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Trailblazer: The woman who found purpose in her roots
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“We are always told what it is that we can’t do, but we must not allow the limitations placed on us to define who we are as women”- Mrs Lynn Osei-Bonsu
For many children raised in diplomatic homes, the world becomes a familiar territory where they easily get accustomed to. Countries change, schools change, friends change and home itself becomes fluid like a traversing stream.
However, for Mrs Lynn Osei Bonsu, one of Ghana’s foremost female communications strategist and philanthropist, life’s most defining lesson would come not from the polished streets of New York, where she spent part of her childhood, but from the quiet town of Jirapa in the Upper West Region.
Today, she leads uNuru Communications Group, a strategic communications firm delivering not just for its clients, but also helping in shaping the brand Ghana.
She also heads Trailblazers, a non-profit organisation committed to supporting women and children.
Yet behind the polished corporate image is a deeply human story of identity, sacrifice, resilience and purpose.
A childhood between worlds
Born to Mr Hilary K. Ziniel, a diplomat father and Mrs Rose Ziniel a teacher mother, from Goziir in the Nandom District of the Upper West Region, she spent much of her early life outside Ghana due to her father’s regular postings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“My first memories are not growing up in Ghana,” she told The Spectator with utmost fondness.
But while her childhood stretched across countries and cultures, her father remained determined that his children would never lose sight of where they came from, as result when the family returned to Ghana after his postings in New York, he made a decision about Lynn’s education that initially devastated her.
Instead of enrolling her in one of the prestigious schools in Accra, he sent her to St. Francis Girls’ Senior High School in Jirapa. “He said I needed to know where I came from,” she recalls.
Harsh transition
Moving from New York to Ghana and immediately being dispatched to Jirapa for her secondary education came with what she describes as a “huge culture shock.”
There was limited electricity, no running water and a pace of life completely different from anything she had known. “At the time, I thought he was punishing me,” she says with a laugh.
Years later, however, that painful transition would become one of the greatest gifts of her life. “If my father were alive today, I would thank him every single day for that decision,” she says quietly.
The experience, she explains, grounded her. It taught her humility, resilience and gratitude. More importantly, it gave her a deeper appreciation of sacrifice.
“It gave me a different outlook on life and a greater appreciation for my parents and everything they did for us.”
After secondary school and sixth form education, she gained admission to Carleton University in Canada. At the time, studying abroad was considered a major achievement for many Ghanaian families, especially for children from internationally exposed homes. But once again, her father encouraged her to think beyond prestige.
“He told me that if I wanted to live and work in Ghana, then I needed to build my network here,” she says.
Shelving dream of becoming a diplomat
After her first degree, she dreamed of joining Ghana’s Foreign Service and had even written the Public Services Commission examination. Then, unexpectedly, her path changed.
While awaiting for the results from the Public Services Commission, she came across an advertisement in the Daily Graphic announcing admissions into the School of Communication Studies. “It just jumped at me,” she recalls.
She applied and was admitted into the postgraduate communication programme — a decision that would eventually shape the rest of her career. Around the same time, she also came to an important personal realisation.
“Being a foreign service child meant moving every four years,” she says. “I realised I actually wanted stability. I wanted roots.” It was a powerful discovery for someone who had spent most of her life constantly moving.
Building a career, rebuilding self
Her professional journey began in 1999 at Japan Motors where she worked as a Public Relations Officer. Four years later, she moved to Societe Generale Bank following the bank’s acquisition of SSB Bank.
Again, after four years, she joined GTBank Ghanaghana.gtbank.com as Head of Corporate Affairs. Looking back, she now finds humour in the pattern. “It was much later that I realised it reflected how often we moved during my father’s diplomatic postings,” she explains.
Eventually, motherhood changed her priorities and she decided to leave corporate life behind to focus more on family and pursue entrepreneurship.
The decision initially frightened her. Walking away from the security of a monthly salary into the uncertainty of business was not easy. But with savings, planning and the support of her husband, she took the leap.
“He has been very supportive emotionally, financially and professionally,” she says.
In 2010, she established her own communications and advertising agency. The early years tested her patience and resilience. “It wasn’t easy because nobody really knew us at the beginning,” she says.
