In a vibrant celebration of heritage, The Akwaaba Club (TAC) was officially launched on September 27th at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel, uniting cultural advocates and diaspora leaders with a shared mission to reignite cultural pride among Ghanaian youth.
The event blended vibrant performances with urgent messages from a diverse group of speakers, all united by a common goal: to preserve and promote Ghana’s rich cultural identity.
The programme commenced with traditional drumming, dance and a solemn prayer and libation ceremony, setting a deeply cultural tone.
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The formal agenda was energised by a welcome from Nana Aba Quaye, CEO of Tour Motherland Ventures, who called for increased support and government intervention to help safeguard Ghanaian traditions.
Other invited speakers, including Dr Benjamin Boateng, lecturer at the University of Ghana, Chief Jason Lewis, a dynamic leader from Africatown, Alabama, USA and Katina Walton from the USA highlighting the importance of preserving and projecting the Ghanaian culture.
The keynote speaker, Pastor Lanette Pinkard urged the first member of the club to work hard to preserve and maintain their heritage and culture.
She urged the members to remember that they are “layers,” stepping stone into fulfilling a greater purpose of project the unique culture of Ghana to the world.
Further emphasizing the current challenges, Nana Aba Quaye, in an interview with GhanaWeb, highlighted that “Ghanaian culture is not being projected enough,” pointing to a critical gap that the newly launched Akwaaba Club aims to fill.
A representative from the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Arts and Cluture, Dr Richardson Fio called for a collective effort on the part of both government and Ghanaians, he praised efforts of private initiatives like TAC to achieve the purpose of maintaining the Ghanaian culture.
Closing the event, the founder of the club and the legendary painter behind the infamous ‘Akwaaba’ portrait called for more government and corporate support, highlighting that more needs to be done to prevent a fading of Ghanaian culture.
The event culminated in a closing ceremony that saw the unveiling of the first TAC members, officers, and patrons, symbolising the official beginning of the club’s mission to foster identity, creativity, and global connection through its school-based programmes and diaspora exchanges.
The launch successfully set the stage for TAC’s core programmes, which include heritage clubs in schools, creative competitions, and diaspora exchange trips, establishing a concrete pathway to answer the speakers’ collective call to action.
Watch videos from the event below:
