Honoring Aunty Sika: A Trailblazer in Ghana’s Hospitality Legacy
The hospitality industry in Ghana has lost a shining light. Ms. Barbara Baeta—affectionately known as Aunty Sika—was more than a stalwart; she was a legend, a trailblazer, a mentor, and a guiding force. Her life’s work set the bar high, not only through her professional excellence but through the unwavering care and motherly wisdom she poured into all who crossed her path.
As we mourn her passing, I’d like to celebrate her extraordinary legacy. In memory of Aunty Sika, I’m revisiting and reposting a feature I wrote five years ago, reflecting on her impact and the indelible mark she left on Ghana’s hospitality industry.
This isn’t just a remembrance—it’s a dedication to a woman whose influence will continue to inspire generations. Aunty Sika, you will never be forgotten. Rest well.
I couldn’t help showcasing Flair Vocational Training Institute without depicting a few pictures of the mother company which ‘birthed’ it, Flair Catering Services, the first privately owned catering company in Ghana!
I love cooking, or rather, culinary arts! In culinary arts we are not just cooking, but we are using our creativity in preparing, cooking, presenting and serving food.
Welcome to our first showcase on Education and Training in the Hospitality Industry on the blog. Food and food service plays a critical role in the hospitality industry! Think about having an event or a simple meeting without food and/or drink in Ghana!
Flair Vocational Training Institute (FVTI) was established in 1968. In 1988, it was officially registered and recognized as a National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI).
Since its establishment, over 5,000 men and women from Ghana and beyond have come through the institution. However, what resonates more with the management of FVTI is the fact that their training has changed lives. While some past students have embarked on their own entrepreneurial journeys, others have found jobs that have improved the livelihoods of their immediate and extended families.
HOST: I doff my hat to you, Flair. Congratulations! I have the Manager of Flair with me as my Guest, Nana Tawiah Banson. She oversees the operations of Flair Catering Services and the Flair Vocational Training Institute. Thank you for honoring our invitation to be showcased.
MANAGER: It’s my pleasure.
HOST: Do give us a gist about who is behind Flair (Flair Catering Services and Flair Vocational Training Institute).
MANAGER: Ms. Barbara Baeta popularly known as Aunty Sika, felt it was her calling to help train the youth to be useful to themselves, their homes and their society at large. Her passion to help the youth was so strong that she usually went the extra mile to use her own money to train and to sponsor some of her students and staff abroad for further training and exposure.
Her selflessness, is seen in all she does and felt by all the people around her. One of her first students, Sophia Aduamoah is the mother of the first black Equerry to the Queen of England; Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, born and raised at Flair.
HOST: Wow! Do explain who an ‘equerry’ is. It is not a common word among us.
MANAGER: An equerry acts as a personal assistant to a member of the royal family. He is considered one of the most important and senior positions in the royal household, requiring his attendance at official engagements at Buckingham Palace and other Royal residences.
To be continued next week.