AKADi Magazine
The AKADi Magazine Podcast connects communities through conversations. Hosted by editor Abena Sεwaa, these conversations aim to inform, inspire and illuminate the work of Ghanaians globally. Listen to the powerful narratives of everyday people making transformative cultural change in their communities. And find out how you can be part of that story too.
Episodes
S9Ep1| BOOK REVIEW - Exploring Black Masculinity with Elvin James Mensah
Send us Fan MailWelcome to our first podcast in October during Black History Month UK.Author Elvin James Mensah's second novel 'White Spaces' explores Black masculinity through the compelling voice of British-Ghanaian music journalist Teddy and is a story about four friends: Teddy, Birch, Cain and Nathan, that challenges the often binary views of what it means to be Black and male.
S8Ep12| GHANAIANS ABROAD - a conversation with architect Hansia Essuman in Georgia, USA
Send us Fan MailYou were just listening to Hansia Essuman, Creative Lead at Banah Heights Ltd who holds I hold a BA in Architecture from Central University in Ghana, a Master’s in Urban Planning and Design at the University of Georgia in the USA.In the episode, Hansia mentions embarking on a second Master's in Housing Management and Policy. Since this podcast was recorded, the course has been
S8 EP11| HIGHLIFE MUSIC IN FOCUS - in conversation with guitar wizard Kyekyeku
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Kyekyeku talks to us about how he turned his passion for Palmwine music and Highlife into a career. He explains how guitar master Agya Koo Nimo became his mentor while he was at university studying a completely different topic and explains how he is immortalising living legend Agya Koo Nimo and other greats in his music.Connect with Kyekyeku and his music here: htt
S8Ep10| NAVIGATING DISABILITY AS A DOCTOR - a conversation with Dr Hannah Brew
Send us Fan MailDr Hannah Brew is a portfolio GP who was diagnosed with the rare condition that causes muscle weakness, not long after starting work in the UK.She tells us how she navigated life with myasthenia gravis, the impact on her career choices and why we should all have more compassion when it comes to hidden disabilities. This episode was recorded in February 2026 and edited by KAmo. Lear
S8Ep9| BOOK CLUB: 'Hold' - a conversation with Michael Donkor
Send us Fan Mail In February 2026, Michael Kwadwo Donkor joined our book club and left us inspired as we discussed Hold – a coming-of-age book that explores the role of women, attitudes to sexuality, mental health and the tension between culture and identity. The book follows three teenage girls. Two live in a town near Kumasi, Ghana's Asante Region and are housemaids for a well-to-do family.
S8Ep8| EXPLORING IDENTITY THROUGH ART- a conversation with Edward Ofosu
Send us Fan MailEdward Ofosu, a self-taught, mixed media artist based in Accra, who, in September and October 2025 staged his first solo in Accra, entitled ‘Rhythm of The Soul’ at the La Foundation For The Arts in Accra, Ghana.Edward has had two solo exhibitions in Ghana and four solo exhibition internationally.Edward employs a variety of artistic styles and uses a range of tools, including everyd
S8Ep7| LOVE YOUR MOTHER TONGUE: a day celebrating indigenous languages
Send us Fan MailHappy International Mother Language Day!Hear Maame Serwaa Piese who shares her regret at not teaching her children her Mother Tongue. She shares her reflections in Twi followed by an English translation.You’ll also hear from her niece Mirekua Ansah, who provides her perspective on why she has actively invested in ensuring her four children are fluent in their Mother Tongue. She sha
S8Ep6| GENTRIFICATION IN HACKNEY: a historical exploration with author Richard Yeboah
Send us Fan MailHello and welcome to AKADi Magazine’s Connecting Communities Podcast where we explore stories through a Ghanaian lens and dive into conversations with Ghanaians on topics including culture, the arts and history, which hopefully will leave you with some food for thought.My name is Kofi Amo, editor of AKADi Magazine, and listen to my conversation with Richard Yeboah, a lifelong Hackn
S8Ep5| A TALE OF TWO 19th CENTURY ASANTE PRINCES: a conversation with Andrea-Vicky Amankwaa-Birago
Send us Fan MailAndrea-Vicky Amankwaa-Birago takes us through her research journey of uncovering the remarkable stories of two 19th century Asante princes.Cousin brothers: Kwasi Boachi and Kwame Poku were both 10 years old when they migrated to the Netherlands in 1837 on the request of Asantehene Kwaku Dua I, Kwasi’s father and Kwame’s uncle.Boachi and Poku’s stories are both fascinating and tragi
S8Ep4| 2025 IN REVIEW & 2026 HIGHLIGHTS
Send us Fan MailHappy New Year to all our esteemed followers and welcome to our first episode of 2026. Kofi and I (Abena) thought we would use this opportunity to thank you for your support in 2025, reflect back on our podcasts from last year and look forward to some that you'll hear this year.We also shout out to some of our listeners. You may hear you name mentioned.Cheers!The music in this
S8Ep3| THE EYES OF GHANA - unlocking memories from Ghana's cinematic past
Send us Fan Mail‘The Eyes of Ghana’ is a powerful docufilm about preserving Ghana’s film heritage.Told primarily through 93-year-old cinematographer Reverend Chris Hesse, this story is one of hope, cultural preservation and is a call to action to us all.Reverend Hesse was Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s personal videographer, during his presidency and captured hundreds of hours of little-seen footage.
