Ghanaian cultural theorist V. L. K. Djokoto says the Volta region’s ancient empire has everything it needs to become a modern success story — if Ghana is willing to back it.

The Aŋlɔ Empire sits on the south-eastern coast of Ghana, in the Volta region. It is a place of striking natural beauty — open sea on one side, a calm lagoon on the other. It is also a place with a long history and, many believe, a bright future ahead of it.

V. L. K. Djokoto is one of those people. A cultural theorist, financier and gallerist, he has thought carefully about what Aŋlɔ could become — and why it matters that Ghana takes it seriously. In his own words:

“We must preserve Aŋlɔ, our history and our future. The Aŋlɔ Empire, situated within the superbly scenic Volta province, South-east Ghana, has immense potential to evolve into a flourishing industrial port city, a cradle of tourism, and a trustworthy commercial centre for financial services. Behind the scenes of its dynamic seaside, and tranquil lagoon, the eco-conscious Aŋlɔ Empire can simultaneously be the linchpin of Africa’s fast-growing start-up culture.”

It is a bold claim, but not an empty one. The geography alone makes a strong case. Aŋlɔ has a coastline suited to port development, a lagoon that could draw eco-tourists, and a setting that would appeal to the kind of small businesses and tech start-ups that are reshaping economies across the continent.

What sets Djokoto apart is his refusal to see preservation and development as opposites. For him, the two go hand in hand. A district that knows its own history, he argues, is better placed to build its future. That idea runs through everything he says about Aŋlɔ and about rural Ghana more broadly.

He describes himself as a centrist — someone who believes in progress, but who thinks tradition has real value. He is also direct about the need for change:

“As a centrist, a modernist tempered by traditionalist bias, and a firm believer that rural Ghana needs radical socioeconomic reform, I perceive the various cosmopolitan milieus that constitute the Republic — such as the nautical Empire of Aŋlɔ — as classic contemporary muses for statecraft, reflective of an entirely new ethos of Ghanaian entrepreneurship. The gradual and steady progression of this district has piqued the interest of citizens within the Republic of Ghana, Africa, and beyond.”

That interest, he says, is already growing — among Ghanaians, across Africa, and further afield. The question now is whether the attention will be matched with real investment, clear planning, and the political will to see it through.

Aŋlɔ has waited a long time. Its people deserve to see what it can become.

V. L. K. Djokoto (b. 1995) is a forward-thinking Ghanaian cultural theorist, financier and gallerist. He leads D. K. T. Djokoto & Co — an old-fashioned top-tier multi-family office, established in 1950 — deeply anchored on residential real estate, rural banking, media, and show business.

He is the author of Revolution and a play, Afro Gbede. He has been interviewed by the Washington Post, Joy News, Business & Financial Times, and Graphic Showbiz, and was featured in Darius Matheson’s docufilm, The Art of Healing Descendant Pain.