A renewed push to reposition the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture as a world-class heritage destination is gaining momentum following a strategic breakfast meeting hosted by the Du Bois Museum Foundation in Accra’s Cantonments.
The high-level engagement brought together stakeholders from statutory agencies, tourism bodies and creative institutions to deliberate on the redevelopment of the historic site. Participants explored how their respective institutions could contribute to the facelift of the Centre, with discussions focused on funding, infrastructure, programming and long-term sustainability.
The redevelopment project seeks to transform the Centre from a primarily commemorative space into a vibrant cultural and educational hub that attracts scholars, tourists and members of the African diaspora.
Executive Director of the Centre, Japhet Aryiku, presented updates on the redevelopment plans. These include restoration of the historic bungalow where renowned scholar and Pan-Africanist W. E. B. Du Bois spent his final years, expansion of exhibition galleries, modernization of archival and research facilities, and the creation of immersive interpretative spaces to better tell the story of Du Bois and his Pan-African legacy.
According to Aryiku, the vision is to create a dynamic institution that not only preserves history but also fosters dialogue, research and continental collaboration.
Representatives from participating institutions outlined how their mandates could support the project from marketing and tourism promotion to infrastructure upgrades, cultural heritage preservation and community engagement initiatives.
In an interview, President of the Ghana Tourism Federation, Mr. Seth Yeboah Ocran, expressed strong enthusiasm for the redevelopment, affirming the private sector’s readiness to back the initiative.
“When completed, this project will transform, educate, inform and promote tourism in Ghana,” he said. “From a private sector perspective, we have the numbers. The Ghana Tourism Federation is made up of 25 trade associations, including hotels, car rentals and forex bureaus with a workforce of over 700,000 people. Imagine if each person contributes just GH¢2 to this project; it would be significant and would show that we are part of what is happening.”
Mr. Ocran further highlighted Ghana’s unique historical positioning within the Pan-African movement, noting that the mortal remains of Du Bois rest in Ghana alongside key figures such as George Padmore and Kwame Nkrumah.
“These are the people who initiated the Pan-African movement. If you have Du Bois, George Padmore and Nkrumah here, Ghana should become the Pan-Africanism Centre of the world,” he stated. “Indirectly, this promotes our businesses because when people visit Ghana, they stay in hotels, rent cars and dine in our restaurants. So, from the Federation’s perspective, we are very happy to be associated with what is happening.”
Writer: Frederick Nortey
