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Ghanaian production goes global …Kuukua Eshun premieres ‘Born of the Earth’ in America
● Kuukua Eshun
Kuukua Eshun is a Ghanaian-American creative who splits her time between Ohio and her home Accra. Inspired by emotions and femininity, she raises awareness about social issues and mental health through her writing and film making.
As a Multi award-winning filmmaker, her strong visual storytelling ability has led to a very successful career in the last couple of years.
Her Film ‘Artist, Act of Love’ won an award at the Worldwide Women’s Films Festival for Best Visual Effect and has attracted 14 international award nominations. Her films have been screened at many Academy Award-Qualifying Film festivals around the world.
Recently, she directed a short film for the Grammy nominated album “Made In Lagos Deluxe” by the super star Wizkid, a Grammy award winning artiste, the first of its kind from the African continent.
Her documentary “Unveiling” which touches on sexual assault against women was recently commissioned by the ANO Institute of Arts & Knowledge and was first shown at the Museum Ostwall Im Dortmunder U in Germany.
Following these success stories, she is now set to premiere her new film, ‘Born of the Earth’ at Norwest Gallery in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The film had earlier been premiered recently at the DAK’ART Biennale in Dakar, Senegal.
The DAK’ART biennale is considered the biggest African contemporary art festival in the world where a few talented black artists get invited to network and showcase their work as a form of celebrating African art.
It is uncommon to see an African woman filmmaker, at a young age, succeed in both the film and art world whiles remaining inspirational and authentic but Kuukua is making it happen.
“This film, ‘Born of the Earth,’ takes us on the journey of what it means to explore freedom and acceptance.
“For so many years, black people, especially black women, have been told that we’re not enough. It is time to take our power back. Changing the narrative means understanding your true value,” she told The Spectator ahead of the premiere.
“The film is a beautiful visual representation of what it looks like to be black and proud. Black women are the blueprint. Blackness comes in so many layers. Diversity and inclusiveness are elements that will be recurrent,” she added.
The Norwest Gallery premiere scheduled for July 23 to August 23 would not be the first time Kuukua has premiered her film in Detroit. In 2019, her film “Artist, Act of Love” was screened in Detroit as part of the ‘Re:pulica’ festival.
As part of the premiere, there will be a talk show also about the film and the inspiration behind Kuukua’s works.
“The premiere will be a part of an exhibition titled; “Pray for Us” which is curated by Bre’Ann White, whose mission in life is to uplift her community and give a voice and platform to the limitless power and beauty of the black experience through photography and high-end creative direction,” The filmmaker noted.
Like most of her projects, Kuukua says her “films embody the creation of a distinctive visual language that takes direction from the flows of lyrical sources of writing.”
“This creates visual masterpieces that are bred from intimate explorations of the subject at hand – be it the person at the heart of the story, the topic of discussion or a feeling,” she explained.
Kuukua is the founder of ‘Filming as Woman’, a female led production company based in Ghana. She has worked with Roc-nation, Vic Mensa, Wizkid, Huawei, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Variety Magazine, Michaela Coel, Lifetime TV, and The Economist, among others.
As an African woman who believes in changing the narrative and letting her voice be heard, she has spoken at Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, Ghana international School and many other platforms.
Kuukua recently, collaborated with United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) Ghana to hold a healing session for young women who are survivors of sexual assault.
She is also the co-founder of an organisation that provides education to the youth of Jamestown in Accra. With the partner of the NGO she co-founded, they have given young children the possibility to go to school in Jamestown.
Kuukua is also the co-founder of another Non-governmental organistion (NGO) which is the first all-female skate crew in Ghana. As a co-founder of the Club, her goal is to create a safe space for women in sports on the continent.
Undoubtedly, this young filmmaker can be described as a powerhouse who continues to tell stories that matter through her art and work.
By Spectator Reporter
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) successfully held its sixth (6th) Exchange Programme, hosted by the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) Bank in Accra from March 22 to 23 March.
