The celebrated American author Tia Walker once said, “To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.” This was precisely what Mrs. Ekua Zara Ghartey-Tsagli bestowed upon her mother, Mrs. Gloria Phyllis Ghartey, now a proud nonagenarian.
The birthday celebration took place at Ghana’s top 5-star hotel, the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, attracting a host of prominent figures who came to honor Mrs. Ghartey-Tsagli. Among them were former President John Agyekum Kufuor, First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Mrs. Alberta Quartey of Alsyd Academy, Prof. and Dr. Mrs. Adu-Gyamfi, Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Ernest Addison, Hon. Betty Mould Iddrisu, Madam Faustina Nelson, Mrs. Joycelyn Prempeh Dr. Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse, HE. Mrs. Fanny Egala, Mr. Kwame Bamfo (Sikkens) Mr. Ato Scott Bennin of Accra Ridge Church, and many others.
As the wife of a career diplomat and a woman of refined elegance, Auntie Gloria’s 90th birthday was celebrated in a style befitting her legacy.
Mrs. Ekua Zara Ghartey-Tsagli, known on social media for her impressive event-planning skills, organized an unforgettable affair that brought together the crème of Ghanaian society, particularly from Accra, in vibrant, elegant attire to honor her mother.
“From my observations over the years as a friend on Facebook, Mrs. Ghartey-Tsagli knows how to throw fabulous parties, always attending to every detail. So, I wasn’t surprised when videos of her mother’s 90th birthday started circulating on social media. I thought to myself, Mrs. Ekua Zara Ghartey-Tsagli is at it again.
The high-profile birthday party was indeed a fashionable affair, held at the plush Labadi Beach Hotel. The celebration began with a church service, followed by a sumptuous reception where guests enjoyed the hotel’s finest dishes. As I remarked to a friend, those who belong to “old money” know how to spend in a way that radiates class. Today’s term for it might be mindful and demure.
A colleague, knowing my love for glamorous events, came to show me the videos, but I had already seen them. She was especially captivated by Mrs. Ekua Zara Ghartey-Tsagli’s magenta gown and fascinator. (Forgive me if I’m wrong about the color—I’m not a color expert!)
Watching a playback of the event on YouTube, I was impressed by the effort that went into making Auntie Gloria’s day special. The decor, music, clergy, and carefully chosen guests—all women of style and character—paid tribute to Auntie Gloria’s positive impact on their lives”. Narrated by Anna Afi Madui, a facebook friend.
Gloria Phyllis Ghartey, who traces her roots to Sempe in Accra, is the daughter of Mr. Joseph F. Acquaye, a Ga man who settled in Winneba, and her mother, a descendant of the Grant brothers who came to Ghana from Scotland and settled along the coast. A trained teacher, she married her late husband, Mr. Kweku Atta Ghartey, a career diplomat with the International Labour Organization, who later became the Paramount Chief of the Effutu Traditional Area under the stool name Nana Ghartey VI. As a diplomat’s wife, she dined with royalty and world leaders.
Known for her impeccable fashion sense, Auntie Gloria Phyllis Ghartey still knows how to put together an outfit at 90 and is widely regarded as a woman of class. Her love for people, regardless of social standing, is one of her defining attributes. She attributes her long life to her forgiving nature and her ability to move on without bearing grudges.
A lover of life and its good offerings, she is a proud, devoted Methodist and a founding member of Immanuel Methodist Society in East Airport.
Watch the full video here:
