The Local organizing committee (LOC) of the 13th African Games together with the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, has launch the official logo, mascot and website for the upcoming events.
The launch was held on Thursday, December 16th, 2021 at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).
The official Mascot for the 13th African Games, Accra 2023 is an “Eagle” adorned in a symbol for the traditional authority of Ghana and the Flag is a symbol of our Nationhood.
The triplets, [Logo, Mascot and Website], were named as ‘Oko’, ‘Akweley’ and ‘Tawiah’ respectively to be identified for the Games into the family of Ghana Sports.
This, according to the local organization committee, outdooring of the Logo, Mascot and Website for the 13th African Games is to cement the commitment of the government and the people of Ghana, to host and organise the biggest sporting event in Africa, come 2023.
The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, speaking at the ceremony on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, said the launching of the Logo, Mascot and Website has become necessary “to vigorously market the Games and do serious business with the Games, marks and symbols.”
On why the Eagle was chosen as the official Mascot, the Minister said “it symbolizes courage, strength, focus and immortality.”
Moreover, he stressed the benefit the Website of the LOC will weigh to the event for information and education because every organized championship needs information to be carried along before, during and after.
“Every event or sports organization needs an up-to-date website. The 2023 African games website will stand out in a way that makes it easy for visitors to digest detailed information about the Games”, said Mustapha Ussif.
More importantly, the Sports Minister hinted that hosting and organizing the games is to use sports to achieve national and continental development goals and to contribute to the African Union Agenda 2063: “The Africa We Want.”
Mr. Ussif reiterated that hosting the games will serve as a means to possibly reflect on the youth, culture and sports due to its wide extension that would be offered to all and sundry for an experience of a lifetime.
“The ceremony taking place today is a message to the whole world that Ghana is ready, willing and capable of hosting and organizing a benchmarking event which will leave a lasting legacy” Mustapha Ussif opined at the ceremony on behalf of President Akufo-Addo.
The Executive Chairman of the Local organizing committee, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare, added that the logo and mascot are the brand and identity of the African Games to stretch the LOC and African Union in a manner as a market tool for organizing and hosting the Games.
The Website, he disclosed will “have all the necessary information and news about the Games, athletes, AUSC, Sports disciplines and the LOC.”
2023 African Games
As far back in 1965, the First African Games, then called All African Games were held in Brazzaville, Congo where 30 African countries and about 2,500 athletes and officials participated.
Since then, it has been held on 12 different occasions by 9 African countries with Algeria, Congo Brazzaville and Nigeria having hosted the African Games on two occasions.
Ghana, been a founding member of the African Games and a key player in the socio-economic and political affairs in Africa, has never hosted or organised the event in Africa, hence will have the chance to do so in 2023.
It won the hosting rights for the hitherto All African Games in October 2018 but with less than two years to the competition preparation is now being put in place.
The 13th edition since its inception will be hosted by the nation’s capital Accra with the Legon Sports Stadium and the Borteyman Sports Complex as the two venues to be used during the games.
