The Ghanian stretch of the Relay began at Jubilee House and toured the capital city of Accra before ending at Elwak Stadium. That afternoon, the Baton’s visited the Valco Roundabout in Tema then travelled through Harbour Road to close the day at Tema Fishing Harbour, one of Ghana’s two fishing harbours.
Over 100 Batonbearers were selected to represent Ghana, including local heroes, athletes and musicians. Among the athlete Batonbearers were professional footballers Asamoah Gyan and Patrick Twumasi, boxers Samuel Takyi and Jessie Lartey, sprinter Grace Obour, and swimmer Abeiku Jackson. Musicians Stonebwoy and Kofi Kinaata also took part in the Relay.
The following day, the Baton moved north to visit the King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Asantehene, at Manyhyia Palace. The tour continued with a visit to Rattray Park and the town of Bonwire, which is home to Kente cloth – a popular cloth in Africa. According to legend, in the 17th Century, two brothers from the village of Bonwire created the cloth by taking inspiration from how the spider, Ananse, wove its web.
The Baton’s Ghanian journey ended in Ntonso, a town where the Adinkra cloth originates from. This cloth was traditionally worn by royalty or spiritual leaders, typically only for funerals but now it is worn more commonly. The cloth features Adinkra symbols, which each have an individual meaning, such as representing wisdom. Ntonso is currently the only place in Ghana that still traditionally makes Adinkra cloth from scratch and remains the largest producer of it.
The Queen’s Baton Relay’s next stop is Cameroon on 29 October. To stay up to date with the Queen’s Baton Relay and everything else Birmingham 2022 related, follow @birminghamcg22 across social media.
