The ongoing ‘Year of Return’ initiative in Ghana has recently attracted music artist, an Africa Giant Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., popularly known by his stage name, T.I. The talented African-American visited Ghana in the company of his wife Tameka Cottle.
The initiative was established with the aim of bringing people who have Ghanaian or African roots back to the country.
Although he recently came under fire after it was revealed that he often accompanied his daughter to her gynecologist visits, the rapper and actor was welcomed in Ghana.
Tip was born on September 25, 1980, in Alabama, the son of Clifford “Buddy” Harris Sr. and Violeta Morgan. He was raised by his grandparents in Atlanta’s Center Hill and began rapping at age eight.
In recent years, there has been a growing number of African Americans seeking for their ancestral roots. This has also given birth to the AncestryDNA Testing Kit which has grown quite popular particularly on social media over the years and a good amount of Black people in the diaspora have taken advantage of it. Also, some notable celebrities in the entertainment world.
Unlike African immigrants who come from Africa to live abroad, these Africans have not and have simply identified as Black and do not know their country of origin due to being the descendants of African ancestors that were caught up in the slavery of Africans.
According to report, the Arab slave trade and the Transatlantic slave trade were two slave trades that took place over the course of history. The Arab slave trade is the transporting of millions of black African slaves by the Arabs across the Sahara desert and across the Indian Ocean, with the slaves captured mostly from Northern and Eastern Africa, Southern and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia which existed from the 5th to the 20th centuries.
On the other hand, the Transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation of millions of enslaved African people by the Europeans out of Central Africa and mainly West Africa to the Americas which existed from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
According to report the Arab Slave Trade and Transatlantic Slave trade took place through invasion and conquest and was due to religious factors and control of economic resources. Slavery has still continues today in some countries.
In 2001, Ghana’s parliament passed the Right to Abode law, which grants the descendants of enslaved Africans the right to stay in Ghana.
“I have only restored to you what rightfully belongs to you and was painfully taken away,” Ghana’s then-president, John Mahama, said after conducting the naturalisation ceremony. The current government has announced plans to grant more citizenships for returnees.
T.I, like many others, is also excited to reconcile with his roots. The 39-year-old native of Atlanta, his wife, and the entire team were especially received at the Kotoka International Airport upon their arrival. A dance group was around to regale the couple with some dance steps and drumming.
The secretariat of the ‘Year of Return’ initiative has revealed the exponential increase in the number of visitors from countries such as the USA and UK. The indicated number of returnees in 2019 significantly surpassed that of last year.
Like most visitors, T.I and his crew paid a visit to Elmina Castle, a museum that once served as one of the locations for Black slave trade. The rapper and his wife were later spotted at a club.
T.I is placed in high regard as one of the artistes that made trap music more popular. He has 10 albums under his belt, seven of which have reached top spots on the US Billboard 200 chart. He has also been able to churn out lots of highly successful tracks.
His most successful work yet is his sixth album titled Paper Trail which was certified gold for its first week of sales.
An Africa Giant is someone of African origin with natural abilities to be an expert in their area of specialty. Africa births great people both in Africa & in diaspora”. ― Africa Giant. #AfricaGiant is an expression of the Giant of talent & intelligence in Africans.
Have a story? share here Africa Giant Story Hub
Africa Giant media, where Africans share information on talent, achievements, culture, economy and more and together we can tell the original Africa story.
