What do Abuja carvers, Bolga cane-weavers, Togolese ceramic workers, and Accra carpenters have in common?
We were destined to meet Namata.
At its core, the RoA story is all about building connections to people who dare to dream. That’s why we stepped out of our comfort zone to amplify our work. We wanted to celebrate those who have supported us, and we wanted to fuel even bigger dreams in them. We also need to reach people whose lives hadn’t intersected with WEAR Ghana, and bring the vision to them.
And we want to do it in a big, big way. We had many long talks, and realised that success should mean that in decades to come, people would be traveling to see where the story began. “Then,” we decided, “let’s build something worth traveling to see!”
We said it, but we had no idea how to make it real.
Namata had the exact blueprint.
We met her in 2024 when we partnered with A Rocha Ghana and The Coalition, staging a series of interventions to protest against galamsey. Nam contributed a plaque for the project – honestly the most beautiful we have ever seen. It was an epiphany. We had to sit and chat with this woman.
More than an architect who would understand our vision, we needed someone who would get excited about it. Namata turned out to be a rebellious creative who had no patience for the same thing that annoys us – that quiet, dangerous acceptance that beautiful things must be imported into Africa.
She was raised in Uganda, but she’s lived in Kenya and South Africa, before settling here in Ghana. Her influences are firmly continental, so this project had one simple foundational rule: as much of African material as possible, assembled by Africans only.
And have you seen the results? They are worth taking in. Every day we get to walk into Anigye House, it’s delight after delight. The metal arch over the entrance welcomes you. The textured earthen walls grounds you. The runway pulls you forward. And the accents and furnishings! Our mannequins came from Abuja. The woven lampshades are from Bolgatanga. The Togolese firm Ikemike made all the tiles to special order. The chairs, hanging displays, and counter are by Timpo Crafts. Sarah did a standout job on the paintwork.
So the first chapter of Anigye House is definitely all about the woman who brought it to life. Namata, thank you for building a place where people can dream. We’ll work to live up to this space.
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