Her first breakthrough came when Koala Super Market gave her company an opportunity. From there, the business gradually expanded through referrals, relationships and consistency. Over the years, the company weathered economic downturns and survived the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve had ups and downs, but by God’s grace, we are still standing,” she says.
Trailblazer is birthed
Even while building her business, one thing remained constant; her desire to help others. Mrs Osei-Bonsu traces that instinct directly to her father. “My father was very big on education and helping females in particular,” she says.
For years, she quietly supported people through payment of school fees and personal assistance. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, after volunteering with several organisations, she felt compelled to formalise her efforts.
This decision she explained led to the birth of Trailblazers in 2020. The organisation focuses on supporting women and children through education, skills development and empowerment initiatives. It has worked with schools, orphanages and vulnerable women, while also supporting organisations such as Street Girls Aid.
For her, philanthropy is not charity. It is responsibility even though she admits the work comes with challenges. “One of the biggest difficulties is funding,” she explains. “Many organisations are all trying to access limited resources.”
Yet despite the obstacles, she remains deeply committed to the mission and this is because for her, success was not measured only by titles or professional accomplishments, but by impact.
Coming full circle
Today, she looks back on her journey with gratitude.
The young girl who once arrived in Jirapa angry, uncomfortable and homesick now understands that those difficult years shaped the woman she would become.
Her story is ultimately one of rediscovery — a journey back to identity, purpose and service. “I now understand why my father insisted so much on where we came from,” she says.
And perhaps that is the most powerful lesson of all: sometimes the roots we resist the most are the very ones that anchor our lives.
By Cliff Ekuful
For nearly a year, one of the most revered stools in the Asante Kingdom remained vacant, leaving a quiet but unmistakable sense of expectation hanging over the Manhyia Palace.
Every sitting of Asanteman Council, every major traditional ceremony, and every conversation within royal circles carried the same lingering question: Who would become the next Asantehemaa?
Last Monday, that long wait finally gave way to certainty and historic celebration.
In a development warmly received across the length and breadth of the Asante Kingdom, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, formally accepted the nomination and welcomed the newly enstooled Asantehemaa in a grand ceremony steeped in age-old tradition at the Manhyia Palace.
Born Margaret Serebour, the 79-year-old retired educationist has ascended the revered Kusiamoah Stool. She has been enstooled under the stool name Nana Yaa Akyaa II, officially becoming the 15th Asantehemaa in the rich history of the Asante Kingdom.
The historic enstoolment marks the end of months of quiet consultations and meticulous traditional processes following the passing of Nana Ama Konadu Yiadom III in August 2025.
Since her demise, the prestigious office of Asantehemaa—one of the highest traditional institutions in Ghana—had remained vacant, with Asanteman patiently awaiting the customary selection of a worthy successor.
Nana Yaa Akyaa II brings an impeccable and deeply historic royal pedigree to the stool.
She is a direct granddaughter of Otumfuo Agyeman Prempeh I, the legendary Asante monarch who, alongside Nana Yaa Asantewaa, was exiled to the Seychelles islands by the British after the Anglo-Asante War.
Furthermore, she is a niece of Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II and a biological sister of the late Nana Akwasi Agyemang, the prominent, long-serving former Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
A devout Christian, the new Queen mother is also a well-known, dedicated worshipper at the Anglican Church in AshTown, Kumasi.
Palace sources describe Nana Yaa Akyaa II as a woman widely admired within the Royal family for her humility, patience, calm disposition, and unique ability to unite people.
These qualities are regarded as essential for the occupant of an office that seamlessly blends moral authority, cultural stewardship, and traditional leadership.
An opinion leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that Manhyia is once again witnessing a moment of profound historical and cultural significance—one that closes a chapter of waiting and opens a vibrant new page in the centuries-old story of the Asante Kingdom.
Within the constitutional and cultural framework of the Asante Kingdom, the Asantehemaa occupies a position second only to the Asantehene.
She serves as the ultimate custodian of the royal matrilineal lineage and bears the singular responsibility of nominating a successor to the Golden Stool whenever the throne becomes vacant.
