By Vinette K. Pryce
Despite the fact Western media continues to ignore Africa, and the many, positive occurrences here, the continent was the focus of major, leaders during Ghana’s 50 anniversary, celebration of independence on Mar. 6, 2007.
With hundreds of media crews here representing international news bureaus, there was no shortage of reporters from England and the USA, however, neither CNN nor the BBC reported the pageantry or the wonderment of millions of African citizens who celebrated without incident in Independence Square where leaders and representatives from virtually every nation extended kudos to West Africa’s most peaceful and secure nations, the one that first broke ties from colonial rule to self-government.
Some of the leaders included: South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki, President of Mali, Amadou Toumani Toure, Dr. Ali Mohammed Shein, VP of Tanzania, Bernard Mukaza, PM of Rwanda, President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia,  President Joseph Kabila  of the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Joa Bernardo Vieri of Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde Island’s Pedro Pires, President of Mozambique, Amando Emilo,Guebaza, Botswana’s Festus Mogae, President Bingu Wa Mutharika of Malawi, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent represented Queen Elizabeth II, Secretary Alphonso Johnson led the 22-member US delegation which included Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Libyan delegation was led by the minister for African Union, Dr. Ali Abdulsalaam, former UN Secretary General Kofi Anan, President Omar Bongo of Gabon, President Laurent Gbagbo of the Ivory Coast, Blaise Compaore of Burkino Faso, Prime Minister of Niger Hama Amadou, Yayi Boni of Benin, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and Dennis Sasou Nguesso of Congo Brazzaville.
Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo was the special guest of honor receiving the heartiest cheers from thousands of Ghanaians.
The Scots Pipes & Drums of the 1st Battalion of the Scots Guards represented the oldest Infantry Regiment of the British Army. Based in Germany, the armored fighting group provided bagpipe, marching music throughout the ceremonies.
King Swati of Swaziland brought an entire regal entourage from his kingdom.
From Botswana, Cameroon, Tropical Guinea and a number of other countries, scores of ambassadors, consuls and various diplomats poured into Kotoko International Airport.
Thousands filled the streets and arrived as early as 3 a.m. for the 8:30 a.m. commencement.  
The fashion parade was unlike any red carpet arrivals with the finest silks, kente, linen, and other fabrics wrapped, draped, stitched and creatively worn by African society.

JAMAICA’S CRYSTAL & US CARSON REVISITED
In the Central region, a stop at Assin Manso, the burial site of the remains of two former slaves exhumed from the USA and Jamaica was revisited. Before enjoying the panoramic Canopy Walk over the last vestiges of the rainforest, the group from New York stopped to see the final resting place of Samuel Carson whose remains were exhumed from the African Burial Ground in downtown Manhattan and taken to Ghana for reburial on Jul. 31, 1998. Along with Jamaica’s Crystal (the only demarcation of a name) the two mausoleums provide sacred preparations for the former “one way” trek to the Slave River and rest stop Africans bathed before shipment into slavery to the West.
The two were celebrated during Emancipation Day festivities then with regalia that named them returning citizens who had been taken from their ancestral homeland.
Lots of flowers and tributes were left at the spot to pay tribute to the unaccounted numbers lost during the brutal slave trade.
Komantse Abaadzi -- Fort Amsterdam where Crystal’s remains were taken before re-interment was also acknowledged. 

