Ghanian Govt. signs agreement with Du Bois Foundation to build world-class museum

President Nana Akufo-Addo

The Ghanaian Government on Tuesday signed agreement with W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation to build a World-Class W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Complex in Accra.

Mr Daniel Rose, Chairman of the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation who made this known in a statement, said President Nana Akufo-Addo attended the signing ceremony in New York.

Dr Du Bois, was an American civil rights activist and confidant of Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah, became a citizen of Ghana and resided in the country until his death in 1963.

While living in Ghana, Du Bois envisioned building a unified ancestral home for Africans in the diaspora around the world.

He said the partnership arrangement would grant authority for the W.E.B Du Bois Museum Foundation to construct a multi-million dollar museum complex to preserve Dr Du Bois’ legacy over a 50-year period.

According to him, the complex will be designed by Sir David Adjaye, renowned Ghanaian architect and designer of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

“The Foundation’s goal is to realise the Du Bois Museum’s full potential as an international treasure and historic memorial honouring one of the leading and most revered black voices in world history.

“The ambitious project features a museum, library and reading room, event hall, outdoor auditorium and amphitheater, lecture space, guest house for visiting scholars and the refurbished bungalow where Dr Du Bois lived and worked until his death.

“The complex also includes a Memorial Pavilion, housing the remains of Dr Du Bois and the cremated ashes of his wife” he said.

Rose quoted Akufo-Addo as saying Ghana was committed to the plan to construct a state-of-the-art museum complex honouring the legacy of world-renown black intellectual and civil rights pioneer Dr W.E.B Du Bois as an important symbolic monument.

“The museum will provide in Ghana, yet another important monument to the collective struggle of the African peoples to get their rightful place in this world” Akufo-Addo.

He disclosed that the agreement was signed by Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance of Ghana, and Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture for Ghanaian government.

According to him, Japhet Aryiku, Executive Director of the foundation in the U.S., and Humphrey Ayim-Darke, Board Member of the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation, Ghana signed for the foundation. (NAN)

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