Cheryl Polote Williamson Honored as Queen Mother in Ghana.
The ceremony brought together members of the Abura Odonase community in a meaningful celebration.
Cheryl Polote Williamson has been enstooled as a Queen Mother in Ghana, assuming a development-focused leadership role as she expands her philanthropic, business, and diaspora engagement initiatives in the country, according to CityBiz.com.
The Anona Royal Family enstooled Polote Williamson as Nana Aba Kwekuwah Somah I, Queen Mother of Development for the Abura Odonase Traditional Area. The ceremony gathered members of the Abura Odonase community, along with more than 25 divisional chiefs and queen mothers.
The role centers on advancing community development. During her enstoolment and swearing-in ceremony, Polote Williamson unveiled a 12-point strategic plan aimed at creating opportunities and mobilizing resources for women, children, and young people. She has already started putting the plan into action, including an initiative to renovate the village school.
“Giving our children the space and opportunity to dream is more than an ideal—it is a responsibility we all share,” Polote Williamson said.
“When we broaden their horizons and remove the barriers in their way, we give them the freedom to discover the limitless possibilities of who they can become.”
Just days before her enstoolment, Polote Williamson was appointed tourism ambassador for diaspora affairs by Ghana Tourism Federation President Seth Ocran. In this role, she is expected to promote diaspora tourism, investment, and cultural exchange between Ghana and the United States.
Polote Williamson, who has also spoken at Women of Power Summit, led a delegation of 20 women from across the United States to Ghana as part of a U.S.-Ghana business initiative. Representing diverse business backgrounds, the group took part in the inaugural Dr. Cheryl Polote Williamson Business and Cultural Summit on Sept. 14.
The summit brought together representatives from Ghana’s Diaspora Affairs Office, the Ghana Investment Promotion Center, the Real Estate Agency Council, the National Commission on Culture, and the Ghana Tourism Federation. Discussions focused on investment opportunities, business regulations, real estate, citizenship, and cultural engagement.
Over the course of the seven-day visit, the delegation explored Accra and Ghana’s Central Region, with stops at notable sites such as the W.E.B. Du Bois Center and Elmina Castle. According to the release, the group generated more than $200,000 in economic activity for the local community.
Delegation members also supported Polote Williamson’s nonprofit organization, Soul Reborn, which distributed sanitary products and Liberty Cards to children and young people in Accra. She plans to return to Ghana in October to move forward with plans for an information and communications technology center in Abura Odonase while continuing her work with local schools.
