The night before Emefa Addo Agawu visited the center of the world, she found herself wide awake in her parents’ house in Accra, Ghana. Jet lag clung to her like an itchy blanket as she contemplated the significance of the journey she was about to embark on.
The center of the world, as she explains, is not a physical location but a point where 0 degrees longitude meets 0 degrees latitude. This imaginary point holds cultural and historical significance, especially in Tema, Ghana, where Emefa’s mother grew up.
Accompanied by her mother and a cousin, Emefa set out to visit the Greenwich Meridian Line, which runs through Tema. Their journey was met with a minor obstacle when a guard at the Meridian Church gate refused to let them pass without permission. However, with some gentle persuasion, they were able to walk through and reach the marker that symbolizes the meeting of the world’s longitudinal lines.
As Emefa stood at the Prime Meridian marker, contemplating the cosmic and cultural significance of the moment, her mother insisted on taking a photo and video to commemorate the occasion. Meanwhile, her cousin, who had attended primary school at the church, expressed indifference towards the historical significance of the site.
In the end, Emefa reflects on the different ways people find meaning in their experiences. While some may seek profound significance in symbolic gestures, others may simply appreciate the moment for what it is. The visit to the center of the world may not have been a life-changing event, but it was a reminder of the diverse ways in which people connect to their roots and heritage.
Emefa Addo Agawu’s journey to the center of the world serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities of identity, history, and the ways in which we navigate our place in the world.
