WELCOME DURBAR

On Saturday, the 12^th of October 2013, the International Programmes Office (IPO) held a Welcome Durbar for all International Students at 2:00pm in the Alex Adum Kwapong Quadrangle of the Great Hall, University of Ghana.

Welcome Durbar is a festive bi-annual event organised to expose the international students to Ghanaian culture while giving them the opportunity to showcase their talents and culture as well.

This year’s durbar was a very colourful and lively event with a mixture of comedy, dance, poetry recitals and the uniquely executed performances of the Manshishikweloi Cultural Group. The event was graced with the presence of dignitaries such as the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Office of Research, Innovation and Development: Prof. John Gyapong, the Registrar of University: Mrs. Haizel Ashia, the Director of the West African Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI): Prof.  Danquah, the Director of the Institute of Environmental and Sanitation Studies (IESS): Prof. Chris Gordon, and the Dean of Students: Dr. Adomako, among others. Also present were the wide variety of International Students in the University. A total of about 34 countries were represented in the student population that day. This includes students from our very own neighbours: Togo, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Malawi, Liberia, Kenya and Lesotho to students from Australia and from the Americas such as the USA, Argentina and Canada. Also, present were students from Asia such as South Korea, China and Taiwan and European countries such as Norway, Sweden, France and Czech Republic, among others.

The students were welcomed to the programme by the Dean of International Programmes, Prof. Naa Ayikailey Adamafio. She entreated them to be worthy ambassadors of their countries and of the University of Ghana. The Assistant Registrar of the University, Mrs. Haizel Ashia, in a short speech acknowledged the maturity of the students in times of difficulty at the beginning of the semester and encouraged them to always develop positive attitudes to challenging situations wherever they find themselves. She also encouraged them to share new and positive ideas with students on the campus.

The first session of the durbar began with a vibrant cultural performance by the Manshishikweloi Cultural Group, in which they invited to the stage several students to dance traditional kpanlogo with them. It then segued into a variety of group and individual performances by the International students. Also present was the Salsa Mingle group, who spiced the evening up with a lovely salsa performance.

Students were then invited to a sumptuous dinner. The dinner was served at three stands, enabling the needs of the vegetarians to be met separately. It consisted of a variety of local dishes served and impeccably garnished.

After a very filling meal, guests were entertained with choreography by a group of international students from the University of California Exchange Abroad Programme (UCEAP) followed by a hilarious skit performed in Twi, also by California students from California State University (CSU).

 The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) also presented a group performance. This took the form of a side-splitting hilarious play in which the students, and some staff, of CIEE portrayed life in Ghana and the peculiar experiences such as the UTAG strike that they experienced in the University of Ghana. Needless to say, this play got the whole audience cracking up. The programme was brought to a close by a final performance by the Manshishikweloi Cultural Group in which they displayed elegant dance moves while balancing pots of fire on their heads to the amazement of the audience.

 

The festivities, however, continued after this performance with socialization and dancing. The students had great fun as everyone, from staff to students, had their dancing shoes on.

Overall, the first semester Welcome Durbar was a very successful and entertaining event. One that will surely forever be imprinted in the memories of all that attended.