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Pilgrims from the Diaspora welcomed at
Elmina
Elmina, July 27, Ghanadot- As part of PANAFEST/Emancipation
day celebration in Ghana, several African-Americans and
others in the Diaspora were welcomed on Friday to a solemn
ceremony at the forecourt of the Elmina castle.
After libations were poured to
the gods for their safe return or arrival, the visitors were
given the traditional local dish of mashed yam as well as
palm wine to drink.
Dr Leonard Jeffries, a leading
member of the Africans in the Diaspora, described the
ceremony, as a re-union, when family members come together.
He said the theme for the
festival, "re-uniting the African family," was very
significant and that it has dawned on everybody to re-unite
Africans in the Diaspora and their brothers and sisters at
home.
Dr Jefferies said there was no doubt that Africans in the
Diaspora and those on the continent were one family and it
was therefore, necessary that these two groups pooled their
resources for the development of Africa.
He stressed the need for those
in the Diaspora to come back to Africa and invest in areas
like industry and health care delivery, for accelerate the
development.
The occasion was marked by
drumming and dancing and the carrying on of appropriate
rituals for the returnees.
The returnees, in turns, hugged
'Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, Omanhene of the Edina Traditional
Area and other traditional rulers and the District Chief
Executive of Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirim district.
Mr Asmah, the district chief, briefed the visitors on "the
Elmina 2015 Strategy." a development program aimed at
enhancing socio-economic conditions in the area.
He urged them to return to their roots and invest towards
the socio-economic development of the country.
He described the presence of the returnees as reminder of
the painful way of "how their ancestors were stolen from the
land of their birth."
Nana Conduah expressed satisfaction that the Diasporans were
returning to their roots and noted that as people with one
destiny, it was imperative that they came together to
champion a new course for Africa.
He urged the Africans in the Diaspora to avail themselves of
the dual citizenship introduced by government to settle in
the country to help in its development.
Nana Conduah gave the assurance that traditional rulers were
in the area were ready to offer land for investment to any
African in the Diaspora.
Earlier, in the day, about 47 of the pilgrims embarked on a
boat ride from the "door of no return" at the Cape Coast
castle, to the Elmina castle before the commencement of the
Akwaaba ceremony.
Source GNA
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