JAMAICANS JOIN REVELERS TO GHANA’S 50th
Jamaicans who reside in the United States joined thousands of African-Americans that made a pilgrimage to Africa where millions celebrated the golden jubilee of the black star nation of Ghana.
Many, making their maiden voyage to the continent said Ghana was their country of choice due to its repute of peaceful co-existence and the fact Jamaican national hero Marcus Mosiah Garvey had been guided by the black star, an integral theme of his Pan-African philosophy.
Junior and Ruth Phillips who reside in Cheyenne, Wyoming are Jamaicans from St. Ann’s and Kingston, who were visiting Africa for the first time.
A member of the Air Force, Junior was surprised by the similarity he noticed between Jamaica and Ghana.
“I can’t believe that I am seeing so many things I already know from home, and hearing so many sayings that the older people also say in Jamaica.”
Junior referred to remedies for ailments, proverbs and common ways of living he heard that paralleled Jamaican culture.
New York resident and former Harbour View/Excelsior High School star sprinter Hewitt Depass was overwhelmed by the abundance of ackee trees.
“I saw a whole lot of calalloo too,” DePass said.
In addition, there was an abundance of citrus, mangoes, bananas, breadfruit, yams, plantains, tamarind, cocoa, susumba, cocoa, sugar cane, “porridge” and “duckunoo” to relate.
Jamaican visitors were surprised to see that the British had also replicated the same institutions that dominated commercial Jamaica.
Barclays Bank maintained high profile throughout the nation.
Jamaicans who visit Accra, Kumasi, Elmina and other regions are often heard saying: “Ghana is just like Jamaica.”
With similar terrain, rural, red dirt, Ghana is also a bird-watcher’s paradise.
Tourists flock annually to peer at the varieties of birds that are unique to the area.
Prevalent too are the British, Dutch, Irish, Swedish and Portuguese names that Ghanaians inherited when colonials married or cohabitated with Ghanaians during the slave trade, continuing until independence when they were required to return to Europe.
“They were (soldiers) not allowed to bring their wives to Ghana, therefore many of them found companions here, had children and gave them their names,” Charles K. Abakah, a tour guide explained.
In the Cape Coast area, names such as Richardson, Johnson and others are prevalent.
However, driving through Ghana, prevalent are names such as Quarshee, one that mimics the Jamaica-familiar word for a pretentious, phony, unconvincing individual. 
The Black Star that guided Marcus Garvey is everywhere -- on edifices, monuments and the flag.
Well-poised vendors carry everything on their heads.
Young and old, men and women walk tall selling and transporting their wares with elegance and unrivalled posture.
Like Jamaica, goats roam free.
I could not help reflecting on Louise Bennett-Coverley, the beloved Miss Lou who used to frequently reference the similarity of Jamaica’s patois with Ghana’s Twi.
In her poetic teachings she talked about “nyam” the word for “eat,” and “macka” the prickly vine – and how Africans to Jamaica combined the Twi with the colonial verbiage to confuse the enslavers.
It is easy to confirm that Jamaican spoken word is really derived from Ghanaian languages and not the purported “corrupt” patois English many claim.
Along the roadside, small buildings in communities identify “weekly susu” depositories where families can save for emergencies rather than invest in high-interest commercial banks. The alternative saving method, Jamaicans pool as “pardner” remains a common practice that avails citizens to small loans and emergency currency.
Sign-posts to stores alert shoppers to “Jah Guide,” “Peace & Love,” “Who Jah Bless” and other Rasta-friendly outlets.
As a matter of fact, on a visit to the village of Portrassie, I wore a T-shirt which a member of the chief’s entourage identified.
“Oh! Ziggy Marley,” he remarked.
On another outing to a kente cloth weave factory in Bonwire, I sat under a huge and heavily fruited cashew tree in order to cool when a young man noticed my Bob Marley T-shirt.
“Trench Town Rock,” Asante Frederick said in response to my question to name one of the icon’s recordings.
He said it was one of his favorite songs.
Vibe FM is the radio station one can tune to hear Buju Banton, Fanton Mojah, Richie Spice and Bob Marley.
Rita Marley is well-respected in Ghana.
Her establishment of a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Accra distinguishes an alliance with Ghana and Jamaica that is not ignored on tours through the country. 
She is respectfully regarded as one who cares about the country.
“I cannot wait for Jamaica’s 50th, I will be there and hopefully it will be as grand as Ghana’s,” Ruth Phillips said.
Jamaica’s golden jubilee is only five years away.

