Ghanaians up and down the country celebrate 52 years of independence in March 2009 with
help from the Ghana Black Stars Network (GBSN). The celebratory event which encompasses
an awards ceremony, fashion show and performances will be hosted by Kiss FM DJ, Melvin
Odoom. Proceeds from the night will be donated to the Disablement Foundation of Ghana
http://www.dfog.org.uk/.
Saturday 7th March 2009 sees just fewer than 400 Ghanaian professionals, sports personalities,
actors, musicians and a whole host of other glitterati fill the Porchester Hall, Bayswater for
Ayekoo! An event that promises to be inspirational and celebratory night of all things
Ghanaian.
Performances for the night are from, Opera singer Josephine Amankwah (singing the National
Anthem), Sway, Hip-Life artist Nana Quame and Lawrence Olivier Award winning Dance troop
Boy Blue.
"Ayekoo is a commonly used Ghanaian salutation, which is generally translated as "Well done,"
"Congratulations," and "Thank you." It is an acknowledgment of the value of ones effort,
spoken "in the moment" which aims to encourage and inspire"
Slightly different from other Independence events Ayekoo is about Celebrating Achievement -
and one of the main things about the evening is the Black Star Recognition Awards.
Previous winners of this award included Actor Hugh Quarshie, Sway, Screen Nation CEO
Charles Thompson, Ekow Eshun and Elsie Owusu OBE (Award winning RIBA Architect)
Award recipients on the night are MOBO CEO Kanya King, Fashion mogul Joe Casely Hayford
OBE, Broadcaster & Journalist Henry Bonsu, Olympic athlete Jeantte Kwakye and Lady Gifty
Tetteh (leading Barrister and first woman to have a Chambers in Middle temple.
Ghanaians in London represent one of the largest and oldest West African communities in the
capital. There were 56,000 people reported in the 2001 Census as having Ghanaian heritage in
the UK, the majority of Ghanaian Briton's live in greater London.
The GBSN provide a positive forum for British Ghanaians to come together to look at ways to
contribute effectively in all areas of British society and also to highlight those who are doing
successfully. Highlighting our responsibility as global citizens and exploring how Ghanaians in
the Diaspora can contribute to society and development in Ghana & the UK will feature heavily
throughout the night.
...//ends
Notes to editor:
• The Disablement Foundation of Ghana was set up to raise awareness of learning
disabilities by campaigning for change and providing innovative services that give learning
disabled people the opportunity to live life like any other member of society.
http://www.dfog.org.uk/index2.html
• Ghanaians in London represent one of the largest and oldest West African communities
in the capital. Britain’s role in the colonisation of Africa and the slave trade meant that
Ghanaians, either by force or, in time, through trade, have found themselves living and
partaking in London life from the seventeenth century onwards. At first most Ghanaians where
part of the transient community of sailors around London’s Docklands. Today, Ghanaians live
across London but are concentrated around Dalston, Brixton and Lewisham.
• Many Ghanaians that arrived in London in the 50's, 60’s and 70’s had professional
qualifications but access to their professions was more often then not impossible. Surviving in
London meant working in manual jobs. This experience has meant that second and third
generation Ghanaians now seek to realize their abilities and professional ambitions in a way
that was not possible for their parents. Education and qualifications are very important to
young Ghanaians.
• Ghana is currently the UK’s fifth largest export market in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Ghana is one of the most politically stable countries in Africa and its bi-lateral links with
the UK are wide-ranging, warm and close.
• Britain is a second home for many Ghanaians, with around 500,000 currently living here.