MY COUNTRY
My country
Ghana is my country. The land where the colours red, yellow, green and black has a significant story and meaning. It was the first country in Sub saharan Africa to gain independence on 6th March 1957. It has sixteen (16) regions and each region has a regional capital.
Accra is the capital of Ghana. This is where people from all kinds of lives can be seen. Rural-urban migration is on the high owing to the availability of certain kinds of infrastructures and the search for greener pastures in the nation's capital and most regional capitals. Notwithstanding, development is evidently spiralling throughout the country as hands are still stretched for the share of the national cake. The first President of Ghana is Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Gradually you will get to know me better too. I'm also Kwame. Let's delve a bit into the explanation of the name. All Tom, Dick and Harry has a day he or she was born. Kwame is synonymous to a person born on Saturday. So if you happen to be a male child, that will be your name (local) even before your parents decide to give you a name.
These names don't necessarily have to be in your birth certificate unless it's your official name. Buddy, you now have a name before you even land in Ghana.
On the other hand, a female born on Saturday is called Ama. Oh!! you remember the late Kofi Annan right? The first African to hold the position of the UN Secretary General, he is Kofi which means someone born on Friday.
Moving forward, arguably, Ghana has the most castles and forts in Africa. These castles were built by the Europeans to further their trade interest in Gold Coast now Ghana.
The Cape Coast castle served as the seat of the British administration in the then Gold Coast (Ghana).
The Castles were once major transshipment points for tens of thousands of slaves on their way to other parts of the World.
Ghana is one of the peaceful countries in Africa and the world at large. Behind this peace, there has been some turmoil and crises too. Coup d'etat was very common in Ghana during the 1960's and 70's. In light of this, Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah happened to be victim. He was overthrowned in 1966. The aftermath saw the country riddled with a series of coup d'etat, violence and political instability.
Today, Ghana has come a long way after a series of peaceful elections. The two main political heavyweights, the ruling party which is the New Patriotic Party ( N.P.P) and the largest opposition, the National Democratic Congress (N.D.C) will be at the forefront once again as Ghana elects its president on the 7th of December, 2020 which is done every four years.
The official language of Ghana is English and as multilingual country, "Twi" is widely most spoken language in Ghana. The hospitality and warmth accorded to visitors makes Ghana the perfect destination for travelers in Africa. Ghana is Africa's largest producer of gold, beating out South Africa for the top spot in 2019. You now have a great idea why Ghana was formerly called the Gold Coast and it's the second largest producer of cocoa in the world behind Cote d'ivoire.
Furthermore, there are numerous ethnic groups. Each ethnic group has its own unique language, dance, festivals, local delicacies and talk about the rich history and cultural heritage.
Chiefs wield power and are highly regarded. They play a great role in peace building and advancing development in their respective territories. chiefs are seen as the traditional custodians of the customary or stool lands, which include about 80% of all land in Ghana (Ubink, 2008)
"At long last, the battle has ended! And thus, Ghana, your beloved country is free forever!" Those were the words of Ghana's first President during his independence speech and on that note, it will be perfect to end here.
Always clad in gold during traditional functions.
The Paramount chief of Ashanti Kingdom in a tête-à-tête with Prince Charles.
The chief of New Juaben, Koforidua. Professor Emeritus Oti Boateng carried in a palanquin.
A view inside the dungeon.
The flag of Ghana.The red symbolizes the independence struggle ( the blood shared by the forefathers), yellow the wealth of the country, and green its forests and vegetation. The black star represents the emancipation of Africa and unity against colonialism. The flag was designed by a great woman Theodosia Okoh.
Maaha Beach Resort.
Big Ada
Boti falls in the Eastern Region of Ghana
Ubink, JM (2008) In the land of the chiefs. PhD Thesis, Universiteit Leiden, The Netherlands.
Photo credit: ghct.org.gh
Opei