The Year of Return - Straight Talk Africa

In this episode of Straight Talk Africa, guest host Peter Clottey examines Ghana's Year of Return. Launched in 2018, the marketing campaign encourages Ghanaians living abroad, whose ancestors were victims of the brutal slave trade, to return to Ghana. His guests are H.E. Barfour Adjei Barwuah, Ghana's Ambassador to United States of America and Reverend Dennis Dillon, Co-Convener of the Door of Our Return Foundation, Lead Pastor of the Rise Church New York and Publisher, New York Christian Times.
#YearoftheReturn #Ghana #StraighTalkAfrica

[@MinRic]

I've been working on building a financial group from my community here in America that will invest in trade with Africa. Ghana initially! And will buy and build on the continent of Africa. We specialize in concrete and infrastructure. We can assist our brothers and sisters throughout Africa building bridges and sewer systems that allows the building of cities.

[@markeselotto8301]

Do you have a IG page and what city are you in ?

[@MinRic]

@@markeselotto8301 I'm in Mississippi. A small town called Como.

[@MinRic]

@@markeselotto8301 I only have a facebook and Twitter page. My Twitter address is minister_rick

[@bismarkadu8799]

Beautiful , you will be needed much more than you think .

[@oscaraddae9045]

I'm ever ready to welcome you in to Ghana my brother! [e-mail]

[@mikega1252]

Extremely stimulating conversation. I love it Africa is our home.

[@juttaloss8334]

Ghana ...Ghana ...Ghana ...Ghana ...Ghana ...Ghana ...Ghana ...Ghana ...Ghana ......GATEWAY TO AFRIKA....

[@destinyschild.9103]

When Africans in diaspora start moving to the motherland. The Caucasians will begin to respect them and talk to them differently.

[@foreverforever6325]

Really they will...

[@jl2284123]

Yep let me get my degree in web design and development ill move to africa

[@jacobzuma6579]

You are absolutely 100% wrong... Real Americans will not miss you at ALL.. . Not one bit... They will celebrate your leaving Get over yourself.

[@jacobzuma6579]

@Shazza X You are laughable and idiotic... Real beautiful skin Americans will celebrate you people leaving. Kindly ALL of you people leave at the same time on the same day and the beautiful skinned Americans will make it a national holiday.

[@jl2284123]

It doesnt matter because the earth belong to know everyone is alien resident when its time for the creator to render judgement he will start rooting people out the earth into gehenna like on noahs day end of racism is near in the new system racism wont even exist because gods kingdom is going to rule over earth and the government on earth will soon be crushed out of existence

[@yvonneasare418]

They portrayed negative media images to scare African decent but they come for business deals and make home in Africa. This to monopolise and avoid competition .

[@harrietamanfu7980]

We don't only need your money we need you as human beings come the home lessness to end prison is full of our YOUNG able wel come back home to land waiting for you a land of peace joy when you wakes up my ambassador it's left to accommodation help them fight the armed robbers or protect us the night

[@thebridge5483]

Thank you! Some people need to hear that, as for me either way I would come no matter what.

[@rozyandy7027]

Black pepole Afrika Family Wake up up up👍👍👍👍👍

[@jovialbaffour438]

Welcome home my bloods

[@beatriceowusuachaw6210]

I thank you for bringing this to my attention

[@taungbrake8542]

Pls come back home😂 We need you to return ❤❤❤

[@susanblood7397]

Let none of you be decieved except those who seek to decieve. Good and bad people come from all lands and in all colors.

[@aborigineone2377]

To all blacks around the world it time to move back to Africa, THE BEST PLACE TO MOVE IS GHANA! if you are black you don't need a visa and they are so nice and don't mind helping you get started come one come all ready to build, work, and start-up business only bring peace love and respect back to your forefather and motherland. Open up the gate make easier for the ones who don't know how or can't because of the lack of funds.

[@MichaelJ843]

Let me translate what the Ambassador is saying, don't bring that Western mindset of greed into Ghana, but truly invest in the nation with hard work and expect an honest return.

[@Kingoftheimmigrants4646]

Maybe the prophesy is about to manifest AND ETHIOPIA SHALL stretch forth its hand!!

[@geraldinephillips8392]

Which part of the Bible is that in please. Very interested in knowing.

