American filmmaker Spike Lee, also known as Shelton Jackson, has arrived in Ghana ahead of US Vice President Kamala Harris’ three-day visit to the West African country. Lee is reportedly part of the Vice President’s creative arts team, and his arrival in Ghana has caused excitement among Ghanaians, especially those in the creative arts industry.
Lee arrived in Ghana on Sunday, March 26, and was received by the Beyond The Return team and the CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kwesi Agyeman, at the Kotoka International Airport. The Beyond The Return team shared a video of the actor being welcomed by some traditional dancers and surrounded by fans.
Annabelle Renee, Director of the Beyond The Return secretariat, who was also at the airport, said, “The last time we met, I told him I was about to move to Ghana. That was in 2018. Now he’s here in Ghana, and I got to welcome him at the airport. This really is amazing, and I continue to be happy that more African Americans are making the trip to connect with Ghana.”
Spike Lee is a renowned filmmaker and actor whose work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary life, urban crime and poverty, and other political issues. Some of his films include Malcolm X, Da 5 Bloods, BlacKkKlansman, Inside Man, and many others.
His arrival in Ghana has been hailed by Ghanaians as a boost to the country’s creative arts industry, which has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country’s creative arts industry is one of the sectors that the government is looking to revive to help boost the country’s economy.
Ghana’s tourism industry has also been hit hard by the pandemic, and the government’s Beyond The Return initiative aims to bring back African-Americans to reconnect with their roots and promote tourism in the country. The initiative was launched in 2019 and is a follow-up to the successful Year of Return campaign in 2019, which marked the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in America.
Lee’s visit to Ghana is expected to further promote the Beyond The Return initiative and attract more African-Americans to visit Ghana. His visit also coincides with Vice President Kamala Harris’ three-day visit to Ghana, which aims to strengthen the US’ ties with the West African country and advance cooperation in areas such as health, democracy, and security.
In conclusion, Spike Lee’s arrival in Ghana is a significant boost to the country’s creative arts industry and tourism sector. His visit is expected to further promote the Beyond The Return initiative and attract more African-Americans to visit Ghana. It is also a sign of the growing interest in Africa among African-Americans and the diaspora, who are keen to reconnect with their roots and explore the continent’s diverse cultures and heritage.
