The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has pledged his personal and institutional support for the redevelopment of the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture.
Describing the project as critical to preserving Africa’s intellectual and liberation heritage, the Speaker stressed that the place is a store of knowledge of Africa
Speaking to the media during a familiarisation tour of the Centre in Accra, Mr. Bagbin said the facility represents a priceless store of African history and wisdom.
He recalled visiting the Centre during his student days at the University of Ghana, Legon, noting that the visit rekindled feelings of nostalgia and inspiration.
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The visit, which followed a formal invitation from the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation, led by the Foundation’s Executive Director, Mr. Japhet Aryiku, provided an opportunity to share the institution’s mandate, future vision, and development plans for the Centre.
“We used to come here to study some of the literature that abounds in this small space. This is a store of knowledge of Africa. This is the beginning of our liberation. If you don’t know history, you will never be wise,” he stated.
The Speaker stressed that the redevelopment deserved massive support from all stakeholders and announced that he would personally invest in the project.
“I will definitely have my support, not only by way of action. I will invest personally in this project,” he pledged.
He cautioned that Africa’s projected future would only be meaningful if Africans maintained control of their identity and destiny.
“We have to keep our spirit, our culture, and our identity,” he urged.
The Executive Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation, Mr. Japhet Aryiku, outlined the scope and cost of the redevelopment project.
According to him, the historic bungalow where Dr. Du Bois lived will be restored and modernised, with work expected to begin in April 2026.
“This building is where Du Bois lived, and we are going to restore it to the way that it was, with some modernization,” he said.
He revealed that the restoration is expected to be completed and dedicated on February 23, 2027.
Beyond the bungalow, Mr. Aryiku announced plans for a new museum, library, scholars’ residence, amphitheatre, and memorial complex.
“We are building a new museum that will exhibit the 95-year life of Dr. Du Bois and his fight for human rights and social justice,” he explained.
The scholars’ residence, he said, will consist of about 50 rooms to host researchers from across the world.
“Scholars from all over the world will come here to study the works of Du Bois,” he added.
Mr. Aryiku estimated the cost of the physical infrastructure at about $60 million, while the full endowment and operational framework would require approximately $200 million.
“We think we can raise the money, and we are already seeing strong interest,” he said.
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama and Parliament for supporting the transfer of the Centre to the Du Bois Foundation.
She noted that the move would enable the Foundation to manage and develop the facility in line with the stature of Dr. Du Bois.
The Minister also recalled her personal connection to the Centre, describing it as a former rehearsal and performance space during her early career.
Hon. Gomashie called for equal recognition of Ghana’s three major Pan-African figures — W.E.B. Du Bois, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and George Padmore.
“We are blessed with three giants, and their status must be at par,” she stated.
She stressed that balanced investment in their legacies would strengthen Ghana’s position as the global hub of Pan-Africanism and deepen ties with the African diaspora.
The redevelopment project is expected to reposition the Du Bois Centre as a major international destination for research, cultural exchange, and heritage tourism.
With the support of Parliament, government, and private partners, stakeholders believe the Centre will emerge as a leading Pan-African institution after completion.