The event brought together member institutions, partner organisations and Ghanaian public entities to advance dialogue on South-South trade, investment and development finance, while also creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and institutional cooperation.
Organised as a capacity-building and networking platform, the 2026 edition of the G-NEXID Exchange focused on GEXIM’s experience in developing innovative solutions to promote intra-African and extra-African trade.
It also highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader national development initiatives.
The Exchange Programme forms part of G-NEXID’s mandate to foster cooperation among export-import banks and development finance institutions in support of South-South trade and investment.
This 6th edition follows earlier successful programmes hosted by India Exim Bank (2016), BNDES (2017), Indonesia Eximbank (2018), Afreximbank (2019) and Saudi EXIM Bank (2025).
On the first day, participants were presented with G-NEXID institutional information and received an update on the Network’s 2026 work programme.
There were a series of substantive presentations, including an overview of the Ghanaian economy by the Ministry of Finance, with particular attention to debt-related challenges; a presentation by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on investment opportunities in the country; and institutional presentations by GEXIM and Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on their respective mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Discussions during the sessions underscored strong interest in sector-focused webinars and business dialogues, particularly in agribusiness value chains such as poultry and rice.
Participants also emphasized the importance of continued information exchange and the sharing of best practices, especially in the area of guarantees.
The second day opened with a presentation on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a national economic transformation strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025.
The initiative aims to enhance economic productivity through continuous industrial activity, accelerated export development and strategic import substitution.
As the programme is expected to mobilise both private and development capital, it presents concrete opportunities for G-NEXID members in areas such as co-financing, guarantees, trade finance and technical cooperation.
The programme also featured institutional presentations by guest organisations, namely the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund (FAGACE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which shared their mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Following these exchanges, the G-NEXID Secretariat held bilateral discussions with both institutions as part of the Network’s ongoing membership drive.
Participants further benefited from a presentation by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), as well as a showcase of GEXIM’s key pipeline projects.
On the margins of the Exchange Programme, G-NEXID members also held their 20th Annual General Assembly Meeting to review progress and discuss strategic priorities.
Following the event, participants joined the GEXIM@10 International Conference, held from March 24-25, 2026 under the theme, “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The conference provided an important platform for exploring how Ghana can strengthen its transition from a primary commodity exporter to a more competitive player in value-added trade and industrial development.
Source – G-NEXID
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, signed five bills including three amendment bills passed by Parliament into law.
They are: Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025; University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Bill, 2025; Ghana Deposit Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Education Regulatory Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
In a brief remark after assenting to the bills, President Mahama explained that the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2026, scraps the Office of Minister of National Security and frees the President’s to appoint any Minister to supervise the security agencies.
He said it also reverses the name of the office of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to the original name, Bureau of National Intelligence, (BNI).
This the President said, addresses the confusion between that security agency and a well-known Ghanaian financial institution, the National Investment Bank.
President Mahama also noted that the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Act, 2026, establishes another University in the Eastern Region, at Bonsu, with three campuses – the main campus at Bonsu in the Eastern Region, with the second campus to be cited at Ohawu in the Oti Region.
The third, the Presdient assed will be located at Acherensua in the Ahafo Region.
Touching on the Amendment to the Growth and Sustainability Levy Act, the President said, “As you’re aware, the act was amended to increase it from 1% to 3%, and so this act reduces it again. That is the levy on mining companies. It reduces it again to 1%, because of the introduction of the sliding scale of royalties.”
He also spoke to the passage of the Government Education Regulatory Bodies Amendment Act, emphasising that amends Act 1023 to grant greater flexibility to private tertiary institutions and the option to Charter.
The Ghana Deposit Protection Amendment Act, the President concluded, is an amendment to an original act that was supposed to guarantee deposits held in commercial banks or financial institutions.
It basically expands protection to include mobile money wallets and other digital platforms, ensuring a wider scope of digital financial assets are secured.
The signing ceremony, was witnessed by the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akrutinga Ayine, Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, a Senior Presidential Advisor and a Special Aide to the President, Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, and the Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
