AFRICA TRIP: A presidential election also is upcoming in Ghana. Was it a utopia? Far from it, but for 14 days, I was free of the strife at home in the states. PHOTO COURTESY OF DEMOCRACYINAFRICA.ORG

So, there was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

As horrible and impactful as it was, that event almost stole my joy from my mountaintop visit to Ghana along with four generations of travelers including family and friends.

Almost.

A United States presidential debate and the Fourth of July independence celebrations took place while I was in Africa, but I did not miss those events. I was immersed in a country and society that was nearly 100% African, infused with traditions of democratic polity, and was welcomed home.

It was Black. Black. Blackity Black, and we enjoyed an embarrassment of riches. Almost daily, we filled our minds with culture, history, tours, and lectures at the slave dungeons. We ate home-cooked traditional dishes, and also at some of the best dining spots. We emptied our wallets at various markets, fabric stores, jewelers, established businesses, etc.

I started an informal count of the number of non-Blacks I saw, counting only those who appeared to be in positions of authority. We did not visit any of the embassies; there were dozens in Accra, the capital, so their personnel did not count. I also dismissed the obvious tourists, the handful of Asians, middle Easterners, and the smattering of “others” visiting from around the world. My count was under 100.

With few exceptions, the faces were all Black: street vendors, business owners, bankers, airport personnel from curbside luggage handlers to agents to security. Everywhere, Black folk were serving in every capacity.

Can someone say Black jobs?

Seeing so many Blacks out front and in charge was in such stark contrast to my experience in some other African countries. For instance, in Senegal I saw many “official” white French nationals. White South Africans are still ubiquitous throughout that country.

A presidential election is upcoming in Ghana. Historically, there has been a high degree of civility and trust in Ghana presential politics, since the 1990s.

There was one larger-than-usual billboard with a photo and a message from a traditional royal who urged a peaceful transition during the election. I learned that the royals are not supposed to interfere in political transactions but are supportive of whomever is elected.

Accra is a modern city with major sprawl. One could stock up on groceries within a few blocks in the heavy stop-and-go traffic from vibrant street vendors and markets which featured bottled water, soft drinks, fruits, vegetables, boiled peanuts, home goods, books, toys, brooms, small electronics, etc.

Much of the merchandise was carried atop the heads of the vendors in a marvel of balance and organization.

The whole urban area and beyond seemed to be under construction – offices, residential communities, individual homes – all secured behind walls, electrified fences and/or security personnel, and an expressway that often ran out of concrete yet continued onto a stretch of packed dirt.

There were entrepreneurs who walked around with shovels and were paid to fill in potholes.

Clubs were dynamic featuring great dancing music and an international vibe. Reggae music was popular.

The mountainside is beautiful; cooler temperatures with lovely homes overlooking the city.

Was it a utopia? Far from it, but for 14 days, I was free of the strife at home in the states.

Religion is widely expressed. I gave up counting the number of churches, evangelists, religious conferences featuring husband-and-wife ministers, and the like. Businesses, stenciled monikers on cars, market stalls, were often named for some biblical or inspirational influence, e.g., a convenience store was named “God is Precious Art.” Christians and Muslims live together peaceably.

I gained a new perspective from my visits to Elmina and Cape Coast, two “slave dungeons,” sometimes referred to as “slave castles.” That shift in the narrative was brought home by expert tour guides who reminded us how slavery was widely practiced throughout the area for generations, but the succession of different colonizing Europeans redefined the practice through the Atlantic slave trade.

A Door of Return was featured at the Cape Coast dungeon, however, I did not feel a “return.” I felt that my experiences as a descendant of Africans brought to the Americas were validated and captured by the words of Kwame Nkrumah, the first elected African president of the country, who said, “I am not African because I was born in Africa, but because Africa was born in me.”

Following the alleged assassination attempt on Trump and the ongoing disparagement of President Joe Biden, I am so grateful to be able to vote. I’m voting, to validate my standing as an African American, and to guarantee my hard-earned stake in the future here. Toniwg1@gmail.com