John Mahama is Ghana’s president
A careful analysis of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto with a simple and patriotic lens, objectively is enough to make one understand that the concept of the “Black Star Experience” as an overarching theme to drive the John Dramani Mahama’s second tenure— for the Culture, Art and Tourism sector is not simply a chain of events lined up for the year.
The concept of “Black star” (credited to Marcus Garvey) is a symbol of Pan-Africanism and anti-colonialism: charged with the spirit of an overcomer, freedom, justice and future hope for all black generation.
Adopted by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (founder of Ghana) it became a metaphor of our sovereignty/independence and thus the name of Ghana’s Independence Tower “The Black Star Square” and, also, used (in 1957) by Theodosia Okoh in the design of the Flag of Ghana.
The world all over, the term “Black Star” in contemporary times, is now associated with Ghana thanks to our gallant senior national football team and the fact that Ghana remains the first country south the Sahara to glow the flame of independence, the “Gateway to Africa”: the first African country down the Sahara to ‘reset’ to herself towards development.
The “Black Star Experience” therefore, in the spirit of NDC’s manifesto basically enjoins us to ‘reset’ as a people culturally towards marketing the Ghanaian identity/culture through our indigenous and contemporary arts and thus, our tourism with a ‘reset’ mind—towards creating job opportunities, growing the creative economy and ‘journeying ourselves to ourselves’—for the purpose of development.
The idea basically is to ensure that ‘we live ourselves’ as Ghanaians from January to January—without a break.
-How?-
Through what is termed “Tourism 360”: that shall dedicate each month of the year to celebrating an aspect of the Ghanaian culture. So, in simple terms, we shan’t be limited to just “Ghana Month” in the month of March and that’s all—there shall be a whole month dedicated to celebrating the varieties of Ghanaian foods (culinary), another for Ghanaian Literature/other art, another for Ghanaian language, another for Ghanaian medicine etc. To mean, there will be always something about Ghanaian culture to celebrate throughout the year—Tourism 360.
In this light, tourists (local and/or international) have the opportunity to experience Ghana at anytime of the year. And constantly we shall be reminded of the beauty of our culture and empowered to live it.
One must not be worried about how this can be possible vis-a-vis our ailing economy: the “Black Star Experience” will not be a year-long government funded series of events; but a created and endorsed project led by the government, like international organizations as UNESCO, UNFPA etc have some important days like World Teachers Day, World Poetry Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, International Mother Language Day commemorated.
Like we all—individuals and corporate bodies—personally create events, workshops, seminars to mention but a few—to celebrate Ghana Month, the World Poetry Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Farmers Day, the Year of Return etc the Government led by agencies in charge of and promotion and preservation of respective areas of our culture shall create enabling environment for the commemoration.
So instead of asking why and how can it be done? Practitioners must make efforts to take advantage of this laudable initiative to experience Ghana and also create economic fortunes.