Dikan Centre launches AWO Institute, Ahenfie to honour African heritage

A not-for-profit organisation that promotes African arts and heritage,  Dikan Centre, has launched two initiatives to reclaim, preserve and celebrate African heritage.

The initiatives, AWO Institute, a research venture, and Ahenfie, a museum, will combine forces to redefine the traditional museum experience by creating a vibrant communal environment where culture and history are practised, shared and celebrated through storytelling, exhibitions and interactive events.

This is to actualise the centre’s commitment to restoring and making accessible the deep and diverse traditions, stories and historical narratives of African peoples, with a particular focus on Ghanaian heritage by reconnecting communities with their roots.

Identity

The names are derived from two key sources of knowledge: Awo, an African grandmother as a custodian of wisdom and storytelling, and Ahenfie, meaning “Palace” in Akan, the custodians of tradition and folklore.

"If we lose our identity, we've lost our nation," the Founder of Dikan Centre, Paul A. Ninson, said at the launch of the institute last Saturday.

He said the institute would revolutionise how African history was recorded, shared and understood in line with its mission to reconnect generations with their cultural roots.

“This includes digitising scattered archives, recording oral histories, conserving artefacts and creating an educational approach that nurtures pride in African identity,” he explained.

Challenging Colonial Narratives

Mr Ninson said the institute would also challenge colonial narratives of African history by ensuring that stories were told authentically by Africans themselves.

"Our story deserves more. African heritage deserves to be reclaimed, cherished and celebrated in our own terms, in our own way,” the founder, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Dikan Centre, stated.

“By developing a living, breathing cultural space that celebrates wisdom, storytelling and continuity, he said the centre sought to empower the next generation of African storytellers and creative leaders.

“Archives are meaningless if they are not preserved,” he added.

Harnessing AI

The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, outlined the country’s focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and data digitalisation to improve agriculture, health care and education.

He stressed the importance of developing local AI tools in native languages and ensuring strong data governance to protect privacy and intellectual property.

"Let's not try to do everything. And for me at the ministry and under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, our vision is to use AI to improve our nation's food security and agriculture, drive education and drive health care,” Mr George said.

Learnings

The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Evelyn Palmer, highlighted the significance of understanding history  to navigate the present and shape the future.

She emphasised the role of diaspora connections in strengthening cultural ties between Ghana and the United States.

She described the AWO Institute as a centre for education, research and scholarship, designed to help individuals and communities connect with their cultural heritage.

"We think a lot about the present and the future, and that if we don't do it with reference to the past, we will make terrible mistakes, and it's through our understanding of that past that we can better navigate our present and shape the future," Ms Palmer said.

Reviving Pan-African Identity

The Founder of the Kwame Nkrumah Foundation, Samia Nkrumah, stressed the importance of reviving African cultural identity and the concept of "African personality" as championed by Kwame Nkrumah.

She emphasised pan-Africanism, which represented solidarity among Africans worldwide, highlighting the need to understand shared history, cultural bonds and collective aspirations.

Ms Nkrumah stressed the significance of preserving African heritage, recognising contributions to global civilisation and maintaining unity despite differences.

"We all want to see the black man and woman taking the rightful place in the world and to also tell ourselves and the world that we made our contribution to civilisations, in medicine, in mathematics, in architecture, in religion, in almost every aspect of our lives,” she stated.