S8Ep2| EXPLORING THE ROOTS OF MASQUERADE: Part 2 - a conversation with Claudia George
Send us Fan MailClaudia George, an artist who creates under the name Claudia Zinski and works with batik, silks and canvas.In this episode, Claudia explains how her exhibition in Accra, entitled: The Meridian Love Affair Exhibition (13-18 November), will act as the foundation for greater research into exploring the origins of mas or masquerade in Ghana, and Trinidad, and its connection to UK carni
S8Ep1| HEALING THROUGH ART: Part 1 - a conversation with Claudia George
Send us Fan MailClaudia George is an artist who creates under the name Claudia Zinski and works with batik, silks and canvas.In this episode, she talks about how art helped her to deal with the loss of her sibling and how she plans to showcase new work in Accra this month entitled: The Meridian Love Affair Exhibition (13-18 November).Find more details here:https://www.instagram.com/claudia.george_
S7Ep13| THE SALON EXPERIENCE AT 1-54 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR
Send us Fan MailWriter Uwati Okojie speaks about ‘Le Salon - Art of Conversation’ - a living exhibition by Le Tings (Harris Elliott) x Johnnie Sapong at 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair 2025.She shares insights into a Ghanaian art activation at the 13th edition of 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair at Somerset House in London in 2025.This installation was called: 'Le Salon - Art of Conversa
S7Ep12| BUILDING LEGACIES - a conversation with pioneering architect Elsie Owusu
Send us Fan MailTo mark Black History Month UK, we caught up with pioneering architect Elsie Owusu who famously led renovations at Green Park Tube station the Supreme Court and has worked with award-winning artist Yinka Shonibare.This conversation looks at Elsie's early beginning, the fascinating story of her father and her architectural achievements.Read more about Tropical Modernism here.ht
S7Ep11| CELEBRATING BLACK BRITISH THEATRE - a conversation with Omar F. Okai
Send us Fan MailHello and welcome to AKADi Magazine's Connecting Communities Podcast where we spotlight Ghanaians making transformative change in their communities.Listen to Omar F. Okai, dancer, choreographer, director and founder of the six-year Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs) - a platform that recognises the talents of Black British creatives involved in theatre - from the actors righ
S7Ep10| CENTRING BLACK WOMEN IN FILM: a conversation with Anniwaa Buachie
Send us Fan MailAnniwaa Buachie is an award-winning actor, filmmaker, audiobook narrator, who explains how she turned the story ‘Moon Over Aburi’ by award-winning poet and author Kwame Dawes into a film.That’s where I first met Anniwaa at the screening of ‘Moon Over Aburi’ at the London International Pan-African Film Festival in South London in 2024 - you’ll hear me refer to it as PAFF in the inte
S7Ep9| AFRICA FASHION WEEK LONDON 2025: a conversation with three Ghanaian designers
Send us Fan MailAfrica Fashion Week London (AFWL) 2025 kicks off on 9 and 10 August bringing together seasoned and next generation designers from the Continent under one roof.Now in its 15th season, this annual catwalk and exhibition event is one of the world’s largest and longest-running showcases of African and African-inspired fashion & design.In this episode we speak to three Ghanaian desi
S7Ep8| BOOK CLUB: Part 2 - 'Tail of the Blue Bird' - a conversation with Nii Ayikwei Parkes
Send us Fan MailPoet and author Nii Ayikwei Parkes joined our Book Club in June 2025 for our review of Tail of the Blue Bird - his 16-year-old crime novel which has an exciting twist. This book is set in a fictitious village not far from Accra that becomes a crime scene with a difference that brings police and a pathologist to crack the case. But this is no ordinary crime and we soon find out that
S7Ep7| BOOK CLUB: Part 1 - 'Tail of the Blue Bird' - a conversation with Nii Ayikwei Parkes
Send us Fan MailPoet and author Nii Ayikwei Parkes joined our Book Club in June 2025 for our review of Tail of the Blue Bird - his 16-year-old crime novel which has an exciting twist. This book is set in a fictitious village not far from Accra that becomes a crime scene with a difference that brings police and a pathologist to crack the case. But this is no ordinary crime and we soon find out that
S7Ep6| RETROGHANA - on a mission to amplify Ghanaian music
