Accra / May 31, 2019, / Written by Ivy Prosper
Taifa Community School gave Kofi Kingston, the current WWE Champion, one of the most touching welcomes in Ghana. As his team drove towards the school, there were hundreds of students lined up carrying signs that said, “Welcome Kofi Kingston, New Day Rock”. They were all clapping and chanting like fans in a sports stadium. What an awesome reception. This is what the year of return is all about. Bringing people from the diaspora to connect with local communities and share their experiences, while inspiring the next generation. It’s especially important when Ghanaians who have lived abroad, like Kingston, made an effort to come back and show the youth that anything is possible when you set your mind to it.
A young student named Deborah in Class 6 carried a sign that read, ‘WWE Champion’. When asked what it meant to her to see him, she said she was “Very Happy.” She wasn’t the only one. Hundreds of school children lined up in their compound to catch a glimpse of Kingston. One by one, more students came out on the second-floor balcony of the school cheering for him.
Three young boys walked out of the building saying “Eh! Is that really Kofi Kingston?” They started to re-enact some of his moves during his matches then quickly joined the others lined up to welcome him to the school. It’s clear how much impact Kingston has had on Ghana. In a press conference on his first day in Ghana, Kingston said he was going to encourage the diaspora community to come back to Ghana and make a visit. He stressed how it was the perfect time to visit Ghana during this ‘year of return’. There is a sense of pride when anyone from the country makes a name for themselves abroad. Seeing him come back to his roots made many of them happy and feel encouraged about how far their own success can reach.
