Dr Arikana Chihombora-Quao, alongside notable figures such as Patrick Loch Otieno Lulumba of Kenya, Peter Obi of Nigeria, and Nana Kwame Bediako, expressed her sentiments in a press conference following the cancellation of the Convention titled “Igniting the Voices of Africa.”
Addressing the speculation surrounding the event’s cancellation, Dr Chihombora-Quao revealed, “I feel strongly that I should make this comment. As I was coming here, I got a call from one of my Africa diaspora who is a Ghanaian, who actually came to Ghana from the United States because I was coming here.”
She continued, recounting the rumour she had heard: “He said, Ambassador, I heard a rumour that the reason why the event was cancelled was because the young man who was sponsoring it is a millionaire, and he has political ambitions.”
In response, Dr Chihombora-Quao clarified her stance, stating, “I can tell you as clearly and plainly as I can that I never heard the conversation about him being a millionaire. I never heard the conversation about him having political ambitions.”
Highlighting the nature of her interactions with Nana Kwame Bediako, she emphasized, “The time I have spent with him has had more to do with entrepreneurship and the possibilities. So for those who are saying we are here to support him further his political ambitions, that is a damn lie.”
She elaborated on the focus of her discussions with Nana Bediako, stating, “Certainly for my interactions with him, Nana Bediako, have been about entrepreneurship and the possibilities of what we can do if the Africa youth could be empowered and how we can raise money to support African youth so they can build the Africa that we want. That’s all the conversation that I have had. Anything else, I do not know.”
Explaining her initial hesitation and subsequent acceptance of the invitation, Dr Chihombora-Quao said, “When the invitation came, I did not know him, but I had to do homework. What got me to accept the invitation is his age and the fact that he is a youth. Because if we do not support our youth, then who is going to support them.”