Send us Fan MailEugene Abeka-Donkor, the founder of RetroGhana - a social media platform on a mission to document, share and amplify Ghanaian music and the legends behind these iconic sounds.In this episode, Eugene tells us what inspired him to create RetroGhana, he explains what led to his collaboration with Ghanaian unisex clothing brand Ajabeng and we ask him which musical collaborations (with
S7Ep5| BOOK CLUB: 'Rootless' - a conversation with Krystle Zara Appiah
Send us Fan MailListen to Krystle Zara Appiah, author of the award-winning novel ‘Rootless’ and the first published author to join our book club session as a special guest. We’ve been meeting every month since September 2024 where we read and review books by Ghanaian authors or books about Ghana. If you haven’t read ‘Rootless’, get comfortable because you’re about to hear from some of our book cl
S7Ep4| DICK ESSILFIE-BONDZIE - Ghana's visionary music producer part 2
Send us Fan MailYou’ve heard of Highlife greats such as CK Mann, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas but what do you know about the producer behind some of their hit songs?We spoke to the family of the late Dick Essilfie-Bondzie - visionary music producer and the first to bring a vinyl record pressing factory on to West African soil - to find out more.If you follow our podcast or our ne
S7Ep3| DICK ESSILFIE-BONDZIE - Ghana's visionary music producer part 1
Send us Fan MailYou’ve heard of Highlife greats such as CK Mann, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas but what do you know about the producer behind some of their hit songs?We spoke to the family of the late Dick Essilfie-Bondzie - visionary music producer about his musical legacy, plans to archive all the songs under the Essiebons label and a project to create a new documentary about hi
S7Ep2| LONDON TO ACCRA - perspectives from three British-Ghanaian entrepreneurs - part 2
Send us Fan MailThe British High Commission in Ghana kicked off 2025 with its annual UK-Ghana Diaspora Networking Mixer.This year's mixer was a chance to capitalise on these economic ties and deepen connections between the two countries by linking the diaspora with relevant business and government partners, as well as celebrating the achievements of British Ghanaians. We spoke to the three Br
S7Ep1| LONDON TO ACCRA - perspectives from three British-Ghanaian entrepreneurs - part 1
Send us Fan MailThe British High Commission in Ghana kicked off 2025 with its annual UK-Ghana Diaspora Networking Mixer.This year's mixer was a chance to capitalise on these economic ties and deepen connections between the two countries by linking the diaspora with relevant business and government partners, as well as celebrating the achievements of British Ghanaians. We spoke to the three Br
S6Ep12| CULTURAL GAMES - an antidote to tackling antisocial behaviour? - part 2
Send us Fan MailHello and welcome to another episode of AKADi Magazine's Connecting Communities podcast, produced by Kamo. My name is Abena Sewaa, the editor of AKADi Magazine, and you were just listening to Stephen Barnabis, founder and operational manager of Project Zero, an organisation based in Waltham Forest, London, that engages young people in positive activities to promote social in
S6Ep11| CULTURAL GAMES - an antidote to tackling antisocial behaviour? - part 1
Send us Fan MailLondon-based organisation Cultural Games Association (CGA) UK believes that education the next generation about the social, cultural and health benefits of traditional games played in African and Caribbean could help to tackle the rise in anti-social behaviour among the youth. We went along to their launch in February 2024 to find out more and later spoke to representatives from t
S6Ep10| REDISCOVERING OUR PAST AND PRESENT THROUGH ART part 2 - with Ibrahim Mahama
Send us Fan MailSome of the labour used to build Ghana’s railways came from the north of the country but there’s never been a railway in the region. But award-winning visual artist Ibrahim Mahama, in one of his latest installations, is interrogating this phenomenon. He has brought a piece of a railway track, train carriages and even planes to his Red Clay Studio in Tamale. His work at Red Clay Stu
S6Ep9| REDISCOVERING OUR PAST AND PRESENT THROUGH ART part 1 - with Ibrahim Mahama
Send us Fan MailAward-winning visual artist Ibrahim Mahama is the founder of three art spaces in Tamale, Northern Ghana: Red Clay Studio, Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA) and Nkrumah Voli-ni.These arts spaces act as a repository for ancient and contemporary artefacts that have been recovered or donated and provide a platform for discussing Ghana's past, present and future.In this
