Constance Swaniker ; Championing ‘made in Ghana’ products
If you come across something ornate, interesting, unique, beautiful and shaped from wrought iron, the chances are Constance Swaniker or one of her artisans made it.
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Her firm Accents & Arts is the market leader in the production of bespoke iron fabrications and the poster child for the ‘Made in Ghana’ export brand.
Yet the artist, businesswoman and mother of two teenage boys is modest. “I haven’t achieved anything yet,” she says. “This is just a journey.”
That journey began 15 years ago. She had been the only woman in her BSc sculpture class at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and still managed to do an apprenticeship in carpentry on the side while she was there.
After graduation she set up the business in her mother’s backyard with two artisans. Imagine what a scene it must have been, with woman donning welding masks, sparks flying from hot metal and the ringing of hammers on iron plate.
Today Accents & Arts continues to make noise beyond the local yard and on an international stage. Swaniker has just returned from Paris where she was one of only five artists (and the only one from sub-Saharan Africa) who exhibited at the UNESCO headquarters building as part of this year’s International Women’s Day.
Before we first met I assumed Constance would appear a ‘hard’ woman, given her trade and that she had thrived in a largely blue collar, male-dominated metal fabrication industry.
But if there is any sign of hardness it is only on the inside – her fiery and fearless determination. On the outside, Constance is as beautiful and feminine as African women come, and could easily have been a successful glamour model.
I first met her in 2010 at a gala dinner when we were both honoured as part of Africa’s ‘40 under 40’ achievers. It was a night of high glamour and haute couture. But among the false eyelashes, big hair and fake air kisses, Constance stood out as someone really special. She looked ravishing, with little or no make-up, trademark smile and a dashing blue and white African print ball gown.
