The first day of Queen Afua’s trip began with a welcome ceremony at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. A cultural troupe performed traditional song and dance while Queen Afua and her delegation joined in and danced to the beat of the drums. It was clear the love they have for the motherland Africa.

On their second day in Ghana, the team had a meeting at Jubilee House with the Director of Diaspora Affairs, Office of the President, Akwasi Ababio, Deputy Director of Diaspora Affairs, Nadia Adongo Musah, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Emmanuel Adumua-Bossman and the Presidential Advisor on Health, Anthony Nsiah-Asare.  Queen Afua spoke to them about her vision for health and wellness in Ghana.  She spoke about her best-selling books and how she has helped millions around the world heal their bodies through food. 

She presented her products to them and even had everyone sample one that promises to aid and clear the cardiovascular system. 

A visit to Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park was an opportunity for the team to learn the history of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah.  Some of the travellers have never visited the African continent and learning about the strides made by Ghana was an eye-opening experience. 

Jerry Johnson is an African American who has made Ghana home and saw the need to educate the youth about the history of Black people around the world.  He created the Ancestral Wall around his property as a way to honour important historical figures from Africa and the global African diaspora.  Queen Afua and her delegation travelled to Prampram to visit the wall and learn some of the history of people they didn’t know about.

For the African American community, a visit to see the dungeons of Cape Coast Castle is an important part of the journey to Africa.  It’s an opportunity to experience and connect with their ancestors and to see the spaces where the atrocities took place before the ancestors were taken overseas. 

Assin Manso is where the Slave River passes through and a critical part of the journey of healing for diasporans when they come to Ghana.  Queen Afua and her team experienced the place where captured enslaved Africans were taken for their last bath before being sold into the trans-Atlantic slave trade. 

The team also engaged in a tree-planting exercise to reconnect with the land and honour the lives of those who were taken.

Queen Afua’s best-selling book, The Sacred Woman was recently launched for the twentieth anniversary edition.  She had a book reading and signing at the Pan African Writer’s Association House (PAWA), hosted by the Ghana Association of Writers. 

Mr. Gbormittah, President of the Ghana Association of Writers was there and he was happy that such an event was their first in a year after the pandemic halted their in-person activities.

Aburi Botanical Gardens is one of the beautiful wonders of Ghana and many tourists take the opportunity to experience the wonder and beauty of nature there.   Queen Afua has partnered with Tehuti Films to document her experience in Ghana and used the gardens as a perfect setting to film a scene in her upcoming documentary.

A visit to former President H.E. John Kofi Kuffor, at his home was an honour for the delegation.  It was an opportunity for Queen Afua to speak to the former president about her health and wellness system and how she has helped to heal people around the world. 

The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, met with the delegation for a breakfast meeting at Kempinski Hotel on the final day of their tour of Ghana.  He expressed how impressed he is with the work Queen Afua is doing with her health and wellness teachings.  He announced in the brief meeting before breakfast that he was appointing her as Ghana’s Wellness Ambassador. 

By: Ivy Prosper