S6Ep8| THE AFROPERA STORY OF NANA YAA ASANTEWAA part 2 - with Gorges Ocloo
Send us Fan Mail'The Golden Stool, or the Story of Nana Yaa Asantewaa' is an opera performance that debuts at the London's Barbican on 14 October.https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2024/event/the-golden-stool-or-the-story-of-nana-yaa-asantewaa The performance takes 12 classical opera songs, including Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' and reworks them to tell the compelling s
S6Ep7| THE AFROPERA STORY OF NANA YAA ASANTEWAA part 1 - with Gorges Ocloo
Send us Fan MailGorges Ocloo is a multi-disciplinary artist whose expertise includes performance art, contemporary dance – he is a stage director, librettist and composer and co-artistic director of Antwerp-based performing arts theatre Toneelhuis in Belgium.In this episode, Gorges talks about his AfrOpera - The Golden Stool, or the story of Nana Yaa Asantewaa, which comes to London's Barbica
S6Ep6| REMEMBERING AN EWE KING - The Adamah Papers exhibition
Send us Fan MailThe ‘Family Ties: Adamah Papers’ exhibition at the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton, London is a collection of letters, documents and old newspapers belonging to an Ewe Fia (king). These papers are significant because they are thought to be the first of their kind in Britain (and maybe the world) to document Ghana’s Ewe community in such a manner.Charles tells us more.Read the fu
S6 Ep5| CHAMPIONING ACTIVISM THROUGH POETRY - a chat with Poetivist
Send us Fan MailEpistles From Nkrumah Krom is a thought-provoking poetry performance designed with a symbolic language to reflect on contemporary issues from the vibrant streets of Accra.Poetivist and friends will take you on a journey through the captivating world of words and emotions on 15 June 2024.Get ready to be moved, inspired, and entertained by the power of spoken word. Don't miss ou
S6 Ep4| FROM BEDTIME STORIES TO 3-D ANIMATION part 2 - a chat with executive producer Emmanuel Sampene
Send us Fan MailExecutive producer Emmanuel Sampene talks about schooling in Ghana, studying in the USA and pivoting from a career solely in academia to creating his 3-D animation series Turkey Pinky Pants.'Turkey Pinky Pants' has been selected for the Cinemagic Hollywood Film Festival in the Best Animation category thanks to the hard work of his team, which includes Director, Bradley J.
S6 Ep3| FROM BEDTIME STORIES TO 3-D ANIMATION part 1 - a chat with executive producer Emmanuel Sampene
Send us Fan MailExecutive producer Emmanuel Sampene’s 3-D animation series Turkey Pinky Pants was inspired by the bedtime stories he used to tell his children.'Turkey Pinky Pants' has been selected for the Cinemagic Hollywood Film Festival in the Best Animation category thanks to the hard work of his team, which includes Director, Bradley J. Krause, and talented supervising animator, Siv
S6 Ep2| PIDGIN POWER part 2: uniting audiences through opera
Send us Fan MailIn this two-part episode, we speak to two inspiring women who are central to this opera - Louisa Adjoa Martin who has over 20 years’ experience as an opera singer performing with symphony choruses and is a soprano voice in this opera.And Helen Epega, also known as the Venus Bushfires, who composed and wrote Song Queen: A Pidgin Opera and is the lead vocalist in the performance. ‘So
S6 Ep1| PIDGIN POWER part 1: uniting audiences through opera
Send us Fan MailIn this two-part episode, we speak to two inspiring women who are central to this opera - Helen Epega, also known as the Venus Bushfires, who composed and wrote Song Queen: A Pidgin Opera and is the lead vocalist in the performance.And Louisa Adjoa Martin who has over 20 years’ experience as an opera singer performing with symphony choruses and is a soprano voice in this opera.‘Son
S5 Ep12| LIVING WITH AUTISM - one mother's story
Send us Fan MailAutism is a developmental brain condition that affects people’s ability to communicate, and influences how sufferers process the world around them. In this episode, we look at the story of one mother who shares how she got to terms with her son's mental health condition. AKADi Magazine editor Abena recounts their story and draws us in with his soothing tones as we discover whe
S5 EP11| SUPERSTITION AND TRAUMA part 2 - a chat with author Marie-Claire Amuah
