RCC executives in a pose after the conference
Representatives of Rastafari organisations in over 10 African countries have elected Ghana’s Ahuma Bosco Ocansey (aka Daddy Bosco) as the first chairman of the Rastafari Continental Council (RCC) at the recent meeting in Cape Town, South Africa.
Daddy Busco is the head of communications and special projects at Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).
The conference also elected the representative from Tanzania, Ras Makonnen, as deputy chairman.
After the election, Ahuma Bosco Ocansey expressed his gratitude to the council for the confidence reposed in Ghana to provide leadership for the council and also contribute their quota to the realisation of the objectives of the RCC.
The three-day conference, which was under the theme: ‘Rastafari and Intra African Trade for Sustainable Development’, took place from May 22 to May 25 in Wellington, Cape Town. It had representation from Ethiopia, Ghana, Botswana, Angola, Benin, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Namibia and Swaziland.
According to the facilitator of the conference, Dr Desta Meghoo, “The RCC seeks to protect and preserve the cultural, civil and natural rights of indigenous African Rastafari; ensuring their recognition nationally, regionally and Africa wide in order to safeguard Rastafari people’s full participation in the all areas of society in Africa, realizing a strong, sound and developed Africa.”
She added that the council also aims at “building a sustainable institution to further unite, mobilise and empower Rastafari people on and from the continent towards progressive development in and for Africa, while providing an integral platform for national, regional, and continental dialogue and efforts for the upliftment of Rastafari at home and subsequently abroad.”
The RCC was established in Ethiopia during the All Africa Rastafari Gathering (AARG), which was held from November 1 to November 7, 2017 to unite, empower and mobilise members for a sustainable development of the Rastafari nation at a national and continental level.
Youth council and council of elders were also appointed to advise the RCC. The administrator of the Rastafari Council of Ghana, Kofi Asante Mireku (aka Royal Moses Asante), was also appointed to the youth council.
The next conference is scheduled for Accra from May 23 to May 25, 2019.