Presidential Akwaaba

So much happens everyday, it feels like I've been here for a month. Since I arrived I have been taken with all the Obama Akwaaba posters. Akwaaba means welcome. And Both Barack and Michelle were thoroughly welcome on their trip to Ghana last month, the evidence if everywhere from the US flags with Obama's face superimposed on them that wave from many taxi dashboards and the Obama dashikis and t-shirts in the market. I too feel like I've gotten the presidential welcome. This is a totally VIP trip. On our second night in Ghana, my mother and I went to dinner at the home of her friend and colleauge Abena Busia. I was still a kid when they published their book together (Theorizing Black Feminism) so I guess I never really knew the Abi was the daughter of a former president of Ghana. My mom recounts the story of her first time in Ghana. She was a student at Spelman University and here at the University of Ghana at Legon for a 6 week study abroad. She says at that time Abi's father's picture was on a lot of billboards because he was running for president. It was the first time she had ever had the realization that in other countries Black men were presidents.

Flashing forward, Abi's father was elected and subsequently deposed by a military cue. The family was sent into exile, so Abi grew up in England, Holland, Mexico, and the States. Recently the new government has been trying to make reparations. When they were forced into exile, they had to leave their home and it was turned into a military barrack. Now the home has been returned to them and restored. At first I thought we were pulling up to a hotel, it was so big and grand and beautiful. Dinner was fabulous.

The next day we went to the Kwame Nkruma memorial park where he and his Egyptian wife are buried. Nkruma was the first president of Ghana. The Ghanaian National Symphony Orchestra played while we had a laying of wreaths and the opening ceremony for the ASWAD Conference. We were joined by his daughter Samia Nkruma who is now a senator. She gave a great speech, but she was late to the ceremony, so I had time to go check out the Kwame Nkruma National Museum, which was filled with beautiful black and white photos that told the story a very interesting man. After the ceremony, during which representatives from the world wide Africa Diaspora laid down wreaths, we went to the University of Ghana at Legon for the first panel of the conference, lunch, a tour, and the plenary address which was given by the Vice President of Ghana...who I got to meet. Now I must go to the market. I have pictures of everything and more and more to say. It's been amazing.