Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has awarded diplomatic passports to five prominent Ghanaians whose global influence has significantly promoted the nation’s image abroad.
The honour was conferred during the media launch of the Diaspora Summit 2025 on Wednesday, September 17, in Accra.
The recipients—travel vlogger Wode Maya, reggae musician Rocky Dawuni, broadcaster Anita Erskine, visual artist Ibrahim Mahama, and entrepreneur Dentaa Amoateng MBE—were recognised for their outstanding contributions to advancing Ghana and Africa on the international stage.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this initiative forms part of a broader strategy to integrate cultural ambassadors into Ghana’s diplomatic efforts. By leveraging their reach across media, art, music, and diaspora networks, the government seeks to enhance cultural exchange, promote tourism, attract trade, and strengthen international partnerships.
Profiles of Honourees
- Wode Maya (Berthold Kobby Winkler Ackon): A trained aeronautical engineer turned travel vlogger, he is one of Africa’s most followed digital storytellers. His videos showcase Africa’s development, entrepreneurship, and culture, inspiring millions worldwide.
- Rocky Dawuni: A three-time Grammy-nominated reggae artist whose music fuses African, Caribbean, and American influences. Beyond music, he is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment in Africa and an advocate for sustainability.
- Anita Erskine: A highly respected broadcaster and media entrepreneur, she is celebrated for her work in youth development, women’s empowerment, and pan-African storytelling. Her multilingual communication skills amplify her global reach.
- Ibrahim Mahama: One of Ghana’s most influential contemporary artists, known for installations using discarded materials to explore themes of labour, history, and identity. His work has been showcased globally, and he continues to invest in Ghana’s creative infrastructure.
- Dentaa Amoateng MBE: Founder of the GUBA Awards and a key figure in diaspora engagement. She champions trade relations between Ghana and the UK and leads initiatives connecting the African diaspora with development efforts on the continent.
Speaking at the event, Minister Ablakwa said the government’s choice of honourees was deliberate:
“These individuals embody the values of Ghana and Africa. Their influence across digital media, music, art, broadcasting, and diaspora engagement makes them ideal cultural ambassadors.”
By equipping them with diplomatic passports, the government aims to facilitate their representation of Ghana on the global stage, enabling them to foster people-to-people diplomacy, build networks, and open up fresh opportunities in tourism, trade, and cultural partnerships.
The move has been widely praised as a forward-looking approach to cultural diplomacy, recognising the soft power of creative and diaspora leaders in shaping how Ghana is perceived internationally.
