Culture

University of Ghana hosts exhibition on slavery at Elmina Castle

Published

3 months ago

July 5, 2024

The Institute of African Studies of the University of Ghana, in conjunction with the Zeeuws Archief in Netherlands, has opened an exhibition on slavery at the historical Elmina Castle aimed at “inspiring a fair world for all.”

With a major theme of “Resistance and Resilience: Narratives from Northern Ghana and Zeeuws Archief,” the exhibition which will last till October, has two sub-themes entitled “Slavery resistance narratives in Northern Ghana; Every human being is a human being,” and “Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: The unity and freedom’s narratives from the Zeeland archives”.

The exhibition, which is organised with support from the Netherlands Embassy and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB), according to the Director of the Institute of African Studies, Prof. Samuel Aniegye Ntewusu, will “combine text, audio-visual and physical objects to vividly tell the story of slavery and the struggle for freedom.”

“This exhibition exemplifies the shared commitment to preserving and honouring historical narratives that shape society’s understanding of the past,” Prof. Ntewusu said in a statement while declaring the epoch event open.

“It also tells the narratives of the people Sankana, Sandema, Salaga, Gwollu, Nalerigu and Pikworo communities and the impact of the slave trade on these communities

“The exhibition, which would run till October, is expected to help patrons reflect on the stories and renew their commitment to honouring the resilience and resistance of those who endured the adversities of the slave trade.

“It is also anticipated to inspire all to strive towards a future of justice, equality and respect for all.”

Prof. Ntewusu also noted that the subject of slavery remains a global discourse making the exhibition of local, national and international relevance.

“While the story of the inhumane treatment suffered by communities in Northern Ghana had been untold until now, research had challenged the widely held narrative about the enslaved as docile and passive victims.”

Also speaking on the exhibition, the Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, Jeroen Verheul, said it connected two sides of the same coin and looked at the impact on both Ghana and the Netherlands looking at the resistance and resilience of the slavery history which was usually undocumented and forgotten.

He expressed the hope that the exhibition would ensure the current and future generations resisted all forms of slavery.

Related Topics:Exhibition Featured Ghana Slave Trade

Click to comment

Culture

Rwandan YouTuber Rashid Hakuzimana sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for criticizing govt

Published

22 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A high court in Rwanda has sentenced a YouTuber, Rashid Hakuzimana, who known for his critical commentary on the government, to seven years in prison after he was found guilty of breaching laws on genocide denial, inciting ethnic division, and spreading false information.

The judge who sentenced Hakuzimana— who also describes himself as a politician— said his remarks on YouTube, such as those suggesting that genocide orphans were not as well cared for as the children of senior government officials, amounted to fuelling division.

Hakuzimana was arrested in 2021, with his trial bringing significant media attention, while reflecting ongoing tensions surrounding governance in Rwanda.

His commentary often touched on sensitive subjects, including the treatment of genocide orphans compared to the children of senior government officials.

He was accused, among other things, of denying the Rwandan genocide, during which approximately 800,000 people, primarily Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus, were killed by Hutu extremists.

The case not only highlighted the Rwandan government’s stringent stance on dissent but also raised broader questions about freedom of speech, accountability, and the historical memory of the 1994 genocide.

Rwandan law criminalizes any attempts to deny, downplay, or justify the tragic historical event, while the charges against Hakuzimana also included claims of inciting ethnic division and spreading false information, notably for asserting that anyone who challenges President Paul Kagame in elections is subsequently jailed.

During the trial, Hakuzimana who represented himself, denied the allegations, asserting that his arrest stemmed from his critical views of the government expressed through his popular YouTube channel, Rashid TV.

Culture

MultiChoice targets illegal streamers in crackdown against piracy

Published

2 days ago

October 9, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Satellite television services provider, MultiChoice, says it is now targeting illegal streamers in its renewed crackdown against piracy.

Frikkie Jonker, the Anti-Piracy Director for Broadcast and Cybersecurity at MultiChoice-owned Irdeto, in a statement on Tuesday, says the company now uses tools to analyse illegal streams and identify the individuals responsible for streaming pirated DStv content.

Jonker stated that authorities knew who the end-users of these pirate streaming services were and warned that MultiChoice would consider legal action against them once criminal proceedings against such operators had been finalised.

“We are going after the whole ecosystem,” Jonker said in response to a question asking who MultiChoice is targeting.

“The company has carried out several raids in recent months, resulting in the arrest of several suspects allegedly involved in pirate streaming operations.

“Suspects include individuals allegedly distributing pirate streaming devices and login credentials for illegal streaming services like Waka TV.

“We have identification tools that we can use to analyse a stream of a pirate operation. By analysing it, we can say that the stream is using account number ‘123’, and then we take that account down,” Jonker said.

Jonker emphasised the importance of the crackdown, stating that the impact of pirate streaming services on platforms such as DStv Stream and Netflix is difficult to quantify due to their size.