Cameroonian Calls on African-Americans to Look Beyond Ghana, Lists Other Destinations
- A Cameroonian man has sparked debate about the need for African-Americans to explore other countries on the continent beyond Ghana
- His comments sparked online conversations about why many people of African descent choose to visit GH over other African countries
- Dr Kweku Opoku-Agyemang responded to the TikToker’s comments, explaining why many in the diaspora choose Ghana for their visits
A young Cameroonian man has sparked a viral conversation about the need for the African-American community to explore countries on the continent beyond Ghana.
He raised concerns about the need for African-Americans, who are seeking to reconnect with their ancestral roots, to expand their travel destinations to include other destinations.
Source: UGC
While acknowledging that Ghana has many interesting historical sites, he explained that other countries also have significant locations with strong ancestral connections that were worth exploring.
In a TikTok video that has since gone viral, the young man explained that the behaviour of many African Americans gives the impression that Africa is a single community with Ghana as its gateway, a notion he strongly criticised.
He said:
"I am begging you to stop treating Africa like it is a country group project where only Ghana did its homework. Ghana is a beautiful country with a rich history, but Africa is made up of 54 countries, not just one destination. There are other parts of Africa where important history was made, such as the Bimbia Slave Trade Port in Cameroon. Your ancestors passed through there as well.
"Stop treating Africa like it has only one front door. Learn deeper, explore wider, because your story is stronger than one stamp in your passport. Your ancestors didn't come from Ghana alone; they also came from Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Senegal and more. Don't visit only one place, only Ghana. After Ghana, explore further, because there is history in other places, not just Ghana."
Watch the TikTok video here:
Cameroonian's comments on Ghana visits spark reactions
His comments have since attracted numerous reactions from Ghanaians, many of whom believe the African-Americans choose to visit Ghana because of the country’s strong investment in promoting itself as a tourism destination.
Reacting on his X handle, respected academic and son of the Vice President, Dr Kweku Opoku-Agyemang, said the African-American community tends to choose Ghana over Cameroon due to safety concerns and what he described as a lack of investment in public relations by that country’s leaders.
His post read in part:
"I'll tell you why they are not visiting Cameroon as much as people want. The Anglophone Crisis or the Ambazonia War is an ongoing armed conflict in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon. That's why."
Source: Getty Images
Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang's son added:
"It's been going on for a decade. On the other hand, Ghana is probably the most peaceful country in the region and a top-tier country at the continental level. It's not perfect, but we know incoming travel is our third-highest earner."
He further noted that Ghana's founder, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, was a prime figure in shaping the concept of Pan-Africanism as is widely known today.
"Some don't realise that Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah helped create the modern concept of Pan-Africanism. He definitely understood PR on a different level. People who look down on marketing but want development forget that the development they want requires marketing. As long as it's accurate, it's completely fine."
Read the X post here:
American lady praises Ghana's education system
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that an American lady had praised Ghana's education system, describing it as one of the best she had ever experienced.
The young lady said her Ghanaian parents took her from America to Africa to further her education when she reached the senior high school level.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
