Constructed in 1924, Accra’s largest outdoor market, Makola has served as the heart and soul of the city for almost 100 years. As with many other markets across the globe, Makola has become the epicenter for the exchange of goods and services, connection, and culture.
While there isn’t an “official” sign that leads you to the market, it’ll quickly become clear to you that you’ve arrived. Immediately upon entry, you’re sucked into the commotion. Thousands of people line the streets and inner corridors. On display, vendors sprawl an array of goods – produce and livestock, jewelry, electronics, textiles, and household items – in eager hopes that their next customer is just a few steps away.
As you walk the streets, you are enveloped in a cacophony of sounds, smells, and sights. You’re swept away by the fast-paced buzz that energizes the people. Mesmerized by the colors of the bright lights, beautiful products, and flashy signs. In the air, rings a sweet song composed of different sounds: the artful exchange between vendor and buyer as they contend on a price, a blend of local dialects and Pidgin English, and the enticing beckons and calls from determined vendors. Similarly, the scents of different tasty treats — fried foods, roasted meats and jollof — waft through the atmosphere.
As a Nigerian visiting Ghana for the first time, walking through the streets of Makola, made me fall deeper in love with my identity as an African. In the eyes of some, a market such as Makola might seem chaotic, dirty and antiquated. But for me, the market is a testament of the best of what Africa has to offer: tradition, ingenuity, hustle, creativity and soul.
I hope each of you will be able to visit one day and experience what I felt. The market is really the place to be.
Welcome, to Makola!
By Osa Osagie, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, The Carroll School, Lincoln MA