FlyAfrica Magazine - Issue 6

YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY

Touching Africa, Touching The World!

FLYafrica Brussels bound ISSUE 6

NOV 2019 -JAN 2020

NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AWA

PAGE 22

THE HIGH LIFE: ABURI SPECIAL PAGE 40

EAT DRINK FOOD FESTIVAL PREVIEW

COMPETITION

WIN

CHALE SOCKS NEW DESIGNS

sys

Address

150/IEC 20000-1

lnrormation T@chnologv Servic@ Management

C777/3, 5th Crescent, Asylum Down P.O. Box 11322, Accra-Ghana.

Tel: +233-30-225 1097 225 0757 info@comsysghana.com Website: www.comsysghana.com

I

Contents

PAGE 24

RITA MARLEY

‘I feel like Ghana is where I belong’ Image: Werner Lerooy | Shutterstock

Regulars

Features

3 Foreword

12 Brussels

6 AWAworld

16 Obibini

Our journey from ‘Tango’ to taking on the world

Africa World Airlines Head Office - SSNIT Emporium Ground Floor, Airport City Liberation Road PMB CT67 Cantonment Accra, Ghana Tel: +233 24 243 8888 Toll Free: 0800 200 200 Email: awaoffice@flyafricaworld.com www.flyAfricaWorld.com FLYafrica Magazine is published for Africa World Airlines by: Land & Marine Publications Ltd 1 Kings Court, Newcomen Way Severalls Business Park Colchester, Essex CO4 9RA United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com ADVERTISING: Matthew Jay, Sales Manager Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Cell: +44 (0)7714 448057 (WhatsApp) Email: flyafrica@landmarine.org The contents and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publication. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy in preparing the magazine, the Publisher and Africa World Airlines assume no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracies or omissions.

All submitted material is accepted on the understanding that the material can be edited, amended or abridged for publication.

Stories from the diaspora

7 WINafrica

A chance to win some super stylish Chale Socks

We celebrate the Belgian capital becoming part of AWA’s extended network

Ghana’s most exciting and lyrically dense rapper talks about his musical beginnings

20 Accra fashion week …in pictures 22 Aburi special Aburi Hills

Why you need to visit this verdant region

8 STARdestination Wa

24 Aburi special Rita Marley

The reggae legend and honorary Ghanaian

26 Aburi special STAYafrica

28 The Adinkra Oracle

Luxurious hideaway Hillburi

Let some ancient wisdom into your life

34 INSIDER information 36 INVESTMENT market review

Chimpanzees symbolise country’s reinvention

42 Singing with Beyoncé

Banking sector reforms still being felt

38 TECHcorner

32 Sierra Leone

New album showcases West African acts

44 Words in flight

Poetry by Rhyme Sonny

Skincare beauty gadgets

AWA Information

40 EATafrica

Get ready for the EatDrinkFestival

4 AWAnews 47 AWAroutes

Subscribe to FLYafrica

Email: subscribe@landmarine.org

48 TRAVELinformation 50 AWAcontacts

©2019 Land & Marine Publications Ltd

Book online

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1

Foreword

Welcome

OUR JOURNEY FROM ‘TANGO’ TO TAKING ON THE WORLD Dear passengers,

In 2012 AWA took delivery of our first aircraft, an Embraer ERJ-145 given the name ‘Tango’.

You can still fly on ‘Tango’ – which has, along with the rest of the fleet, maintained an exemplary safety record – on any of AWA’s routes between Accra and Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi, Lagos, Abuja, Freetown and Monrovia, or our newest destination of Wa in north Ghana.

While ‘Tango’ still remains from those early days, our airline has grown beyond recognition. During this period of growth, the team is delighted to welcome back Michael Cheng Luo as our Chief Executive Officer.

Michael guided AWA through some of our biggest challenges between 2013 and 2017, and he returns to Ghana to help the team steer our way through the upcoming years.

One of our newest accomplishments is an interline agreement with Brussels Airlines, which has added hundreds of international destinations to our network. We have also launched our code-share agreement with South African Airways, which will see them place their “SA” code on selected flights operated by AWA. As a result of these agreements, our joint passengers can enjoy seamless, stress-free travel through our hub at Kotoka International Airport, with no need

to re-check-in baggage between connecting flights. As befits an airline with a truly international market, we have also signed a distribution agreement with the global technology company, Sabre, allowing more passengers and travel agents around the world access to our fares and schedules.

We have continued to grow our network closer to home, reinforcing our commitment to connect communities and offer safe, reliable, and affordable air travel to all Ghanaians. October has seen AWA launch the first scheduled flights to Wa, with three weekly services via Tamale. Our services between Kumasi and Accra have increased to now offer 62 weekly flight options to passengers. We have also added extra flights between Lagos and Accra, bringing the number of flights per week between the two cities to 34. This, in addition to our 11 weekly flights between Accra and Abuja, makes AWA the airline with the most international flight choices into Nigeria.

Connect with AWA Facebook

www.facebook.com/ flyafricaworld

Twitter

@flyafricaworld

Instagram

@flyafricaworld

Thank you for choosing to fly with AWA today and for being such a key part of our ongoing success.

Sean Mendis Chief Operations Officer Africa World Airlines

Book online

flyAfricaWorld.com FLYafrica

3

AWAnews AWA’s latest honour in a year of awards It’s been quite a year for awards for AWA. The latest honour took place in October when we were recognised by aviation website GH-Aviation for being the airline with the Best Passenger Experience.

AGREEMENT AWA and Brussels Airlines announced their partnership in October

Partnerships open up a world of destinations to AWA passengers Africa World Airlines (AWA) and Brussels Airlines, a member of Lufthansa Group, have signed a partnership agreement to better connect passengers travelling through their respective hubs in Accra and Brussels.

The new partnership between the airlines will allow passengers travelling from Brussels Airlines’ network of 73 European and 21 intercontinental destinations to book and seamlessly travel on a single ticket to any of the nine African destinations served

by AWA, including attractive joint fares, and a single intercontinental baggage allowance through the different legs of their journey.

The agreement was signed on 8 October 2019 in Accra by AWA’s Chief Operations Officer, Sean Mendis, and the Regional Manager for Lufthansa Group Airlines, Pierre Declerck. The ceremony was presided over

by Ghana’s Minister of Aviation, Hon. Joseph Kofi Adda.

AWA was chosen by the travelling public in an online vote and received the award at the AviaTour 2019 Conference in Takoradi in October.

The agreement comes just a few months after AWA announced commercial agreements with ASKY Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines to offer passengers the opportunity to travel seamlessly from its destinations across West Africa to more than 140 cities in Africa, Europe, Middle East, and North America through Kotoka International Airport, AWA’s hub in Accra.

The award follows recent recognition at the Balafon Travel Awards when AWA was named Best Airline in West Africa, and another award from African Travel Times magazine for Best Connectivity in West Africa.

For instance, passengers travelling from

AWA was also recently inducted into the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Hall of Fame after winning Domestic Airline of the Year for five consecutive years.

Kumasi to New York would have AWA, ASKY and Ethiopian Airlines on their itinerary. The passenger checks in their luggage at the point of departure, flies from Kumasi to Accra on AWA, from Accra to Lomé on ASKY and connects on Ethiopian Airlines to the US.

HOW TO BOOK Passengers can book flights online by visiting flyAfricaWorld.com and using the ‘Book A Flight’ function. You can then choose your flight, book your seats and select your payment method. AWA offers various methods of payment for customers in Ghana and Nigeria including debit/credit card, MTN Mobile Service (Ghana only), Quickteller (Nigeria only) and bank transfer. For detailed information, check out our website.

Book online 4

flyAfricaWorld.com

Telephone bookings can be made by calling +233 24 243 8888 or our

Toll free number:

0800 200 200

AWAworld

A round-up of West Africa news and events

Nigeria and Ghana enter their first films to the Oscars Comedy drama ‘Lion Heart’ is Nigeria’s first entry to the Oscars.

It’s another groundbreaking step for Genevieve Nnaji’s directorial debut, which, in September last year, became the first film to come out of Nollywood, Nigeria’s colossal movie industry, to be picked up by global streaming giant Netflix.

The film has now been submitted to the Oscars in the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category.

Nollywood, the second biggest film industry in the world, produces at least 50 films per week. The country set up the Nigerian Oscars Selection Committee in 2014, but members have not been able to find a film meeting the selection criteria – until now.

Lion Heart stars Nnaji as Adaeze, a young woman who steps in to run the family business with her incompetent uncle after her father falls ill. Soon she is juggling family commitments and her career while combatting rampant sexism in the workplace and trying to come up with a plan to save the company from financial ruin.

The supporting cast includes Nkem Owoh, Pete Edochie, Onyeka Onwenu.

Ghana has also submitted a film for consideration the first time.

Azali is a drama about a girl from a small village who heads to Accra to escape an arranged marriage with a 70-year-old man. The film has a primarily Ghanaian cast and crew with director Kwambena Gyansah and stars Akofa Edjeani and Adjetey Anang.

Exhibition reveals the story of Krio people A new exhibition at a London museum explores the unique and largely untold history of the Krio Imageas courtesy of Museum of London

people of Sierra Leone.

6

The Krios (sometimes spelled Creoles) are an ethnic group living in Sierra Leone, with a diaspora around the world, including London.

They are descended from the first settlers sent to Sierra Leone in the late 18th and 19th century by the

Tributes to Ghanaian campaigner for reproductive rights Ghana is paying tribute to Dr Fred Sai, a passionate campaigner for reproductive rights and health in the developing world, who died in September aged 95. While the Osu-born Sai was working as a medical officer in the 1960s he came across many children with protein-energy malnutrition, or kwashiorkor, which in the language of the Ga ethnic group to which he belonged means “the disease of the displaced child”.

He noticed that almost all of these children had a mother who was no longer breastfeeding them as she was pregnant or had a young sibling born soon after them. He began to raise awareness of family planning and spacing the birth of children. In 1967 he co-founded the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana, one of the first family planning associations to be set

British among them London’s black poor, black loyalists freed during the American revolution, Jamaican ‘Maroons’ and Africans freed from illegal slave ships after the abolition of the slave trade in 1807.

Despite little to unite them, these groups built a community together in Freetown. Today, Krios make up about two per cent of Sierra Leone’s population. They have their own distinctive identity, though the British influence remains. The Krio language, spoken by most people in Sierra Leone, is based on English,

WINafrica

FLYafrica competition

WIN CHALE SOCKS’ LATEST DESIGNS Here’s a Ghanaian fashion brand that’s socking it to the competition! Chale Socks was set up by designer Kurtis Kudjo in 2015 out of a desire to bring some colour and artistry to the resolutely dowdy world of men’s socks and to promote Ghanaian cultural symbolism.

He’s certainly done that with bold, patterned socks drawing on Adinkra, Kente and Afrocentric designs. They are also soft, sturdy and with just the right amount of stretch so are as lovely to wear as to look at. Two lucky FLYafrica reader have the chance to win a pair each from the company’s just-released new unisex design ranges. To see the full range, visit chalesocks.com To enter, just answer the questions below, based on features in this edition of FLYafrica, and email them, along with an image of yourself holding a copy of the magazine on your flight, to awacompetition@landmarine.org

QUESTIONS up in Africa. In a 50-year career he raised awareness of women’s right to fertility control and campaigned for improved nutrition and girls’ access to secondary education. His roles included chief medical officer for Ghana, president of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and senior population adviser for the World Bank.

