Women's Day in Verona

... Ghana@50 in Italy goes cultural with ‘Kaba’ Show
Activities by Ghanaians in Italy to mark Ghana’s 50 years of Independence was again given a wide boast on Ghana’s culture.

Ghanaians in the Italian northern city of Verona took over the baton and hosted an outstanding evening of entertainment which brought to bear once again that when it comes showing Ghana’s culture abroad Ghanaians in Italy knows what it takes to put lasting memories on the mind of people.

After great entertainments of a Talent Show and Gospel Night all being hosted in Vicenza on the celebration, attention this time moved to Verona, the Italian city noted for its marble design works and factories where the most beautiful stones in the world are brought for processing. This is the city where romance has its base, the city where the world’s most acclaimed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, where buried – their burial tombs is still a great tourist attraction for many visitors to Italy.

When I stepped into the main hall of Institute ‘Celestiano’, the venue where the event was held, there was enough evidence the organizers have put in a lot of efforts to make it a day with a difference and it was.

The striking colors displayed, mostly made up of the Ghana flag colors, clearly symbolize Ghanaians patriotism for their country. There was a man who took his time displaying with the Ghanaian flag throughout the proceedings and he was never tired of it.

An event of this nature minus Ghana’s Ambassador to Italy would have taken something out of the program and indeed he was present with his wife, Charity Agyei-Amoama. The Ghana government Statesman in Italy and his partner both highly dosed in Ghana’s Independence celebrations here in Italy presented themselves in colorful Ghanaian wear. His Excellency, Charles Agyei-Amoama, spotting a Ghanaian smock (batakari) and his wife immaculately dressed in a Ghanaian women’s traditional ‘kaba’(Ghanaian women’s dress) made from ‘kente’ cloth.

Their blend of colors fitted well into the already decorated hall and as a sign of honor the audience stood up as they two walked in to take their seat.

The Ghanaian enthusiasm to celebrate the country’s 50 years of Independence is clearly demonstrated in all the events marking the anniversary here.

They came from distances, Pordenone, Varese, Udine, Brescia, Milan and other remote regions and cities to give the occasion a real glamour.

The day’s event was primarily for the women, marked:Women’s Day, and the main attraction was to show Ghana’s culture in one of their women’s traditional costumes.

One thing that stands synonymous in all the events so far here is Gospel Music and some churches and their choir, solo gospel artistes performed with some gospel songs characteristic of Ghanaians. The singing shows before the audience was awesome.

Victor Owusu Asante first led the audience to sing the Ghana National Anthem. Groups that were represented included Jesus is Alive Ministry with their church choir led by Foster Kissi, then was the Holy Fire Pentecostal Ministry and San Valentino Church. Kusi Berko an accomplished gospel songs writer and singer with his group of youths gave a wonderful performance attracting many of the audience to the floor in jubilation with dancing and display of the Ghanaian flag. .

Abigail Asiedu, a runner-up in the Miss Ghana in Italy 2006, appeared in a cute-cut Ghanaian wear to give the welcome address to all participants. She is young but there was no stage fright as she rattled her words without blemish.

The President of Ghana Association in Verona, Frank Appiah, gave his key note address after which Omari Somuah, President of Council of Ghanaian Nationals Association in Italy (COGNAI) in his remarks enjoined his compatriots to continue to build a formidable union of Ghanaian in Italy to project the image of their country.

Special guests also invited were Agnes Addison, a Radio Presenter in London, Adwoa Sey – a UN Representative, and Cynthia Marfo – an Image Consultant based in London. Present also was Nana Antobre Kobbinah - Chief representing the Ghanaian community in Arzigano, a Province of Vicenza - and the Queen mother.

Cynthia Marfo said the welfare of Ghanaians will depend on their character in the society and called on the Ghanaian woman in Italy to be humble to her husband urging them not to rest on their oars but work hard so they can establish themselves well when they go back home. Adwoa Sey on her part spoke on a catalogue of issues pertaining to Ghana’s history and independence, in between stressing on the culture of Ghanaians. She pointed out that one thing that has helped Ghana after independence is education and with that she encouraged all parents to assist their children to attain a good standard in their level of education. The event which also focused on the Role of Women in Nation Building provided lectures under which Agnes Addison took on the women and the youths present advising them on many marriage and family issues. She said communication between marriage couples and their children is very important and told parents to be wary of their children dressings some of which become attractive to the opposite sex and has been the root cause of many bad demeanors among the youths. She advised the youths to always sieve the many characters that revolve around them abroad and take those that will help them build a good future to become responsible citizens of Ghana.

His Excellency, Charles Agyei-Amoama, has earlier expressed his thanks to COGNAI members, Pastors and distinguished personalities present. On behalf of the President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor, he extended sincere greeting from the President to all Ghanaians in Italy. “It’s my first time in Verona and I’m impressed about the kind of unity that exists between Ghanaians here,” he noted. The Ambassador’s remarks were brief since according to him he would not like to change the course of the program which is for the women. “I would not like to take it from them and my wife has a lot to say to you”. He however called on all Ghanaian Pastors in the various Ghanaian communities in Italy to rally behind the Ghanaian Associations in their locality and assist in establishing them. The Ghana Embassy in Rome according to him now has a website at: www.ghanaembassy.it of which through that very soon Ghanaians living outside Rome need not to travel to Rome to process their passport and other related documents. The wife of His Excellency, who was the main speaker of the day told the participants to set their life styles on Godly based values. She pointed out that women have important roles to play in nation building and their respective societies and they can do that if they put God first in all their endeavors.

The main attraction of the evening program, the Fashion Show, exhibiting Ghanaian women costumes was contested by Linda Effia Wiafe, Gifty Ewurabena Owusu, Dora Aisha Serwaa, Theresa Cobbina (alias ‘Mama Tex’), Comfort Anna Anane Tabiri and Francisca Baffour.

All six contestants paraded infront of the audience, at different times, with different designs, cuts of the Ghanaian women’s wear, ‘Kaba Dress’ and different hair styles.

The atmosphere was exhilarating as the contestants took their paces to show the culture of Ghana and the audience responded with an overwhelming applause. Gifty Ewurabena Owusu was adjudged the best in her show of the Ghanaian costumes and hair styles, Comfort Tabiri was second and Dora Aisha Serwaa, a seamstress, placed third.

Prizes were presented to the contestants but at the end of the day’s event it was not so much about winners and prizes that mattered to the audience which made the day a memorable occasion. It was the enthusiasm of the Ghanaian to celebrate their country’s 50th year of Independence, the kind of patriotism, the lectures, the togetherness that exist between them coming from different regions and cities and Ghana’s culture, under which their women’s costumes was portrayed in flamboyant fashion.

The final day of events marking Ghana @ 50 by the Ghanaian communities in Italy, under the auspices of COGNAI, would be held in Vicenza on March 10 at Centro Sport Palladio and among the day’s program which will run from morning to late in the night will include, football gala tournament, indoor games – ‘dame’, ‘oware’, ‘ampe’, ludo, playing cards etc. – lectures and speeches, exhibition of Ghana’s arts and craft, ‘kete’ and ‘adowa’ dancing, an extravagant mock durbar of the people and chiefs of Ghana, fashion show and a special musical dance concert.