Send us Fan MailMarie-Claire is the author of ‘One For Sorrow, Two For Joy’ - a book that explores the impact of unresolved childhood trauma in adult life.She wrote the book during the COVID-19 pandemic and recalls writing 54,000 words in two months, which she describes as "unnaturally fast". Listen to author Marie-Claire as she explores themes linked to trauma, superstition and healing
S5 EP10| HEALING FROM CHILDHOOD TRAUMA part 1 with author Marie-Claire Amuah
Send us Fan MailHow does a person heal from childhood trauma?Listen to author Marie-Claire Amuah who explores the impact of unresolved childhood trauma in adult life in her debut book ‘One For Sorrow, Two For Joy’ on our ‘Connecting Communities’ Podcast.When we first meet Stella, she’s an eight-year-old girl who lives with her mum, dad and older brother Sol.Stella is a bright young girl, loved by
S5 Ep9| DEVELOPING YOUR WRITING VOICE in 'Small Joys' part 2 with author Elvin James Mensah
Send us Fan Mail‘Small Joys’ is the debut novel of Elvin James Mensah which tells the story of a friendship bond that blossoms between two unlikely friends called Harles and Muddy.Harles is a British-Ghanaian queer man who has a lot on his plate. He’s dropped out of university. He has a fraught relationship with his father and he’s battling depression. Muddy is a Mancunian man who moves into a sha
S5 Ep8| CELEBRATING FRIENDSHIP in 'Small Joys' part 1 with author Elvin James Mensah
Send us Fan Mail‘Small Joys’ is the debut novel of Elvin James Mensah which tells the story of a friendship bond that blossoms between two unlikely friends called Harles and Muddy.Harles is a British-Ghanaian queer man who has a lot on his plate. He’s dropped out of university. He has a fraught relationship with his father and he’s battling depression. Muddy is a Mancunian man who moves into a sha
S5Ep7| EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES ON CHATTEL SLAVERY with historian Hermann von Hesse
Send us Fan MailWhat was life like for the average woman, man, and child in 17th, 18th and 19th century Accra?And what impact did the European presence have on the exchange of ideas, cultures, languages, traditions, trade and more?Our aim with this and subsequent interviews with historians and academic experts is to dig deeper into our understanding of what life was like in Accra (primarily).We ex
S5 Ep6| CHALLENGING PERSPECTIVES: Accra, her people and the Danes
Send us Fan MailAbena Sɛwaa and KAmo, the editors of AKADi Magazine share their thoughts and highlights from a series of books written about the Danish presence in Accra during the 18th and 19th century.This segment is called: Challenging perspectives: Accra, her people and the Danes. Our aim is to dig deeper into our understanding of what life was like in Accra (primarily) for the average woman,
S5Ep5| REMEMBERING COCKTAIL ENTREPRENEUR Douglas Ankrah - a tribute from his sister
Send us Fan MailHello and welcome to another episode of our Connecting Communities Podcast. My name is Abena Serwaa, the publishing editor of AKADi Magazine and you were just listening to Lily Naadu Mensah, older sister to the late Douglas Ankrah – the cocktail entrepreneur, author and businessman who created one of the UK’s top 10 cocktails – famously called the Pornstar Martini.This cocktail is
S5Ep4| RETURNING AFRICAN TREASURES - a chat with Onyekachi Wambu
Send us Fan MailAccording to a report commissioned by the French president Emmanuel Macron in2018, an estimated 90-95% of Africa’s heritage is outside of the Continent.What are we doing to return of African human remains and cultural artefacts?Onyekachi Wambu, who – at the time of the interview in October 2022,was the executive director of the African Foundation for Development (AFFORD), talks abo
S5Ep3| INTERVIEWING THE STARS - a conversation with broadcast icon Mike Eghan part 2
Send us Fan MailIconic veteran broadcaster Mike Eghan, aka the Magnificent Emperor, has had a colourful career as a DJ, radio broadcaster and more. He tells us about his encounter with Ike and Tina Turner, his time working for the BBC and shares some advice for aspiring broadcasters. Mike is pictured on the left with singer songwriter Wilson Pickett, a major figure in the development of soul mus
S5Ep2| INTERVIEWING THE STARS - a conversation with broadcast icon Mike Eghan part 1
