The King of the Igbo community in Ghana and his Chieftains have played host to the 107-year-old Mrs. Viola Ford Fletcher and her 100-year-old brother, Hughes (Redd) Van Ellis in Ghana on Wednesday, August 18, 2021.
Mrs. Viola Ford Fletcher, is one of the last known survivors of the 1921 Race Massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Born on May 10, 1914, she has outlasted one of the deadliest chapters in American history where at the age of 107 years, she has decided to celebrate her centenary by reconnecting with the motherland, Africa.
HRM. EZE DR. AMB. CHUKWUDI IHENETU, EZE NDIGBO GHANA (King of the Igbo Community) cherished the privilege of playing host to the world’s oldest woman alive and being part of her historic first ever trip to Africa.
The King told the media in an interview that, “This is a history that will be shown in CNN, Aljazeera and BBC. It is a history that the President of America is aware of what happened here today. Our children will one day talk about and boast with. That we hosted and celebrated Mama Fletcher and Uncle Redd; and we were shown on several television channels abroad including CNN.” Watch video here.
The Palace of Eze Ndi Igbo Ghana, organized a very exciting and traditionally rich welcome reception for the two centennials to accentuate the celebration of their lives and the reunion of the African American community and their African family back home.
Mother Fletcher had made visiting Africa her number one choice of her remaining desires. According to her, the trip to Ghana in West Africa, is to see where she believes their history originated.
Mrs. Viola Fletcher and her brother, Hugh Van Ellis (affectionately referred to as Uncle Redd), were accompanied by the Head of Missions of the Diaspora African Forum, her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Erika Bennett.
According to Dr. Bennett, the expectations of the visiting team has been surpassed since Mama Fletcher had also requested to visit Nigeria to experience their culture. However, after the warm reception they had received, she said, “we have been overwhelmed by the rich traditional cultural display which has been exhibited here at this wonderful reception. Instead of us going to Nigeria, you brought Nigeria to us here in Ghana.”
The visitors were treated to a very rich traditional Igbo culture where they were given a fore taste of the finest Igbo food, music and way of dressing which reflected the full history of the people. Also present were some Chiefs from the Yoruba Community as well as a representation of the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana.
Mrs. Viola Ford Fletcher and Hughes (Redd) Van Ellis were coronated and given Chieftaincy titles and showered with assorted gift items from the King and the Igbo Community in Ghana.
The King of the Igbo Community in Ghana, HRM. Eze Dr. Amb. Chukwudi Ihenetu, used the occasion to throw an open invitation to other African Americans in the diaspora to return home to Africa where they belong.
“We want the other African Americans to remember that they are coming from somewhere. Africa is a land of milk and honey… We need people with experience from all sectors of life to come down here. Let us work together; let us unite together; and let us make Africa a great continent again,” the King said.
Source: Clement Akoloh||africanewsradio.com
