As more people of African descent explore reconnecting with the continent through travel, investment and relocation, entrepreneur Kea Wakesho Simmons says the conversation should be about more than simply moving abroad.

The founder and CEO of Traverze Culture, a company focused on helping people make informed decisions about relocating and building connections in Africa, recently shared a message aimed at reshaping how people view the growing diaspora return movement.

Her message began with a statement that may seem unexpected coming from someone who helps people relocate:

“You don’t need to move to Africa.”

Simmons explained that her work is not about persuading people to leave their current lives behind, but about helping them understand their options and make decisions that align with their personal goals.

“Relocation isn’t for everyone, and I’ve never believed in convincing people otherwise,” she wrote.

She said her role is not to promote one destination, but to provide guidance based on practical considerations such as finances, healthcare needs, lifestyle preferences and long-term plans.

“The right decision is an informed one,” Simmons said, describing that principle as central to the mission of Traverze Culture.

While she emphasized that relocation is not the only path, Simmons said she believes the increased interest among members of the African diaspora in reconnecting with the continent represents a significant historical moment.

“For the first time in hundreds of years, people of African descent are returning back to a continent that our ancestors never had the chance to do,” she said.

Simmons said that return can take many forms, including visiting African countries, investing in local economies, creating partnerships and sharing knowledge.

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She argued that the relationship between Africa and its global diaspora should be based on collaboration rather than short-term experiences.

“I don’t want this to become a trend,” Simmons said. “I don’t want history to look back and say, they came a few years and then they left.”

Instead, she said she hopes future generations see this period as one when diaspora communities contributed to building stronger connections and opportunities.

“I want history to say that we came back and built something,” she said. “That we created opportunities. That we transfer knowledge. That we strengthened relationships between Africa and its global diaspora.”

Simmons also pushed back against narratives that portray Africa as a place dependent on outside intervention.

“Africa doesn’t need saving. Africa needs partnerships.”

Her comments come as interest grows among members of the global African diaspora in exploring ancestry, cultural ties, business opportunities and possible relocation options across African nations.

For Simmons, the movement is not simply about changing addresses — it is about creating lasting relationships.

“This moment is bigger than relocation,” she said. “It’s about legacy.”

President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to champion a continental Right of Return policy for Africans in the diaspora when Ghana assumes the Chairmanship of the African Union (AU), describing repatriation as a fundamental right rather than an act of charity.

Addressing a joint sitting of the Jamaican Parliament on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, during his four-day State Visit to the Caribbean nation, President Mahama said every African country should establish legal pathways enabling people of African descent across the world to return, settle and become part of the continent’s development.

“The right of persons of African descent in the diaspora to return to the mother continent is not an act of charity or compassion. Repatriation is not an act of kindness. Repatriation is a right of all persons of African descent to return to the mother continent and settle or reside if they wish,” he stated to strong applause from legislators.

From Ghanaian Law to Continental Policy

President Mahama said Ghana had already demonstrated leadership through the Right of Abode Act, enacted in 2000, which allows persons of African descent in the diaspora to apply for the right to remain indefinitely in the country.

The West African leader revealed that his administration is now considering a new Homeland Return Bill that would further codify residence and citizenship pathways for members of the global African family.

“That is why Ghana passed the Right of Abode Act in the year 2000 and is currently considering a new Homeland Return Bill that will codify residence and citizenship pathways for all members of the global African family,” he said.

Experts believe the proposed legislation is designed to address administrative hurdles that have frustrated many of the 1,000 applicants who have sought nationality since 2016, including high-profile figures like legendary musician Stevie Wonder. The existing program has faced criticism over a two-tier financial barrier—including an initial $136 application fee and a secondary $2,280 payment upon shortlisting—as well as rigid timelines for DNA evidence submission.

AU Chairmanship as a Platform for Pan-African Change

President Mahama, who was elected First Vice Chairperson of the AU in February 2026, is positioned to assume the Union’s rotating chairmanship in February 2027. He announced that expanding the Right of Return policy across Africa would form one of the flagship initiatives he intends to pursue when Ghana takes over the AU Chairmanship.

“This is one of the articles of the manifesto I wish to push when I become the AU Chairman, that all African nations must have a right of return for all members of the global African family,” President Mahama declared.

The AU has formally declared the diaspora Africa’s sixth region, and the Caribbean has been acknowledged as Africa’s seventh region—a status that allows CARICOM to sit in AU meetings and participate in discussions affecting Africa and the Caribbean.

A Reunion of History

President Mahama described his State Visit to Jamaica as more than a diplomatic engagement, calling it “a reunion of history” and “a celebration of our shared heritage.”

“Our gathering here today is much more than a diplomatic engagement. It is a reunion of history. It’s a celebration of our shared heritage and a reaffirmation that although the Atlantic Ocean may separate our shores, it can never diminish the bonds that unite our people,” he said.

Reflecting on the painful legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, President Mahama stressed the need for historical truth, reconciliation and reparatory justice. He noted that close to 300,000 Africans captured and forced to settle in Jamaica were from Ghana, with Ghana and Nigeria being the major sources of Africans taken to the island.