The country owes him a great debt and AWA would like to say thank you.

1. What is the historic central square of Brussels called?

2. What is the name of Obibini’s new EP? 3. What is the name of the village in the Aburi Hills Rita Marley and her family now call home?

COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Closing date is January 10. Photographs should be sent along with your entry. One entry per person. Entrants must be 18 or over. The winning entry will be selected by Land & Marine Publications Ltd. This competition is not open to employees of Africa World Airlines, Chale Socks or Land & Marine Publications Ltd.

CONGRATULATIONS along with African languages such as Yoruba and Igbo.

An exhibition about the Krios is being hosted at the Museum of London Docklands, which aims to highlight the diversity of cultures brought to Sierra Leone that became uniquely Krio. It will look at the dress, architecture, language and lifestyle as well as highlighting notable Krios such as Samuel Crowther, the first African bishop of the Anglican Church. The exhibition runs until September 2020. For details, visit museumoflondon.org.uk

TO LAST ISSUE’S LUCKY WINNER, EMMANUEL OKYERE, FROM KUMASI Emmanuel will soon be enjoying a night’s stay with a guest at the Meet Me There Eco Home Lodge in Ghana’s Volta Region. Well done Emmanuel, have a great trip and thanks for flying AWA.

ER N IN W

Emmanuel Okyere

flyAfricaWorld.com FLYafrica

7

STAR DESTINATION

Wa

In October AWA launched the first commercial flights into the newly commissioned airport in Wa, in the Upper West Region of northern Ghana.

The move opens up the region’s laidback capital and its surrounds to increased business travel as well as creating new tourism opportunities for the town, which is a gateway to some of the country’s best wildlife attractions.

Once a key part of the trans-Sahara trade route, Wa is culturally rich with magnificent examples of Sudanese architecture such as the 19th century Wa Naa’s Palace and singular Ghanaian structures such as Jirapa Naa’s Palace, the country’s first multi-storey mud building.

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ROYAL BUILDING Wa Naa’s Palace

TRAVEL: AWA flights to Wa began on 15 October and run three times weekly on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings from Accra with a short stop in Tamale. Flights depart Accra at 9.30 am, stop in Tamale at 10.30am and then arrive in Wa at 11.35 am. Return flights depart Wa at 11.55 am, stop in Tamale at 12.30 pm before arriving in Accra at 2pm.

Promotional fares begin at 99 Ghana cedis each way between Tamale and Wa; and 299 Ghana cedis each way between Accra to Wa. Convenient seamless connections are available from Kumasi and Takoradi via AWA’s hub in Accra.

SEE: Wa Naa’s Palace in the heart of Wa town is an extraordinary example of Sudanese mud-brick architecture. It is home to the king of the Wala people, the largest tribe in the Wa region, who see the building as monument of political, religious and social significance. It’s well worth a visit to marvel at how well the sun-dried mud brick walls and Y-shaped wooden columns to support flat roofs have survived since being built in the 19th century.

The front façade remains in remarkable condition with a series of impressive buttresses with pinnacles rising above the parapet.

More Sudanese architectural prowess can be witnessed in the mosques which are dotted around the town and its surrounds. Islam pervades

Northern Ghana, having arrived in the 10th century at the same time as the trans-Saharan slave and gold trade routes. One of the oldest and most impressive is the Nakore Mosque just outside the town characterised by its twin pyramidal towers and irregular shaped buttresses.

If you’re after traditional Ghanaian feats of architecture, head for neighbouring town Jirapa to check out the mazelike Jirapa Naa’s Palace, which is home to the town’s chief and is the first multi-storey mud building built in Ghana.

DO: Wa is the gateway to a host of safari adventures. Chief among them is Mole National Park, the largest of its kind in Ghana and the only place in the country to see elephants in the wild (especially from December to April). You’ll see other mammals, including antelope, buffalo, baboons and warthogs, all year round along with at least 330 species of bird.

Another great wildlife day trip from Wa is the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary.

It was created by locals in 1999 to preserve the wildlife in Wechiau, especially the hippopotamus, which were in danger of extinction. Now between November and February you’re guaranteed to see them in numbers and if that puts you in hippo heaven then you can stick around for longer at one of the on-site tree houses.

Keen bird watchers will want to make their way to the Gbele Resource Reserve. Its savannah woodland is home to close to 200 species of bird, including rarities the yellow-billed oxpecker and the gambaga flycatcher. You’ll also find larger denizens such as roan antelope, hartebeest, bushbuck, waterbuck, savannah duikers and warthogs. If you want to extend your stay, Gbele has a tented camp for its visitors.

EAT: Real Spicy Foodies Restaurant has won a string of awards and now has branches in Wa and neighbouring Bahamu.

Its range of freshly prepared pizzas, cakes and traditional Ghanaian dishes keep diners pouring in.

STAY: The secure and wellmaintained Blue Hill hotel is a pleasant two-star property off the Wa-Kumasi Road in Bamahu. The spacious rooms come with en-suite bathroom, cable TV and Wi-fi. The decent on-site restaurant and bar offers a good choice of local and international dishes and serves breakfast daily.

FLYafrica

9

A BREAK IN BRUSSELS

The recent partnership agreement between AWA and Brussels Airlines allows our passengers to book a single air ticket to hundreds of international destinations. Among them is, of course, Brussels, the capital of the European Union and a wonderfully unique city.

Whether your tastes run to shopping, classic art, churches, comics or the best chips in the world there’s something for you. Here’s our guide.

Museums from the wonderful to the weird

‘La Belge’, the country’s first loco-

art collection with a wide range of

motive, and there are plenty more

early Flemish painting by Bruegel

Brussels is a city lined with Art

engines to climb on board as well as

and Rubens. If you’re visiting the city

Nouveau buildings and one of

a train simulator to reveal how trains

before 16 February 2020, you’ll find

the finest examples is the Horta

will be in a few years.

more Bruegel at the KBR gallery in

Museum, which was the home of writer Victor Hugo in the early 1900s

way, but comic strip books (bande

and also the house and workshop of

dessinée) continue to be one of

Belgian Art Nouveau architect Victor

Belgium’s great contributions to

Horta. His work, including sculpted

popular culture. Brussels has an

wooden and steel decorative art

excellent museum devoted to

built into the house itself, is on show

them, the Centre Belge de la Bande

as well as a host of exhibits that

Dessinée (Rue des Sables 20; 00

chart the history of the Art Nouveau

32 2 219 19 80), housed in a Horta-

movement in Belgium.

designed Art Nouveau masterpiece.

Train lovers should make tracks for the wonderful Train World, which its website describes as more ‘train

There are more than 5,000 original drawings on show.

in the renovated 1887 Schaerbeek

Sublime and surreal art collections

station, this huge interactive

The Musées Royaux des Beaux

museum includes among its exhibits

Arts contains Belgium’s premier

opera’ than railway museum. Housed

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Tintin and the Smurfs led the

the Royal Library where there is an ICONIC STATUE The Manneken-Pis

exceptional exhibition of his prints.

The Musées Royaux also pays tribute to a more modern star of the

Belgian art world, the surrealist René

usually favoured as it can

Magritte until 9 February. Its winter

stand up to the key secret

exhibition partners Magritte with that

of Belgian chips: double

other surrealist icon Salvador Dalí

frying in beef fat. The

with some 80 paintings and sculp-

result is golden and crispy

tures, plus photographs and films.

chips served piping hot in a paper cone with a large

be found next door at the Musée

dollop of mayonnaise on

Fin-de-Siècle with exhibits by

top. It’s a meal in itself,

Belgian Symbolists and some fabu-

but you can make it a real

lous Art Nouveau treasures.

feast with sausage-like

Werner Lerooy | Shutterstock

More wonderfully weird work can

fricandelles and cervelas,

The best chips in the world?

boulettes (meatballs), brochettes or carbonnade (a sweet beef stew).

Plenty of countries include fried potatoes in the national cuisine, but few have mastered them like

Classic cafés

SHOPPING IN STYLE The Galerie Royales Saint-Hubert

1909. Customers over the years have included Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel, whose standard order was a ‘half and half’ – a mix of still

the Belgians. ‘Frites’ in Belgium are

Brussels is home to a vibrant café

and sparkling wine which is a local

a passion and you won’t have to

culture. Among the most sophisti-

delicacy. Less glamorous, but just as

venture far to find a ‘fritkot’ (chip

cated spots to people watch while

much fun are the city’s brown cafés,

kiosk) in Brussels. What makes them

enjoying a drink is Le Cirio with its

such as La Fleur en Papier Doré,

so good? Well, first choosing the

classic façade of ornate columns

where Matisse once traded drawings

right potato. Bintje is the variety

and gilded mirrors dating back to

for drinks.

Architecture from the big to the small

but up to the 12th century it was

The pedestrian-only Rue Neve is Belgium’s busiest shopping street.

You can’t come to Brussels without

known as ‘broek sell’, which gave

It’s a great place to go for interna-

taking in the Grand Place, the city’s

Brussels its name. Now it’s a popular

tionally recognised brands, but if

historic square. This magnificent

place to hang out for visitors who

your tastes run to quirkier clothes

arrangement of elegant guild houses

and gifts and you want to escape

and gothic civic government build-

the crowds, head to Rue du Bailli in

ings is now a Unesco Heritage site,

Shopping in style

the Ixelles neighbourhood, which

just a swamp between two brooks

bathe in the views from its flurry PARK MONUMENT The Atomium

offers a huge choice in independ-

of café terraces or by climbing the 96-metre-high (314 ft) Brabantine Gothic Tower.

Moving from the big to the small

ent clothes stores and artisans’

(but, hey, size isn’t everything), follow

studios. For shopping steeped in

the crowds down Rue de l’Étuve to

luxury browse the Galeries Royales

see one of Brussels’ most bizarrely

Saint-Hubert, Europe’s first glazed

popular sights, the Manneken-Pis,

shopping arcade. Here amazing

a tiny 15th century bronze statue

shop window displays lure visitors

of a little boy urinating. The city’s

into high-end boutiques selling local

residents have embraced it as a

specialities such as leather-goods by

light-hearted icon and often spare

manufacturer Delvaux and artisan

the boy’s blushes with fancy dress

chocolates from Mary.

during big events. He has in his time been dressed as an African farmer, a Tour de France rider and Nelson Mandela among many other incarnaHISTORIC SQUARE The Grand Place

tions. You can visit the full selection of his close to 1,000 costumes at the GardeRobe MannekenPis on Rue du Chêne.

Embrace the atomic age Heysel Exhibition Park, located in the west of Brussels, is home to a raft of striking attractions. A definite highlight is the Atomium, a gleaming chrome 102-metre (335 ft) high model of an atom. The sheer scale of it is impressive from the outside, but it can also be explored internally with nine 18-metre diameter steel spheres connected by tubes, all of which contain exhibits. There is also a glass-roofed lift takes visitors to the top in just 23 seconds.