GHANA ROLLS OUT WELCOME MAT
“Ghana will whet your appetite for the study of humanity.
It is unique in many ways.
It is the only country where you will find your companion or guide telling you ‘I am coming’ when he/she is really walking away from you.
You will find life at its most sophisticated as well as its raw unadulterated state.
No Ghanaian will blame you or your government.
The Ghanaian is not noted for its ungratefulness.
Most Ghanaians believe that life is to be lived and not investigated and moaned.”
That is just a snippet published in the popular Daily Graphic newspaper alerting tourists of the African nation that recently celebrated with pomp, pride and ceremony.
Continuing with paragraphs aimed at preparing guests for difficulties they may encounter comprehending what many described as “pigeon” English the well-written advisory seemed a disclaimer from the tourist board.
Although English is the official language Ghanaians combine their various dialects with English to demand a keen ear.
“I am sure you will agree that we should assert our independence by thinking not in English but in Twi, Fante, Ewe, Gn, Dagbani,” and the various languages. “if you like to understand a lot, you will do well to engage a local interpreter.”
From unreliable electricity, predictable lateness, disparity of impoverished and affluence, herbal medicines, over-zealous vendors, etc, the welcome letter directed attention to any unexpected or unfamiliar practice that could impede visitors.
At midnight, Mar. 5 the Show For the People kicked off celebrations with fireworks and revelry at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum marking the official start of the historic jubilee.

RAWLINGS DID NOT SHOW UP FOR GOLDEN PARTY
The icy relationship between President Kufuor and former President Flight Lt. Jerry John Rawlings did not cool for the golden, anniversary celebration.
Instead it may have frosted further by the conspicuous absence of the only surviving former head of state and one that ruled the longest in the nation’s history.  Rawlings presided over his country for 19 years.
He declined an invitation sent by Kufuor stating: “My conscience and my principles would not permit me” to attend. “I cannot share the same platform with the same people who have every opportunity to denigrate us for the last seven years and have seen no good for what we did for this country,” Rawlings said.
However, Rawlings called on Ghanaians to make a pledge to each other during the 50th independence anniversary celebrations to consolidate social justice, integrity and honesty as the basis for the future.
Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Anan who represented the United Nations commented on the rift saying that serious consideration should be given to uniting the leaders.
“The task might appear daunting, but it would not be insurmountable provided all patriotic hearts and minds came on board.”
He added that the celebration was an opportunity which when missed whether by omission or commission would be difficult to come by again.  

PRESIDENT CRITICIZED FOR WEARING WESTERN GARB
A cross-section of Ghanaians assailed their leader, President John Agyekum Kufour who wore a three-piece suit instead of traditional garb on March 6 when the nation celebrated 50 years of independence. Outraged by his official display of untraditional dress, the media and critics publicly criticized his choice of Western styled attire during celebrations at Independence Square.
“I did not see anything wrong with it nor consider that to be critical for the occasion. Practically, I think I was going to inspect the military, meeting presidents and friends all over the world.” President Kufuor explained. “If we are talking about being typically different, is the military really traditional?”
He argued his position stating that other leaders of traditional nations including Chinese, Japanese and others “prefer turning up at typical functions in suits.”
He said that a suit is viewed as a unifying force and Ghanaians should not set themselves aside. Kufuor dismissed the criticism saying that the time had come for Ghanaians to be “serious and stop harping on matters that were inconsequential.”
“That the nation is united is not in doubt at all. Everybody was there.”
During the festivities Kufuor inspected the troops, lit the perpetual flame, greeted every diplomat and addressed his nation after the air force displayed air capability with planes and helicopters performing flyovers that thrilled the people.
After the Tuesday festivities, Kufuor left Ghana on Mar. 12 for a three-day state, visit to England where he was conferred with an honorary degree.
Invited by Queen Elizabeth II, the president viewed a display of items relating to Ghana that is now part of the royal collection. Highlights of the visit were broadcasted by all the major, local television stations here.

BLACK STAR OF AFRICA DRAPED THE CONTINENT
The red, gold and green flag of Ghana marked by a single, black star in the middle draped buildings, parks, monuments, and people throughout one week of celebrations which will continue throughout the year. 
From the cenotaph in Accra, to trees and roadways from Kumasi, to Cape Coast the colors and star marked advertising billboards, cloths, jewelry, hairstyles, edifice, and ornaments. Souvenirs were in abundance at very affordable prices that could be bargained for even cheaper treats.
Euphoria, jubilation and pride were pervasive aspects of the celebration.
T-Shirts boasting the 50th as well as “Ghana -- Free Forever” – the words spoken by Kwame Nkrumah on the occasion of independence were generously distributed to masses of people with flags, fans, pens, pins, beads, crafts, commemorative journals and keepsakes that saturated the Square.
Traditional chiefs arrived on palanquins carried by villagers.
The spectacle celebrating the peaceful nation was unrivalled of any other ever held for any other West African nation.
“Akwaaba” the welcoming word to every visitor accompanies broad smiles from a happy population.
At Liberation Square huge images of African leaders who attended the 5th Pan-African Congress in 1945 in Manchester, England looks out into the Accra skyline reminding of the summit that spawned independence.
Most prominent are the images of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta, George Padmore, Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah and others.
The theme of the jubilee celebration is “Ghana -- Championing African Excellence.”

