Graphic Designer Presents Copies of Book on 30 New Adinkra-Inspired Symbols to Otumfuo

Mr Adu Gyamfi Poku, a graphic designer, has presented copies of his new book documenting 30 Adinkra-inspired symbols to the Manhyia Palace, seeking cultural endorsement for the project.

The presentation took place on May 20, 2026, during the fourth Awukudae Festival in Kumasi.

The collection, titled “Adinhyia,” represents Poku’s effort to extend the traditional Adinkra system that has served as Ghana’s indigenous visual language for centuries.

Mr Poku explained that the project grew out of his training as a designer and his encounter with Adinkra symbols in school.

He said the symbols form a complete system that Ghanaians have used for generations and thereby saw an opportunity to build on that foundation.

“I learnt designing in school. We came to meet Adinkra, and it is a whole system. We have been using it, so I decided to advance it, so I have done 30 symbols which I called ‘Adinhyia’,” he said.

As a designer, he noted, it was important to expand the visual language passed down by ancestors.

The 30 new symbols are intended to complement the existing Adinkra repertoire while reflecting contemporary expressions and ideas.

The presentation to the Palace followed earlier permission from Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, to proceed with the launch.

He is hopeful that the project will contribute to the preservation and evolution of Adinkra.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

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