Next door is Bruparck, a leisure park containing a 27-cinema complex called Kinepolis, a planetarium and a water park plus a host of restaurants. Most memorable, though, is Mini-Europe, a display of monuments in the European Union at 1/25th of the original size. You’ll find a miniature Venice complete with gondolas, the Eiffel Tower and – although Brexit may see it discreetly removed – London’s Big Ben.

14

‘I’m the type of rapper that’s concerned about every line in my songs’ Always considered a huge talent among those in the know, rapper David Kwaku Effum Boafo, aka Obibini, saw his profile rocket when he was signed by Zylofon Media in 2017. This year his woke lyrics and quickfire delivery saw him shortlisted as Best Rapper of the Year at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs) and his new EP Diagrams has been hailed as his best work yet. FLYafrica finds out about his gospel music beginnings and the deep meaning behind his stage name.

Q. I believe your earliest musical

Q. Which artists shaped your

Shouts to Zylofon Music and [CEO]

roots are in gospel. How did it

musical style growing up? Who

NAM [Nana Appiah Mensah].

influence the music you make

were you listening to?

now?

A. You won’t believe it, but good

Q. You have just released an EP,

A. All my life, I’ve been fascinated

music speaks to the soul; Bob Marley,

‘Diagrams’ that features a host

by the divine. My dad is a Muslim

Reggie Rockstone, Nas, 2PAC,

of Ghanaian artists, including

and mum is a Christian so I kind of

Biggie, OutKast, Kojo Antwi, Rex

Sarkodie, Feli Nuna and Kwesi Swat.

had the opportunity to learn and to

Omar, Morgan Heritage, Chronixx. I

Do you enjoy the exchange of ideas

familiarise myself with the gospel

have an endless list here lol.

with these artists?

A. First of all, I’m a fan of all the

from both perspectives. So yes the

NEW EP Diagrams

16

gospel has had influence on my

Q. When Zylofon Media signed

featured artists on my EP. I believe

music and still does.

you in 2017 you were considered

they’re hardworking like myself and

one of the best artists not enough

unique in every way. All of them took

Q. Your rap flow is incredible,

people knew about. How has the

charge as I thought they would and

the way you move seamlessly

high profile signing helped you?

even beat my expectations.

between Twi and English. Where

A. My brand is more attractive

did those skills begin?

now. I got nominated for the Best

Q. Can you tell me about the

A. My rap style came about as a

Rapper of the Year at the recent

reasons for choosing your stage

result of constant practice. Being

VGMAs. I’ve had to opportunity to

name Obibini?

an Ashanti and a big fan of east

mount international stages such as

A. My name didn’t come to me till

coast American hip hop, blend-

in London and MenzGold/ Zylofon

I decided to do music profession-

ing Twi and English has become

Media launch in Nigeria. I am

ally. I wanted a name that’d say

my most comfortable style of rap

performing in Amsterdam on 22

enough about me before I even

with time. I was a member of a rap

October and, yes, other reputable

spoke. With the help of the Most

group in Adisadel College called

brands see me as a force to reckon

High, I birthed Obviously Black

Ill Deadly Ministers. High school

with. I believe this and a lot more

Is Beautiful, Infinite and Naturally

birthed my rap style.

is happening due to my signing.

Inspiring (OBIBINI).

Imageas courtesy of Obibini

Q. You have been called Ghana’s finest lyricist. You obviously put a lot of thought into your raps. What inspires you to write?

A. Yes, I’m the type of rapper that’s concerned about every line in my song. I want to say the most things about a concept before I let go. I make sure every bar is provocative enough for the mind. The universe is my teacher and I put everything I learn in my music – it could be religion, science, philosophy or something else. I love writing on touchy and relatable subjects like justice, love, pain, freedom and merrymaking.

Q. New album ‘Codes and Diagrams’ is coming up. Does the title refer to your lyrics having hidden meanings?

A. Great speakers spoke in parables.

Parables as we all know, allow you to speak volumes with less effort.

I named the album Codes and Diagrams with the aim of taking the people deeper as far as rap is concerned. Basically there’s some sort of education behind the fun in the album.

Q. Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

A. I want to connect with the rest of the world through my music. My dream is to be appreciated on worldrecognised platforms as far as music is concerned.

To all my fans onboard the Africa World Airlines fleet you read it here first, my team and I are coming to you soon. In 2020 we are touring Africa, Europe, Canada and USA. Dates will be announced soon.

The EP Diagrams is out now on all digital platforms with songs including ‘Balenciaga’ featuring Sarkodie and Frydai, M7 and Mask Gang, ‘The Psalmist’ featuring

The universe is my teacher and I put everything I learn in my music – it could be religion, science, philosophy or something else

Kwesi Swat and Plugs, ‘Effects’ featuring Young Boss 436, Slaves, Stacks and ‘Too Bad’ featuring Feli Nuna.

FLYafrica

17

ACCRA

FASHION WEEK

in pictures

T

he most fabulous designs

show were Afre Anko, Bri Wireduah,

and the fiercest models

Clatural Wear, Catherine L, Akinko

rocked the catwalk as Accra

Lifestyle, Elikem The Tailor, Lauren

Fashion Week returned in style to

Haute Couture, Kiara Afrik and Mish

the Tang Palace Hotel in October.

Mega from Ghana as well as Tolumi

The now biannual event, sponsored

TFP, from Nigeria, Otiz Seflo, from

by Nivea, has become a highlight of

South Africa and Soraya da Piedade,

the African fashion calendar.

from Angola. Head scout for

This five-day summer harmat-

Milan model agency Brave Models

tan edition embraced ‘The Year

Georgio Barbieri was another guest,

of the Return’, inviting designers

running a fashion model seminar

from across the diaspora, includ-

and judging the Face of Accra

ing Clavon Leonard from the US, as

Fashion Week.

well as the cream of the continent’s fashion talent. Among the brands on

The award went to Winifred Esinam.

LAUREN HAUTE

ADEZIWA VADE

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MISH MEGA

AFRE ANKO

SENORITA PRIVE

AKINKO

SHEER BRIDAL

SHERAH

TOLUMI TFP

FLYafrica

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Ab ur

Ghana’s hilltop escape from Accra is a breath of fresh air There are few more relaxing places in West Africa than the Aburi hills. Just a 45-minute drive from the capital is all it takes before you’re taking in deep draughts of its cool mountain air and enjoying its range of attractions. Here’s our pick of them.

T

he hushed hills of Aburi, draped in thick forest, have long been seen as a health-giving haven to escape

from the traffic-clogged capital below.

In pre-independence 1875 a sanatorium was set up here so Gold Coast government officials could benefit from the cool mountain air amid the AkwapimTogo Range and the place later became a something of a holiday retreat for the British colonial masters. Today the area is still a popular weekend getaway for Accra residents. It bursts with health and life from its fertile fields of cocoa and banana plants to its unspoilt woodland alive with iridescent bird and butterfly species. It just takes a 45-minute car or bus journey to get here from the capital to experience Aburi’s cool charms. Here are some of the attractions you won’t want to miss during your stay.

Aburi Botanical Gardens

Aburi Craft Village

Regarded as one of Ghana’s finest nature parks, Aburi Botanical Gardens was established in 1890 when land surrounding the sanatorium was cleared to grow rare and diverse trees and plants. It is currently home to more than 350 plant species. Many of the trees date back to the gardens’ beginnings and beyond and are now gigantic specimens, including the striking parade of palm trees that mark the entrance to the gardens. Other ancient trees include a majestic 160-year-old kapok, which provides plenty of shade for picnics. While many will just want to bask in the soothing greenery there are plenty of quirky adventures to be had exploring the site’s 160 acres. You’ll find a battered helicopter to clamber on, stunning wood carvings and the chance to sneak inside the hollow interior of a strangler ficus tree, which is all that there is left to suggest the presence of the Afzelia Africana ‘host tree’ that the strangler’s rapidly growing vines squeezed the life from.

It began more than 30 years ago as a tiny operation from a single house in Aburi, but this market now involves more than 100 stalls at the town’s busy Y Junction and is a great place to stock up on authentic West African artefacts. Items for sale include African masks, tie die fabrics, basketry, traditional musical instruments, word carvings, antique furniture and bags and beads. The master carvers and artisans here can create customised works to order should you have something special in mind.

There is the chance to learn more about the evolution of botany at the gardens with knowledgeable guides on hand. Their services are covered by the GHC 20 (US$ 5) entrance fee to the gardens.

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TOWERING Palm trees at the entrance to Aburi Botanical Gardens

Tetteh Quashie Cocoa Farm British colonial history has it that the Aburi Botanical Gardens were instrumental in bringing cocoa production to Ghana’s Eastern Region with the garden’s first curator, William Crowther, a former student at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, in the UK, said to have brought cocoa plant seedlings with him in 1893. However, 14 years earlier Ghanaian agriculturalist Tetteh Quarshie returned from the island of Fernando Po (now Bioko in Equatorial Guinea) with cocoa crops. The farm where Quarshie first planted his seedlings still stands in Mapong, a village a few kilometres north of Aburi. Not a great deal has been made of the farm to attract visitors, but a guide can be arranged from the Mampong Chief’s Palace to show you round the historic site. Three of the original cocoa trees still remain and it is amazing to think that from these a homegrown industry that at one point produced more than half of the world’s cocoa and is still renowned today was born.

ARBOREAL ART A carved tree in the gardens

The Bike and Hike Tours Company Getting to Aburi by bicycle is challenging, but rewarding with the winding road that snakes up the mountain offering fantastic views of the capital spread out before you. Once you are up there are more fantastic trails among the Aburi hills. The best of them have been marked out by The Bike and Hike Tours Company, which rents out fully serviced bikes and arranges tours from its base next to the south entrance of Aburi Botanical Gardens. Its trails are regularly maintained and, as much as possible, avoid main roads, giving intimate access to some of the area’s most beautiful natural sites such as cascading waterfalls and bat-magnet caves. There are a trio of trails that take between two and three hours to complete self-guided as well as 450km of trails mapped out for guided excursions of up to 10 days. The trips can be enjoyed by all levels of cyclists. Owner Samuel Kofi Sarkwah, a guide and qualified bike mechanic who understudied the company’s original Swiss owners before taking over, maintains a range of mountain bikes with aluminium frames, front suspension forks and v-brakes all available to hire along with helmets and maps. Prices start at GHC 15 (less than US$ 3) an hour. For more information, visit ghanabike2.com

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Rita Marley

‘I feel like Ghana is where I belong’ Rita Marley made her name on the Trench Town music scene in Jamaica with her husband Bob, but she now has a new life and a new name in Ghana’s Aburi Hills where she has transformed the community with her philanthropic foundation.

WELCOME Dr Marley meets Aburi tribal elders

G

hana is marking 2019 as The Year of the Return, but it was more than 25 years earlier that

one of the most famous names of the diaspora, Alfarita ‘Rita’ Marley, decided to move herself and her extended family – 37 grandchildren among them – from Kingston, Jamaica, to the Aburi Hills where, she says, “we have always belonged”.

