Needing a break from the hustle and bustle of Accra I travelled to Elmina in the Central Region of Ghana, which only took aprox 3 hours by road. Mainly to celebrate a friends birthday, to roam and relax. 

 In the meantime, I took up the opportunity to visit a few towns, forts and monuments.

Fort William 
The ruins of Fort Anomabo (aka Annamaboe Fort) was renamed Fort William in a town called Anomabu, Cape Coast, Ghana. The fort was constructed by the British in 1753-63 and used as a trading fort and the centre of British slave trade until 1807. Although stocked with canons the fort was attacked by the French in 1794 and besieged by the Ashantes in June 1806
It has been noted that between 1702 to 1708 at least 30,100 enslaved Africans were transported from Anamabu to Barbados and Jamaica. Other ships sailed to Nevis, Montserrat.

Fort Amsterdam
Fort Kormantin, Abandze, in Central Region, Ghana 1638, was the British trading fort and HQ of the British gold coast activities. The fort was captured by the Dutch in 1665 and renamed Fort Amsterdam. It was attacked and destroyed in 1811 by Anomabo locals.

Derived names – Coromantee, Coromantins, Coromanti and various other, as the English name for enslaved people from Gold Coast.
It has been noted that Cormantin was a synonymous term used in the Caribbean island for hard to subdue enslaved people, especially those originating from the Akan ethnicity. 

Memory Garden
Nana Amonoo Kantamanto IV was the Chief of Anomabu between 1860 – 1879.
He is one of 3 portrait statues situated in Memory Garden of Return (previously named Heroes Garden), that have been honoured for their significant role they played in Ghana political history. The other 2 statues are Kwegyir Aggrey and Ekem Ferguson. Nana Amonoo Kantamanto IV was one of the 8 signatories to the bond of 1844, between the Fante chiefs and British. Main purpose to stop protect the rights of individuals, property and inhumane practices such as human sacrifice, panyarring (seizing or kidnapping persons until debt paid). 

Monument of Return
The Monument of Return is brass statues, each individually dressed to represent the Diaspora on all sides of the Atlantic returning to the motherland or Ghana. Commissioned in December 2019 in commemoration of the Year of Return and added to the Memorial Garden of Return in, Anomabo. Sculptured by Emmanuel Tabi-Agyei, Sylvester Lumor, Christopher Ncho. Assisted by Mathew Donkor.

Emancipation Day (1st August) has been celebrated in Ghana since 1998 – the first African nation to pave the way as a homeland for the Diaspora. It’s been a privilege to meet so many brothers and sisters who have moved to or visited Ghana to follow their African journey. 

bless Sister E (Naa Dzamah)