[@geraldinephillips8392]

Please provide the chapter and verse

[@Kingoftheimmigrants4646]

Cece Jones Psalm 68:31..... Egypt and Ethiopia represented black people

[@Fashitecture]

So we have to pay to be “returned” from the continent in which we were STOLEN from? Why is this not free? Why don’t they come get us? How does this make sense? Pour money into Ghana’s economy, when WE ALL ARE NOT from Ghana. How does this benefit Africans enslaved in America? The emotional con game!!!

[@businessjet28]

You will not understand until you truly black. Yes we want Africans Americans to grow the economies of africa. There is nothing wrong with that.

[@koldraiynedownskayle5744]

Somebody always wants something for free. If you agree of this importance, we all got skin in the game. Everyone has to contribute.

[@Fashitecture]

Koldraiyne DownSkayle Oh, the irony of your statement, considering Africans enslaved in America has been supplying everyone with “something for free” for over 400 years. If you don’t know how economics work, don’t comment on my post with your assumptions! You don’t get to sell and trade humans, and then say we are sorry, we need your help because our economy is failing, please “come back” and help us. Everyone is under the assumption that Africans enslaved in America are rich, there’s about 40 million Africans enslaved in America. Only about 2% of that are financially stable. (Meaning, most canNOT even afford to take the trip back. Where the prices have been inflated 4 - 6 times for non Ghanaians (that means African Americans - by the way!!) So, seems to me, Africans enslaved in America, needs to be helping each other first and foremost!!! We didn’t cause any of these problems - in America nor in Africa (Ghana specifically), so why are we the ones expected to fix and pour into their economy? NOT TO MENTION, ALL OF US ARE NOT FROM GHANA, AND EVERY COUNTRY IN AFRICA HAS VARIOUS TRIBES OF PEOPLE THAT ALL LIVE DIFFERENTLY. So how does this make any sense to you or anyone else that think they are saying something by commenting against my post? Stockholm syndrome is real, you should research it!!

[@Fashitecture]

Frederick Mettle How does that help Africans enslaved in America and their families? Keep in mind, African countries SOLD and TRADED Africans to the Americas, and other places. I know you like to think the white man just enter a foreign land and STOLE people all by himself but that’s not the case!! If we want to play this, “We are all family game, Africans SOLD their own people!! And if anyone is TRULY BLACK that would be me - how hard is it to exist in a place where the majority looks like you? Try living in a country where EVERYWHERE YOU GO, you are the minority. That was a foolish thing to say, you should apologize!

[@odengkwasi]

Who exactly should pay for your free ride? If you get used to free in America you get poorer. I hope you have figured this out by now. If you are the "free" type, you won't survive in Ghana. There is no free in Ghana; everybody works for what they get. You don't need to come to Africa if you don't want to because you aint getting any free ride. In fact Ghana is rising regardless who chooses to come and who choose not to come.

[@f.b.a5463]

I wish the ambassador was more intelligent....sound like a down play out...smh bruh pastor dillion is on point tho!

[@agmperspective]

We need to build up Afrika to how we envision it to be.

[@nmagain24]

Why do you say that??

[@agmperspective]

@@nmagain24 I say that because of the youth risking their lives to get to greener pastures so to speak. Once Afrika provide the same or similar opportunities ,the migration factor will diminish

[@villagelifetv7326]

The year of return Ghana Ghana Ghana we are going home

[@michaelfennell3210]

@55:04 to 55:26 posting stuff on social media about us not spending ever again in america while we still here will cause the US and anywhere else outside of africa too halt our visits too africa because of us spending our money too support africa. We have too play the game like chess, all other culture do. Thats why other culture has become superpower over us.

[@frimpongevans952]

it is a great move God bless our home land Ghana

[@spideogconchobhair776]

HOPE NOT I HOPE WOMEN STEP UP GOD THEY'VE. NO IDEA. WQOW

[@DRek903]

QUESTION: If its so welcoming why is there a seperate price for the African Americans over there that visit and a lessor one for the people that live there if its a so called RETURN we are you right? We are 1 right? We are home right? No...sounds like you want our capital not necessarily our presence. IJS

[@vibe9266]

u better learn how to bargain like the rest of the locals lol, “set prices” are a western and first world custom-as most publicized expectations in the place of business and how they’re portrayed in the media are. plus it’s fun going somewhere there is room for open dialect in pricing, like there should be, u may find it is more welcoming than u expected-just make sure u don’t expect much other than the flow :) oh but u can expect that no business path is racially or ethnically predetermined and that FDA hasn’t approved plastic cheese pizza for the kiddos at school lunch. watch out for american fast food restaurants, they’re rising the population of cancer victims in africa and they will not bargain their pricing of food.

