The Mayor-Elect to the left of the Chief and members of his team during the visit
Eric Adams the New York City Mayor-Elect departed Accra yesterday after making a historic visit to his roots, West Africa.
The Mayor-Elect before assuming his new role as Mayor of the mega city is in remembrance of the four centuries of slavery in America.
His visit added fervor to the ‘Year Of Return’ programme which is geared towards having people of African descent in the Diaspora return to tour Ghana.
The highlight of the Mayor-Elect’s ‘homecoming’ was the traditional rites he underwent under the aegis of the Akwamufie Traditional Council.
At the chief’s palace where the rites were performed he was installed a chief Barima Yaw Asamani. He inherited a great warrior in the history of the Akwamu people.
History has it that Nana Asamani was the chief who as Governor of the Christianborg Castle in Osu outwitted the Danes and seized the keys to the location in 1693.
The Mayor-Elect was accompanied by Ambassador Johanna Odonkor Svanikier, Founder, President and CEO of the Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa Foundation, HACSA-USA as well as his partner Tracey Collins.
As precautionary measures only selected personalities were allowed to witness the programme which included a tour of the Akwamu Museum.
The Akwamuhene Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III and Akwamuhemea, Nana Afrakoma II prayed for the Mayor-Elect’s successful tenure.
Some media outwits in the US wondered why the Mayor-Elect would be visiting Ghana at a time when omicron virus had been discovered to which he responded “I made a promise to myself that I would visit Ghana following the 400-year anniversary of slavery in America and the election, to show how far we have come and remembered how far we still must go. This election to me was, among other things, about resetting a negative narrative so that we can have a more just and united future. I will continue to be in contact with the transition team on our progress toward January 1, and with the mayor on pressing matters including Omicron while I’m in Ghana.
“When it comes to COVID, I have said time and time again that I will follow the science and our public health professionals as a leader—and right now travel is banned only to Southern African counties out of an abundance of caution.
By A.R. Gomda