Ghanaian London

Ghanaians in London represent one of the largest and oldest West African communities in the capital. The vibrancy of its culture means that for many Londoners their very conception of what is African derives from Ghanaian culture. The potential of employment and education opportunities has encouraged a steady flow of Ghanaians to and from London over the last hundred years or more.

Today, Ghanaians live across London but are concentrated around:
Dalston
Tottenham
Brixton
Lewisham

Many of the Ghanaians that arrived in London in the 50s, 60s and 70s had professional qualifications but most of them were unable to follow their chosen career paths.
For first generation Ghanaians, surviving in London has meant working in manual jobs. This experience has meant that second and third generation Ghanaians now seek to realise their abilities and professional ambitions in a way that was not possible for their parents. Education and qualifications are very important to young Ghanaians. Britain’s role in the colonization of Africa and the slave trade meant that Ghanaians, either by force or, in time, through trade, have found themselves living and partaking in London life from the seventeenth century onwards. At first most Ghanaians where part of the transient community of sailors around London’s Docklands..

Tottenham is the Ghanaian capital of the UK, and West Green Road is the place to soak up some Afro-spirit

As far as London boroughs go, Tottenham has possibly the broadest mix of cultures you’re likely to find. Right in the middle of this is a growing number of African outlets. North, east and west Africans can all be found
in Tottenham, and businesses from Ghana, closely followed by Nigeria and Congo, have the biggest presence.

Along the Seven Sisters end of West Green Road, the sense of a growing African community is particularly strong. Colourful Afri-print textiles can be found
at the bijou Ghanaian shop Maggie Gold (41 West Green Rd, N15, 020 8802 5785), next door to the Kumasi Central Market food store (41b West Green Rd, 020 8800 1960). Oodua restaurant (77 West Green Rd) is a relatively new enterprise for Nigerian
cuisine, with lunchtime specials offering bumper jollof rice dishes for just £5.

Further along, Gifty Naa DK’s excellently named It Will
Grow Back (118a West Green Rd), which opened at the end of 2007, is a compact hair studio with a fully functioning art gallery, stocked with carvings and artworks mainly from Ghana. The owner’s quest to ‘keep the street alive’ is no idle wish, as she also
offers twice-weekly drumming and dance classes, plus
language tuition in Twi, Ga, Hausa and Fante.

Opposite, at Shop Right Kampala Groceries (109 West Green Rd), the wholesale food and groceries hail from east Africa, the Caribbean and Europe. Among the street’s collection of hair and nail parlours, Caribbean takeaways and travel agencies, Eden Music Records (60 West Green Rd, 020 8800 6779),
specialising in gospel music as well as French-African
foodstuffs, is a good place to stop for advice on tracking down Congolese music.

Nana Ocran

Key Ghanaian Facts

1. The Ghanaian community is one of the oldest West African communities in London. Britain’s role in the slave trade forced many Ghanaians to live in London.
   Education and qualifications are very important to young Ghanaians.
2. The pull of employment and education opportunities and, in turn, the love of their homeland has insured a steady flow of Ghanaians to and from London over the last hundred years or more. Some Ghanaians in London fled political oppression and turmoil but in the last decade there has been political stability in Ghana making return possible for political refugees.
3. Well-known Londoners of Ghanaian descent include the first Black cabinet minister Paul Boateng, fashion designer Joe Casely-Hayford and Ekow Eshun, journalist, author, broadcaster and current Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.
   
4. Ghanaian women have also made a remarkable contribution in London and nationally such as June Sarpong.  She is one of the most successful and recognizable faces in British media.  As the female face of Channel 4’s T4, June interviewed Tony Blair in a T4 special, “When Tony met June”.