Sincerely Accra is for everyone…who’s ready’

If you’re looking for insight into a city that has caught the attention of movie stars and tastemakers, Sincerely Accra is a great place to start.

Unless you’ve been asleep for the past few years, you probably know that Ghana’s capital city, Accra, has become a go-to Christmas vacation destination for Black diasporan folk. This is largely thanks to the 2019 ‘Year of Return’ event where the Ghanaian government invited the global African Family, home, and abroad to mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to the United States. That Christmas, many people, members of Black Hollywood included, accepted the invitation. All of them fell in love with Ghana – and Accra in particular. The rest, as they say, is history.

If the podcast title is familiar to you, it’s because it’s one of Ghana’s most popular ones. It celebrates all of Ghana’s stars, whether they’re living the high life, or not. The show also got a shoutout in the final episode of “S***hole Country.” It’s a frenetic, host-driven, talk show. And yes, it does current affairs, but there’s nothing dry about the way the news is talked about on this show. The host, Joseph Nti spills Accra’s tea from a millennial perspective. Yes, I know that millennials aren’t young anymore (sorry, but also…true) and I’d be shocked if younger and older folx didn’t didn’t enjoy the podcast as well. 

But let’s talk about the hot peppeh sauce Joseph Nti brings. His jokes are funny and, at times, so outrageous that he’ll catch himself and start laughing at what he’s said. On the shows I’ve heard, Joseph discusses a wide range of issues; sports, politics, sex, and the politics of sex which is a highly charged issue in Ghana as I type. And yes, he’s poked fun at us diasporans – by attempting to mimic a London Accent. On that note, I’d give the accent an 8/10. 😉

What makes this podcast work is that it’s a show for Ghanaians – the ones born and living in the country. The rest of us – yes, us diasporans included – are welcome to join the fun if we can keep up. And I’m confident you can. Part of what worked for me was hearing someone who didn’t think twice about sharing his outrage on controversial topics. Or poke tease guests who ask him for relationship advice. By the way, those advice segments are a treat.

The show doesn’t focus on selling Accra as a world-class city; Joseph Nti and show producer Kwame Asante Ofori already know that. Nor does it overlook the grime of political corruption or inequity.

I’m looking forward to hearing what they do when they return for a new season.

—–

Now you’ve read this, tell us what you think of the show on The Cipher  IG page!

Image Courtesy of Gold Coast Report