Rastas in Creative Arts advised to take charge of intellectual property rights

Rastafari brothers and sisters have been urged to take charge of their Intellectual Property as Rastafari images and other intellectual property is commercialized without any benefit to the Rastafari nation. The call was made by Ras Cashawn Myers aka Binghi Shawn, Executive Director of Habesha Inc, an organization that builds schools for Africans at home and abroad.
“We have to take ownership of our Intellectual Property. Millions have been made off the image, name, and likeness of Rastafari,” Binghi Shawn said in his keynote address on the theme “Connecting Africa Through Intra-African Trade and Production.” He was speaking at the 4th Rastafari Continental Council Summit and 5th All Africa Rastafari Gathering at Liati Wote in the Volta Region which took place from November 1 to 4. Habesha runs the Kweku Andoh Sustainability Institute (KASI) which was the venue of the summit and trade expo.

The keynote speaker called on Rastafari to harness the potential of our natural environment by using solar energy to provide electricity for our facilities among others. He also charged the participants at the summit to grow their own food since we have the means to do so in Africa. He also informed the gathering about initiatives being made to bring about “ital certification” as a way of protecting Rastafari’s Intellectual Property and also ensuring standards in our productions.

The four-day trade expo and the biannual summit were attended by Rastafari from across Africa. The trade expo is to encourage intra-African trade. It is also intended to empower Rastafari economically.
The chairman of the Rastafari Continental Council, Ahuma Bosco Ocansey encouraged the participants to work on replicating the KASI model of development in their various countries.
He noted, “The vision of the Rastafari Continental Council (RCC) is to build a sustainable institution to further unite, mobilize and empower Rastafari on the continent towards progressive development in Africa; while providing an integrated platform for national, regional, and continental dialogue and efforts for the upliftment of Rastafari at home and abroad.”

The RCC chairman referred to a quotation from Emperor Haile Selassie I that “unity is strength and cautions us to submerge and overcome our differences in the quest for common goals, to strive, with all our combined strength, for the path to true African brotherhood and unity,” calling on the participants to work assiduously toward African Unity through such platforms. Various speakers at the summit applauded the efforts of the RCC to foster African Unity through such interactions.
Participants at the summit were taken on a hiking experience on the Afadzato mountain and also a visit to the Tagbo Falls, as part of the sightseeing tradition of the expo and biannual summit.
The event was attended by delegates and participants from Benin, Nigeria, Guinea, Cote D’voire, Mali, Ghana, Guadalop, and the U.K and it climaxed with a Coronation Celebration at the Arts Centre in Accra on Saturday, November 5.
Also present was a delegation from the Mpese Royal Family of the Ga Traditional Council led by the Noyaa Mantse of the Ga Traditional Council, Nii Osabu Akwei Ofoli Tibo I and Nii Ayerh Congo Mpese I.

The show was sponsored by the African Star Sound System and featured the Rastafari Council, Ghana Nyabinghi Orchestra, Michael Asher from New York, Radikal Ra from the U.K, Fiifi Selah of TH 4 Kwages and Sass Squad fame, Osagyefo, Kojo Kombolo, Aly Baba from Guinea and many others. MCs for the night were Harry Joe, former Vibe FM and Y FM presenter Black Santino and former Groove FM and Joy FM presenter, Culture B.

(Story: Sena Dogbe)