Day 3 - Inauguration Day: We Know a Guy

Today started at 5:30 am (when the roosters were up) to get ready for one of the most important days of the year for the citizens of Ghana: Inauguration Day. On our way to the event, we stopped at the president elect's house to secure our entrance to the celebration. Upon arrival at Black Star Square, we were submersed into an enormous crowd of people. There were vendors, dancers, drummers and Ghanaian flags everywhere. We were specially invited to attend this inauguration by Dr. Kwabena, our Ghanaian program director. His mother, Dr. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, is the Vice President-elect and the first female Vice President of Ghana. 
Picture of The Black Star Square

It took an hour to push our way through the crowds and find the entrance to the VIP seating. Due to the size of our group, it was easy to lose each other in the masses. Unfortunately, this happened right outside the entrance to the VIP seating, leading to an unfriendly confrontation with a large number of Ghanaian military (who happened to have AKs and other firearms). They sternly told Joe and Henry they would be detained if they failed to provide proof of invitation. As I (Nadia) was highly concerned about the situation, I was thankful that Joe provided comfort in the stressful moment by telling me to "CALM DOWN," (he used this phrase on many other Fellows throughout the event). Convoys flew by us and nearly ran us over as we waited for a miracle. To our great relief, Henry spotted Dr. Kwabena as he showed up just in time to inform the military that we were his guests. We were then let through the wall of security and onto the floor seating, where we found ourselves amongst very important people - Ghanaian kings, queens and foreign diplomats, ambassadors and our new Ghanaian friend, Frank (who will be apart of Cohort 7). At the start of the ceremony, many of us were literally inches away from important members of the Asante tribe, dressed in beautiful cultural attire. 

Us sitting in the VIP Section at the Inauguration 

The ceremony lasted about 3 hours and consisted of the introduction of Ghanaian government members, loud music and drums, and traditional tribe presentations. The Black Star Square held 40,000 people and thousands of additional people outside the square. People in the stands camped the night before to ensure their seats for this day. Throughout the ceremony, it was common to hear people shout things such as "Peace and Freedom!" and "Reset Ghana!". From our past interactions and experiences, it was clear that the general population had very positive sentiments about the change of leadership, leading to a feeling of hope and joy. Once the Vice President and President were sworn in, people threw their arms up in victory. There were fireworks, cheers of celebration, and Ghanaian flags waving in the wind. 
President Elect John Mahama

Leaving the ceremony was by far the most chaotic part of the day. We decided to leave the inauguration early in a failed attempt to beat the crowd. Needless to say, the crowd was still incredibly dense inside Black Star Square. We certainly stood out, leading to many Ghanaians wanting to take a picture of us or with us, as well as people pointing and shouting in our direction. We had to link arms to make it to the bus without losing anyone, although we did almost get run over by a few cars (with dignitaries and ambassadors) and had some instances of theft in the process. Although it was hectic, the police were very helpful in escorting us in and out of the event. We were greeted with air conditioning and snacks when we finally made it to the van at 12:00. 


Group photo with some Ghanaians 

We had to make an impromptu stop at the Embassy of the United States... (no pictures were taken).

Our next event of the day (despite having enough action to entertain us for a week) was a lunch party at SIT. We were greeted at the building with a DJ, traditional Ghanaian food, and very fancy tables outside. Here we were able to celebrate the inauguration with some people that represent the elected party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC). This was a time of joy as we shared our experiences, played games, and connected with each other. It was nice to be in the AC!
Group photo at SIT building

To wrap up the night, we had dinner at the SIT house and reflected on our day. Now, time for a good nights rest! We are looking forward to the rest of the trip! Also check out our unofficial GHR TikTok account! @unofficalghr

- Nadia and Hannah 

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