Almighty God, bless this installation...

My second week comes to a close and I can’t believe I’ve only been here for 14 days. I’ve gone from having no real inkling as to what Accra would even look like to being able to walk from Nima to the ocean, ride tro-tros all over town and haggle for everything from cabs to Ariel washing powder and mangoes. This week at work has been very interesting. I worked hard re-writing and editing Nubuke’s lexicon of Kwame Nkrumah ready for publication shortly after I leave. It was such a wonderful project for me to work on, giving me the opportunity to learn so much about Ghanaian history and politics, the fight for independence, the struggle for industrialisation and the dream of pan-Africanism. In terms of his presidency Nkrumah is a controversial figure whose economic handling left much to be desired, but he is undoubtedly an iconic leader whose passion and determination took him from non-violent protest and imprisonment to throwing off British colonial rule and signing the Republic of Ghana into existence. He was undoubtedly a man of great intellect and if the practical application of some of his grandest schemes did not always deliver, acknowledgement must be made of the scope of his vision for rejuvenating not just a country but a continent.

The gallery has also been re-hung this week with the exhibition of contemporary art coming down and the exhibition of Fante Asafo flags going up (complete with my text panels and leaflets!). It is testament to the inclusive remit of Nubuke that the foundation can one week be celebrating today’s innovation and the next be educating visitors on a characteristically colourful local tradition. The exhibition looks very slick and visitors are also greeted by the sounds and songs of the Asafo people as they enter the gallery. A workshop for children is planned, as well as quiz sheets to fill in around the gallery. Having seen the National Museum, I can’t help thinking that Nubuke does appear to be doing a better job of exhibiting and educating across the breadth of Ghana’s culture.

Speaking of the National Museum, we went to an exhibition opening there last night courtesy of Amy, the Ikando volunteer based there. I can safely say it was the most unusual opening I’ve ever been too. It was very grand-sounding with posh invitations and a promised appearance by Ghana’s Minister for Chieftancy and Culture. There were TV crews and GBC (Ghana Broadcasting Corp) radio present. The gallery actually had a ribbon across it, which needed to be cut, like a new supermarket. Before this however, speeches were given and – get this – a prayer was said to bless the display! Now, I’ve tried to imagine what might happen at Tate Modern or White Cube or Haunch of Venison if you announced that the Opening would be preceded by a prayer… Going to Openings in London usually involves making a beeline for the free wine and then debating the quality of the canapés (which, in poorer times, would constitute my dinner). If someone asked everyone to bow their heads and began saying “Almighty Father…” a rumour would ripple through the crowd that some outrageously blasphemous performance was about to occur (to which the response would, universally, be gleeful expectation). The exhibition was a small offering for all the pomp and amongst, in my opinion, some very dull generic paintings of stick people and mud huts and brash neo-cubism there was an unusual oblong canvas by Betty Acquah, who I’m really starting to like. It was also a selling exhibition, which again raises the question about where the private and public art worlds intersect in Ghana. I resisted the art but bought some earrings from a lovely girl called Della, who seemed to be working harder than any of her male colleagues.

Tonight we’re going to Ada Foah (on a tro-tro), a small fishing town on the peninsular in the east of Ghana, with the Volta River on one side and the Gulf of Guinea on the other. We’re staying in sand-floored beach huts without electricity or running water! In order to get to the place we have to call Winfred, the Rasta owner, when we get to Ada and he’ll pick us up in his boat to take us to the resort. The plans for the weekend largely revolve around chilling, eating Fan Ice, drinking Star and lying in one of the many hammocks that are suspended from the palm trees over the water…