Accra’s democratic credentials touted
Top and above: Some of the photos taken during the event.
of Niger Abubakar Mohammad and the Charge d’Affaires of Nigeria Embassy Bunyamin Hamawa.
Hajia Maryam, in her address, gave a brief historical background on Ghana’s struggle to break off the colonial yolk. This struggle, according to Hajia Maryam, bore fruit on March 6, 1957, when Ghana, then known as the Gold Coast, was granted independence by the United Kingdom. Ghana thus became the first sub-Saharan country to break off the chains of colonial rule.
The AGRIK president also delved into contemporary Ghanaian issues. She trumpeted the democratic credentials of Ghana, which this year, saw a change of government where incumbency was not an advantage and led to the ruling party losing both the presidential and parliamentary elections. According to Hajia Maryam, “this is a sign of political maturity of the Ghanaian electorate and the humility of the sitting rulers to submit to the will of the people, exercised through the ballot box and not the barrel of the gun.”
Hajia Maryam also reminded her audience that “Ghana enjoys peaceful coexistence amongst its numerous tribes and religions.” Ghana, according to the AGRIK president, also maintains very cordial relations with neighboring countries and it is an active member of a regional group Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Overall, she added, “Ghana is a bastion of peace with kind and hospitable people.”
As in previous years, Hajia Maryam reminded all present that Ghana is endowed with numerous investment opportunities for well-intentioned investors and hence invited the latter not to shy away from investing in the country.
To conclude her speech, the AGRIK president thanked the diplomats present for taking time off their busy schedules to honor the invitation to grace the occasion. She also thanked the executive members of AGRIK, her predecessors and the collaborating sister organisations for their contribution in making the event a possibility.
Hajia Maryam also thanked the friends of Ghana who routinely patronize their annual celebration. On behalf of AGRIK and the sister groups, Hajia Maryam thanked the State of Kuwait and its rulers for being a very generous host to Ghanaians.
A display of Ghanaian culture through dance was the next item of the program. A group of dancers performed the adowa, a popular dance that is widespread among the Akan ethnic group of Ghana and is performed during funerals and public social events. The dancers used a symbolic language, the different movements of their hands telling their own story.
The adowa dance performance was followed by cutting the Ghana@60 cake, a vote of thanks and closing prayer. The event was ably compered by Gertrude Tetteh and Nana Fosu.