Dr Marley – in 2017 she received an honorary doctorate from the same South

Among the foundation’s work is a long-

I felt a calling in my spirit to go to Ghana.

term plan to transform the quality of life

as a student – first visited the Akwapim Hills

I knew this is home. Ghana has given me

in Konkonuru and give the village’s young

as part of a trip to Accra. She found its tran-

more strength and fight to carry on with my

people the tools to explore new futures.

quil, rural ways and lush vegetation met the

mission.”

dream of living off the land in a fertile Africa

The Marleys set up home in a sprawling

Work in Konkonuru

she shared with her late husband, reggae

estate in nearby hillside village Konkonuru.

Dr Marley has made it her mission to

legend Bob Marley.

Dr Marley’s time there has been just as life-

re-energise the village. Projects have

changing to the village and its residents as

included rebuilding the schools in the

it has been to her.

community, providing lunches to support

Spiritual home

24

“I knew then that Aburi is the place to be.

African university that had Nelson Mandela

“I wanted to find a place that was perfect

She set up the Rita Marley Foundation in

for building a farm and garden,” she says.

Ghana to help alleviate poverty among the

pupils’ nutrition and scholarships for higher education. The foundation also

“So during my stay I was taken to the Aburi

people of developing countries and spread

funded vaccinations for children in the

mountains and visited the Aburi Botanical

“the works of education, healthcare, love

region, repair work to the main road in

Gardens, such a majestic place, the soil is so

and unity” carried out in Jamaica by the Bob

Konkonuru and the drilling of a 40-metre

rich, all the plants were vibrant and thriving.

Marley Foundation, which Dr Marley began.

bore hole in the village which provides

powerful moment for me.”

There have been challenges along the way. The 73-year-old has had some health scares, suffering a stroke in 2016, and the Marley residence was damaged in a fire with its state-of-the-art recording studio particularly badly hit. Thankfully, both Dr Marley and the studio have recovered well.

Musical legacy Dr Marley, who was in girl group the Soulettes before she met Bob, then part of the Wailers’ vocal harmony trio the I Three before pursuing a successful solo career, has recently sold the studio to Grammy-

“Yes, as Bob said in his song ‘Africa Unite’: ‘How good and how pleasant it would be before God and man, to see the unification of all Africans, as it has been said already, let it be done.”

nominated Ghanaian singer Rocky Dawuni, but will still be involved in projects.

“He is a world-renowned reggae artist and a United Nation’s Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment,” she says. “He represents Africa and Ghana with pride. The Rita Marley Foundation has also partnered with Mr. Dawuni on future projects that will be geared towards our environment.”

Much of Dr Marley’s musical legacy was laid down in Trench Town, Jamaica, and

clean drinking water to residents.

Dr Marley has also been able to help with

Dr Marley has not taken over the village,

the Rita Marley Foundation does much

but has rather engaged in the community

to encourage creativity in music and arts

the crop farming at the heart of the sustain-

with her compassion and vision and the

among the next generation.

able living of the Konkonuru community,

people of Konkonuru love her for it. She

setting up her own plantation for cassava

has become one of them and is known

highest regard with the government of

and other vegetables.

as Nana Afua Adobea 1st (Queen of

Jamaica recently awarding her the 2019

Development) within the south-eastern

Reggae Icon Award.

The foundation’s most recent projects

The country still holds Dr Marley in the

highlight its dedication to the young and

Akwapim region. It seems the already

old in society. The village now has a care

bountiful Marley family now encompasses

says. It is a land I love and go to as often

home, the Alpha and Omega Home for

the whole community.

as I can. I love Jamaica and I feel appreci-

the Aged.

“We have the senior care programme

Dr Marley says: “Yes, as Bob said in his song ‘Africa Unite’: ‘How good and how

which takes place every Friday at the

pleasant it would be before God and man,

centre,” Dr Marley says. “It focuses on

to see the unification of all Africans, as it

healthcare, exercise, craft activities and

has been said already, let it be done.’ So,

singing. The Rita Marley Foundation Ghana

you see we are all the children of the higher

has also established a reading programme

man, we are one family.”

that is not only open to the schools, but the entire community.

Honorary citizen

“I will always be a part of Jamaica,” she

ated for my contribution to music and development.”

But now the cool green hills of the Aburi region have claimed her. Ghana is home.

For more information on the work of the Rita Marley Foundation or to donate to its projects, visit ritamarleyfoundation.org

“We feel it is important for the aged to

The whole of Ghana has taken Dr Marley

be cared for and the infant to be protected.

to its heart and, in 2013, she was made an

Our children inherit the earth and are the

honorary citizen – a proud moment and

Here you can also purchase a limited-

future, so we must do what we can to

an affirmation of the calling she felt to the

edition vinyl version of compilation

nurture their minds positively. It is also

country.

album ‘Rita Marley: Lioness of Reggae’,

important to care for our elders that have

“I feel like this is where I belong, I am

which features some of the her best

cared for us. This is life’s cycle. We must

Nana Afua Adobea 1st. Becoming an honor-

known songs, including Harambe and

spread love and offer care to those in need.”

ary citizen of Ghana was in fact a proud and

One Draw.

FLYafrica 25

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STAYafrica

Hillburi

An exquisite escape in the Akwapim mountains

T

his tranquil boutique hotel has made the most of its spectacular setting with its

rooms, lush terraced gardens and

clamour with an overnight stay or just

mountain air and evergreen surrounds

hang out for the day, enjoying good

of Aburi. Once here, most Hillburi

food and that paradise of a pool.

guests are content to stay put and bask

sumptuous infinity pool enjoying views

Location

across the Akwapim mountain range.

Hillburi can be reached in just 45

No surprise then that Hillburi – also

minutes north along the Aburi high

known as the ‘Resort on the Hill’ – is

road from Accra, as long as the traffic

such a popular weekend getaway for

is kind. That time is all it takes to

Accra residents, who can get

transform your surroundings from

some restful respite from the capital’s

the bustle of the capital to the cool

in the peace and comfort, but the hotel is just moments away from the town’s biggest tourist attraction, the Aburi Botanical Gardens and more natureinfused adventures are within reach at the Obosomase Waterfalls and Aburi Craft Village.

Style Hillburi has been built to blend in with its verdant tropical surroundings from its own exotic gardens to the thatched roof of its restaurant, The Pavilion, and cliff-edge infinity pool.

Similarly, for a hotel that prides itself on its personal service, there are plenty of unique stylistic touches such as the handcrafted wooden balcony rails, the wooden sculptures in the gardens and the mix of African and European art and antiques to be found in the H-Bar and the lobby

Facilities This is a family-orientated hotel and kids will love the pool and nearby playground with its climbing frames and swings while mum and dad 26

can lounge or take a refreshing dip

spaces. The styling throughout is warm

themselves. The pool is also available to

and comfortable with a palette of rich

non-staying guests for a daily fee (from

earth tones complimenting the African

US$ 11 for adults and US$ 7 for children

wooden furniture.

under 12).

Each room comes with flat screen TV The H-Bar is a cool, cosy place to enjoy

with satellite channels, an en-suite

a drink – it offers an excellent range

bathroom, free wi-fi and tea and coffee

of cocktails or a light bite, while the outdoor restaurant The Pavilion is the place for a romantic dinner with its

making facilities. A night’s stay includes breakfast at the The Pavilion restaurant.

magnificent mountain views.

Food and drink

Being so close to Accra, Hillburi also

The fertile fields of the highlands

makes for an ideal conference venue,

around Aburi are the seedbed of

providing the amenities and secluded

much of Ghana’s crop production and

environment for delegates

the chefs at The Pavilion restaurant

to focus on the event.

make good use of the readily available

Rooms

fresh produce in their creations. They keep it simple but delicious with a

Hillburi’s 11 air-conditioned double

small selection of signature dishes.

rooms all enjoy views across the

Meals can by enjoyed outside under a

Akwapim ranges with four of them

thatched roof at the Pavilion or in the

offering a panoramic balcony view.

air-conditioned H-Sports Bar while

The four superior rooms are especially

watching live sporting events on the

spacious with king-size beds and work

four flat screen TVs.

Rates: Rooms start at US$ 125 a night, including breakfast. To book, visit hillburi.com FLYafrica 27

How your ancestors can help you play your cards right in life Adinkra Ancestral Guidance Cards combine fortune telling with meaningpacked Akan symbology. Simone Bresi-Ando, who devised the idea, reveals how it has given her and many others the chance to re-engage with their Ghanaian heritage and use the teachings of the ancestors as a guide through life.

I

n many ways Simone Bresi-Ando seems the quintessential modern Ghanaian-British woman. Yet the

PR guru, former DJ and founder of the global empowerment network for women and girls of colour I’mPOSSIBLE guides her life – and the lives of many others – through the use of the world’s first Adinkra Ancestral Guidance Cards, based on a system of symbols dating back thousands of years.

Bresi-Ando had for many years being used a deck of Angel cards – believed to channel celestial energy – to divine clues to her future. However, the Londoner, born to Ghanaian parents, began to feel these cards did not reflect her heritage or understanding of the world.

“Genetically, ancestrally and emotionally I am a Ghanaian” she says. “It drives a lot of what I do and creates a feeling of home internally wherever I go.”

NOT SO SIMPLE “Mware Wo’ does not always mean wedding bells

Regular trips to Ghana to visit family introduced Bresi-Ando to Adinkra symbols – an ancient language dating back to the early 19th century and linked with the Akan people of Ghana and the Gyaman people of Cote d’Ivoire.

Researching further “opened up a whole new world”.

“I’m in awe and so proud of how accurate our ancestors were in creating tools to help us manage life,” she says.

Lifestyle project There is an Adinkra symbol for what Bresi-Ando did next. ‘Sankofa’ is illustrated with a bird carrying a precious egg in its mouth. Its head is turned backwards while its feet face forward. It symbolises reaching back to knowledge gained in the past and bringing it into the present to make positive progress.

Bresi-Ando drew on the past to create a future divining pack of cards containing 44 Adinkra symbols.

The cards are put to use in her latest project, the lifestyle hub BresiAndo Tools for Living. Here you

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I didn’t want these powerful tools to just be seen as pretty signs. They are more than that, they are life defining

can buy the beautifully designed

for more aesthetic purposes rather

deck and get monthly readings and

than their original purpose,” she

advice on how to channel infor-

says. “I didn’t want these powerful

mation, messages and direction

tools to just be seen as pretty signs.

from the ancestors using Adinkra

They are more than that, they are life

symbols.

defining.”

Timeless wisdom

Ancestral Guidance Cards are not

simply you needing to persevere.

The cards, Bresi-Ando says, have

beautiful. They were designed by

That’s why it’s important to do a five-

played an important role in her

Carolyne Hill, a long-term collabora-

card spread to get a fuller picture of

efforts to “decolonise” her life.

tor with Bresi-Ando, who is delighted

your enquiry.

