Fante language gets approved on Wikipedia as the fifth Ghanaian language with its own Wikipedia page, joining Akan, Ewe, Dagbani, and Hausa. The approval was granted during the incubation stage in the Wikimedia Incubator on Tuesday, 18th April 2023, with the transition completed on Thursday, 20th April 2023.
The Fante language is primarily spoken in the central and southern regions of Ghana, as well as in settlements in other regions in western Ghana, with an estimated 2 million speakers. Notable speakers of the language include former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former Ghanaian presidents Kwame Nkrumah and John Atta Mills, Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, and Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang. Additionally, famous poet and author Maya Angelou learned Fante as an adult during her stay in Ghana.
The approval of Fante on Wikipedia is a significant milestone for the Fante language and its speakers, as it now allows users to read articles in the Fante language and access some materials exclusive to Fante history, culture, and people. This development is not only a win for the Fante Wikimedians Community, but it also contributes to the preservation and promotion of the Fante language, culture, and history.
Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia edited by volunteers from all around the world and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. With the approval of Fante, users can now read articles in the language and contribute to the development of Fante content on the platform. The Fante Wikipedia can be accessed via fat.wikipedia.org or through the translation button from other Wikimedia wikis.
For the most part, the approval of Fante on Wikipedia is a reflection of the importance of preserving indigenous languages and promoting cultural diversity. With the decline of many indigenous languages around the world, it is essential to promote and preserve languages like Fante, which is an integral part of Ghana’s history and culture. The Fante Wikimedians Community deserves recognition for their efforts in getting Fante approved on Wikipedia, and it is hoped that other indigenous languages in Ghana and beyond will follow suit.