Beyond her critical role in succession, she operates as a trusted co-ruler and adviser to the Asantehene, acts as the ultimate leader of women in Asanteman, and serves as a vital arbiter in family and customary disputes.
With her formal customary rites completed on Thursday, July 9, and her acceptance by the Asantehene finalised, Nana Yaa Akyaa II begins her historic reign, anchoring the ancient traditions of Asanteman into a modern era.
The development also paves the way for the preparation of the final funeral rites of the late Nana Yaa Konadu Yiadom III, as ‘Dote Yie’ had already been observed.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The Member of Parliament for Damongo and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has called for stronger environmental legislation to enable African countries to fully benefit from nature-based solutions while building climate resilience, creating jobs and promoting sustainable economic growth.
He said although several African countries, including Ghana, had made significant progress in developing policies to protect the environment and promote carbon markets, stronger legal backing was needed to ensure their long-term implementation and attract greater investment.
Mr. Jinapor made the call during a panel discussion at a public lecture organised by the Research and Innovation Directorate (RID) of the University of Ghana and the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action (AC4NCA) to commemorate the 2026 Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa (DSRA) at the Cedi Conference Centre of the university on Tuesday.
Speaking on the theme, “Africa at a Crossroads: Can Nature-Based Solutions Deliver Climate Resilience, Jobs, Equity and Justice?”, Mr. Jinapor stressed that research should not remain in academic journals but must influence public policy and national development.
He said research should also be linked to business and financing so that scientific discoveries could be transformed into practical solutions that improved livelihoods and generated economic value.
According to him, governments across Africa must demonstrate political commitment by establishing policies and regulatory systems that would enable their countries to benefit from the growing global market for nature-based solutions.
Mr. Jinapor said Ghana had already taken important steps by developing a national framework for carbon trading, creating opportunities for communities to benefit financially from environmental conservation.
He disclosed that the country had successfully distributed about five million dollars through a benefit-sharing arrangement under its carbon market programme to support local communities and researchers.
The former Lands and Natural Resources Minister also highlighted Ghana’s achievements in responsible forest management, noting that the country was among the first in the world, alongside Indonesia, to issue Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licences for legally sourced timber exported to international markets.
He said successive governments had continued to strengthen environmental policies and expand certified forest resources to meet international standards.
Contributing to the discussion, the Regional Director for West and Central Africa of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Mr. Balla Moussa Sidibé, said Africa’s future depended on protecting and restoring nature rather than exploiting it for short-term economic gains.
He described climate change as one of the continent’s biggest development challenges, affecting agriculture, food security, water resources, livelihoods and economic growth.
According to him, forests, wetlands, mangroves and healthy soils were strategic natural assets capable of reducing climate risks, improving food security and creating sustainable jobs if properly managed.
Mr. Sidibé cited the Congo Basin as one of the world’s most important ecosystems because of its role in storing carbon, conserving biodiversity and regulating rainfall, saying its protection was critical not only for Africa but for the global climate.
He called for increased investment in ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, ecotourism and other green sectors to create employment opportunities, particularly for young people.
Other panelists called for stronger collaboration among universities, governments and research institutions across Africa, arguing that countries facing similar environmental challenges should share knowledge and expertise instead of working in isolation.
They also stressed the need for trust, transparency and fairness in research partnerships to ensure the benefits of collaboration were shared equitably.
Touching on Monday’s floods in parts of Accra, the panelists said years of wetland destruction and poor land-use planning had significantly worsened flooding in the capital.
They explained that wetlands such as the Densu Delta and Sakumo Ramsar sites naturally absorb floodwaters and protect biodiversity but had come under increasing pressure from encroachment and degradation.
The Director of the Research and Innovation Directorate of the University of Ghana, Professor David Dodoo-Arhin, said the Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa had become an important platform for promoting research, innovation and partnerships that addressed Africa’s development challenges.
He urged government, industry and academia to deepen collaboration to ensure research produced practical solutions that improved livelihoods and supported sustainable development.
He urged African governments to invest more in nature-based solutions, strengthen environmental laws and translate research into practical policies capable of building climate-resilient, inclusive and sustainable economies for future generations.
By: Jacob Aggrey
