CHICAGO, USA — Washington Park once again became the epicenter of Ghanaian cultural pride as thousands converged for the 37th Annual GhanaFest, the largest and longest-running Ghanaian cultural festival in North America. Under the theme “Connecting Communities through Culture and Commerce,” the event displayed the full grandeur of Ghanaian heritage, regal chiefs and queens, vibrant Kente fabrics , ancestral drumming, and a diaspora community determined to preserve its identity.
Making his maiden appearance, Hon. Akwasi Opong-Fosu, Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) and former Minister of State, delivered a keynote address that blended economic strategy with a stern national warning: Ghana must confront rising ethnic polarization before it corrodes the nation’s democratic and social foundations.
“A Miniature Ghana”: Diaspora Identity on Full Display
Hon. Opong-Fosu opened with admiration for the festival’s scale and cultural fidelity.
“As I look around Washington Park today, I see far more than colourful Kente cloth, the majestic procession of chiefs, energetic cultural performances, and the unmistakable warmth of Ghanaian hospitality. I see a people who have carried their identity across continents without losing their roots.”
He described GhanaFest as a “Miniature Ghana”,a living demonstration that distance has not diluted identity. He urged diaspora families to ensure Ghanaian-American youth inherit not only cultural aesthetics but the deeper values that define Ghanaian identity. Referencing the recent raising of the Ghana flag at Chicago’s Daley Plaza, he reminded attendees that every Ghanaian abroad is a permanent ambassador of the nation’s character.
Confronting Polarization: A Warning Against Ethnic Politics
Transitioning from celebration to sober reflection, Hon. Opong-Fosu addressed what he described as a disturbing trend in Ghana’s political climate: the creeping normalization of ethnic rhetoric.
“The solidarity I see here in Chicago is precisely what we back home in Ghana desperately need. In the midst of disagreements and differing political perspectives, we are now seeing the disturbing introduction of ethnic division into our body politic.”
He insisted that Ghana’s stability depends on protecting unity in diversity, and cautioned political actors against weaponizing ethnicity for partisan gain. He distilled his message into three uncompromising principles:
- Country Over Party — No political party is greater than Ghana.
- Peace Over Victory — No electoral triumph is worth national disintegration.
- Inclusion Over Exclusion — Until everyone counts, no one truly counts.
From Brain Drain to Brain Gain: A Strategic Diaspora Mandate
Hon. Opong-Fosu reframed the migration narrative, describing the diaspora as a strategic reservoir of expertise rather than a loss.
He called on Ghanaian professionals across the United States,medical specialists, engineers, academics, scientists, innovators, and corporate leaders, to channel their knowledge and networks toward Ghana’s development through mentorship, investment, and structured collaboration.
He pledged to champion GhanaFest at the highest levels of government:
“In the near future, I am going to be a dedicated ambassador for GhanaFest. I will personally engage governmental agencies, especially the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, to ensure state institutions show active, structured interest in supporting and leveraging this platform.”
A Call for Values, Discipline, and National Character Renewal
Hon. Opong-Fosu concluded with a reminder that economic transformation is impossible without moral transformation. He urged Ghanaians everywhere to rebuild the national ethos around integrity, accountability, service, and mutual respect.
As the festival drew to a close, the 37th GhanaFest reaffirmed its dual identity: a vibrant celebration of heritage and a strategic forum for confronting the deeper questions of Ghana’s unity, governance, and long-term development.
