Ghanaians in Vancouver Mark Ghana’s 60th Independence Anniversary with Gala

By Our Reporter

Ghanaians in the Province of British Columbia in Canada celebrated Ghana’s 60th independence anniversary with a sold-out gala March 18 at the Executive Plaza, in Coquitlam, a suburb of Vancouver.

More than 300 people attended the gala, including a contingent from the Ghana Association of Greater Seattle, local dignitaries and politicians, as well as representatives of local African and Caribbean associations.

Highlights of the evening included a slideshow on the history of Ghana, a video on Ghana’s independence story, a fashion show, and a cultural (adowa) dance.

The hall reverberated with spirited applauses as young models from Alicsiastyles and Lillian O'Brien's African Fashions, showed off beautiful African clothes by Naana Badsy Fashion.

Auntie Vic’s Golden Girls entertained the revelers with adowa dance, a popular cultural dance of the Asante ethnic group of Ghana.

“It was one of the best I have seen us do. The location, the food, the music, the shows, the number of people attending both young and old, all made the occasion a grand one. Congratulations you made Ghana proud,” remarked Mr. George Piprah, Honourary Consul-General of Ghana in British Columbia.

In his welcome address, Dr. Charles Quist-Adade, president of the Ghanaian-Canadian Association of British Columbia, paid homage to the architects of Ghana’s independence, including the “Big Six, the kings and chiefs—and ordinary Ghanaians, who in various ways, big and small.”

Dr. Quist-Adade observed that these “valiant compatriot died so we may live. They sweated, toiled and shed their blood so we may reap the fruits of liberty, even if that liberty is still tainted and bitter. “

He singled out Ghana’s pioneer president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah for his heroic leadership in the independence struggle, his uncompromising fight for human freedom and dignity, African unity and development.

Reiterating Nkrumah’s ideas on freedom, Dr. Quist-Adade noted that there is no price to liberty and that “although the price of freedom may seem so costly, Ghanaians are better off as a free people to manage or mismanage our affairs than to be ruled by someone else.”

He concluded by calling on the current and future generation of Ghanaians to take up the mantle of economic liberation of their country.

A goodwill message from the Ghana High Commission in Ottawa was read by Mr. Piprah. It noted that Ghanaians in Canada are in a strategic position to help in the socio-economic transformation of the country on account of their professional expertise and experience. “The body of knowledge and experience you have gained in multi-faceted socio-economic matters could accelerate the national development transformation of Ghana if they are plowed into the national development agenda.”

In her speech read on her behalf by Honourable Linda Reimer, MLA for Port-Moody-Coquitlam, Premier of the Province of British Columbia, Christy Clarke praised Ghana as “a strong and proud country and a place of religious tolerance, peace and innovation.”

Goodwill messages were delivered by Guest of Honour, His Excellency, Wilfredo J. Perez Bianco, Consul-General of the Republic of Venezuela in B.C., MLAs Hon. Richard Lee, Deputy Speaker and MLA for Burnaby North, Hon. Raj Chouchan, Assistant Deputy Speaker and MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds, Hon. Bruce Ralston, MLA for Whaley, and Hon. Jane Shin, MLA for Burnaby-Lougheed.

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