Opinions of Thursday, 25 March 2021

Columnist: Osei Kofi Acquah

Akufo-Addo's government is becoming a walking contradiction

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

In the year 2019 the year of return was launched by the NPP government, it was to attract people of African dissent from all over the world to return to their roots which is the African continent especially mother Ghana after 400 years of slavery.

As a member of the CPP who believes in Pan- Africanism, I couldn't be happier and thumbed government for a good job.

The call was responded to by over half a million of people with African dissent, and I remember President Akufo-Addo saying the purpose for the year of return was to allow our brothers and sisters who we lost due to the slavery to rethink their identity and reclaim their roots.

In December 2019, there were sightings of rappers Rick Ross and Ludacris out and about in the city.

Classic Man rapper Jidenna made an appearance, electronic act Major Lazer threw epic beachside parties, and even Beyoncé was rumoured to have made the pilgrimage.

Essence Full Circle is a travel group founded by African American actor Boris Kodjoe and family,

Aiming to show the world the true face of Africa. Its week-long itinerary in Ghana was jam-packed with sightseeing, parties and discussions about owning the African
identity.

Renowned international African American actors like Anthony Anderson, Steve Harvey all thronged to Ghana just to be part of this great initiative.

Recently renowned international singer and one of my favorite artists of all time Steve Wonder made a revelation on the Opera show that he will be retiring and live fully in Ghana

One unique thing about Africans especially our brother and sisters in the diaspora was keeping our culture and identity when they were forcefully taken from their mother land Africa, was keeping their natural hair.

The hair grows over time it becomes deadlocks or what we commonly call it Rasta.

Today the Akuffo led government after giving hope to our people of African dissent that, Ghana is their safe haven from all form of racial abuse, is watching the abuse of the few African in diasporans who have already settled in Ghana by turning their children away from our senior high schools because they have kept their natural hair!

Some of us were quietly and patiently were waiting for Akuffo Addo to instruct the Ghana Education service to intervene and instruct schools like Achimota who are still trapped in an imperial mindset that everything African is filthy and unacceptable to order, but we treating this embarrassment with kids gloves.

President Akufo-Addo there is one thing u have to know, most of the African in the diaspora who you have invited to relocate home are Rastafarians and wore dreadlock hairs, either male or Female.

Again you should know that in a democratic society like ours everyone is allowed to own an identity including wearing a dreadlocks.

Now to launch the year of return which is expected to relocate people of African dissent who are mostly Rastafarians and then turn around and sack their children from schools because they are wearing dreadlocks or are Rasta, is not hypocritic but also a contradiction of your own policy of the year of return.

Long live Pan- Africanism
Long life Mother Ghana
Long Life the CPP
# I stand with People who wear dread locks
# I stand with the Rastafarians