"Sankofa" is an Akan Adinkra symbol which depicts a bird with its head turned backward retrieving an egg from its back. The symbol expresses the importance of reaching back to knowledge gained in the past and bringing it into the present to make positive progress. As we travel as a cohort to places like Cape Coast and Elmina castles that held enslaved Africans, Ghanaians like me are reminded of Ghana's slavery past— long regarded as too sensitive to even discuss. Sadly, most Ghanaians are ignorant of their history of slavery, it’s significance and effects on Ghana are less and less taught in schools.
The fact is that there were over sixty slave forts bunched within a little over 290 miles of Ghana’s coast! How can that be ignored? Today Ghana’s tourism industry see these castles and forts as one of Ghana's most distinctive features, and places of historical significance. I believe Ghana is endowed with rich traditions and culture which are imbedded in our history and values including the horrors and legacy of slavery.
As a member of the WTIG cohort 1 and 2, 2022, I also realized and I agree with Dr. S. K. Kuwor, one of our WTIG lecturers, that Ghana's history, culture and traditional education should be at the heart of our formal education and not the western education of our colonial past.
Samuel Delali Awutey
Osuwem R/C Basic School, Asutsuare, Greater Accra
