L.A. City Council President Pro Tem Curren Price and his family made a historic pilgrimage to the African Continent from Dec. 16-31, 2022. They traveled to West Africa, visiting the countries of Senegal and Ghana.
The purpose of this family trip was to experience the history, culture and beauty of these countries and their people. In addition, Price sought to identify opportunities to encourage trade and investment between those countries and the City of Los Angeles.
Their adventure included visiting historical sites from which captured Africans were taken, as slaves against their will, to locations in the United States, the Caribbean and South America.
The councilman also had the opportunity to meet with public and private sector leaders in both countries. During his meetings, he brought greetings from Mayor Karen Bass and the City of Los Angeles. In fact, Price received a gift for the Mayor from Paramount King Nana Obakase of Cape Coast.
A highlight of his trip was being installed as the Development Chief of the Ahwerase Akuapem Traditional Area in the Akuapem South Municipal District of the Eastern Region of South Ghana, about 35 miles south of Accra. The first lady of District 9, Del Richardson-Price, was named Development Queen. The Councilman participated in a special ceremony on Dec. 28. The newly-enstooled chief was dressed in ‘fugu’ or smock cloth as he danced to traditional sounds amid cheers from locals.
“Such a once-in-a-lifetime experience has reinforced my belief in the need to deepen US-Ghana relations and collaboration,” Price added. “I was honored to visit villages and further connect with Ghana’s history and culture.”
The enstoolment of the councilman is aimed at advancing development for the community. He vowed to assist the town in its effort to improve the overall quality of life, and preserve the social and economic environment.
“Los Angeles will work together with Ghanaian friends to promote and carry forward the spirit of US-Ghana friendship and cooperation from generation to generation. We will work with African allies to live up to our expectations, firmly oppose and reject moves that harm Ghana-America friendship, and make cherishing Africa-America friendship a widely-held consensus and habit,” Price told the Daily Statesman, the local newspaper in an interview.
One of the councilman’s observations during his family’s trip was the promise of the youth in Ghana. “The youth of every nation and for that matter Ghana, have a pivotal role to play in democracy, promoting peace, order, and stability, and most importantly, availing themselves to be used as instruments of change.
The importance of collaborating with Ghanaian youth leaders in economic development, agriculture, hospitality, education, and health, among other areas, is important to me,” he exclaimed.
Price first traveled to Ghana in 1971 as a Stanford University student comparing attitudes of African and African American students on issues of the day, including integration, separation and liberation. He has subsequently traveled to East, South, and North Africa on other occasions.
Based upon his background, experience and support of the diaspora, Price has been invited by the U.S. State Department to join a delegation traveling to Ghana from Feb. 6-10. The delegation’s purpose is to cultivate and enable collaborative and partnership opportunities between the U.S. private sector and West Africa’s climate innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
