Ghana National Journal

Toronto's vibrant Yonge-Dundas Square has a new name, and with it, a powerful new purpose. On August 23, 2025, a day chosen to coincide with the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, the city unveiled a profound transformation, renaming the iconic public space Sankofa Square. This wasn't just a simple name change; it was a deeply meaningful act that etched history and shared humanity into the very heart of the city's landscape. This change is a powerful recognition of the enduring bonds between Africa and its global diaspora, a connection that is particularly poignant for Toronto's diverse population. Why Sankofa? The name itself tells a story. Sankofa is a concept and a symbol originating from the Akan people of Ghana. It's often depicted as a bird with its head turned backwards, carrying a precious egg in its mouth. The literal translation is "return and fetch it." It serves as a powerful proverb: We must look to our...

Caution: I write like I speak in my everyday life in Ghana.  What you are about to read is a mixture of English language, Pidgin, and Ghanaian local dialect. NB:  All pictures used on my canvas are by Gideon Highlander of Highlander Studioz “Please give me one cup of Fula and nkatie wai. As for today, don’t add milk to it.” I am an avid drinker of Fura, which many Ghanaians call Fula. Abi you know Fula, right? Sharp! In case you don’t know or forget, make I brief you small. Many Ghanaian especially Akans call it Fula but the actual word is Fura, which is a Hausa word. Fura is mildly spiced gluten-free soft millet balls. It is then blended with milk and water to form this wholesome and delicious smooth drink. That one alone sef be killer, but if you want to take it to the next level, abeg waa, add some small sugar for taste, groundnut and ice cubes. Enoo dat, enooooo dat. Obaawc! It’s mostly sold as street food in my beautiful Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and...

Caution: I write like I speak in my everyday life in Ghana.  What you are about to read is a mixture of the English language, Pidgin, and Ghanaian local dialect. NB: All pictures used on my canvas are by Gideon Highlander of Highlander Studioz I sometimes listen to some people on radio and TV talk shows, and it's sad how some of them pass comments like “the youth of today don’t like work, they don’t like hard work”. Herh! This is a blatant lie. On the contrary, my colleague youth love to work, but there are no sustainable jobs out there. In my beautiful Ghana and other parts of Mama Africa, if you want to know how willing young people want to work, just interact with some of them or count the number of young people who sell on the streets. Be very careful not to think say all of them be school dropouts oo. Oh yes! Be very careful. And even if they are; similar drop outs in other parts of the world dey make am big time. Because in Ghana, it has been a common mantra th...