[@DRek903]

@thulani xxx my comment was to the vid creator not a spectator although the first reply shows its all hustle. What are you selling?

[@solomonnderkor5599]

U are getting it wrong..u Price yourself according to where u want to spend your money.. We have were u want to enriched yourself, that's expensive hotels,expensive food and environments, while u can get the same rate as lower as what you get from the expensive hotel..Ghana is already bless, is not your money that will enrich our country but your love and entrepreneur skills..make the value for our motherland

[@Cahluvca]

Harsh reality is much of the diaspora are for themselves...its the elephant in the room

[@jacobzuma6579]

It is a scam

[@DRek903]

Still alot of unfinished business in America. We need our reparations 1st. I cant afford to go to Africa. The wealth gap here is enormous. I can't see going to a third world country broke.

[@beyawnmortals9148]

As a Ghanaian, I support that, ADOS/FBA deserve that at the least

[@cgbvgjn6496]

💯

[@alexanderblack389]

D Rek Properties easy.this ain’t for you then.don’t go.

[@watchulla]

First, make smart money decisions, reparations are not happening. You don't have to live in Africa to help.

[@DRek903]

@@watchulla Africa should be helping us... richest nation in the world while we over here the bottom cast in America sold to feed the belly of the beast supposed to help. OK

[@jubei961]

I see when he started talking about the Bible in between minute 26 and 27 they cut him off real quick they neither confirmed nor denied what he was talkin about the Captivity of the Israelites a 400 years go figure

[@christiansarfo6534]

We love you as part of us. You are our long lost family members whom were kidnapped by the wicked ones from us. We've never forgotten you. Come back home. Just imagine your children or father and mother will be taking away from you without seeing them again? They took everything from us .they destroyed Africa without repairing it.

[@nmagain24]

It needs to be understood that 2019 does NOT mark the 400th anniversary of enslaved Africans arriving in what is now the US, it only marks the 400th year of when we arrived in VIRGINIA. Please remember, that Africans were in the Americas BEFORE the British arrived. The oldest city in the US is St. Augustine Florida 1565 and Africans (both free and enslaved) help found it. Also, the first enslaved African birth was there in 1606, a year before the founding of Jamestown. Also, the first enslaved African revolt was in 1526 (south carolina) and those Africans then lived with the Native Americans thus becomming the first permanently settled people in the US during colonial times. So in actuality its 493yrs in the US, and even longer in Mexico and south America and the carribean On another note. We have to remember Africans were present with the Spanish during Spanish colonial times almost 100 yrs before jamestown. On another note, is there express (return home) citizenship available for diasporans?? Peace all.

[@jl2284123]

So that means that was the first of any hearing of africans been brought to the usa because their was no reporting because if it was im sure we would know about it

[@jl2284123]

Many of the slaves came through virginia south carolina north carolina. Mississippi through the atlantic slave trade. Not all just settle in virgina

[@nmagain24]

@@jl2284123 catholic church records and the Spanish records record their presence of Africans. You alsi have to remember that Spain and Portugal had extensive contact with Africans prior to 1492 because of the Moorish occupation, for like 800yrs.

[@nmagain24]

@@jl2284123 after the ban of importing the enslaved in 1808, the shift in the slavery industry in the US went to breeding. Much like if you plant a seed, wait for harvest and take the produce to market, so too is how the slave trade went where they planted humans, harvested them and sent them into the market. In fact more enslaved came to louisianna from the east coast of the US than did from African or the west indies. Much like how the African free trade agreements just kicked off between nations, thats kind of how the slave trade happened when the impration was banned in 1808, between states. The book American Slave Coast is a great book on this topic. With that being said, it is important to remember that there is ALWAYS more to the story when disscussing Black American History in the United States. ALWAYS!!!!!. The narrative that most people have is that of a whitewashed anglocenteic one and NOT one steeped in the truth. More has been left OUT of the narrative than what has been included and shipped into the world both domestically and internationally. Part of the reason is because the country doesnt want to admit the debt that it owes to Native Black Americans, another part is because of the feelings of white society.

[@nmagain24]

@@jl2284123 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fV7JnY2MopmGhZY

[@allenkwilliams2871]

There are endless possibilities but there isn’t equal footing at this point. Ghana is a nation with national interests and we are an aggregate without national interest. We should proceed with social and economic ventures but let’s not have a trade imbalance with our motherland. That would be detrimental to both parties and open us up to possible European and Chinese new-colonization.

