TRAVELOGUE: Of a Roadside Presidential Office, a Wise Driver and 3 Days in Ghana
By Kabir Abdulsalam,
As our plane began its descent over Accra’s coastline on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, I felt a quiet sense of fulfilment, the kind that comes when something long delayed finally finds its way back to you.
Two years ago, I missed the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Awards in Belgrade, Serbia. My passport had expired, and renewing it within the short notice proved impossible. That disappointment stayed with me.
But as our Africa World Airlines’ aircraft touched the tarmac in Accra, it felt like life had decided to give me another chance. Ghana was calling — and this time, I answered prepared.
We left Abuja early penultimate Wednesday aboard Flight AW 0255 of the Africa World Airlines. The aircraft took off from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at exactly 1:00 p.m. and landed at Kotoka International Airport’s Terminal 3 by 1:45 p.m. — just an hour and forty-five minutes later.
Warm coastal air greeted us as we stepped out, along with a skyline that carried its own rhythm of calm confidence. I travelled with my boss, Yushau A. Shuaib, founder and Chief Executive of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential; Dr. Sule Yau Sule, Chairman of the IMPR Board and a seasoned communication scholar whose career cuts across both the military and civil spheres; and Gidado Shuaib, who represented Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, Director-General of Voice of Nigeria.
We were not just heading for another professional event. We were going to join the global family of communicators at the IPRA 70th Anniversary Conference and Golden World Awards, held from October 1 to 3, 2025, right in the vibrant heart of Accra.
The first thing that caught my attention in Ghana was its simplicity. The roads looked much like those in Nigeria’s major cities — a mix of smooth drives and occasional patches. The traffic hummed softly, with street vendors, moving headlights, and people who seemed to go about their business with quiet purpose. Yet, there was something about the order that stood out — a calm that spoke volumes.
Not long after leaving the airport, our driver pointed casually to a beautiful glass building by the roadside. “That’s the President’s office,” he said. I was taken aback. The Office of the President — so open, unguarded, and within reach. It felt like a lesson in leadership without walls, power without fear.
The driver spoke with the easy wisdom of someone who observes more than he says. At a fuel station, I noticed the different pump prices and asked why. He smiled and said, “In Ghana, you buy fuel according to your income. But your car engine knows when you’re pretending.” His words stayed with me. It was a quiet lesson on honesty, fairness, and the different ways nations define equity.
Our hotel, was right beside the Canadian Embassy. It was modest but welcoming, with kind staff and a homely atmosphere. The smell of fried plantain filled the air every morning, while in the evenings, the corridors came alive with the soft chatter of guests from across Africa.
The IPRA 70th Anniversary Conference opened with refreshing energy. It was more than a gathering of professionals; it was a collective reflection on the state of communication in a world struggling with misinformation.
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President John Dramani Mahama, who was the Special Guest of Honour, gave the keynote address. Calm and assured, he spoke on the importance of ethical communication in Africa’s digital age. “Our stories,” he said, “must be our strongest defence against misinformation. But truth must remain our foundation.”
He encouraged communication experts to see Artificial Intelligence as a partner in progress, not a weapon of propaganda. “AI can help Africa tell her story better,” he said, “but it must be guided by ethics, empathy, and integrity.” His words carried both wisdom and warning.
Also speaking was Ghana’s Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who talked about the delicate line between government messaging and public accountability. “Public trust,” he said, “is not built on eloquence but on evidence. Citizens must see, not just hear.”
Panel discussions explored everything from AI and media literacy to crisis communication, storytelling, and reputation management. The conversations were rich, and the atmosphere was intellectually stimulating.
For me, the highlight of those sessions came from my interactions with Dr. Sule Yau Sule. He took time to engage us, the younger participants, with thoughtful insights. His words were never abstract; they came with warmth and real-life depth. “Communication,” he told me one evening, “isn’t only about what you say — it’s about what you make others feel.”
The conference reached its peak at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel, where the IPRA Golden World Awards were held. The hall glowed with elegance, its chandeliers lighting up faces from every continent. There was laughter, flashes of cameras, and a quiet sense that something important was happening.
The Golden World Awards are often described as the Oscars of public relations. That night, they lived up to that description — a celebration of ideas, ethics, and the power of storytelling.
For me, it was emotional. I remembered how our own award-winning project began — just a small idea from a brainstorming session led by Yushau Shuaib and the IMPR team. We wanted to build something that would connect journalism and strategic communication, and from those long nights of writing, editing, and research, the vision came to life.
Winning the IPRA Golden World Award last year was special. Seeing the project celebrated again in Ghana this year felt even more rewarding — like life had completed a beautiful circle.
On our final night, I sat with Gidado Shuaib reflecting on all we had seen and learned. We talked about how every trip changes something in you — how each country has a way of revealing new truths about yourself. Ghana, in its simplicity, had shown that humility and progress can walk hand in hand.
As our plane taxied the next morning, I looked out through the window and saw the Presidential Office fade into the horizon. It felt like a fitting image — of leadership that doesn’t distance itself from its people.
When the clouds finally covered the city, I thought of the conference, of the ideas shared, and of President Mahama’s call for communicators to defend truth in this digital age.
I smiled to myself. Ghana hadn’t just hosted IPRA’s 70th anniversary — it had lived it. When Ghana smiled, it wasn’t only for herself. It was for every African storyteller determined to keep truth alive.
Kabir Abdulsalam is the co-author of “100 Days of Impactful PR” in Customs Management. He can be reached via: [email protected].
