{"id":106021,"date":"2025-12-09T11:41:43","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T11:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=106021"},"modified":"2025-12-09T11:41:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T11:41:43","slug":"wode-maya-africas-cultural-diplomat-championing-tourism-through-digital-storytelling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=106021","title":{"rendered":"Wode Maya: Africa\u2019s cultural diplomat championing tourism through digital storytelling"},"content":{"rendered":"
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With a drone in one hand and a smile in every frame, WodeMaya has become more than just a YouTuber. He is Ghana\u2019s and Africa\u2019s official ambassador, showcasing the continent\u2019s culture, people, and potential to millions across the globe.<\/p>\n

\u201cUntil the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter\u201d. This African proverb emphasise that\u00a0the narrative of events is shaped by those in power, and the perspective of the oppressed is often left out. And an action to the marginalised find their voice and tell their own story, the version told by the victors or those in authority (the \u201chunter\u201d) will prevail.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wode Maya is Ghana and Africa\u2019s Lion who is retelling the African narrative that has been told by the likes of slavery and colonialism. Through the digital storytelling, his work represents a new form of cultural diplomacy through tourism and digital media.<\/p>\n

The Rise of Wode Maya<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wode Maya\u00a0(<\/strong>Berthold Kobby Winkler Ackon)\u00a0<\/strong>is a Ghanaian freelance Vlogger \/ YouTuber. He was born on March\u202f3, 1990,<\/strong>in\u00a0<\/strong>Ahekofi, a village in Kofikrom, in the Western Region of Ghana. He who holds a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Shenyang Aerospace University, China. He also studied at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) \u2014 gaining proficiency in Mandarin and being immersed in Chinese culture.He began vlogging to challenge negative stereotypes about Africans in China.<\/p>\n

Over time, his channel expanded to cover African culture, travel, and entrepreneurship, highlighting stories rarely told in mainstream media. Through his platform, Wode Maya has interviewed African leaders, entrepreneurs, and cultural icons, including Presidents H.E John Dramani Mahamaand H.E John Kufuor, Kenyan lawyer Prof. PLO Lumumba, and CEOs such as Allen Onyema (Air Peace) and Innocent IfediasoChukwuma (Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing). His channel now boasts nearly two million subscribers, reflecting the growing global appetite for authentic African stories. The\u00a0Africa to the World Project<\/em>, his flagship initiative, seeks to document Africa in its diversity, from the bustling cities of Lagos and Nairobi to remote rural communities in Namibia and South Sudan. He aims to break stereotypes, encourage tourism, attract investment, and promote pan-African solidarity.<\/p>\n

On October 1, 2025, the Government of Ghana, through Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, conferred diplomatic passports to Wode Maya and other creative figures, formally recognizing their role as cultural diplomats.<\/p>\n

Promoting Ghana and Africa\u2019s Image<\/strong><\/p>\n

Accra (capital city)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

As part of his \u201cExperience Ghana\u201d itinerary, Wode Maya has done city-tour content in Accra, showcasing major landmarks including Black Star Gate and Black Star Square \u2014 symbolic sites for Ghana\u2019s independence and national identity. He also featured the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum \/ Memorial Park which is a key historical and cultural site that commemorates Ghana\u2019s first president and the country\u2019s liberation history. Through these visits he helps highlight Ghana\u2019s history, heritage, and the significance of national symbols to both locals and global audience.<\/p>\n

Nogokpo (Volta Region)<\/strong><\/p>\n

He visited Nogokpo to explore its cultural\/religious reputation.The town is known for traditional spiritual justice and beliefs; in his video, he speaks with local leaders about why it is considered one of Ghana\u2019s \u201cmost feared\u201d towns. \u00a0Through that visit, Wode Maya sheds light on traditional beliefs and customs that are not always widely known or understood, offering a view of Ghana\u2019s cultural diversity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anomabo (Central Region, coastal town)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wode Maya once showcased a \u201cluxury glass house\u201d accommodation in Anomabo. This attempt highlights a beachfront lodging option on Ghana\u2019s coast. By featuring Anomabo and its coastal settings, he draws attention to Ghana\u2019s seaside culture and tourism potential beyond the usual urban centres.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Takoradi \/ SekondiTakoradi (Western Region)<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is video content of Wode Maya exploring Takoradi \u2014 including lodging, travel around town, showing that he also visits Ghana\u2019s western coastal\/commercial hubs.\u00a0<\/strong>By including Takoradi\/Sekondi-Takoradi in his travels, he gives visibility to coastal Ghana outside of Accra and Central Region, broadening perspectives on Ghana\u2019s regional diversity.<\/p>\n

