Culture
Idris Elba Knighted as Black and People of Color Feature Prominently in UK New Year Honours
Award-winning actor Idris Elba has been knighted in the United Kingdom’s New Year Honours, leading a list that prominently recognizes Black people and people of color for achievements in entertainment, sports, public service, and charity.
Elba, best known globally for his roles in The Wire, Luther, Beasts of No Nation, and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, becomes Sir Idris Elba in recognition of his long-running work with young people and community development. Alongside his wife, Sabrina, he co-founded the Elba Hope Foundation, which supports grassroots organizations across the UK, the United States, and Africa. He has also launched a national anti-knife-crime campaign aimed at reducing youth violence.
“I receive this honor on behalf of the many young people whose talent, ambition, and resilience has driven the work of the Elba Hope Foundation,” Sir Idris said.
Elba’s recognition carries particular resonance for audiences in Africa and the global Black diaspora. As a teenager, he was a beneficiary of a Prince’s Trust grant, which helped fund his participation in the National Youth Music Theatre. He later rose to international prominence through television and film, while maintaining strong ties to philanthropic work across multiple continents.
Another major honor went to Meera Syal, who was made a Dame for her contributions to drama, literature, and charitable work. A pioneering British Asian voice in television and comedy, Dame Meera was part of the creative team behind Goodness Gracious Me and starred in The Kumars at No. 42. She has also written several acclaimed novels and stage plays.
In film and music, Cynthia Erivo, the British-Nigerian actor and singer who starred in Wicked and its 2025 sequel Wicked: For Good, was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
Erivo described the recognition as “an honor I never imagined would happen.”
The honors list also highlighted women’s sports on the international stage. Sarina Wiegman, the Dutch head coach of England’s women’s national football team, was appointed an honorary dame after guiding the Lionesses to their second consecutive European Championship title. Because she is not a British citizen, Wiegman receives the title honorarily and does not use “Dame.”
Several England players were also recognized, including captain Leah Williamson, who was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Teammates Ella Toone, Keira Walsh, Alex Greenwood, and Georgia Stanway were awarded MBEs for their contributions to the historic victory.
In total, 1,157 people appear on this year’s honors list, spanning entertainment, sports, education, healthcare, social justice, and community service. Among them are campaigners for justice, educators, artists, and volunteers whose work often takes place outside the public spotlight.
The prominence of Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, and Meera Syal reflects a broader shift toward recognizing multicultural influence within long-standing British institutions historically rooted in empire-era traditions.
—
Arts and GH Heritage
Where Ghana’s Artistic Past Meets Its Next Generation
Every memorable art gallery begins with someone who believes a painting deserves more than a wall—it deserves an audience.
In Accra, that belief has shaped Berj Art Gallery into one of Ghana’s enduring champions of West African art.
Founded in 1996 by collector Joyce Quarshie, Berj emerged at a time when many Ghanaian artists were still searching for spaces that could connect their work with wider audiences.
More than three decades later, Quarshie’s commitment has grown into a gallery that celebrates both established masters and emerging voices under one roof.

A Living Story of West African Art
Walking through Berj feels less like entering a showroom and more like stepping into a conversation across generations.
Bold paintings share space with finely carved wooden sculptures, bronze works catch the light from different angles, and photographs add contemporary perspectives to centuries-old artistic traditions.
The gallery’s strength lies in that balance. Acclaimed painters stand alongside rising talents, creating a rare opportunity for visitors to see Ghana’s artistic evolution unfolding in real time.
It is a reminder that culture is not frozen in history; it continues to grow with every new brushstroke and every fresh creative voice.
More Than a Gallery
For international visitors exploring Accra, Berj offers something deeper than a sightseeing stop. It opens a window into Ghana’s creative identity, where craftsmanship, storytelling and heritage intersect.
As the gallery continues hosting exhibitions that bring together local and international artistic influences, it reinforces a simple but powerful truth: preserving culture is not only about protecting the past.
It is about creating spaces where the next generation of artists can imagine—and exhibit—the future.
Reels & Social Media Highlights
Medikal in Church and ‘Cheater’ Memes
Ghana’s social media spaces were ablaze on Tuesday, September 7, 2026, as a potent mix of celebrity worship, relationship debates, and viral security concerns captured the nation’s attention.
The digital streets of Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) were anything but quiet, showcasing the country’s unique blend of humour, outrage, and cultural commentary.