“Our pursuit of reparatory justice is not motivated by resentment or hostility. It is inspired by our commitment to the truth, to accountability, to reconciliation and to healing,” he said.

Support for Jamaica’s Reparations Petition

President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s support for Jamaica’s planned petition to King Charles III seeking legal guidance on the country’s slavery reparations claim against Britain. Jamaica announced in June that government officials would travel to the United Kingdom in September to formally present the petition.

He expressed appreciation to Jamaica for supporting Ghana’s reparations initiative at the United Nations General Assembly and for its contribution to the Accra Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice held in June 2026.

President Mahama also serves as the AU’s Champion on Advancing the Cause of Justice and the Payment of Reparations, a role in which he convened the Accra conference with unmistakable purpose.

Africa-Caribbean Partnership

President Mahama urged Africa and the Caribbean to transform their historical connections into practical partnerships through trade, investment, innovation and stronger people-to-people relations.

He said the friendship between Ghana and Jamaica should become a model for a renewed Africa-Caribbean relationship founded on shared prosperity, mutual respect and common purpose.

The President also pledged to push for the Caribbean’s inclusion in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) when Ghana assumes the AU Chairmanship, which would allow businesses in both regions to trade goods on a duty-free and tariff-free basis.

Diaspora Advocates Welcome Proposal

The proposal has resonated with advocates in the Caribbean. Professor Verene A. Shepherd, historian at the University of the West Indies, Mona, welcomed the announcement, describing it as a major step toward the long-sought right of return to Africa.

Shepherd noted that repatriation and resettlement form the second pillar of the CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice, underscoring the regional body’s recognition of the right of people of African descent to return to their ancestral homeland.

“The financial obligation for repatriation must come from Britain and other colonial powers who participated in the trafficking and this crime against humanity,” she said.

Ras Iyah V, a longtime Rastafari advocate, also welcomed the proposal, noting that the Rastafari movement has long called for repatriation to Africa—the ancestral homeland from which their forebears were forcibly taken and enslaved in the Caribbean.

“Everything is aligned with the thinking of Rastafari. It is aligned with the thinking of reparationists, and it is aligned now not just with Ghana but other countries in Africa who understand that their people were forcibly exported,” he said.

A Defining Moment for the Diaspora

President Mahama’s announcement—made in Jamaica, the birthplace of Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey who championed the “Back to Africa” movement—carries profound symbolic weight.

The timing, bookended by Jamaica’s celebrations of emancipation from slavery and political independence, further underscores the historical significance of the proposal.

President Mahama concluded by urging leaders to honour the sacrifices of previous generations by creating a future in which Africa, the Caribbean and the global African family stand together as equal partners in shaping a more just and inclusive world.

When the final whistle blew and Spain celebrated lifting football’s biggest prize, thousands of kilometres away in Ghana, social media erupted with excitement. It wasn’t simply admiration for a European champion.

For many Ghanaians, the celebrations carried a deeply personal connection. On the biggest stage in world football stood Nico Williams—a player whose family story began long before he ever pulled on a Spanish jersey.

Nico Williams has become one of Spain’s brightest football stars, but his journey is rooted in an extraordinary story of courage and sacrifice. Before he was born, his parents left Ghana in search of a safer and more hopeful future.

Their route took them across the unforgiving Sahara Desert before they reached Melilla, Spain’s enclave on the northern coast of Africa. After eventually settling in Spain, they built a new life where Nico and his older brother, Iñaki Williams, would grow into two of Europe’s most exciting footballers.

Although the brothers chose different international careers, they have never hidden their shared heritage. Iñaki made the heartfelt decision to represent Ghana and has become an important figure for the Black Stars. Nico, born and raised in Spain, chose to play for La Roja, reflecting the country where he developed both as a person and as a footballer.

Those different sporting choices have never divided their identity. Instead, the Williams brothers have become symbols of how modern football often bridges multiple cultures, proving that heritage and nationality can coexist rather than compete.

As Nico played a decisive role in Spain’s World Cup triumph, many Ghanaians proudly celebrated his achievement. Across Facebook, X, TikTok, and WhatsApp, football fans joked that Spain had not really won the World Cup—Ghana had simply “exported the talent.” The humour reflected genuine pride in seeing someone with Ghanaian roots succeed at the highest level of world football.

The Williams family’s story also resonates beyond sport. It speaks to migration, resilience, and the determination of parents who endure extraordinary hardship to create opportunities for their children. Their journey from the Sahara Desert to the summit of international football mirrors the experiences of countless African families whose stories are rarely told beyond the headlines.

For Ghana, the success of the Williams brothers represents more than football. It is a reminder that Ghanaian excellence continues to shape the global stage in many forms. Whether wearing the colours of Ghana or Spain, both brothers carry a heritage that many Ghanaians proudly recognise as their own.

In the end, Spain may have lifted the trophy, but for many football fans in Ghana, the celebration felt wonderfully familiar. It was another chapter in a story that proves talent, identity, and family can transcend borders.