April 21, 2023 – In a significant development for the Akan language community, the Akan Wikipedia has been closed for editing since April 2023. While the closure might appear as a setback, it actually presents an opportunity for clarity and expansion of Akan languages within the Wikimedia platform.
The Akan Wikipedia was initially established in the mid-2000s, unaware that Akan represents a language family rather than a single language. Akan encompasses various dialects, including Twi, Fante, Nzema, Akuapem, and Bono. The confusion surrounding Akan being perceived as a language led to years of uncertainty about which domain to contribute to and hindered the creation of separate wikipedias for widely spoken Akan dialects.
Coexisting with Twi Wikipedia, Akan Wikipedia caused confusion among editors and readers alike. Moreover, it prevented contributors from proposing the creation of wikis for other significant Akan dialects, such as Fante, Nzema, Akuapem, and Bono.
The closure of ak.wikipedia.org has prompted volunteers to transfer articles from Twi Wikipedia to the Wikimedia Incubator. Furthermore, Fante articles have been approved to become an established Wikipedia, opening new avenues for sharing knowledge in Fante.
This development also creates an opportunity for native speakers of Nzema, Akuapem, and Bono dialects to propose their respective dialect wikis with clarity and support.
Wikimedia community
While bidding farewell to Akan Wikipedia, the Wikimedia community welcomes the emergence of separate Akan Wikipedias, each dedicated to a specific dialect. To facilitate this transition, various user groups, including the Wikimedians of Twi Language User Group and Fante Wikimedians Community, alongside Wikimedia Ghana User Group, are actively contributing to the development of Akan languages within the Wikimedia platform.
The Wikimedia Ghana User Group intends to provide a community grant to support affiliates and individuals interested in commemorating the closure of ak.wikipedia.org through events, assisting with article transfers, and enhancing Twi and Fante Wikipedias. Additionally, discussions will be held to shape the future of other Akan dialects within Wikimedia.
