Rapper Diggy Simmons has written a little piece about his recent and first visit to Ghana. In the heartfelt post, he said “The media and my societal narrative has often viewed Africa with a lens of violence, poverty, and underdevelopment. He saw different.
Actor Boris Kdjoe took 40 famous friends to Ghana for Christmas to experience the culture and tradition. It couldn’t be more perfect as 2019 was declared ‘YEAR OF RETURN’ by Ghana’s president Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.
Diggy took to social media to write about his experience and how he emboldened sense of self.
He wrote…
“Perhaps I’m ignorant. Perhaps I have been for some time now. Many of my perceptions, or misperceptions rather, were overdue to be rightfully shattered. It’s a shame—as one with many friends from Cameroon, Nigeria, and other countries throughout the continent of Africa—that I have remained so unaware. These friends raved about their homelands, and somehow their praise fell upon deaf ears, in part due to that as a child, Africa, to me, seemed branded as less than alluring. The media and my societal narrative has often viewed Africa with a lens of violence, poverty, and underdevelopment. This portrayal has caused generations of Africans to abandon their own heritage and traditions. During my trip to Ghana, I can’t say I’ve ever felt more comfortable in a space. I don’t think I stopped my Shaku Shaku from the time I got off the plane. Every stereotype that’s been perpetuated never pointed to me feeling this free. I was also fortunate enough to visit the slave dungeons in Cape Coast—small quarters where over a hundred of my potential ancestors were held captive on any given day with no nourishment, suffering in their own feces and urine. As heartbreaking as it was to stand on those grounds, my takeaway—apart from feeling both inspired and devastated—was a galvanized sense of pride. I felt as if I gained a more authentic and emboldened sense of self, furthering my own understanding of endurance through my ancestors’ plight. Thank you to @boriskodjoe @nicoleariparker @badassboz@thedebonairdisciple @nathanyahhalevi for the introduction to my truth. My year couldn’t have began with more clarity”.
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RELATED: Actor Boris Kodjoe Took 40 Famous Friends To Ghana For Christmas