That is not to say that the Adinkra

“I’ve always been interested in

with the result. “She has helped turn

what Africans were thinking, feeling

my ideas into these beautiful design

testimonials from clients and users of

and doing before the European inter-

expressions that have touched so

the cards who have attested to the

ruption and the Adinkra has helped

many. My direction was to make it

open this world up to me,” she says.

a deck that oozed regality, restored

“They precede book-based reli-

the reverence of the symbols and

gions in Western Africa and deeply

placed the deck among the best to

compliment Akan spirituality so it

do it. I think we achieved that.”

made sense to use these symbols

“I get numerous messages and

accuracy in messaging, the clarity BEAUTIFUL The cards were specially designed for Bresi-Ando

in purpose and guidance they’ve been given. It’s a beautiful and life changing thing to reconnect African people with their selves.”

that my ancestors had created. I

Using the cards

Destiny

know my ancestors have no other

As to how to use the cards, first

Having helped foretell the futures

motive but to see their progeny

shuffle them while focusing your

of many clients through the Adinkra

prosper and live their purpose so it

mind on the questions you want

cards, Bresi-Ando can see that her

was a no-brainer to use something

answered, which can involve any

CV of endeavour and empathy was

to communicate with them, that they

issues currently concerning you

her destiny and she has her ances-

had created. Personally, they have

in your life such as: ‘Should I leave

tors to thank for it.

helped me connect numerous dots

my job?’ or ‘Can my boyfriend be

regarding life and an African’s place

trusted?’ Then, when you feel ready,

skills and put me in places to help

in it by simply understanding the

pull out five cards. If you are lucky

uplift, uncover, restore and empower

lessons given in each symbol.”

enough to live in New York, Bresi-

groups of people that have been

Ando is available to do readings

displaced and need help getting

communication tool in fortune telling

every Sunday at her Brooklyn office.

back on track,” she says. “It was a

is unique and she hopes the innova-

Most of us, though, will have to rely

clear destiny for me to do this work.

tion will help many others from the

on the 60-page guidebook which

“What a blessing to be able to

diaspora and within Ghana to recon-

comes with a purchase of the deck

have had such a full existence and

nect with the timeless wisdom of

of cards (US$ 70) on the Tools for

still have so much to explore, learn

their ancestors.

Living website. It contains interpreta-

and give the world and my people

tions, pronunciations, card spreads

in it.”

Bresi-Ando’s use of Adinkra as a

She says: “I have been so moved by the knowledge, lessons and

and general guidance on how to use

theory the Adinkra symbols gives us

the cards.

that I saw the perfect opportunity

Bresi-Ando says: “The cards will

to re-engage people with its power

always tell you what you need to

and its teachings to help guide us all

know, not what you want to know

through this thing called life.

and interpretation of the cards can

Adinkra symbols have become hugely popular, featuring in fabrics and ceramics beyond the Ashanti

For more information, visit adinkraliving.com

you’re enquiring about.

“If you are enquiring about love and pull the card ‘Mware Wo’ (I’ll

that such a diffusion sees the

marry you) this can be interpreted as

symbols appreciated for their level

commitment and someone wanting

of beauty rather than depth of

to commit to you.

“I wanted to reinstate the glory

READING The pack comes with a user’s guide

change depending on the situation

people and Bresi-Ando is concerned

meaning.

“My ancestors gave me those

“However, if you draw that card after a question about work it could

and reverence of these symbols as

be forcing you to look at what you’re

increasingly I saw them being used

committing to, is it good for you or

FLYafrica 29

Putting a smile on students’ faces Lessons at a junior high school in Takoradi got an upgrade with the arrival of 10 desktop computers... all thanks to AWA.

H

ainan-AWA Foundation, the benevolent arm of Africa World Airlines, has delivered 10 desktop computers to a Lagos Town Junior High School in Takoradi.

The donation is the latest in a series of projects organized by the foundation to support education across Ghana and follows a similar gift given to Akyremade Junior High School in the Ashanti Region earlier this year.

AWA visited Lagos Town as part of its assessment of school in June this year. Foundation staff observed the challenges the 200-plus pupils faced in their ICT lessons with the school’s two computers having broken down.

It is hoped the donation of the 10 desktop comuters will deliver the technological skills so vital in a growing world to pupils.

Over the years, AWA, via the Foundation, has supported worthwhile projects such as the Frafraha Children’s Home in Accra, Osu Children’s Home, University of Ghana’s sports department, the 37 Military Hospital, the Centre of Hope Orphanage in Abossey Okai and the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

Worthwhile projects earmarked for support in the future include the Center of Hope Orphanage in Accra. Next year, the focus will be on West Africa’s sub-region.

Since AWA began operation in 2012, it has embedded corporate social responsibility into its company ethos. It has provided humanitarian aid and services for the less privileged in society,

DONATION AWA staff with pupils from Lagos Town Junior High School

DESKTOPS The 10 computers are presented to the school

regardless of geographical, political or religious boundaries and to help them maintain and improve their livelihood.

AWA predominantly sponsors these charity activities, but passengers are welcome to donate to the cause during their flights. Any contributions are hugely welcome.

FLYafrica

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EXPLORING BEACHES, BIRDS AND BIG WAVES: The reinvention of

Sierra Leone

With its troubles now consigned to the past, Sierra Leone is on the up. Now it is its protected wildlife and pristine beaches the country is building a positive renown for. Here we take a look at the chimps, crowd-free hiking, bird watching and ‘Big Wata’ adventures in store for visitors.

Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Bird watching

The chimpanzee is now the national animal of Sierra Leone.

The announcement by the country’s government was made this year during a visit by world-leading primatologist Jane Goodall’s to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Next year the sanctuary will mark its 25th anniversary since founders Bala Amarasekaran and his wife Sharmila were allocated 40 hectares of land inside the Western Area Peninsula National Park to care for orphaned Western Chimpanzees. The sanctuary now looks after 92 chimps, but there are plenty more out there in the wild who have been deprived of their mother among a population of 5,500 “critically endangered” by deforestation, logging, encroachment and poaching for bushmeat or pet trade.

The national animal status should prioritise the chimps’ conservation and support the sanctuary’s work. Visitors to the sanctuary play their part. As well as getting to see the super cute chimps being nursed for by their surrogate human mother – not so strange as the animals share 98.6 per cent of our DNA – guests can pay to stay at the sanctuary’s six eco lodges, volunteer to help out or fund adoption of a chimp.

For such a small country, Sierra Leone is home to a remarkable array of bird life – much of it endemic – spread among its diverse wetlands, rain forest, coastal, savannah and marine habitats. You don’t have to venture far from the capital for sightings within the Western Area Peninsula Forest in the Freetown peninsula and home to the singular

For more information, visit tacugama.com

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looking white-necked picathartes with its bright yellow featherless head; the endangered black forest weaver; the rufous fishing owl and the green-tailed bristlebill.

The forest is all that’s left of Sierra Leone’s part of the severely threatened Upper Guinea Forests that patchily charts the West African coast from Togo to Guinea. It is hoped the move towards a greater conservation awareness in the country and increases in the number of organised birding tours to the area (Rockjumper birding adventures has a two-week trip organised this December at rockjumperbirding.com) will help maintain this prime birdlife habitat.

Fabian Plock | Shutterstock

Surfing

Fishing for tarpon

It used to be that residents of Bureh, a small fishing village on a long stretch of beautiful beach on the south west tip of the Freetown Peninsula, would stare in bemusement at the ex-pats out in the ‘Big Wata’ riding the waves of one of the only surf breaks in the country. However, when one of the regular surfers, Shane O’Connor, began to teach young locals the sport he found an aptitude and enthusiasm among them that inspired him to do more. With fundraising help, surfboards were donated, a clubhouse was built and the result was the Bureh Beach Surf Club– the first of its kind in the country. Now run by a young volunteer crew of village surfers it offers classes, board rentals, accommodation in rooms or tents and a small restaurant cooking up the catch of the day. The club has not only raised the sport’s profile in the country – it now hosts the

Tarpon are monsters of the sea. They grow to a length of over two metres and can weigh more than 120 kg. Some of the biggest have been landed from the estuaries of the Sherbro and Kittam rivers, off Sherbro Island. Getting to the island from Freetown involves a five-hour car journey to coastal

National Championships of Surfing – but also put Sierra Leone on the international surfing map. The year-round surfable waves and bathtub warm water make it ideal for beginner and intermediate surfers. Visitors can enjoy the paradisal setting of mangrove forests fringing the beach and views of the looming coastal mountains once you’re out in the water while knowing that all proceeds from their custom are going to the local community in the form of wages, grants and renewed investment in the club itself. For more information, visit the Bureh Beach Surf Club Facebook site.

village Yargoi followed by a two-hour ferry ride. Once there fishing camp Bonthe Holiday Village offers great opportunities for big-game fishing with easy access to the estuaries. The tarpon season here is from January to May. Record fish have been caught and released with live bait in the estuary, but there is also the possibility of fly fishing in the tarpon breeding grounds.

Other game fish such as barracuda, grouper and jack can be found here all year round.

Visit bonthehildatvillage.info

Hike the Lion Mountains Sierra Leone is a mountainous country. Its name is believed to have stemmed from Portuguese explorers’ awestruck reaction to the range that loomed like lions as they approached the coast of the Freetown Peninsula in 1462. These Lion Mountains stretch 30 km along the peninsula amid the Western Area Forest Reserve and are very hikeable with 800-metre-plus peaks offering dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Freetown harbour. The tallest mountains are found in the north east of the country among the Loma Mountains Forest Reserve. You can combine a safari trip here with an ascent of Mount Bintumani, at 1,945 metres, the highest point in the country.

To the east are the Wara War mountains that envelop the town of Kabala, renowned for its effervescent new year festival. There are fantastic views to be had by hiking to one of the many flat-topped peaks, including Gbawuri Hill, where some of the wildest parties to welcome the new year in take place. It is said that touching the rocks at this time will bring good luck for the rest of the year.

Beautiful beaches Sierra Leone has close to 400 km (250 miles) of coastline so there is no shortage of wonderful, often deserted beaches to choose from. Some of the best can easily be reached from the capital.

River number 2 is just 16km from Freetown and is a jaw-droppingly beautiful confluence of river, lagoon and sea with views across the mountainous rainforest of the Western Area Peninsula National Park from its powder fine white sand. From here you can hike in the park or take a boat trip to the nearby Banana and Turtle Islands. For longer stays there is a guesthouse with a restaurant serving screamingly fresh seafood with profits invested in the local community.

A sandy stretch that certainly won’t be deserted – especially at weekends when locals descend on its phalanx of bars and restaurants – is Lumley Beach. Look elsewhere if you’re after a swim, but with pick-up football – the national team trains here on Sundays – and volleyball games to join in this is where energetic Freetown folk hang out. Occupying a prime location where the Atlantic meets the biodiverse Aberdeen Creek is the Atlantic Lumley Hotel. Visit atlantichotel-si.com FLYafrica 33

The Wish-list...

Christmas gifts for children Seeing your child’s eyes light up on Christmas morning when they unwrap a present they love can be one of the festive holiday’s most rewarding moments. Here at FLYafrica, we’ve selected some cool gifts for younger children sure to recreate that moment in your home without breaking the bank.

