Ghanaian-born actress, author, and philanthropist Dayan Kodua has returned home after spending 34 years in Germany, where she built a remarkable career across entertainment, fashion, and publishing.
She arrived at Kotoka International Airport in Accra on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, to an emotional welcome. Overcome with gratitude and nostalgia, tears streamed down her face as she addressed the media.
“I left Ghana when I was just ten years old,” she shared. “Coming back feels like being more grounded in my roots.”
Kodua rose to international prominence in 2001 as the first Black woman to win the Miss Schleswig-Holstein beauty pageant in Germany. Since then, she has become a celebrated figure in European media—an actress, model, publisher, and a vocal advocate for African identity and representation.
Though she spent decades abroad, Kodua never lost her connection to Ghana. Of Ashanti descent, she speaks fluent Twi, along with German, English, and French.
She holds a degree in economics from Kiel University of Applied Sciences and later pursued her passion for the performing arts. Her training includes stints at Coaching Company Berlin, Theater of Arts, and the Howard Fine Acting Studio in Los Angeles.
Her acting credits span both American and German productions, including roles in Boston Legal, Passions, Crank, and several popular German television shows. As a model, she has walked for top designers like Thierry Mugler, Escada, and Versace.
In 2005, Kodua was named an honorary cultural ambassador for Africa in Germany—recognition of her efforts to amplify African voices and stories abroad.
Her passion for representation led her to establish Gratitude Verlag, her own publishing house, making her the first Black woman to do so in Germany. Through this platform, she published My Black Skin: Black. Successful. German., a book profiling 25 accomplished Afro-Germans.
She later expanded into children’s literature with Odo, a book that promotes diversity, identity, and inclusion among young readers.
Kodua’s return to Ghana marks more than a homecoming—it signals a renewed commitment to contribute to Ghana’s growth through film, publishing, education, and philanthropy.
Her upcoming initiatives in Ghana are expected to focus on local creative projects, youth empowerment, and community development.
Her journey back to Ghana is both personal and purposeful—a bridge between her global influence and a heartfelt reconnection to her roots.