[@TheRealAfricanist]

Very productive conversation. Kudos to the Ambassador for pushing back on the idea that Africa somehow needs to be liberated...I think that is something that needed to be said and clarified. Africa is courting investors and community builders, not liberators! And, thanks to Rev. Dillon for clearly conveying the concerns and perspectives of many members of the African diaspora that are serously considering repatriation to Africa for socio-economic reasons.

[@reginafreeman3125]

THE BEAUTY of Being In A COUNTRY of YOUR OWN PEOPLE 👉💯👀🙏🎁😇🏆🎺❤️🏠 IS A POWERFUL OF LOVE FREEDOM JUSTICE Liberty peace Happiness ❤️ OF GOD EARTH PLAN Deuteronomy 5-9 PEOPLE 👉💯👀🙏

[@georgeyou9848]

SO YOU EXPECTED GHANAIAN DIASPORANS AND OTHERS TO COME AND CONSTRUCT YOUR ROADS FOR YOU? SE THERE!

[@aborigineone2377]

We need to get there to help develop our forefathers land, we need ships to return, we need flights/plans to return like cruise ships now with no visa needed for its descendants

[@marthacmd]

raised the age of retirement in Ghana please and allow people to work as long as they can/thank you

[@Jojo-ru1rz]

Thank you. Côte d'Ivoire did. It went from 55 to 60 years.

[@owusuaa111]

Arh d last time I checked Ghana’s working class age limit is 60. Wey raise again do u want?

[@Jojo-ru1rz]

@@owusuaa111 😁

[@afroman6172]

You don't know what you are talking about. Stop spreading ignorant lies.

[@korkuadoboe2910]

U dnt want the majority young ones to get jobs to do too ?? Smh

[@edithparks1951]

Ghana for the first time in my life I have decided to move to Ghana, because California has finally agreed to pay us African Americans our Reparations money I decided that I will spend my money by giving that money to Ghana to support Africa where they stole us from. Although when I first heard Ghana President confessing, and apologizing to us Hebrew Israelites for selling us out to Christopher Columbus I was really angry and I thought to little too late. And now I'm upset that America never want to pay us for all of their wrongs against us even until this day. But I rather be with my people who look like me. I sure hope when I move to Ghana I pray it will be better than living here in Racist America.

[@kingdommoney4739]

We r not Hebrews so stop the cap repent

[@beatriceowusuachaw6210]

Akwaaba

[@jojoko64]

The newscaster is reporting from Washington in America???. Who own's the VOA channel I never heard of.

[@asedaadepah8896]

No body is forcing anyone to come. It's only a call, you choose to respond or not. It's not by force. In Ghana the dollar is about 5 times the cedi. Currently, you can't pay like the poor Ghanaian. You have more monetery power than the local people, so you pay more on goods and services. It makes sense some how.

[@michaelfennell3210]

If we start buying africa products more, Africa will be the ultimate super power of the world

[@kfelix2934]

I've wonder about that also but the problem is what is "African Products" Outside of arts and clothing what does africa produce that gear to be sold outside of Africa? We need to see real products worth resell to every other continent. Instead of "hecho en Mexico" or "made in china" , why not see "Made proudly in Africa" on the label on the bottom of the item. Here's a fact you have a young population most people are why below 35 years of old. You have a continent that has resources to create factors and to be industrialize we need explore these areas and less in oil exploration. We need more in the areas of "export" and less in "inports" . Make and sell it locally. My last trip in Africa I was in Nigeria, and I looked high and low in this area and found nothing.

[@marthacmd]

greetings from Ghana! please look at the fact that in Ghana one cannot work after 55 years of age/ the "old people" moving to Ghana comes with vast work experiences/ they are not allow to contribute to the economy/ this should be a number one priority discussion for the year of return

[@bissy8172]

Who told you that in Ghana people are not allowed to work after 55 years old. Please do your due diligence and stop saying things you don't have any knowledge of. Most of the Ghanaian ministers are above 60 years so study to show yourself approved.

[@alonalove3118]

Marty mart what u dey talk Please i hope ur not considering moving to Ghana go to Nigeria

[@marthacmd]

@@alonalove3118 oh wow! thanks for the invite, but I have already put my roots in Ghana

[@zakotvgh4943]

But you can establish your own business

[@asedaadepah8896]

Retiring age is 60yrs. Some do work even after age 60, and 70.

[@cgbvgjn6496]

I feel that young black Americans in the prison system should instead be sent to Africa. It would be a great learning experience and healthier for them!

[@jacobzuma6579]

Great idea