Jamaican American Returns Home to Ghana

According to Ghana’s Diaspora Affairs Office, approximately 1,500 African Americans settled in the West African country since 2019. That year marked “The Year of Return” initiated by Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, inviting people of African descent from around the world to come home. These new arrivals added to the estimated 5,000 African Americans and 4,000 Jamaicans who settled in the country in recent decades. Jamaican-born Rique Kofi Ennis is one of them.

JOURNEY

“The journey has been quite significant. Ghana came up because I've been a student of African history. Ghana is the gateway for most of us in the diaspora. There are more dungeons, or as they say in Ghana, castles, than any other country. So, I went to Ghana to see the dungeons and became enamoured with the people, the space, the culture. And I've been visiting for several years and I eventually had to make it home,” Ennis explained.

Ennis, a retired teacher, lived in the United Kingdom and the United States for many years. But, it was his search for his African identity that led him to settle in Ghana in 2017 where he bought land and has built a home in Greater Accra in the village of Ningo Prampram, a suburb of the capital city.

Importantly, Ghana’s Right to Abode law enacted in 2001 gave Ennis, and any person of African descent the right to travel to and from the country freely and certain settled residence rights. And in 2020 Ennis was one of the more than 120 persons conferred citizenship that year. It is not a simple or easy process said Ennis as he recounted that some who have been living in Ghana for 30 or 40 years were among this group of new citizens.

There are indeed still issues just like anywhere else in the world, said Ennis, but things are getting better. We must be ready to grow with the experience.

“A lot of us leaving the diaspora are bringing our baggage with us expecting to dump it in Africa and think it will be welcome. You have you got to leave your baggage behind. You can’t come and expect people to embrace you when you're coming with all the chips and all the stresses and all the dysfunctionality.”

TRUST

But, saying that, he confirmed that one of the biggest problems most settlers have is with land purchase or acquisition. He emphasized that building a community of trusted individuals is key. One purchases land through the custodians of the land — the Chief of the village or a family. Once price, negotiations, and actual ownership is settled you are leased the land for 50, 99, or more years.

Ennis negotiated with a family who were custodians of the land he was interested in purchasing. He also had the services of a lawyer. At the end of the process a contract was signed by all parties and Ennis became the proud custodian of his

own land. He eventually commenced building his home. But, about one year in an issue cropped up.

“Traditionally in Ghana land purchases must be acquired through the right person meaning the person who sells it to you must come from the patrilineal line of the family. However, we discovered that my land was purchased through the matrilineal line therefore I did not officially own it. This created a great big storm and we eventually got the Chief involved. Ultimately I lost part of the original land parcel and ended up purchasing another piece in a different location,” Ennis recounted.

But, he was never deterred. Having built trusted relationships with a few native Ghanians, Ennis continued to successfully conduct business whether or not he is in the country without any problems.

ABUNDANCE

But, what about social services, conveniences, infrastructure. What is it really like living in Ghana on a daily basis?

“I love to say, we don’t have potholes, we have manholes. But they are always working on improving the infrastructure,” Ennis laughs in describing the condition of the roads.

He continued: “Yes, we do have issues with light. But, we’re doing a great job in improving the electricity. We get periods when the light goes out and it will be gone for several hours then it comes back on.”

Ennis remarked about the abundance of food in Ghana with markets everywhere that supplies just about everything from food to clothing to electronics. He added that whatever is available in the West is also obtainable in Ghana. It’s about being open to the experience.

So his advice to the curious or those contemplating a new life in Africa?

“Number one, I would say to every African diaspora make at least one trip to Africa. It doesn't matter which country it is just put your foot on African soil. And remember, that's where your ancestors came from. Number two is that every skill is needed on the continent today. so if I'm a doctor, if I'm a street sweeper, if I'm whatever, the skill is needed.”

And although the standard of living might be higher in the West, noted Ennis, the quality of life in Ghana is ten times better than anywhere in the West.

“Again, you're going into a different cultural state. And it depends on whether you want to carry America, Jamaica, Barbados, England with you or whether you're prepared to make a transition into a different experience. You only grow if you change.”