PETIT COLLAGE DECODER PUZZLE ROBOT FACTORY Complete the puzzle and find the hidden objects in this 100-piece puzzle. store.wildandwolf.co.uk US$ 18

LIGHTWEIGHT ORANGE NASA HELMET Let your budding astronaut recreate their own moon landing with this fun costume accessory. nhmshop.co.uk US$ 25

KIDS’ COMIC NAME CUSHION Your child can give themselves a big hug with these cushions personalised in funky script. artylicious.co.uk US$ 30 RETRO MECHANICAL WALKING SPARKING ROBOT COLLECTABLE TOY This toy will probably spark nostalgia in mum and dad as well as fascinating the child it was bought for. yellowoctopus.com.au US$ 24

PLASTIC SUBMARINE JUG Perfect for bath time, this submarine is made from 100 per cent recycled plastic. nhmshop.co.uk US$ 15

SOPHIE ALLPORT UNICORN KNITTED KIDS MITTENS These woollen mittens are as magical as the mythical creature that adorns them. sophieallport.com US$ 12

DINOSAUR BABY SHOES Baby shoes with a hand painted image of a colourful group of dinosaurs. Perfect for your little terror. annabeljames.co.uk US$ 12

All products displayed can be shipped to all countries globally.

34

LEXON - MINO MINI SPEAKER This rechargeable Bluetooth speaker can bring a child’s favourite music into their bedroom.

US$ 35

INVESTMENT market review Brought to you by: Strategic African Securities Limited

Fallout from banking sector reforms still being felt The Ghana stock market remained rather bearish throughout the period ending in September 2019. Market capitalisation was down 14.80 per cent to GH¢56.30 billion at the end of the third quarter (Q3) from GH¢66.08 billion recorded in Q3, 2018.

The aftershock of the Selected Market Indices (per cent) recapitalisation exercise Source: GSE, SAS Research 4.00 of banking institutions 3 Jan 23 13 Feb 23 26 Mar 23 8 May 23 18 Jun 23 26 Jul 23 6 Sept 23 that ended in December 0 2018 undoubtedly dented market sentiments. The (4.00) GSE Financial Index shed 12.05 per cent year to date, (8.00) The market has continued a downclosing off September at ward trend (receding 14.28 per cent 1,894.24 points, on weak(12.00) year to date, as measured by the GSE ness in Ecobank TransGSE-CI GSE-FI SAS I national (down 43.71 per Composite Index) on persistent seller cent), Access Bank (down dominance due to low institutional up 36.3 per cent from the previous year.

28.17 per cent) and Standdemand from both offshore and local This represents faster growth when ard Chartered Bank (down 20.19 per institutional investors. compared to the 21.7 per cent growth cent) offsetting gains in Trust Bank (up 73.91per cent), GCB registered during the prior comparable Performance of Companies that constitute the GSE Bank (up 6.96 per cent) and period. The strong profit performance Financial Stock Index Ecobank Ghana (up 6.13 per was underpinned by higher growth of Advancers Open Close YTD Change cent). During the same period net interest income up 20.7 per cent Trust Bank (The Gambia) 0.23 0.40 73.91% last year, the GSE Financial buoyed by both higher interest income GCB Bank 4.60 4.92 6.96% Ecobank Ghana 7.50 7.96 6.13% Index recorded gains of 13.71 from investments and lower interest per cent.

Decliners Open Close YTD Change expenses from reduced borrowings.

Ecobank Transnational Inc 0.16 0.09 SIC Insurance 0.19 0.11 Access Bank 3.55 2.55 Republic Bank of Ghana 0.69 0.55 Standard Chartered Bank 21.00 16.76 Enterprise Group 2.24 1.90 Agricultural Development Bank 5.95 5.06 Source: SAS Equities Desk

36

-43.75% -42.11% -28.17% -20.29% -20.19% -15.18% -14.96%

Bank of Ghana’s recent banking sector report, however, highlighted improvements in key financial soundness indicators since the recapitalisation. Industry after tax profit reached GH¢1.67 billion,

MTN Ghana dominates trading activity Activity on the local bourse has largely been dominated by trading in MTN Ghana shares, accounting for 61.71

declared an interim dividend of GH¢ 0.02 per share for the period ended 30 June 2019, representing an annualised dividend yield of 5.80 per cent.

Banking stocks year-onyear earnings comparisons.

Access Bank reported 113.77per cent year-on-year growth in profit after tax while operating income grew by 54 per cent to GH¢248.84 million. Net interest income rose to GH¢129.51 million in June 2019 from GH¢100,964 million same period last year.

Stocks’ inefficiency, a growing opportunity for Fixed Income Securities Ghana’s fixed income market has been a hive of activity. Government bonds, owing to their less risky characteristics attracted attention from retail and institutional investors who have become risk averse due to market uncertainties. This development is however putting pressure on yields.

CAL Bank fared well, advancing operating income to GH¢300.55 million, a 28.60 per cent uptick and a net interest income of GH¢243.54 million, up 30.63 per cent. After-tax profit increased by 12.17 per cent at the end of June.

Ecobank Ghana recorded a 37.07 per cent increase in profit after tax as net interest income (up 32.85 per cent) reached GH¢502.40 million.

The Cedi weakened against major currencies during the period to September 2019, but strengthened against the Nigerian Naira. Relative stability of the Cedi is expected for the foreseeable future, on the back of increased foreign currency inflows.

GCB Bank’s after-tax profit was ahead by 49.71 per cent year-on-year.

Operating Income was reported to be GH¢724.68 million in June 2019 from GH¢194.75 million in June 2018, up 27.68 per cent while net interest income jumped to GH¢544.59 million.

Standard Chartered Bank closed the second quarter up with 18.51per cent and 16.21 per cent growth in net interest income and operating income, respectively. Nonetheless, after-tax profit, 3.5 per cent down, fell on the declining interest rates.

per cent of total volume traded and 46.45 per cent total value traded from January to the end of September 2019.

Despite shedding 11.39 per cent off its price since the beginning of the year, MTN Ghana’s strong position in the telecommunication sector coupled with robust historical earnings and dividend growth has placed its stock high on investors’ radar. The company

As a result, the Bank of Ghana intends to sell USD 125million in the forward foreign currency market for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, year-on-year inflation for the month of September 2019 at 7.6 per cent indicates a general slowdown in the growth of prices from the 9.4 per cent reported for December 2018.

Outlook Looking ahead, investors are likely to be edgy over their investment decisions because of uncertainty of next year’s presidential election

Top Leaders in Market Activity Company

Volume Contrib.

Value Traded

Value Contrib.

143,616,335

61.71%

102,524,630

46.45%

Fan Milk

3,327,399

1.93%

19,729,661

12.31%

Guiness Ghana Breweries

4,840,883

3.25%

11,531,891

8.15%

GCB Bank

2,854,895

1.40%

13,391,803

6.79%

Ecobank Ghana

1,020,835

0.66%

7,038,865

4.72%

Unilever

345,125

0.23%

6,099,688

4.31%

Standard Chartered Bank

287,485

0.19%

5,740,625

4.01%

Ghana Oil Company Cal Bank Ecobank Transnational Inc

During the last quarter, the Bank of Ghana revoked the licenses of 23 insolvent savings and loans companies and finance houses, creating new fears for investors who have not been able to access their funds. The Securities and Exchange Commission has however assured the protection of investor funds, urging the investor community not to panic.

While activity for the rest of the year will mostly be skewed towards fixed income products, we believe the stock market has tapered off enough to provide opportunities for the discerning investor. For patient capital, equity investments have traditionally outperformed their fixed income alternatives. For example, the SAS Fortune Fund, a largely equities fund, returned compounded annual growth of 23.5 per cent between 2013 and 2018. As such, we recommend investors take advantage of strong fundamentals presented by, e.g.

MTN Ghana, GCB Bank and Standard Bank, among other companies which continue to exhibit high growth potential, a strong balance sheet and high cash generating capacity.

Find out more

Strategic African Securities Limited, 14th Floor, World Trade Centre, Independence Avenue, Accra Tel: +233 302 661 990 / 770 / 008 Email: info@sasghana.com, research@sasghana.com www.sasghana.com GH¢ Exchange Rates

Volume Traded

MTN Ghana

outcome and the volatility it brings coupled with fear of future regulatory developments.

2,310,155

1.54%

5,384,700

3.78%

2,979,490

1.93%

2,847,681

1.95%

4,371,228

2.82%

2,563,434

1.80%

Source: Central Securities Depository, SAS Research

Currency Avg Open Avg Close YTD Change U.S Dollar 4.82 Pound Sterling 6.17 Canadian Dollar 3.54 S/African Rand 0.33 Euro 5.51 Chinese Reminbi 0.70 Nigerian Naira 63.77

5.32 6.45 4.02 0.35 5.80 0.75 57.65

-9.33% -4.36% -11.85% -5.71% -4.93% -6.53% +10.62%

Source: Bank of Ghana, SAS Research 1 Jan - 30 Sept 2019

1 Jan-30 Sept 2019

FLYafrica 37

TECHcorner The face of the future There will always be a time and a place for traditional West African beauty treatments such as shea butter to delay the ageing process and lemons for, well just about everything, but sometimes you have to embrace the future. With this in mind FLYafrica has picked its five favourite avant-garde beauty gadgets to add some next gen know-how to your skincare regimen.

SpectraLite FaceWare Pro

Traditional face masks can be sticky, messy and leave you wandering round the house like the Creature from the Black Lagoon until their work is done. The handheld Foreo UFO works in just 90 seconds by infusing active mask ingredients into the skin with temperature, vibrations, and light. All you have to do is connect your Foreo to the app, scan your mask, and follow the automatically generated treatment.

Time to channel your inner cyborg and put on this celebrity-approved, but rather creepy looking face mask in the name of skincare. The SpectraLite FaceWare Pro uses LED light therapy to fuel the repair and rejuvenation of damaged skin cells. Just pop the mask on and a full spectrum of therapeutic red and blue light is zapped at the skin. Blue light is thought to kill bacteria and the red stimulates collagen production to clear wrinkles and reduce inflammation. It’s not cheap, but with the promise of Instagram-ready skin in minutes, perhaps it’s worth it.

Price: US$ 279 foreosephora.com

Price: US$ 435 skincaredermstore.com

Foreo Smart Mask

38

Kairetool Essential Matte It may look like a door knob from the future, but this new gadget is a serious skin saver.

Want an instant glow? Use it to massage in your favourite serum, boosting circulation in the process. Need to chill? Glide it over your entire face and the strategically placed pins will trigger acupressure points to see off tension. Eyes looking puffy and wrinkled from too little sleep? Roll the cool steel under your eyes before you leave the house and your late night will just be your little secret. All these benefits come without the soreness side effect that can hamper other facial massage tools.

Price: US$ 125 selfkaire.com

Mid-Frequency Body Massager Device

Gold Sculpting Bar Here’s a modern device to solve a modern skincare problem. Among the issues this gold sculpting bar is said to solve is smoothing over tech lines (the wrinkles caused by repeatedly looking down at your phone). It’s an unashamedly opulent piece of kit – it’s made of 24 carat gold and designed by pro make-up artist Jillian Dempsey – and works by vibrating over the skin to instantly make it feel and appear toned, contoured and revived. It also has a massaging effect, releasing tension – which has perhaps built up from the knowledge you have just spent almost US$ 200 on a vibrating gold stick – while sculpting and lifting the skin at the same time.