Send us Fan MailIconic veteran broadcaster Mike Eghan, aka the Magnificent Emperor, has had a colourful career as a DJ, radio broadcaster and more. He tells us how he was able to pivot from a banking job to becoming one of the Ghanaian’s notable broadcasters; his time working for the BBC and how he met prolificphotographer James Barnor. This podcast has been produced by KAmo. The hosts are Abena S
S5Ep1| CELEBRATING AFRICAN STORYTELLING with Blitz Bazawule
Send us Fan MailBlitz the Ambassador unveiled his novel: 'The Scent of Burnt Flowers' (2022) at Africa Writes - a UK literary festival, and we got to speak to him.The book is set in the 1960s, during a period in Ghana’s political history and we follow African-American couple Bernadette and Melvin as they escape the USA for sanctuary in Accra.We got to hear more about what inspired Blitz’
S4Ep13| PROMOTING AFRICAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP - a chat with Gutta Soles founder Kromanteng part 4
Send us Fan MailGhana's Year of Return initiative was designed to encourage people of African descent to come to Ghana to visit, do business or live. We asked Gutta Soles founder Kromanteng what he thought. Image taken by @sameerfilm The music featured in this podcast is called 'Di Asempa' and comes from Atakora Manu & His Sound Engineers.Watch:Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/wa
S4Ep12| FASHIONING FOOTWEAR for a Highlife icon - a chat with Gutta Soles founder Kromateng part 3
Send us Fan MailGutta Soles' name is inspired by Ghana's open gutters and the idea that although they may be filled with rubbish, there is treasure to be found. For founder Kromanteng, there is added symbolism in that Ghana's gutters are open - not closed, which means there is an opportunity for everyone to pull themselves out of their current situation.The Gutta Soles brand has its
S4Ep11| SHAPING FASHION THROUGH MUSIC with Gutta Soles founder Kromanteng part 2
Send us Fan MailGutta Soles' name is inspired by Ghana's open gutters and the idea that although they may be filled with rubbish, there is treasure to be found. For founder Kromanteng, there is added symbolism in that Ghana's gutters are open - not closed, which means there is an opportunity for everyone to pull themselves out of their current situation.The Gutta Soles brand has its
S4Ep10| TURNING TRASH INTO TREASURE with Gutta Soles founder Kromanteng part 1
Send us Fan MailOne (wo)man's trash is another (wo)man's treasure. I love the ethos behind this company - Gutta Soles, particularly as the soles of the shoes are made from car tyres, ntuma (cloth), organic cotton and rubber. I spoke to founder Kromanteng about his brand. Image by @estella_ivanova_ The music featured in this podcast is called 'Di Asempa' and comes from Atakora M
S4Ep9| BOOK REVIEW: 'DAUGHTERS OF THE TRADE' by Pernille Ipsen
Send us Fan MailWelcome to AKADi Magazine book review series with Abena Serwaa .This series takes books by Ghanaian authors or books about Ghana and deconstructs them according to their content and information value, while hopefully encouraging you to read them too.In this episode, I share my thoughts on the book: ‘Daughters of the Trade – Atlantic Slavers and Interracial Marriage on the Gold Coas
S4Ep8| DECOLONISING THE UK COUNTRYSIDE with Maxwell Ayamba
Send us Fan MailMaxwell Ayamba MBE is a PhD research student in Black Studies at the Department of American & Canadian Studies at the University of Nottingham, whose research explores the trajectory of ‘race’ ecology and environmental justice in the UK.Maxwell is passionate about the countryside and increasing access for Black, Asian and other global majority groups and refugee communities, wh
S4Ep7| CHANNELLING BLACK GIRL MAGIC with Jadesola Odunjo from the 'African Mean Girl' play
Send us Fan MailThe UK premier of 'School Girls, Or The African Mean Girls Play' by Jocelyn Bioh, started on 8 June and runs until 15 July at The Lyric Hammersmith in London.It's set in Aburi Girls' Senior High School in Ghana's Eastern Region.And if like cast member Jadesola Odunjo and playwright Jocelyn, you went to a boarding school, this play may bring back some memori
S4Ep6| PLAYING THE ANCIENT AFRICAN GAME - in conversation with the filmmakers behind the 'Ampe' documentary
Send us Fan MailDid you know that the West African game, known as ampe in Ghana, is more than 200 years old and is recognised as a sport in Ghana? We spoke to two filmmakers - Claudia Owusu and Ife Oluwamuyide - whose film 'Ampe: Leap into the Sky, Black Girl' explores themes around girlhood, womanhood and the power of play. Find out more in the interview. See ampe in action:https://www.
