On a weekend afternoon at Kokrobite, the sound of drums drifts across the sand. Fishermen pull canoes up the beach, children play football, and visitors from Accra sit under the palms.
Kokrobite is a Ga fishing community on the coast west of Accra, past Weija and the Densu River, whose reservoir at Weija supplies much of western Accra with water. For decades it has drawn visitors looking for an escape from the city, and it has a long connection with music.
The Academy
In 1988, the master drummer Mustapha Tettey Addy founded the Academy of African Music and Arts at Kokrobite. Addy, from a family of Ga drummers and traditional priests, had performed and taught around the world. The academy offered drumming and dance classes to Ghanaians and visitors, and hosted performances on the beach.
Foreign students came for weeks or months to learn Ghanaian rhythms, and the village became known as a place to hear live traditional music.
The beach
Kokrobite’s beach is wide and sandy, with fishing canoes at one end. The sea can be rough, with strong currents, so swimmers should be careful and stay near others. Local guides offer walks, and some visitors try surfing along nearby parts of the coast.
Where to stay and eat
Several guesthouses and beach bars line the shore, offering rooms, grilled fish, jollof and cold drinks. Some host reggae nights and live music at weekends. Prices are generally lower than at resorts closer to Accra.
Getting there
Kokrobite is about an hour’s drive from central Accra, depending on traffic, which can be heavy on the Kasoa road. Trotros go to Kokrobite junction, and taxis cover the rest.
Respect the village
Kokrobite is a working fishing village, not a resort. Ask before photographing people, respect fishermen’s space on the beach and dress modestly when walking through the village. Tuesdays are a traditional no-fishing day in many Ga communities, so the beach may be quieter then.
Changes
As Accra expands west, Kokrobite has seen more building, more visitors and more pressure on the coast. Coastal erosion has also affected parts of the shoreline.
The drums still play at weekends. For many Accra residents, Kokrobite is the nearest place where the city’s noise gives way to the sea and a rhythm older than the road that leads there.
