Saturday 11 March 2023
By Joy Osiagwu
The Ghana Association of Ottawa (GAO) celebrated its ancestral home’s 66th Independence anniversary in Ottawa with a cross-section of friends and community members in a serene atmosphere on March 11.
A cross-section of guests at the event
The Ukrainian Banquet Convention Centre was filled with friends, Associates, and the African Canadian Association of Ottawa members.
Hon. Bob Chiarelli, a former Mayor of Ottawa & Prof. Andy Kusi-Appiah at the event
Hon. Bob Chiarelli, a former Mayor of Ottawa and an enthusiastic advocate of diversity and inclusion attended the event to celebrate the Ghanaian community.
As expected, a fashion parade with the admirable Ghana-Kente held sway over the evening.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, Mr. Ransford Anselm Sowah, attended the program with a delegation from the Mission. He extolled the virtues of the Association for representing Ghana impressively as worthy Ghanaian Diasporans. High Commissioner Sowah said Ghana continues to be a beacon of light to the rest of Africa, a position cherished by the citizens, being the first country south of the Sahara to achieve independence.
Regarding Ghana-Canada relations, he reiterated Ghana’s continued demonstration that the nation is open for business. Although Ghana, like many nations on the continent, suffered from the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, High Commissioner Sowah assured that President
Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, H.E. Ransford Anselm Sowah
Nana Akufo-Addo and his team are dedicated to restoring the economy to its pre-COVID-19 glory. In line with the team of the celebration in Ghana, ” Our Unity, Our Strength, our Purpose”, he encouraged the GAO to work towards achieving the President’s vision. High Commissioner Sowah also encouraged Ghanaians in Canada to continue to send remittances to families and friends in Ghana, while creating business opportunities for investors in Ghana and Canada.
Mr Bismark Otoo, President GAO
The President of the Association, Mr. Bismark Otoo, celebrated the strength of the Association in coordinating laudable community events to support members. He spoke about the vision for 2023, including organizing mentors and help the younger generation excel in their academic endeavors.
” We are strategically collaborating with Ghanaian community leaders to organize programs that benefit seniors and women in the community through seminars and town hall meetings in collaboration with the Ghana High Commission in Ottawa”, he said.
The Association has also continued with its scholarship program to support students in Canada.
Professor Andy Kusi-Appiah of Carleton University gave a talk on the importance of community engagement. Addressing the audience as a Canadian of Ghanaian ancestry, Prof Kusi-Appiah dwelt on the importance of the Canadian Multicultural Act of 1971, announced by Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau as an official policy (the first of its kind in the world), recognizing the contributions of cultural diversity and multicultural citizenship to the Canadian social fabric.
Guest Speaker: Prof. Andy Kusi-Appiah
He cited numerous examples in the community of how Ghanaians can celebrate Canada and their ancestral home. But, most importantly, he reminded the audience of the diverse nature of Ottawa and the importance of participating in the various sub-communities in the city.
“ Ottawa is made up of many ethnicities and religions. We need to recognize and contribute to the racial and diverse population! Social inclusion is the right thing to do”. he said.
Awards were presented to deserving members of the Association and the community who contributed to the success of the Association.
The toast of the event was the celebration of Black Ottawa Scene Editor, Mr. Godwin Ifedi. The African Canadian Association Ottawa led by the President, John Adeyefa, presented him with the Legacy Builder’s Award 2023 for his meritorious contributions to the Black Community in Ottawa over the years. Former Ottawa Mayor, Hon. Bob Chiarelli presented the award to Mr. Ifedi.
Elated Mr. Ifedi celebrated those who have supported his vision from its inception. He thanked the Association for a beautiful evening and thanked the GAO for hosting members of the community.
The audience had a wonderful time with so much camaraderie. Many families had not seen each other at an in-person celebration in two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Independence Day celebration, therefore, brought back great memories. As usual at such events, dinner was served with delicacies from Ghana.
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Joy Osiagwu is a Project Officer with Black History Ottawa. She has over two decades of experience as a broadcast journalist in Nigeria and North America. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom, plus a post-graduate diploma in Broadcast Performing Arts from the Columbia Academy, Vancouver, British Columbia.