Madam Gladys Adinyira, a Ghanaian sculptor has closed a month-long art exhibition titled “A ‘Chorus’ to The Unsung Women” at the National Theatre, to honour market women who played roles in Ghana’s independent struggle.

Market women featured in the exhibition included Madam Rebecca Dedei Aryeetey, popularly known as Dedei Ashikishan; Madam Ayele Laryea, nicknamed Akua Shoshorshor; and Madam Agnes Oforiwa Tagoe-Quarcoopome, fondly called Aunty Oforiwa.

It is an exhibition of tribute, celebration and a revival of the history of these women who in their quiet yet formidable way, supported Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s, Ghana’s first President Vision of an independent Ghana.

These market women are seen as more than mere traders and are regarded as essential cogs in the machinery of change. They provided the necessary human and financial resources that fuelled the revolutionary fervour of Nkrumah’s campaign for “Independence Now.”

The exhibitor observed that their contributions had been overlooked for far too long, and their stories were overshadowed by other political narratives.

Madam Adinyira chose a cascade of objects such as wooden crates, wide-brim straw hats, and cast coins, which were meticulously arranged to narrate a story of silent resilience and the powerful contribution of heroines of Ghana’s past.

The wooden crates, used for transporting goods, became emblems of the market women’s labour and tireless work, and the wide-brim straw hats, shielding them from the sun, symbolised their perseverance and dedication.

The bisque pots used to store and cook food represented the nurturing spirit that sustained their communities and, in turn, the nation’s struggle for independence, while the cast coins served as a reward for their eminent efforts, memorializing their dedication to the motherland, Ghana.

Madam Adinyira in her opening address said the exhibition was a call to revisit and acknowledge the integral role of market women in Ghana’s history.

She encouraged visitors to the event to engage with the installation on a deeper level, to reflect on the narratives that had shaped the nation and to honour those whose contributions had been relegated to the periphery of historical accounts.

Dr Ossei Agyeman, a retired painter and lecturer at the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, stated that the contradictions and emotions that underscored the work and acknowledged the complex interplay of personal and collective memory and how the installation was a manifestation of the artist own artistic journey.

“For Adinyira, these objects were vessels of historical memory, each carrying the weight of countless untold stories,” Dr. Ossei Agyeman explained.

Through her art, she created a space where the past and present converged, allowing the unsung heroes of history to receive their due recognition. The exhibition served as a reminder that history encompasses not only grand gestures and prominent figures but also the countless individuals whose quiet strength and unwavering support made those moments possible. Gladys’s work stands as a testament to the power of art in reviving forgotten narratives and forging a deeper connection with the roots of a nation’s identity.

As visitors departed the gallery, many carried with them a renewed appreciation for the market women of Ghana. They left not only with a better understanding of history but also with a profound respect for the enduring spirit of those who contributed to the independence.