Ghanaian international reggae act based in the US, Kwame Ofori Bediako, has admitted that most Ghanaians living abroad have had their sense of culture diluted to an extent.
The musician who is a victim of this dilution himself however believes it is important every Ghanaian and African in the diaspora holds on to a portion of their roots.
“I have been diluted to an extent and I wish I can do more in the areas of culture. I have been diluted quite a bit and I am still hanging on to the little bit I have left”, he told Haruna Babangida in an interview on Y97.9FM’s Reggae Republic show.
According to him “if you don’t have any connection to your roots then who are you?”
He believes staying away from the motherland dilutes one completely in terms of culture and not wanting that to happen to conscious Africans, he advised his fellows to take regular trips to their motherlands. “The longer we stay away, the more diluted we become so we try to hang on to the little we have and keep in touch with our roots. The need to keep in touch with my roots more is why I have decided to visit Ghana this year”.
Regardless of having spent most of his life in the US, the man dubbed “The Afrikan Roots Ambassador” is still in touch with his roots and this is reflected in his words and stagecraft.