As some people of the world knows, this year?s Ghana motivated trade, investment, and cultural expo for Africans and people of African descent ended in my adopted home town of Atlanta GA, U.S.A. The organizers have issued a press release to that effect. This writer happens to be the self-appointed observer-general for the four-day event at the Atlanta World Congress Center. The event took place from the 29th of September to 2nd October, in the year of the lord 2005.

Due to the heavy turn out and the huge publicity the previous year?s expo had, I made it a point not to miss this year?s. I started off by calling the information center of this year?s expo to determine what one needs to do to be involved. I had figured out from the expo?s web site that people could participate as volunteers, press, or exhibitors. I ask them if they had invited the Ghana Home Page (GHP) crew. They said no, they don?t invite the press and the media. The media has to apply to patronize. I ask if they knew the mistake they are making for not making the exception for GHP because the expo could get free publicity to reach millions of people just by inviting someone like Mr. CNN and the ubiquitous web master Francis Akoto to cover the event. They said their policy is NOT to invite the press or the media. I left it at that and decided to concentrate on what I need to do to help out. My job responsibility would not allow me to be a volunteer full time, so I opted for the part-time status. There was no option for that on the forms at the web site. I decided to appoint myself the observer-general for the show.

Publicity, Press, and the Media

A week prior to the fair, I had not heard a single commercial or ad from any of the big black radio stations. I however read some clips from the black-targeted newspapers. Then a day or two before the show, the Frank and Wanda Morning show interviewed some people connected to the expo. Since Frank and Wanda is a nationally syndicated show, I thought it was a very smart move on the part of the organizers. There was also a lot of publicity in the local community radio station that caters for free mostly for minorities and foreigners. However, there was no publicity in the mainstream newspapers like the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, the U.S.A today, etc.

Comparatively, last year had a better publicity because of the involvement or the inclusion of the Asantehene. Like him or not, the Otumfour helped the expo last year because his presence brought all the big guns of Atlanta and Georgia to the show. Obviously, the attendance of Georgia dignitaries brought free T.V and print publicity, which in turn exposed the expo to many who would not have heard about it to attend. There was even an incidence where the big four nationally operated T.V stations, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX stopped transmitting their much loved college football coverage just to show the American audience the Asantehene?s majestic and regal entrance to the show. Also, let?s not forget that the GHP, Mr. CNN, and others were there. The show reached the web community as well. The bottom line is that last year?s show had more publicity and as result, more patronage and attendance than this year?s.

Connections, Connections, and Connections?

During and right after last year?s expo, the word spread around that the whole show is purely what is termed in the Ghanaian parlance as ?connection?. Accusations started flying around-mainly by the Atlanta based limousine drivers-that though some of the participants were charged for their lodging for the duration of the show, they got kicked out from their hotel rooms after about the second day. Some good Samaritans have to come to their rescue. Nobody had that problem this year. In fact the exhibitors the observer-general spoke to were not worried about their lodging this year. They were worried about how to recoup their investment because of low patronage and low sales. Also, before the show kicked off this year, someone sued the organizer in Ghana and accused him of using the expo as a front to cover up visa fraud. This incident, according to some participants, caused the U.S embassy in Accra to refuse many people visas. As a result, a firm or a company that would have brought in about say, three people brought in just one. This in turn created a discomfort whereby participants could not attend seminars, network, or even attend to nature?s call. Lone participants were glued to the tables in their expensive booths all day long.

Apathy on the Part of Ghanaians in Atlanta?

Last year, many Ghanaians got wind of the expo and fully participated in it. This year, many of those who heard of it did not attend because many claim the whole show is a sham. Many others did not even hear about the show at all, and as such could not make their minds on what to do. Those who heard, but this not attend, and were very vocal about their stance were the limo drivers. To them, they would rather make money than to be involved. For those who attended, many did not buy a thing. They just went window-shopping. Some, including the observer general had just returned from Ghana, and are in possession of most of the items on sale at the expo. While there were numerous volunteers, the observer-general could count just one Ghanaian, Mr. Bright