- Producer Anita Afonu has explained how Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, became involved in The Eyes of Ghana
- The Obamas reportedly saw footage from the documentary during a visit to an office where Higher Ground was collaborating with Breakwater Studios
- Afonu said the project had a personal connection to Barack Obama because Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, influenced his father, Barack Obama Sr
The story behind how former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama became involved in the Ghanaian documentary The Eyes of Ghana has emerged, with one of the film’s producers explaining how the partnership came about.
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Anita Afonu, a producer on the documentary centred on Ghana’s founding president, Kwame Nkrumah, shared details of the collaboration during an interview with GhanaWeb’s Isaac Dadzie on October 17, 2026.
According to Afonu, the Obamas’ production company, Higher Ground, became interested in the project after seeing footage filmed in 2023.
How Higher Ground Discovered the Documentary
Afonu explained that Higher Ground had previously collaborated with Breakwater Studios on a film titled The Turnaround.
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During a visit to the office while the earlier project was underway, the Obamas reportedly saw footage from The Eyes of Ghana and asked about the film.
Afonu recalled that they wanted to know what the footage was about. After learning about Nkrumah’s story and its connection to Bais Kessie, they expressed interest in joining the project as producers.
The involvement of Higher Ground brought the former US president and first lady into a documentary focused on preserving important historical footage from Ghana’s independence era as reported by Yen News.
How Kwame Nkrumah’s Legacy Connects to Barack Obama
Afonu also explained why the project held particular significance for Barack Obama, pointing to the historical relationship between Nkrumah and Obama’s father, Barack Obama Sr.
According to the producer, Nkrumah’s influence helped inspire Obama Sr. to pursue an educational opportunity in the United States.
She also referenced the role of Kenyan trade unionist Tom Mboya in the events that helped shape Obama Sr.’s journey to America, which ultimately led to the birth of Barack Obama Jr., who became the 44th president of the United States.
Afonu described the connection as a “full circle moment” in the making of the documentary.
The X video of Anita Afonu explaining how the Obamas got involved in the Kwame Nkrumah documentary is below:
The revelation has attracted interest among history enthusiasts all over the world, highlighting the historical links between Ghana’s independence movement and the Obama family.
Chris Hesse’s Role in Preserving Ghana’s History
The Eyes of Ghana follows veteran Ghanaian cinematographer Reverend Dr Chris Tsui Hesse, who documented key moments in the country’s history, including events surrounding its independence and the leadership of Nkrumah.
The documentary centres on Hesse’s efforts to preserve more than 1,000 rare films capturing Ghana’s independence struggle and early years as an independent nation.
At 94, the veteran cameraman faces the challenge of preserving the historical collection while time and diminishing eyesight make the task increasingly urgent.
The project has also attracted attention following reports that popular streamer IShowSpeed joined the documentary, bringing further international interest to Ghana’s history and cinematic heritage to the world.
Source: TUKO.co.ke