Every country in the world has a story to share with those who visit, and the continent of Africa, thought to have provided the building blocks for modern civilization, has more stories than many.
Ghana’s history may well be considered a microcosm for the story of Africa itself. The country’s current borders only began to take shape following more than 100 years of colonization as a result of territories that had been occupied by both Britain and the Dutch.
When the colonial territories of Gold Coast, Ashanti, the Northern Territories and British Togoland were unified as an independent dominion within the Commonwealth of Nations on March 6, 1957, Ghana became the first colony in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve sovereignty.
Since that time, the Ghanaian people have worked tirelessly to create a stable, unitary constitutional democracy — one of the most free and steady on the continent. The results of this advocacy for government and democratic stability have allowed Ghana to emerge as a key figure in West Africa’s economic growth. The country consistently performs well in metrics related to health care and is among the few countries around the world that have recorded a significant reduction in poverty.
Beyond the great diversity in scenery and mixture of urban development and lush forest escapes, Ghana also offers its visitors unforgettable cultural enrichment experiences that speak to the heart of the African post-colonial story.
Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle in Central Ghana, for example, offer guests an unparalleled, up-close look at the inhumanity and injustices of the slave trade. The breathtaking views from the castle walls were, for many native Africans, the last sights of their homeland before they were sent unwillingly on a treacherous journey across the ocean toward America, where they would remain in captivity for the remainder of their lives.
The World Heritage Convention of UNESCO named Ghana’s castles and forts as World Heritage Monuments to preserve their legacy as well as the dark, yet essential stories they portray.
It’s due in no small part to these legacies, as well as the indomitable efforts of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, that Ghana became a forerunner in African decolonization efforts and the Pan-African movement, which seeks to unite the nations of Africa and to preserve and promote the outstanding societal and cultural contributions that the continent has endowed upon the world.
In every corner of Africa, one can find wonders and enchantments that are unlike any other on Planet Earth. In Ghana, you’ll often find the best representation of those spectacles, whether it be through the food, music, culture, or the Ghanaian people themselves.
Let Center of the World Tours light the way and begin your introduction.