@prophetelbernardsfanpage Prophet Bernard Elbernard Nelson-Eshun weeks ago invited Medikal and he showed up at Spiritlife Revival Ministries #prophetbernardelbernard #bernardelbernard #viral #fyp #SpiritlifeRevivalMinistries ♬ original sound – ProphetElbernards_fanpage
One of the most surprising viral moments featured Ghanaian rapper Medikal, whose surprise appearance at Prophet ElBernard’s Spiritlife Revival Ministries sparked widespread discussion.
Dressed sharply and actively participating in worship, the rapper’s presence challenged perceptions about the intersection of secular celebrity and faith, quickly becoming a top-trending conversation.
Meanwhile, a major debate erupted over the Joy Prime podcast ‘Talk Your Shhh‘ after a panellist advised women to pursue married men they considered “good”.
The comments, perceived as promoting infidelity, drew sharp backlash. Celebrities like Efia Odo and Moliy condemned the advice, fueling a fiery debate about morality and media influence.
Adding a lighter, cross-border twist, a new Ghanaian marriage registry app named Marrify went viral—but for an unexpected reason.
The app’s promotional image featured South African actor S’dumo Mtshali, who has become a pan-African meme for infidelity.
Ghanaians and South Africans flooded the timeline with jokes, dubbing him the “Face of Cheaters” as the app allowed users to check marital status.
Concerns over security also trended after a disturbing CCTV clip of a daylight armed robbery circulated widely, sparking outrage and fear.
TRENDING 🇬🇭🚨:
— WithAlvin 🇬🇭 (@withAlvin__) September 7, 2026
CCTV Footage Shows How Robbers Entered a Home, Shot, and Made Off With Valuables
These robbers are getting bolder by the day! I trust the Ghana Police pic.twitter.com/35ZZXfTOpS
The nation’s social mood oscillated between humour and serious debate, reflecting a society deeply engaged with faith, celebrity culture, and pressing social issues.
Arts and GH Heritage
The Stories We Live With: Inside Nubuke Foundation’s Weight of the Ordinary
A family photograph resting on a shelf may look like decoration. A half-finished piece of woven cloth may seem incomplete. A living room may simply be a place to sit.
At Nubuke Foundation in Accra, however, these familiar things are being asked to tell deeper stories.
Weight of the Ordinary, a group exhibition featuring Josiah Tsibu Manu, Priscilla Agbeti, Blanche Boni-Mississo, King David Osabutey (Kakalicka) and Sena Burgundy Appau, turns its attention to the overlooked details of daily life—and finds history hiding there.
Manu’s domestic interiors are particularly evocative. Furniture, photographs and household details become unofficial archives, recalling how Ghanaian homes often carry memories that never enter formal histories.
In Agbeti’s unfinished woven works, meanwhile, labour refuses to disappear behind polished craftsmanship.
The incomplete becomes deliberate, leaving viewers to consider the economic and social histories carried by textiles.

Elsewhere, Boni-Mississo examines how spaces determine who can move freely and who is kept at the margins. Kakalicka draws on Akan cosmology through his Ɔhɔhoɔ, or stranger, connecting questions of displacement and belonging with indigenous ideas.
Appau’s monumental blue figures turn inward, contemplating the uncertainty and possibility of becoming.
Together, the artists suggest that the everyday is not neutral. It is where memory is stored, identities are formed and social boundaries are experienced.
For audiences in Ghana and abroad, the exhibition offers an invitation to look again at what familiarity can conceal. Sometimes, the objects closest to us have the most to say.
-
Ghana News2 days agoTop Headlines From Ghanaian Newspapers: Monday, Sept. 7, 2026
-
Festivals & Events2 days agoDzawuwu: The Volta Festival That Celebrates Agave Bravery
-
Ghana News11 hours agoHow Ghana’s Government Pressured MTN, Telecel, and AirtelTigo to Cut Data Prices
-
Sights and Sounds2 days agoTrade Accra’s Traffic for Treetops at Legon Botanical Gardens
-
Ghana News13 hours agoTop Headlines From Ghanaian Newspapers: Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026
-
Health & Wellness2 days agoWhy 500 Sit-Ups a Day Won’t Reveal Your Abs
-
Ghana News1 day agoGhanaian Vaccine and Medicine Manufacturers Get Ready Market After NVI Clinches Historic Deal to Sell to Africa’s Bulk Buying Group
-
Taste GH1 day agoTubaani Beans: Northern Ghana’s Hearty Answer to Rice and Beans
