African Association of Madison’s 11th Annual Africa Fest
Fulfillment of excellence
Fulfillment of excellence
Dr. William Bosu, retired professor and researcher from the
UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, is the chairman
of the African Association of Madison
UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, is the chairman
of the African Association of Madison
By Jonathan Gramling
For Dr. William Bosu, retired UW professor and current chairman of the African
Association of Madison, a sense of Pan-Africanism has always been important — and a
necessity. Bosu’s interest in theriogenology took him from his native Ghana to Canada,
Sweden, back to Canada and eventually to Wisconsin. There always weren’t many
Ghanaians around.
“What I keep preaching all the time is we leave our countries and when we come
here, we are very few in number from each country,” Bosu recalled during an
interview with The Capital City Hues. “So to have a large number to deal with, we
should become a family. In Sweden, a young man from Gambia died and there was no
support. There was no one around. In Canada, a friend of mine, a Ghanaian, also died.
Luckily we had a workable group of Ghanaians. We were able to get together, but that
was all by ourselves. And when I came here, for the first 10 years, we had nothing.
Then through a very tragic event, it became important to us to think about coming
together. ‘Let’s get an association going.’ Thank God, we got it going. It has congealed
and brought into fruition the idea that we needed a group like that for the support of one
and all.”
For Dr. William Bosu, retired UW professor and current chairman of the African
Association of Madison, a sense of Pan-Africanism has always been important — and a
necessity. Bosu’s interest in theriogenology took him from his native Ghana to Canada,
Sweden, back to Canada and eventually to Wisconsin. There always weren’t many
Ghanaians around.
“What I keep preaching all the time is we leave our countries and when we come
here, we are very few in number from each country,” Bosu recalled during an
interview with The Capital City Hues. “So to have a large number to deal with, we
should become a family. In Sweden, a young man from Gambia died and there was no
support. There was no one around. In Canada, a friend of mine, a Ghanaian, also died.
Luckily we had a workable group of Ghanaians. We were able to get together, but that
was all by ourselves. And when I came here, for the first 10 years, we had nothing.
Then through a very tragic event, it became important to us to think about coming
together. ‘Let’s get an association going.’ Thank God, we got it going. It has congealed
and brought into fruition the idea that we needed a group like that for the support of one
and all.”
Bosu has also found a sense of Pan Africanism to be enriching as well. “I have friends from countries from almost all around Africa, from the south,
north, west and east,” Bosu said. “If I had stayed in only with the Ghanaians, I wouldn’t know those people. It has enriched my life and I hope in a
way I have enriched their lives. That’s important, the fact that we need that for support; we need that for the emotional and spiritual enrichment of our
lives.”
The African Association of Madison reflects that spirit of Pan Africanism in the work it does year round including its end-of-year and graduation
celebrations, its annual picnic held in conjunction with the African Women’s Association and UBUNTU mentoring program. But perhaps its most
visible expression is the annual Africa Fest celebration, being held this year on August 15 at Warner Park. This year’s theme, ‘Fulfillment of the
Diaspora: Yes We Can,’ reflects the commitment to achievement in the African community.
“This year’s fest will be celebrating that belief and celebrating people in the community who have achieved,” Bosu said. “I think most Africans
here have achieved. Some came with the qualifications, found jobs and succeeded in their jobs. Others came without the qualifications. They
trained themselves and took advantage of the opportunities that are available and prepared themselves to succeed in American society. What we
are trying to say is that we can do it if we put our mind to it. Barack Obama’s election just highlights this. Most of us had been in America for years
before the election. We had been living that dream that we can. Barack Obama came forward and was able to articulate it. Yes, we believed in
ourselves long ago that we could.”
Africa Fest features the diversity and the wealth of culture and traditions that come from Africa. While the entertainment stage features primarily
African dance and music, it will also feature the Flavor Dance Troup of the Caribbean and Rev. Colier McNair and members of the Madison
Community Gospel Choir. It is a main stage that will keep you in your seat of dancing all afternoon.
A highlight of the festival is the African Fashion Show. “The fashion show shows the diversity of Africa,” Bosu exclaimed. “It is very rich. You
see the nice flowing robes from Ethiopia. Then you come to a West African and you see the Nigerian clothing. Their outfits are out of this world. Then
there is Ghana with the kinte cloth and the long boubous from Sierra Leone. And going down south, if you saw some photos of people from Lesotho
and South Africa, it is very beautiful attire.”
Rounding out Africa Fest are the seven food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, community information tables, a children’s play area and of
course, the African Women’s Association’s African Village, a wonderful cultural exhibition.
Bosu also emphasized that Africa Fest is open to all. “At Africa Fest, everyone is African,” Bosu said. “We are very welcoming and loving. We
are very receiving and our history shows it. Come to Africa Fest. We are your friends. You are welcome and as we say in Wisconsin, ‘You are among
friends.’ Come be with us.”
north, west and east,” Bosu said. “If I had stayed in only with the Ghanaians, I wouldn’t know those people. It has enriched my life and I hope in a
way I have enriched their lives. That’s important, the fact that we need that for support; we need that for the emotional and spiritual enrichment of our
lives.”
The African Association of Madison reflects that spirit of Pan Africanism in the work it does year round including its end-of-year and graduation
celebrations, its annual picnic held in conjunction with the African Women’s Association and UBUNTU mentoring program. But perhaps its most
visible expression is the annual Africa Fest celebration, being held this year on August 15 at Warner Park. This year’s theme, ‘Fulfillment of the
Diaspora: Yes We Can,’ reflects the commitment to achievement in the African community.
“This year’s fest will be celebrating that belief and celebrating people in the community who have achieved,” Bosu said. “I think most Africans
here have achieved. Some came with the qualifications, found jobs and succeeded in their jobs. Others came without the qualifications. They
trained themselves and took advantage of the opportunities that are available and prepared themselves to succeed in American society. What we
are trying to say is that we can do it if we put our mind to it. Barack Obama’s election just highlights this. Most of us had been in America for years
before the election. We had been living that dream that we can. Barack Obama came forward and was able to articulate it. Yes, we believed in
ourselves long ago that we could.”
Africa Fest features the diversity and the wealth of culture and traditions that come from Africa. While the entertainment stage features primarily
African dance and music, it will also feature the Flavor Dance Troup of the Caribbean and Rev. Colier McNair and members of the Madison
Community Gospel Choir. It is a main stage that will keep you in your seat of dancing all afternoon.
A highlight of the festival is the African Fashion Show. “The fashion show shows the diversity of Africa,” Bosu exclaimed. “It is very rich. You
see the nice flowing robes from Ethiopia. Then you come to a West African and you see the Nigerian clothing. Their outfits are out of this world. Then
there is Ghana with the kinte cloth and the long boubous from Sierra Leone. And going down south, if you saw some photos of people from Lesotho
and South Africa, it is very beautiful attire.”
Rounding out Africa Fest are the seven food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, community information tables, a children’s play area and of
course, the African Women’s Association’s African Village, a wonderful cultural exhibition.
Bosu also emphasized that Africa Fest is open to all. “At Africa Fest, everyone is African,” Bosu said. “We are very welcoming and loving. We
are very receiving and our history shows it. Come to Africa Fest. We are your friends. You are welcome and as we say in Wisconsin, ‘You are among
friends.’ Come be with us.”