Price: US$ 195 violetgrey.com

The LeBody vibrates at a frequency of 1,000 Hz to strengthen muscles and decrease body fat content by increasing cellular metabolism. It doesn’t replace the need to go to the gym, but rather supplements the work you do there, easing postworkout soreness and providing a supplementary exercise for your muscles. There are two modes: gym and slim, depending whether your aim is to strengthen muscles or decrease body fat. To use apply the LeBody massage cream to the body part you want to work on apply the massage cream to the targeted area, pop on the device and select the desired intensity level and turn on the desired level.

You can strap it to your waist or arm and sneak in a cheeky workout wherever you are.

Price: US$ 499 lebodyamazon.com

FLYafrica 39

EATafrica

A festival of flavours in Lagos Nigeria’s leading celebration of food and drink, EatDrinkFestival, is back for its fifth year in December

T

housands of food lovers

of the city’s more widely known

will head to Lagos Island

culinary stars – in one place. The

over the weekend of 28

result is akin to a food theme park

and 29 December to eat and

with guests invited to enjoy sips

drink from an extensive selection

and bites presented by celebrity

served up by some of the best

chefs, aspiring chefs, and hobbyist

chefs, restaurants and street food

cooks. You can be assured that

vendors in the city.

there will be some amazing food

The festival began as a one-day event in 2015 in a small compound in Ikoyi, but now attracts tens

– and plenty of it. Nobody leaves EatDrinkFestival hungry.

of thousands of guests over an

Special guests

entire weekend, making it one of

Folayemi Agusto, who co-founded

the eagerly anticipated Christmas

EatDrinkLagos with Nosa Oyegun,

events in Lagos. Such is its success

says: “Our team and the vendors will

the festival organisers – food and

transform Lagos Island into a food

drink guide EatDrinkLagos – have

lover’s paradise with a variety of

Fregz. The TV star, who has done

even set up an annual sister event

offerings.”

much to widen the appeal of

in Abuja.

FOODIES’ PARADISE EatDrinkFestival

Chief among them will be an

On its website and blog the EatDrinkLagos team review cafés, bars and restaurants, unearthing the best eating spots in what can be a chaotic city. With the festival it is able to showcase some of its best finds – as well as some 40

appearance by Le Cordon Bleu Culinary-institute-trained Chef

creative cooking among young Nigerians, will be preparing dishes

Guests will be treated to live DJ sets throughout the event, and the festival will culminate in a big dance party

from his newly launched delivery service Fregz A Porter.

Other delights to be expected are craft beer from Igbadun Breweries, and Nigerian-style pasta from Unilag’s favourite street

What you need to know before you go Preparation is key to making the most of the EatDrinkFestival so the EatDrinkLagos team have provided a simple guide on how to maximise your fun.

Dress the part Get yourself some comfortable shoes, absolutely no heels. Add a hat and sunscreen for the sun as well. Most importantly, wear some comfortable clothes because you’re going to be doing some eating.

Pack light You’ll most likely want to navigate the festival unencumbered, so pack light. Leave the unnecessary stuff at home.

Plan ahead There’s no way anyone is eating everything at the festival. And no, you can’t bring your take away pack from home. Check out the map on our website (available the week of the event) and make sure you plan to hit your favourites first.

vendor, Korede Spagetti. The festival

culminate in a big dance party

has proven to be a fertile envi-

headlined by Afro-House Queen

ronment for local culinary entre-

Niniola.”

preneurs to grow and meet new audiences.

Oyegun has described

Where to go The EatDrinkFestival will take place

EatDrinkFestival as “like Coachella

on 28 to 29 December in the heart

for food”, referencing the hugely

of Lagos Island, opposite the Federal

popular music and arts festival that

Ministry of Justice, Marina Road,

takes place each April in the US, and

Onikan. The event is sponsored by

there will be plenty of beats to eat to

Sterling Bank, a prominent full-

over the weekend.

service national commercial bank in

Agusto says: “Guests will be

Nigeria. For more Festival informa-

treated to live DJ sets through-

tion and to see the full line up of

out the event, and the festival will

vendors, eatdrinkfestival.com

Divide and conquer Get yourself a squad for the festival. As soon as you get into the festival, split up, secure some goodies, get back together at the seating areas and share your spoils.

Pace yourself This is the most important of all our tips.

Don’t overdo it. The festival last two days this year so you want to avoid the premature food coma.

Get your wristband early Skip the lines at entry. You definitely don’t want to be standing in line when there’s food to be eaten so save yourself the stress and get your wristband ahead of the event.

A cashless festival The innovative EatDrinkFestival is a 100 per cent cashless event. Instead, guest purchase a wristband, which can be loaded with as much festival currency – or ‘Feast Points’ as you want – with a credit or debit card. The #EatDrinkFestival wristband contains a chip which can be read by a NFC enabled device given to all vendors. Leftover value on the wristbands can also be withdrawn at the conclusion of the event. It all means fewer queues and less time to wait until you are enjoying your delicious food and drink.

FLYafrica

41

Beyoncé ’s Gift

to

Some of West Africa’s biggest music stars look set for success on a global scale having been handpicked

by US singer Beyoncé to appear on her Lion Kinginspired album.

W

hen one of the world’s

dominant genre thriving outside

biggest music stars

the continent and Wizkid and Burna

and one of the most

Boy have already broken through

eagerly anticipated films in decades

to the mainstream in the UK and

combine it is going to make

US. Singer-songwriter Tiwa Savage

headlines. One of the stand-out

this year signed an exclusive global

stories to come out of the release

recording agreement with Universal

of The Lion King companion album,

Music Group and Tekno is now on

The Gift, was how its curator and

Roc Nation, the major US label run

producer Beyoncé had embraced

by Beyoncé’s husband, Jay-Z. The

African music and collaborated with

dancehall stylings of Shatta Wale are

a host of West African stars.

also well known stateside after his

Beyoncé has described the album, which has lyrics in English, Swahili, Pidgin, Zulu, Xhosa and Yoruba

series of successful tours in the US and Canada.

Still, these West African artists are

and incorporates genres such as

sure to get a further career boost

Afrobeat, as a “love letter to Africa”.

by sharing in some of Beyoncé’s

She told ABC News: “I wanted to make sure we found the best talent from Africa, and not just use some

worldwide fanbase through their involvement in The Gift.

‘Beyoncé is an artist the world admires and I for one have admired her work for a very long time’ – Shatta Wale

of the sound or my own interpreta-

Collaborations

tion of it.”

One of the album’s standout tracks,

a Grammy award – the Oscars of the

‘Brown Skin Girl’, which features

music industry – in the new year.

Among that talent is Nigerian artists Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tekno,

Wizkid along with Beyoncé and

Yemi Alade, Mr Eazi and Tiwa Savage

her seven-year-old daughter Blue

the album will accelerate appre-

as well as Ghanaian dancehall star

Ivy, racked up 16 million YouTube

ciation of Afrobeats music across

Shatta Wale, who all make appear-

views in the first two months of its

the world. While the club-friendly

ances amid the album’s 14 tracks.

release. The track, which celebrates

sound has been packing dance-

African beauty, is in the running for

floors for the last three or four years

Afrobeats is arguably the

West African artists on The Lion King:

The Gift

It is hoped the crossover appeal of

Burna Boy (Nigeria) – appears on ‘Ja Ara E’ Mr Eazi (Nigeria) – appears on ‘Don’t Jealous Me’ and ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ Shatta Wale (Ghana) – appears on ‘Already’ Tiwa Savage (Nigeria) – appears on ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ Tekno (Nigeria) – appears on ‘Don’t Jealous Me’ Wizkid (Nigeria) – appears on ‘Brown Skin Girl’ Yemi Alade (Nigeria) – appears on ‘Don’t Jealous Me’ and ‘My Power’

42

West African artists a soundtrack curated by Beyoncé

someday. Little did I know this

could be a game changer. The

track will happen so fast.

broadening appeal can be seen as

When I was contacted, I

part of a larger shift in the globalisa-

considered the opportu-

tion of music led by online streaming

nity to feature on the Lion

and increased broadband coverage.

King: The Gift album

The future looks bright for African

as a great one and a

music.

milestone in my musical career.”

Not everyone is happy with the

Studio session

album. There have been criticisms

The Afrobeat backing

that it dilutes its African sounds with

track created by Major

too much hip-hop and r’n’b to ensure

Lazer on Already

its appeal to mainstream American

appealed to Shatta

audiences. East African artists such

Wale and in the three-

as Kenyan singer Victoria Kimani and

day studio session he

Tanzanian star Diamond Platnumz

had with Beyoncé’s

have voiced their puzzlement that

team he was keen to

the region was left out of Beyoncé’s

come up with a rap that

“love letter” despite both the original

championed African

film and its remake drawing on the

culture.

Serengeti savannah for its setting

“The idea of the song was

and the Swahili language being

basically about the Lion King,

used in song lyrics and for character

a gift to Africa,” he said. “To fit

names.

in properly I had to create some-

While there is a validity to these criticisms, it has to be said that with ‘The Gift’ project, Beyoncé has

thing African around the subject matter The Lion King: The Gift.

“Throughout the song we both

shown a commitment to explor-

kept the distinctive African style. I

ing her heritage and the African

could have rapped reggae-style or

music that has been an inspiration

done dancehall but I did something

to her and countless other’s musical

that will promote our African culture.

careers. She has also sought to

I made my verse on ‘Already’ portray

showcase African talent rather

the rich African culture music style

than appropriate it, which has to be

without measure.

applauded.

“I recorded two vocals, the

Among those flattered by being

second was suitable for the track

“chased” by Beyoncé is Shatta Wale,

so they asked me to infuse a line

who lends his unmistakable gruff

from Beyoncé’s verse which I did.”

delivery to ‘Already’. The ‘Dancehall

“It was an important job and I

King’ says the opportunity was one

had to ensure I performed at my

he could not pass up.

best. I thank my maker for this

Talking exclusively to FLYafrica, he

JStone | Shutterstock.com

Dissent

opportunity.”

said: “Beyoncé is an artiste the world admires and I for one have admired her work for a very long time.

“In the early stages of my career I prayed to meet Jay-Z and Beyoncé

‘LOVE LETTER TO AFRICA’ Beyoncé

FLYafrica 43

Poetry by Rhyme Sonny

Words in flight BLACK LOVE Black is the darkest colour the result of the absence of visible light.

It is an achromatic colour, a colour without hue, like grey or white decreases brightness in the principle of chromaticity It’s the colour of fertility And the colour of royalty Worn by judges, clergy as far back as the 14th century High fashion colour, check your history Associated with death and mourning but at same time, elegance and power comes with black in the morning So stop blackening black ‘cos you cannot bleach melanin back Now let me tell you some black truth Living under this black roof with my umbilical cord stuck on this black root How can you uproot be mute Black leg, we work whilst others are on strike Black or white, our veins still carry red blood alike not black blood So why this bad blood Is it because our presence scares you like the Black Plague That’s why you continue to blackmail us with your black propaganda?