Selected African Countries Wode Maya Has Visited (for Culture & History)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania \/ East Africa)<\/p>\n

Wode Maya climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and shared photos from the peak, showing Africa\u2019s natural grandeur and adventure potential. By doing so, he draws attention to Africa\u2019s mountain-landscapes \u2014 countering narrow media images that may focus only on urban poverty or conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Masai Mara (Kenya)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In another video, Wode Maya crosses from Masai Mara (Kenya) into Serengeti (Tanzania) \u2014 in effect showing African unity beyond colonial borders. This visit highlights East Africa\u2019s rich wildlife, natural heritage, and shared tourism potential across borders.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Freetown, Peninsula (Sierra Leone)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to media coverage, during his 2025 visit, WodeMaya\u2019s itinerary in Sierra Leone included historic and cultural landmarks \u2014 e.g. coastal sites, heritage locales, local creative communities. \u00a0This kind of content helps bring attention to lesser-known but historically and culturally significant places in West Africa beyond the usual travel hotspots.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Botswana (Southern Africa)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wode Maya visited Botswana and met with the Ghanaian community living there, exploring the lives of Africans abroad inside Africa. Through such visits, he highlights intra-African migration, diaspora networks, and culturally diverse African communities \u2014 showing Africa\u2019s interconnectedness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Namibia\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

On his \u201cAfrica to the World\u201d page, Wode Maya mentions visiting populations such as the Himba people (Namibia), the Mundari people (South Sudan), and other tribal\/ethnic communities \u2014 offering viewers a glimpse into traditional African cultures often under-represented globally. Through these portrayals, he helps remind audiences that Africa is not homogenous but composed of many peoples, languages, traditions, and life-ways.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lesotho<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lesotho is called the\u00a0Kingdom in the Sky.\u00a0<\/em>Wode Maya\u2019s video portraying Lesotho as the coldest country in Africa plays a crucial role in promoting African identity. By showcasing snowfall, mountain culture, Basotho blanket traditions, and the resilience of communities living in the highlands, his content challenges stereotypes of Africa as uniformly hot and primitive. The video highlights the continent\u2019s climatic diversity, strengthens cultural pride, and promotes Lesotho as a winter tourism destination. Through positive storytelling and authentic engagement with locals, Wode Maya presents Africa as complex, beautiful, and culturally rich\u2014thereby advancing a stronger, more accurate African identity.<\/p>\n

Ethiopia<\/strong><\/p>\n

He also visited Abuna Yemata Guh, which is carved into a high cliff in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Wode Maya\u2019s video illustrates that: Africans built sophisticated architectural wonders long before Western colonization. The church\u2019s construction that is hand-carved into solid rock at a dangerous height demonstrates early African engineering skills. Ethiopia\u2019s Christian heritage dates back to the 4th century, proving that Africa has deep spiritual and architectural history.<\/p>\n

How He Qualifies as a Cultural Diplomat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cultural diplomacy is the exchange of ideas, traditions, and arts to foster international understanding. It is a soft-power strategy, where cultural expressions, rather than politics or military force serve as a tool to influence foreign audiences and foster goodwill.<\/p>\n

Wode Maya exemplifies this through:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Arts and Literature:<\/strong>\u00a0Showcasing music, dance, festivals, and visual arts.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Heritage and Traditions:<\/strong>\u00a0Highlighting rituals, clothing, cuisine, and historical landmarks.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Education and Exchanges:<\/strong>\u00a0Sharing African history and culture with global audiences.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Media and Communication:<\/strong>\u00a0Using YouTube and social media to reach millions, blending entertainment with education.<\/p>\n

