News
Celebrating the 129th Anniversary of the birth of Shirley Graham Du Bois, a Pan-Africanist
Born on November 11, 1896, Shirley Graham Du Bois was a pioneering African American writer, composer, historian, and civil rights activist whose voice helped shape the cultural and political landscape of the twentieth century.
In 1961, she traveled to Ghana with her husband, the legendary scholar and Pan-Africanist Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, at the invitation of President Kwame Nkrumah. While Dr. Du Bois laid the intellectual foundation of Pan-Africanism, Shirley gave it rhythm, colour, and voice.
She played a key role in introducing television to Ghana and worked closely with President Kwame Nkrumah to build a new national broadcast identity.
She later became Ghana’s first woman to direct the nation’s television service (Ghana Television), using
media to celebrate African identity and independence.
In her own right, Shirley set remarkable records. She was the first African American woman to write and produce an all-Black opera, Tom-Tom: An Epic of Music and the Negro (1932).
She was also among the first Black women to earn a master’s degree from
Oberlin College and one of the earliest to publish widely read biographies of Black heroes such as Frederick Douglass and Paul Robeson.
Her books were later included in U.S. school curricula in the 1940s.
Her final years were spent in China, where she continued to champion peace and equality until her passing in 1977.
Today, her ashes rest beside her husband’s at the W. E. B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture in Accra, a lasting symbol of their shared dream of a united and liberated Africa.
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Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, has confirmed that former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, is in prison and serving her jail term.
Speaking in an interview on Joy news, Mr. Muntaka dismissed claims that the former MASLOC boss was being held in a private location.
He said she has been in the custody of the state since she returned to Ghana.
“From the day Sedina came, she has been with us, and she’s serving her time,” he said.
The minister explained that the public is not usually told the specific prison where inmates, especially high-profile persons, are being held for security reasons.
He said even judges who sentence offenders do not necessarily know the specific prison where they are sent.
“If you want to visit her, you can write to the Prisons Service. They will talk to her, and if she is interested in you coming, she will let you come,” Mr. Muntaka stated.
According to him, disclosing the location of high-profile inmates could put their lives at risk, adding that some developed countries also keep such information confidential for security purposes.
His comments come amid public speculation over the whereabouts of Ms. Tamakloe Attionu following reports that she had returned to Ghana to begin serving her prison sentence.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Western Regional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), ACFO I Cecil Addo, has completed a familiarization tour of major corporate and industrial institutions across the Western Region to strengthen partnerships and enhance fire safety preparedness.
The tour covered key organizations including the Bank of Ghana, GOIL PLC, Ghanstock, Western Terminals, Zen Terminal, Keda Ceramics, Takoradi International Company (TICO), Volta River Authority (VRA), Harlequin Oil and Gas, and Western Serene Atlantic Hotel.
During the engagements, the Regional Commander encouraged management of the institutions to prioritize proactive fire prevention measures by incorporating strict safety protocols into their daily operations.
Discussions also focused on improving fire readiness and strengthening collaboration between GNFS and the corporate sector.
As part of the initiative, GNFS presented firefighting equipment, including Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Dry Chemical Powder (DCP) extinguishers, as well as Fire Extinguishing Balls, to support workplace safety.
The institutions expressed appreciation for the outreach and pledged to support regular safety audits, joint emergency drills, and potential Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships with the Service.
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