Ghana honors New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley
Updated: Oct 7
Walter T. Mosley Ghana Meet and Greet: Hosts and Highlights
ACCRA, GHANA, September 25, 2026 – New York State Secretary Walter T. Mosley was honored in Ghana on Friday night at the Walter T Mosley Ghana Meet and Greet Meet held at Cello Restauraunt and Lounge in Osu, Accra. Over a 130 guests, including diaspora leaders, business owners, community organizers, and members of Ghana's Civic and Fraternal Organizations, filled the venue for an evening built around one idea the secretary returned to again and again: collaboration. The Walter T. Mosley Ghana Meet and Greet was special occasion with great energy and purpose .
The event was organized by Diaspora Bridge Consulting, CEO Maurice Cheetham who wanted to create an intimate setting where everyone could engage with Secretary Mosley, network, and enjoy themselves.
New York Secretary of State Honored in Ghana
Mistress of Ceremonies Tamica Atugba opened the program shortly after 8:00 PM with a warm welcome to the room. Before any speeches, she asked guests to rise for a moment of silence in memory of the ancestors and all those lost in the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
That minute set the tone for the night. The gathering took place on the same soil from which millions of Africans were taken, and the silence reminded everyone in the room why diaspora engagement in Ghana carries such weight.
New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley Mosley's Message: Collaboration
The centerpiece of the evening was a moderated conversation between Secretary Mosley and Maurice Cheetham, also known as Moe , founder of Diaspora Bridge Consulting and African Roots Travel.
Secretary Mosley made his purpose plain. His goal in Ghana, he told the audience, is collaboration: building working relationships between New York and Ghana that reach past a single visit and into lasting partnerships between institutions, businesses, and communities on both sides of the Atlantic.
That message carries weight given his portfolio. Secretary Mosley chairs New York's Regional Economic Development Councils and the New York State Commission on African American History. Before his appointment, he represented central Brooklyn in the New York State Assembly from 2013 to 2020, where he worked on tenant protections, criminal justice reform, and affordable housing. He also founded the Mosley Advisory Group, a firm focused on emerging markets and economic development.
Guests then put their own questions to Secretary Mosley during an open audience session before the program moved to its most personal moment.
Honoring New Yorkers Who Chose Ghana
The emotional high point of the night was a special honors ceremony recognizing New Yorkers who have become Ghanaian citizens and built lives of service in their adopted home.
Before the awards, Maurice Cheetham explained why the evening singled them out. Many people talk about coming home to Africa, he told the room, but these honorees did the harder thing. They stayed, became citizens, and gave their time to the communities they now call home.
Secretary Mosley presented awards to three honorees:
Jimmy Thorne, a New York-born community leader and advocate recognized for his contributions to the positive growth and development of Ghanaian communities.
Patricia Wilkins, an educator and community organizer honored for her commitment to making a positive impact in the community and in the development of Ghana's Youth.
Nii Nortey Ocquaye, Adontemene Mantse of the Osu Traditional Council, who is honored for his work with the youth of Osu
After the formal program closed at 9:30 PM, guests stayed to network and take photographs with Secretary Mosley and turned up for some high energy Karaoke.
Nii Nortey Qoquaye, Adontheme of Osu receives an award from New York State Secretary Walter T. Mosley for his work with Osu Youth. He is pictured with members of the Osu Traditional Council.
![Jimmy Thorne, holds an award plaque while standing beside [Maurice Cheetham], who presented it, at [Walter T Mosley, New York State Secretary Meet and Greet in Ghana.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8f3f2d_29657538e06d4ddd8a14d54dcf90cc70~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/8f3f2d_29657538e06d4ddd8a14d54dcf90cc70~mv2.jpg)
Organizations Behind the Evening
The Meet and Greet was a joint effort of Diaspora Bridge Consulting, The African American Association of Ghana, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. through its Ghana Chapter. Together, the three organizations represent a cross-section of the diaspora community in Accra: business, heritage travel, civic life, and fraternal service. Supporting sponsors were African Roots Travel, Since 1957 Apparel and One Hundred Black Men of Ghana.
Why the Mosley Visit Matters for Ghana and the Diaspora
Ghana has spent the years since the 2019 Year of Return and the Beyond The Return Initiative building itself into a home base for the global African diaspora. A visit from a sitting New York State Secretary, especially one who leads the state's Commission on African American History, gives that effort to a high-level partner connected to one of the largest Black communities in the United States.
Secretary Mosley's emphasis on collaboration points to what comes next. The relationships started at Cello Restaraunt and Lounge, between New York officials, Ghanaian institutions, and diaspora residents, are the kind that can grow into trade, education, and cultural partnerships in the years ahead.
For the diaspora residents in the room, the evening offered something more personal. It was public recognition, from a New York official, that the choice to build a life in Ghana matters.
About Diaspora Bridge Consulting
Diaspora Bridge Consulting (DBC) is an Accra-based consulting and strategic liaison firm that helps businesses, institutions, nonprofits, and diaspora communities engage with Ghana. Founded by Maurice Cheetham, DBC offers Ghana market entry consulting, government and institutional liaison, diaspora engagement strategy, policy and citizenship advisory, and event, summit, and delegation planning. Its work combines local knowledge with relationships on the ground, from official introductions to visits like Secretary Mosley's. If your organization is looking to build partnerships, invest, or expand in Ghana, reach DBC at moe@diasporabridgeconsult.com or +233 593 063 779, or visit diasporabridgeconsult.com to book a consultation.
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