetown Airport Office Lungi International Airport Tel: +232 79 630 107 Opening hours 08:00 - 17:00 (Monday to Sunday) Town Office 21/23 Siaka Stevens Street Tel: +232 79 630 103; +232 88 852 773 Opening hours: 08.30-17.00 (Monday to Friday) 09:00 - 13:00 (Sat)
flyAfricaWorld.com