DUCKUNOO, RASTA, SUNSHINE HARMONIOUSLY PARALLEL PEOPLE
By the way, Jamaica was really in the mix throughout the celebrations.
Occasionally showing up on T-shirt, the name emanated with the presence of Rastafarians who revere the island’s cultural heritage; on stickers in cars bearing the black, gold and green flag, in every variety of reggae music and portraits displaying images of Bob Marley.
Frequent among street vendors are women carrying large basins filled with kenke (duckunoo – the cornmeal delicacy wrapped in banana leaves), bread, and similar foods eaten in Jamaica.
Ackee trees are everywhere with open pods lying underneath the large trees without attention from the discriminating population.
Ackee is not eaten in Ghana.
Susumba grows wild as in Jamaica.
Sugar cane, plantains, bananas and mangoes are staples.
The population loves Marcus Mosiah Garvey and praises the Pan-African philosophy he promoted.
Throughout the entire country, there seems to be a continuous harvest.
And the sun shines daily on the friendliest West African people on the continent.
At the WEB Dubois Cultural Center the names of Trades Union Council members Alma La Bade, VG Hamilton, LA Thoywell-Henry, Ken Hill, and Amy Garvey posts Jamaicans who attended the historic 1945 summit in Manchester, England that decided independence.
Those Jamaicans sat with Nkrumah, Haile Selassie and other prominent leaders, returned home dedicated with the ideal of seceding from the British.

GHANAINANS CUSTOMIZE BLING COFFINS TO GO
There is nothing grave about death and dying here.
As a matter of fact, in Ghana the fact of life is regarded with honor.
Of course how an individual lived factors heavily on how that person is regarded after passing.
However, for those who dreamt, or lived their dream there is a place here that will carve out a casket that best represents the lifestyle of the deceased.
Located in Nungua, talented coffin makers bypass traditional square metal boxes to create custom caskets that defy the eerie, usual, velvet or satin-lined, oblong, casements commonly sold in Western countries.
On a visit to the Teshire workspace I saw customized coffins carved in the shape of an airplane with detailed markings of an aircraft naming the carrier and country, Air Canada.
 The dream, winged casket, complete with maple leaf, portholes, and jets may have been ordered by someone either longing to fly to Canada, piloted one of their jets or just fancied the stylized option for getting away.
Your wish, for a price is their pleasure.
And the cost is not at all exorbitant.
Consider James Brown’s gold-plated casket that was too weighty for a private plane to transport to Georgia.
Had the Godfather’s send-off held here, he could have been furnished with accompanying microphone, cape and other trademarks for a fraction of what was paid in the United States.
These carefully, crafted pieces of art are masterpieces that really should be seen and not buried beneath the red, African, soil.
A replica of Fort Amsterdam, one in the shape of a Coca Cola bottle, a lion, snake, Bentley, eagle, cartoon characters -- every imaginable image can be created to suit the departed.
“Nothing is beyond our scope,” Charles K. Abakah, a tour guide said, “just bring a drawing, picture or idea, and it can be created.”
Why anyone would want to be encased inside a cell phone in perpetuity may be an elusive foresight to conjure in the west, however in Accra, a Nokia sample stood upright displaying numbers to dial burial.
Lions, birds, cars, dolls --it only takes a few days to fulfill an order, and there is even a lay-away plan (sic) for those able to pre-plan their departure.
Customers can stop in to choose from coffins on display or order one suited to the individual.
In addition to coffins made to carry the deceased, there are those made to hold urns or cremated remains.
“High priced caskets are not new,” Abakah added.
“Some people have always requested to be buried in very particular methods, these modern styles are just progressive images of the times.”
According to Abakah, individuals have willed themselves for lavish departures and incomparable send-offs that will ensure their fond remembrance for years to come.
As for me, put me in a pen, a fountain pen.

  
Catch You On The Inside!