The faces behind Ghana’s “Year of Return” has been unmasked by a friend of the government, Gabby Otchere-Darko.

In a Facebook post on Friday, he gave credit to the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman, as “the mighty drive behind” the tourism initiative which has arguably brought more tourist to Ghana in a single year than the last 20years put together. 

He is not alone. 

CEO of Adinkra Group in Washington DC, USA,  Diallo Sumbry, also came up for praise.

“It all started in September 2017, when the newly appointed CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, the dependable Akwasi Agyeman, met Diallo Sumbry, CEO of Adinkra Group, in Washington, DC. After a series of discussions, the GTA signed an MoU with the Adinkra Group in December 2017. The focus was to promote Ghana as a major tourist destination and to work on a Back 2 Africa Festival and documentary in February 2019,” Otchere-Darko revealed. 

But more than just an effort from the duo, he says it has taken the hard work of several backroom staff, including a steering committee, to get this far. 

”GTA then set up an inhouse Year of Return secretariat working under the CEO as the coordinator. Gaddy Laryea, one of Ghana’s foremost marketing gurus, and marketing consultant to Panafest played a key role on the steering committee, “ he added. 

Mr Otchere-Darko’s post has been published here unedited.

Akwasi Agyeman is the mighty drive behind “Year of Return” – a series of events this year that has connected Africa to the African Diaspora perhaps more than any initiative in the past and has positioned Ghana as the spot to which to return. Already, the organisers of this fantastic initiative are thinking what next Beyond the Return.

I am told it all started in September 2017, when the newly appointed CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, the dependable Akwasi Agyeman, met Diallo Sumbry, CEO of Adinkra Group, in Washington, DC. After a series of discussions, the GTA signed an MoU with the Adinkra Group in December 2017. The focus was to promote Ghana as a major tourist destination and to work on a Back 2 Africa Festival and documentary in February 2019.

After the Back 2 Africa last Feb, Diallo and Akwasi set to work on using the upcoming 400 years anniversary of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade as a key marketing push in the US, especially.

To promote this, they organised an East Coast Tour in March 2019 and met with key opinion formers on what they called at the time: the Homecoming 2019 project.

Back home in Ghana, other groups like Panafest were also working on Panafest 2019 with a theme around the 400 years.

Akwasi seized the opportunity and met with the Panafest Foundation, the Adinkra Group and invited the Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President, Jubilee, to be part of this collaborative effort. It paid off.

It was at this meeting of conscious heads that the whole Year or Return thing crystalised. They agreed to the ff. That:

They align and work together.

The name “Homecoming” conflicted with the ” Homecoming Summit” which is organised biennially by the Diaspora Affairs.

 They agreed to form a steering committee, which came up with the name “Year of Return”, after a brainstorming session.

GTA then set up an inhouse Year of Return secretariat working under the CEO as the coordinator.

Gaddy Laryea, one of Ghana’s foremost marketing gurus, and marketing consultant to Panafest played a key role on the steering committee.

Members of the steering committee, who worked day and night to make this Year of Return such a great success must be mentioned for praise:

Akwasi Ababio – Chairman

Gaddy Laryea – Vice Chairman

Akwasi Agyeman – Coordinator

Prof. Esi Sutherland Addy

Rabbi Kohain

Diallo Sumbry

Ben Anane Nsiah

Roberta Dawson Amoah

The Manager of the Secretariat is Anabelle Mackenzie, a returnee appointed by GTA.

Along the way, they brought on board other agencies and expanded the committee to include Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, the Du-Bois Center, etc.

Special mention must go to Catherine Afeku, who as Tourism Minister, gave the Year of Return all the zealous push and focus it needed. Her successor, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi also picked up the baton and ran with it.

Indeed, the President of the Republic immediately saw the idea to be a potential winner and gave it the presidential seal of approval by being the main ambassador for it, touring the US and the Caribbean to promote the Year of Return.

Indeed, so successful has it been that the President has to allow visas to be issued on arrival since the embassies, particularly in US, could not cope with applications for visa.

Akwasi Agyeman and his team have done remarkably well. He is my Man of the Year. Oh, he is also a Gunner!