In addition to celebrating values, Wode Maya fosters national unity by traveling across regions and engaging with diverse ethnic communities. His narratives emphasize shared identity indiversity, connecting urban and rural, northern and southern Ghana and Africa at large and reaching the diaspora. By presenting stories of collaboration and resilience, he strengthens the sense of collective pride and encourages Ghanaians and Africans abroad to connect with their cultural roots.<\/p>\n

Unlike traditional diplomacy, Wode Maya leverages digital platforms like YouTube and social media to reach global audiences in real time. His content educates, entertains, and inspires, promoting Ghana \u00a0 and Africa positively while building admiration and goodwill internationally. Through this approach, Wode Maya embodies modern cultural diplomacy, projecting Ghanaian culture and African, values, and unity to the world in ways that complement and sometimes surpass conventional diplomatic channels.<\/p>\n

Tourism and Development Impact<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA):<\/strong>\u00a0Wode Maya has partnered with GTA to showcase destinations like Cape Coast Castle, Kakum National Park, and Mole National Park.<\/strong>\u00a0His videos promote Ghana as a tourist destination and encourage both local and international travelers to explore the country.<\/p>\n

Sierra Leone Tourism Board:<\/strong>\u00a0During his visit, he collaborated with local tourism authorities to highlight Freetown\u2019s historical sites, beaches, and cultural heritage, boosting the country\u2019s global visibility.<\/p>\n

Tanzania \/ Serengeti & Mount Kilimanjaro:<\/strong>\u00a0Though informal, his videos highlighting parks and natural landmarks serve as promotion for Tanzanian tourism, showing how African countries can use influencers for cultural and natural heritage promotion.<\/p>\n

Promotion of Local Businesses<\/strong><\/p>\n

Small-scale Ghanaian entrepreneurs:<\/strong>\u00a0He often highlights farmers, artisans, street food vendors, and local fashion designers,<\/strong>\u00a0showing their products and operations to millions of viewers. For example, he showcased cocoa farmers and sheabutter producers, giving them international exposure.<\/p>\n

Community markets in Africa:<\/strong>\u00a0In Uganda, Kenya, and Botswana, Wode Maya visited markets and small businesses, encouraging support for local entrepreneurship while highlighting sustainable African businesses.<\/p>\n

Tourism-related businesses:<\/strong>\u00a0Through visits to lodges, guest houses, and eco-tourism sites, he promotes locally-owned businesses as viable tourist destinations.<\/p>\n

Diaspora and African Interest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Diaspora engagement:<\/strong>\u00a0Many videos target African communities abroad, e.g., showing Ghanaian culture to Ghanaians and Africans in the diaspora, encouraging visits to ancestral homelands. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Pan-African identity promotion:<\/strong>\u00a0By traveling across Africa and showcasing diverse cultures\u2014from the Himba in Namibia to the Mundari in South Sudan\u2014he sparks interest among global Africans to learn, connect, and invest in African heritage and tourism.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Inspiring youth entrepreneurship:<\/strong>\u00a0His storytelling of African innovators and local businesses motivates both local youth and the diaspora to support African-made products and contribute to continent-wide development.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s digital age, where a single video can reach millions across the globe, Wode Maya\u2019s camera has become a powerful tool of diplomacy. His work demonstrates that culture, hospitality, and digital creativity can serve as effective ambassadors for Ghana and Africa at large, presenting the continent in a nuanced and positive light. Just as Fuse ODJ tells the African story through his song\u00a0\u201c54 Countries\u201d<\/em>, Wode Maya narrates the continent\u2019s diverse cultures, histories, and achievements\u2014stories often overlooked by mainstream media.<\/p>\n

Critics may argue that Wode Maya presents Sub-Saharan Africa through rose-colored glasses, acknowledging that Africa continues to face socio-economic challenges. Yet, even amid these realities, his storytelling provides a counter-narrative\u2014the perspective that colonial histories, conflict, and poverty do not define the entire continent. He is the lion giving voice to the stories that the hunter has historically silenced, safeguarding and promoting the pan-African dream. Supporting such voices is no longer optional; it is essential for shaping Africa\u2019s narrative in the 21st century.<\/p>\n

About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n

Raphael Junior Mensah is a literature and drama tutor, a theatre critic, an author, and a researcher with a passion for African theatre, diplomacy, and the role of performance in social transformation. He writes on arts, culture, and education for various Ghanaian platforms.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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