Sheila Agnes Opoku is a Black American woman who recently moved to Ghana in search of her biological family. Currently residing in Achimota, Sheila arrived in Ghana a few months ago with the hope of reconnecting with her roots.
Born an orphan in the United States, Sheila was adopted at birth by a loving African American couple. Her adoptive parents had been searching for a child, and after a tragic incident involving a car accident that left another couple unable to adopt, Sheila was taken in and raised by her adoptive family. She spent her entire life in the U.S., growing up with the knowledge that she was adopted, but she never let that define her identity.
In 2019–2020, Sheila began digging deeper into her family history. Encouraged by her adoptive mother, who had always supported her desire to find her biological parents, she learned through DNA testing that her birth father was Ghanaian and her birth mother was white. Her father, Emmanuel Alfred Opoku, was reportedly studying at a university in the U.S. when he met her birth mother. However, he was already involved with another woman at the time, which led to Sheila being put up for adoption.
Sheila has since connected with relatives on her birth mother’s side, including a cousin who helped her reach out to her biological mother. Sadly, her birth mother now suffers from dementia and memory loss, but they speak once a week in hopes of building a relationship. Sheila often sings to her during their calls, creating moments of connection despite the distance and health challenges.
Her search led her to the Births and Deaths Registry in Ghana, where she discovered that her father, born in 1936, passed away in New Jersey and never returned to Ghana. Records show he obtained a passport in 1954. Despite her efforts, Sheila has not received any response from her father’s side of the family. She reached out to his daughter through LinkedIn and other social media platforms, but after discovering Sheila’s inquiries, the woman deactivated her accounts.
Sheila even hired a private investigator, who informed her that her father may have had another child who was also placed for adoption—a younger brother Sheila never knew about. Although she had long suspected she was adopted, learning the full story brought mixed emotions. Still, she’s grateful for the love and support her adoptive parents provided, treating her as their own daughter.
Professionally, Sheila has traveled across various parts of Africa through her work with an organization, visiting countries like Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea. Her experiences in Africa fueled her desire to move to Ghana permanently, which she refers to as her true homeland.
Living in Accra has been a learning experience for Sheila. From navigating bumpy roads and occasional power outages to ending up in Lapaz when trying to visit the beach, she sees every challenge as part of the journey. She says the kindness of Ghanaians continues to amaze her—people offer help freely, even when she gets lost or forgets to pay for a ride.
Though Sheila is currently single and came to Ghana alone, she remains optimistic about her future. She had two pregnancies that sadly did not result in children, but she maintains close ties with her niece, who lives in the U.S. with her husband. Sheila currently stays at an Airbnb owned by a friend from the U.S., where she also has a housemaid to help with daily tasks.
Despite initial fears from people back in America about her move to Africa, Sheila is at peace. She says the U.S. media often misrepresents Africa, and her time in Ghana has shown her its true beauty.
“In the U.S., 46,000 people may die from one issue,” she says, “but in Ghana, it might be just two. It’s safe here for me.”
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