You can label us the black sheep in this black market See, this is our season and we will continue to remain on your screens like the blacklist.

And if you don’t stop your blaxploitation

44

Image: GeeQ Photos

B

edwei Kwaku Sonny adopts the stage name Rhyme Sonny as a spoken word artist whose powerful poems dextrously flit from English to Twi and tackle subjects such as religion, politics, love and social issues. The Nkroful-born poet has graced high profile events in Ghana, including performing for former President John Kufour at his 80th birthday celebrations, and in the UK. He is a champion of contemporary poetry in Ghana, co-founding collectives People of Equal Thoughts and Spirits (P.O.E.T.S) and the Poetry Exchange. In this issue of FLYafrica he has gifted us with one of his most powerful poems.

We will continue to resist you like a black spine in the Black Forest Look, Black don’t rest We know about the black chamber, the black project, Black ops and the black budget So don’t try to blackwash the Blackman by throwing fire at him Remember he’s a blacksmith that works with fire so your fire will certainly backfire He shines, he’s a black star Full of love, call it black love Black lives matter Black love is the matter Black love is egg-shaped Delicate and oval Black love is friendship Stays true forever and never over Black love is differently doing different things for the different people of colour at different times This life is a black-tie event and we are all black panthers fighting for the black belt but after the crush, every information will be left in the black box So tell the black man with black Mind That’s It’s time to show the black man how kind the black man can be Tell the Black girl dripping with black beauty that It’s time to show the world some black love This is the kind of love Black Eyed Peas asked about…

The Black love

AWAroutes

Wa Freetown Sierra Leone

Nigeria

Tamale Ghana Côte d’lvoire Monrovia Kumasi Liberia

Abidjan

Abuja Lagos

Takoradi

Explore West Africa with Africa World Airlines GHANA

Accra

Wa

Abidjan

Kotoka International Airport

Wa Airport

Capital city of Ghana with an estimated population of 2.27 million. Economic and administrative hub for Greater Accra region and home to Ghana’s government administration.

AWA is the first airline to operate commercial flights out of Wa Airport, which serves the city of Wa, the capital of Ghana’s Upper West region with a population of 78,000.

Aéroport Félix Houphouët Boigny

Kumasi Kumasi International Airport Located in Ashanti Region and one of Ghana’s biggest metropolitan areas with a population of 2.07 million.

Tamale Tamale Airport Capital of Ghana’s Northern Region and hub for administrative and commercial activities.

Takoradi Takoradi Airport Port town combined with Sekondi to form Sekondi-Takoradi, capital of the Western Region.

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

The economic capital of Cote D’Ivoire is the second largest city in West Africa after Lagos.

Its skyscrapers tower between lagoons and waterways, overlooking the Atlantic.

NIGERIA LIBERIA

Lagos

Monrovia

Murtala Muhammed International Airport

Roberts International Airport

Nigeria’s largest city and the most populous in Africa. Major financial centre and home to one of Africa’s biggest ports.

Capital and most populous city of Liberia with more than 1 million inhabitants.

Abuja

SIERRA LEONE

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport

Freetown

Capital of Nigeria and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Administrative and political centre of Nigeria.

Capital of Sierra Leone and the country’s economic, financial, cultural and political centre.

Lungi International Airport

Book online

flyAfricaWorld.com FLYafrica 45

TRAVELinformation Before your flight

1.

2.

3 .

4.

5.

Allow enough time to arrive at the airport at least two hours before the flight departure time and no later than 40 minutes before departure.

Unaccompanied minors Children aged five to 12 must travel as an unaccompanied minor (UM) on AWA. Only children mature enough to

If you are a special needs passenger, arrive at the airport in ample time to allow the airport staff to process documents.

travel with limited supervision

Make sure you have the correct identification for check-in, such as a voter’s ID card, National Health Insurance card, driver’s licence or any form of government identification before you travel on AWA’s domestic routes and a valid passport on regional routes. A visa is required for non-ECOWAS passport holders. Without a valid physical government-issued ID you will not be checked in.

receiving a UM at final

are allowed to travel as a UM. Details of parent/guardian destination must be provided by a parent/guardian during reservation.

Proof of age such as a valid passport, birth certificate or National Health Insurance card must be presented at check-in.

Check that your bags are within the correct weight and size limits for your product class (see table below).

AWA ground staff will assist the UM with check-in, transfers and boarding.

Check your seat assignment, which will be given to you at the airport.

Once on board, a flight attendant with observe and/

During your flight

6.

7.

8.

periodically.

Enjoy complimentary hot beverages, served on some routes, as well as fresh fruit juice and snacks including croissants, biscuits and fish/meat pies.

UMs are only allowed to travel on non-stop or same-

The parent/guardian receiv-

Pay close attention to the safety procedures outlined by the cabin crew and take note of your nearest exit.

plane services.

ing the UM should arrive at the gate 30 minutes prior to

AWA does not accept

scheduled arrival and present

responsibility for a UM’s

valid photo ID to an AWA

actions. The parent/guardian

representative. AWA will not

agrees to hold AWA blame-

release a UM to anyone other

less for any injuries to UM

than the designated parent/

caused by or out of UM’s own

guardian.

negligence.

Sit back, relax and enjoy FLYafrica magazine!

AWA reserves the right to

Baggage allowances

46

or communicate with the UM

Checked baggage

Hand luggage

Excess baggage

Should the UM’s flight be

transport UMs on flights that

disrupted or should the guard-

may have been diverted or

ian or parent fail to meet the

cancelled due to weather or

UM on arrival, AWA is author-

operational disruptions.

ized to take necessary and

Domestic Regional 23 kg

30 kg

One piece up to 5 kg and 1 handbag/laptop bag GHS 5/kg

US$ 3/kg

book stating the duration of

to AWA representatives of the

pregnancy at the date of travel.

person’s condition upon ticket purchase.

A new mother is permitted to fly 48 hours after a normal

Pre-boarding to find a suit-

delivery, provided that she has

able seat. Passengers with

a certificate from her obstetri-

disabilities are not permitted to

cian stating she is fit to fly.

sit in the emergency exit rows.

Babies under 14 days old are not permitted to fly.

Receipt of checked-in wheelchair or other assistance device upon disembarking or

Passengers with reduced mobility

at baggage claim.

AWA is not insured, permitted

AWA provides assistance to

or equipped for staff to carry

passengers with special needs

any passenger who is unable to

during the reservation process,

assist himself or herself onboard

check-in, during the flight

an AWA aircraft, even if he or

and at final destination. AWA

she is able to walk but needs a

will ensure provision of the

trained and accredited bearer.

following: AWA is not equipped to Transport of passengers

reasonable action under the

agrees to reimburse AWA for

Pregnant women Expectant mothers are permitted to fly until the 28th medical certificate.

From the 28th to the

seated on the lap of an adult

34th week of pregnancy, an

over 15 years of age. However,

expectant mother is required

a passenger may choose to

to provide a medical certifi-

purchase a seat for the infant

cate from her obstetrician

as long as there is a proper

stating that the pregnancy is

child restraint device.

progressing without complications and stating the expected

Only one child is permitted

delivery date.

to sit on an adult’s lap. An additional seat must be purchased

or contained gas either in the

safety-related regulation that

passenger cabin or as cargo/

requires us not to do so.

baggage.

AWA is not equipped to

chairs or other assistance

transport passengers who

devices for personal use at

require stretchers, incubators,

no charge, in addition to

respirators or other devices

enplaning and deplaning.

that may rely on aircraft power

Attention should be brought

supply.

week of pregnancy without a

AWA requires all children under two years old to be

other hazardous materials and/

unless there is a specific

Transport of wheel-

any expenses incurred.

Infants and toddlers

with disabilities of any kind

and more comfortable flight.

circumstances. In the case of the latter, the parent/guardian

transport medical oxygen or

Expectant mothers more

if one adult is travelling with

than 34 weeks pregnant are

two infants.

not permitted to fly with AWA.

AWA recommends that

For pregnancies less than

a child over 20 kg in weight

28 weeks, passengers should

should use a seat for a safer

possess an ante-natal card/

Fleet information Embraer ERJ-145LR Length:

29.87 m / 98 ft 0 in

Height:

6.76 m / 22 ft 2 in

Wingspan:

20.04 m / 65 ft 9 in

Capacity: Engines:

50 passengers Rolls Royce AE 3007-A1 Turbofans

Range: Maximum speed:

2,870 km Mach 0.78

Number of aircraft: 8 FLYafrica 47

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Get in touch Email Contacts Local Offices Accra – Head Office SSNIT Emporium Ground Floor, Airport City Liberation Road PMB CT67 Cantonment Accra, Ghana Tel: +233 24 243 8888

+233 30 701 2024 Toll Free: 0800 200 200 Email: awaoffice@flyafricaworld.com Opening hours: 07.00-19.00 (Monday to Friday) 07.00-14.00 (Saturday)

Kumasi Airport Office Opening hours 05:00 - 20:00 (Monday to Sunday) Tel: +233 30 297 4918

Concerns concerns@flyafricaworld.com

Tamale Airport Office Opening hours 06:00 - 17:30 (Monday to Sunday) Town Office Opposite Block “B” School Zogbeli, Tamale Opening hours 08:00 - 17:00 (Monday to Friday) 09:00 - 14:00 (Saturday and holidays) 12:00 - 17:00 (Sunday) Tel: +233 30 297 4919

Wa Airport office Opening hours 08:00 - 17:00 (Monday to Sunday)

Regional Offices Lagos

Takoradi

48

Airport Office Opening hours 05:30 - 18:00 (Monday to Saturday) 08:00 - 18:00 (Sunday)

Airport Ticketing Office Room 2030, 2nd Floor (Airline Floor), D Wing Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja, Lagos

Tel: +233 57 770 2854

Tel: +234 1 342 7130/2

@flyafricaworld

Charters charters@flyafricaworld.com

Email: sales.lagos@flyafricaworld.com

Tel: +231 886 691 623

+231 881 108 682/666

Opening hours 05:45 - 16:00 (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday) 08:00 - 18:00 (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) 05:45 - 18:00 (Friday)

Opening hours: 08.00-17.00 (Monday to Sunday)

Abuja

Tel: +231 77 044 4400/4433

+231 77 545 0010 Email: sales@air-mc.com

Airport Office Public Concourse, Terminal C Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Tel: +234 90 9558 0924

+234 90 9558 0987

+234 90 9558 0960 Email: abujasales@flyafricaworld.com Opening hours 08:00 - 16:00 (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday) 08:00 - 18:00 (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday)

Monrovia Airport Office Roberts International Airport, Lower Margibi County, Monrovia, Liberia

Book online

Town Office 1st Floor, Kabah Building Benson/Mechlin Street

Opening hours: 09.00-17.00 (Monday to Saturday)

Freetown Airport Office Lungi International Airport Tel: +232 79 630 107 Opening hours 08:00 - 17:00 (Monday to Sunday) Town Office 21/23 Siaka Stevens Street Tel: +232 79 630 103;

+232 88 852 773 Opening hours: 08.30-17.00 (Monday to Friday) 09:00 - 13:00 (Sat)

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