Maiden edition of Marcus Garvey Awards launched

The award is to recognize Africans in the diaspora who embodied the spirit of Pan Africanism

The Black Star Line Cooperative Credit Union on Tuesday, June 19th launched the maiden edition of the Marcus Garvey Awards ball and banquet in Accra.

The awards according to the Chairman of the credit union, Naomi Palmer Buchanan is to recognize and celebrate individuals who are doing extremely well in their communities but are not likely to be identified by the main-stream awarding programs.

She said “the criteria of the award is looking at people who basically embodied the concept of pan Africanism and wants to achieve economic strength and so we want to recognize them those living here in Ghana and abroad,” adding that “Africans who have exhibited a great sense of pan Africanism in their lives across different categories such as science, business, arts and culture, sports, innovation, we want to award them for their efforts”.

She added that the award which is in line with the 131st anniversary of Marcus Garvey will be held at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel on August 18th, 2018.

“There will be a lifetime legacy award given posthumously to Winnie Mandela for her personal dedication and drive to fulfil the liberation of oppressed people and former President Rawlings will also be given a special award for the part he played in the development of diaspora relations in Ghana” she mentioned.

According to Madam Buchanan, despite the many achievements of Marcus Garvey towards African emancipation in the Caribbean there is no single centre in Africa to celebrate his role in advancing Pan Africanism and African liberations as such the Black Star Line Cooperative Credit Union hopes to use proceeds from the Awards Ball to provide seed capital for a land on which a centre will be built in his memory.

“The center will be the headquarters for the Black Star Line Cooperative Credit Union and it is expected to attract and generate a steady stream of activity that will attract international visitors for conferences,” she added.

Representing the Minister of Tourism, Josephine Ohene Osei pledged the ministry’s support to the diasporan community.

“It’s high time we told our own stories by embracing who we are and celebrating ourselves and our indigenous cultures,” she advised.