By: Kenneth Appiah Bani.
In celebration of Africa Day on May 25, Ghanaian Afro-soul sensation Wiyaala will release a stirring acoustic rendition of the iconic Osibisa track Welcome Home on May 23, 2025. The new single, a soulful reinterpretation of the 1970s Afro-rock anthem, serves as a heartfelt musical bridge calling out to Africans across the diaspora and those longing to reconnect with their ancestral roots.
Rooted in the deep emotional terrain of identity, return, and belonging, Welcome Home speaks directly to those who have journeyed far from home physically or spiritually. Wiyaala’s rendition is stripped down and intimate, yet charged with emotional depth. “As an indigenous African from Funsi, I hope our returnees will find their spiritual and family roots,” she shares. “It’s not enough to welcome them; we, the ‘in-residence’ Africans, must help them reconnect on many levels.”
With soaring vocals and rich acoustic textures, the track extends an open invitation: Come home. Reclaim your heritage. Join in the festivals. Feel Africa’s pulse. It is both a celebration and a call to action.
Welcome Home and the Black Star Experience.
Wiyaala’s release also aligns powerfully with Ghana’s newly launched Black Star Experience, an initiative unveiled this May to position the country as Africa’s leading cultural and creative hub. Inspired by the Black Star symbol of Pan-African unity made famous by Marcus Garvey and Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah the campaign emphasizes tourism, music, and cultural reconnection.
“This song is Ghana saying, ‘Come home to our traditions, our rhythms, our pride,’” Wiyaala explains. “It’s part of the Black Star’s legacy of unity and freedom.” Her performance embodies the spirit of major diaspora-driven events such as Ghana Music Week, Chale Wote Street Art Festival, and other cultural showcases under the Black Star Experience banner.
Though an international artist with a growing global presence, Wiyaala remains firmly connected to her roots in the Upper West Region. In her hometown of Funsi, she has established the Lioness Kingdom a vibrant cultural hub featuring an arts centre, a community radio station, a guest house, and a restaurant. It’s her way of giving back and building the future from the ground up.
Wiyaala’s passion extends beyond music and culture. She is a vocal advocate for the African Union’s Sustainable Development Goals, calling for unity across the continent’s 1.55 billion people 60% of whom are under the age of 25. “Africa is the continent of the future if only we don’t fight,” she says. “We must come together for education, gender equality, and climate action.”
With Welcome Home, Wiyaala not only honours a timeless classic but reshapes it into a modern day anthem one that uplifts Africa’s past, empowers its present, and welcomes all to be part of its future.