S4Ep5| CENTRING WOMEN'S STORIES IN 'ADA'S REALM' PART 2 with author Sharon Dodua Otoo
Send us Fan MailTrauma and motherhood were strong themes in this book but in my reading of the novel, I never saw the women as victims. Rather, these women were heroic, misunderstood and extremely strong.Ada’s Realm is linguistically rich – at least four languages (Ga, Twi, German and English) appear in this book – not to mention an old English dialect too. The book was replete with Ghanaian phras
S4Ep4| CENTRING WOMEN'S STORIES IN 'ADA'S REALM' PART 1 with author Sharon Dodua Otoo
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we’re reviewing ‘Ada’s Realm’ by Sharon Dodua Otoo which has been translated from German to English by Jon Cho-Polizzi.The music in this episode is made exclusively for AKADi Magazine by Kyekyeku and the Super Opong Stars and is called 'Life No Dey Easy'.AKADi Magazine is a digital publication connecting Ghanaians in Ghana and the Diaspora, visit us at ww
S4Ep3| DRUM - A PLAY IMMORTALISING GHANANIAN ICONS James Barnor and Mike Eghan
Send us Fan MailWelcome to Connecting Communities - an AKADi Magazine series that profiles Ghanaians making transformative change in their communities.In this episode, Abena Sɛwaa speaks to the director Sarah Amankwah and cast members of DRUM - Benjamin Sarpong-Broni (who plays Mike Eghan) and Joshua Roberts-Mensah (who plays James Barnor). The 80-minute-long play was created by Jacob Roberts-Me
S4Ep2| BOOK REVIEW: 'ADA'S REALM' by Sharon Dodua Otoo
Send us Fan MailRead It. Read It! is an AKADi Magazine segment aimed at book lovers.Our goal is to get you reading more books by Ghanaian authors, poets, illustrators or books about Ghana.We want you to share your thoughts on these books and hopefully, instead of us urging you to Read It. You’ll be telling us you’ve Read It!In this episode, we’re reviewing ‘Ada’s Realm’ by Sharon Dodua Otoo which
S4 Ep1| BOOK REVIEW: 'MY OTHER HUSBAND' by Dorothy Koomson
Send us Fan MailRead It. Read It! is an AKADi Magazine segment aimed at book lovers.Our goal is to get you reading more books by Ghanaian authors, poets, illustrators or books about Ghana. We want you to share your thoughts on these books and hopefully, instead of us urging you to Read It. You’ll be telling us you’ve Read It!In this episode, we’re reviewing ‘My Other Husband’ by Dorothy Koomson, t
S3Ep12| BRAND BUILDING part 2 with ADINKRA London's Patric Okumi
Send us Fan MailADINKRA London is a luxury accessories brand inspired by Africa with a focus on Ghanaian design and storytelling.In part two, we spoke to co-founder Patric Okumi to find out more. Visit their page for more: https://www.adinkralondon.com/Part one of this interview is available on S3 Ep11.https://open.spotify.com/episode/3mlp0fjwRPIJbrG4HqpFufTo listen to more content like this, visi
S3Ep11| BRAND BUILDING part 1 with ADINKRA London's Patric Okumi
Send us Fan MailADINKRA London is a luxury accessories brand inspired by Africa with a focus on Ghanaian design and storytelling.We spoke to co-founder Patric Okumi to find out more. Visit their page for more: https://www.adinkralondon.com/Part two of this interview drops soon.To listen to more content like this, visit our monthly AKADi Magazine Connecting Communities Podcast on Apple, Spotify, B
S3 Ep10| TACKLING BLACK BREAST CANCER part 2 with Juliet Amoa
Send us Fan MailDr Marlene Ellis and Juliet Amoa share her stories of surviving breast cancer, why it inspired Marlene to create Black Breast Cancer - blackbreastcancer.com - and how Juliet's experience helped Marlene deal with the disease.A list of the references is available in the following link HERE. https://drive.google.com/file/d/17OIFHQ3vW920sxdJJyb2bcF2dH-XZjI9/viewListen to part two.
S3Ep9| TACKLING BLACK BREAST CANCER part 1 with Marlene Ellis
Send us Fan MailDr Marlene Ellis shares her story of surviving breast cancer, why it inspired her to create Black Breast Cancer and outlines how we can advocate for our own health.A list of the references is available in the following link HERE. https://drive.google.com/file/d/17OIFHQ3vW920sxdJJyb2bcF2dH-XZjI9/view Listen to part two of her story coming soon.To listen to more content like this, vi
S3Ep8| UNDERSTANDING ADINKRA - the ancient Akan communication tool
Send us Fan MailAdinkra is the umbrella term for ideographic symbols that relate to historical events, philosophy and spiritual beliefs of the Akan people. These symbols make use of flora, fauna and shapes to depict age-old maxims and sayings.Abena explains more. Read the full article here.https://msbwrites.co.uk/2015/07/15/adinkra-more-than-just-a-pretty-face-2/MisBeee Writes delivers audio and v
S3Ep7| FILM REVIEW: 'KETEKE' by Peter Sedufia
Send us Fan MailKeteke means train in Akan and charts the escapades of heavily pregnant Atswei (played by Lydia Forson) and her husband Boi (Adjetey Anang) who are hell bent on getting to Atswei’s village to give birth. But they miss the weekly train which forces them on an adventure filled with comic and nail-biting moments.Poet Ziarly recounts their story and draws us in with his soothing tones
S3Ep6| A GHANAIAN IN MADAGASCAR - Reverend Father Ayakwah
Send us Fan MailWelcome to Connecting Communities - an AKADi Magazine series that profiles Ghanaians making transformative change in their communities.In this episode, Abena Sɛwaa features Reverend Father Frank Ayakwah as part of our Ghanaians Abroad project to find at least one Ghanaian in each of the 195 UN-designated countries in the world. Father Ayakwah is one of only two Ghanaian Catholic
S3Ep5| CREATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH UK with founder Akyaaba Addai-Sebo part 2
Send us Fan MailIn this second episode with activist and journalist Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, one of the architects behind the creation of Black History Month in the UK back in 1987, he tells us more about its development and how we can take it forward.Listen to part one here: The music in this episode is made exclusively for @akadimag by @lekyekyeku and @superopongstarz is called ‘Life No Dey Easy’. AK
S3Ep4| BECOMING A PAN-AFRICANIST with activist Akyaaba Addai-Sebo part 1
Send us Fan MailIn this episode we speak to activist and journalist Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, one of the architects behind the creation of Black History Month in the UK back in 1987. In this first segment, he talks about how the 1966 coup d’etat in Ghana, that ousted Dr Kwame Nkrumah from power, changed his life.He explains what it felt like as a young activist in Washington DC to be part of the biggest
S3Ep3| MANAGING ARTHRITIS with smart tech guru George Boateng (clip)
Send us Fan MailGeorge Jojo Boateng is a university PhD candidate and doctoral researcher in Zurich, Switzerland and the co-founder of a start-up that uses smartphone technology and artificial intelligence to teach students coding. He explains how his PhD research could improve the quality of life of people managing chronic diseases. Join our Podcast Club to access the full episode, exclusive and
S3Ep2| DIVERSIFYING GHANAIAN MUSIC – a conversation with Jembaa Groove’s co-founder Eric Owusu
Send us Fan MailEric Owusu is better known for supporting musical heavyweights such as Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas and the Kwashibu Area Band with his energised live drumming performances.But this seasoned percussionist is making a return to his childhood passion as a singer.And he’s now fronting his own band Jembaa Groove with co-founder, composer and producer Yannick Nolting.Eric talks to us about
S3Ep1| A GHANAIAN IN MADAGASCAR - Reverend Father Ayakwah (clip)
Send us Fan MailWelcome to Connecting Communities - an AKADi Magazine series that profiles Ghanaians making transformative change in their communities.In this clip, Abena Sɛwaa features Reverend Father Frank Ayakwah as part of our Ghanaians Abroad project to find at least one Ghanaian in each of the 195 UN-designated countries in the world.Father Ayakwah is one of only two Ghanaian Catholic prie
S2Ep12| ARCHIVING LIFE IN PICTURES with veteran photographer James Barnor
Send us Fan MailWelcome to Connecting Communities - an AKADi Magazine series that profiles Ghanaians making transformative change in their communities. In this episode, Abena Sɛwaa speaks to prolific photographer Frederick Seton James Barnor whose career, as a studio portraitist and photojournalist, spans over sixty years.Join our Podcast Club to listen to the second epiosde:https://ko-fi.com/akad
S2Ep11| EXPLORING GHANA'S WESTERN REGION with Nii Anang
Send us Fan MailWhen you’re in Ghana, where do you go to have a good time and learn more about the country?FindGhana Series is an AKADi Magazine platform that invites people who live or are visiting Ghana to share events and their experiences of places they’ve been to.In this episode, Nii Anang, who went to Busua, in the Western Region and visited three tourist sites there: the Bisa Abrewa Museum,
S2EP10| NAVIGATING A CAREER IN JOURNALISM PART 2 with Henry Bonsu
Send us Fan MailWelcome to Connecting Communities - an AKADi Magazine series that profiles Ghanaians making transformative change in their communities.In this episode, Abena Sɛwaa speaks to broadcaster, journalist and public speaker Henry Bonsu about being one of only a few Black people at the University of Oxford, his career in journalism and the truth behind him being axed from BBC radio and hi
S2 Ep9| NAVIGATING A CAREER IN JOURNALISM PART 1 with Henry Bonsu
Send us Fan MailWelcome to Connecting Communities - an AKADi Magazine series that profiles Ghanaians making transformative change in their communities.In this episode, Abena Sɛwaa speaks to broadcaster, journalist and public speaker Henry Bonsu about being one of only a few Black people at the University of Oxford, his career in journalism and the truth behind him being axed from BBC radio and hi
S2Ep8| GHANAIANS FLEEING UKRAINE PART 4 (a clip) - Karina speaks
Send us Fan MailWelcome to Connecting Communities - an AKADi Magazine series that profiles Ghanaians making transformative change in their communities.Over the past couple of months, Abena Sɛwaa has been speaking to Ghanaians that have been involved in the rescue effort of students in Ukraine and to students that experienced the war first-hand.In this episode, Abena Sɛwaa speaks to Karina - a firs
