Month: September 2014

first appeared on FB 9/12/14 and 9/16/14

Somewhere. No electricity; hydro or generated. Natural waters. To drink. To bathe. To wash. To ….. Somewhere. Native medicine. Holistic medicine. Somewhere. Large farms. Natural fertilisers. No schools. Farming all day. Feeds the city. Peanuts for hardwork. Exploitation.

Brown white shirt. Sewn and patched sandals. Whitened brown khaki pants. Brown and black stained yellowed teeth. Tobacco. Pipe. Native lounge chair (akpasa). Gourd of palmwine. Coca-Cola bottle full of locally distilled gin. Cracked calabash. 100 percent overproof.

He is a Minor. His family are Minors. One wants to be of the Majors.
‪#‎MAJORS‬ and MINORS. soon

The Minors have found their feet. The film of deceit has been wiped away. The Minors are not warriors. They demand equality. They demand what is theirs. Humble beginnings, sweat and toil of parents has enlightened them to the Truth. The Minors refuse to create, loot and share. Be ashamed if you are in the minority of the Majors. Why do you Majors rape this fragile old lady called Ghana? Have you no sense of shame? Do you have any conscience at all? The Minors will haul you before the law courts. Justice will prevail. Truth stands. Forever.

STAND UP GH! STAND UP GH!
‪#‎MAJORS‬ and MINORS

first posted on FB 9/17/14

Better Ghana agenda progressive? With a flyover at Kasoa? Will birthing mothers visit the flyover? Will the sick visit the flyover? Are Ghanaians flying now? Mr. President, my respect for you will not change. I still hold you in high esteem though you have not won or put down any heritage for us. My apologies. Create, loot and share is a heritage won for us. From Elvis Afriyie Ankrah to SADA to GYEEDA to CHRAJ.

You talk about promoting Ghana. You sit and watch the dismissal of the coach(GHANAIAN). He is a local breed. One of us. Osagyefo’s tenure in office saw the use of GHANAIAN coaches for the national teams. Better Ghana sees the commissioner of CHRAJ misappropriating funds in the name of renovations and rent to the detriment of the office she holds. Aunty Loretta shame. H.A.P.P.Y.—shaaaaaame. Mr President. As for Captain Oko Haddock, I wonder what he learnt from his sojourn in Yankee. He is a disgrace to the brotherhood of the beard.

The minority are crying. Tears will turn to anger. Then what? Is that what you want? You still have time to redeem yourself. I believe you have balls; iron balls. Do something. On the hindside, I think it is a trait inherent in some Ghanaians to prevent their fellow countrymen from moving up. They would rather give money and support to an outsider. Do not be deceived in the sycophancy of friendships. You will fail.
Sir make a move. A bold positive move. Sir move from a zero to a hundred. Real quick.
‪#‎MAJORS‬ and MINORS

the writer is a motivational speaker and poet.

   Social media is playing a great part in our lives today. There are times I sit back and wonder. How would the old folk had handled social media? Even the usage of the cellular phone was in itself a novelty and mystery combined. I am actually laughing now. My mother on Whatsapp or dad? Eric was daddy ever on Whatsapp? Agya Boakye Boaten, can you relate to my question? If our parents had access to the social media back then, yours truly would have been a roman catholic priest ministering in the remotest part of Ghana. A typical dum-dum community. No dumsor! We would have been checked carefully every minute, every hour. The question still arises. What if? Whaaaaaat If?

   Social media has allowed us to keep in touch with people from all walks of life. Even those we do not know. Even Presidents and  the guy in the ER to the lady selling roasted yam and plantain.  Newspapers are almost non existent. It was all about homecomings. With the excitement of meeting classmates whom we had last seen about twenty five years earlier. Today , we know where they are, what they are doing, how many kids, husbands or wives, childhood crush confessions and above all pictures. The pictures. Social media allows us to express our views without fear. Unfortunately, some call ugly beautiful when in fact and reality it is ugly.  I mean it. No satire. No pun intended. Ugly is ugly. Decorum says hold it in. Just do not comment.

   Above all, Social Media has kept friendships alive. Forged new friendships. Strengthened old friendships. Broken the fake friendships. 

   The CEOs of House of Salford ( a Gh interior decorating company) and City Facilities Management ( another Gh based maintenance company) talked to me on Facebook Messenger. I have known them since 1997. Facebook and Twitter keeps us connected. Their words of encouragement on my writings necessitated this piece. In the words of Kafui Salford “….and some of the things are just what i want to say…… and you said it aloud” and “….so why comment….. but, I think we should encourage our brother otherwise he will not know he is doing well”.  These are true friends encouraging a friend. Not bringing me down. Same can be said of  Mike Obeng, Small Fekye, Kwakwe, Shiole the James, Esther, Sota, Peter , Enoch and a host of others. Family included( you know yourselves). M4 Brothers, Ghanaians in Ct. Friends. My Nucleus family. You are all my support. Who then are your friends? What can you say about your friends? A friend has a fianga friend by name George Garbrah. We do not know each other yet he encouraged me on my weight loss journey ( another story) rather than mock me. Another friend reminded me of how we used to bond like blood brothers. He was adamant my being over the seas could cause a break in the relationship. i am the only one faraway. The other three are in Ghana.

   What do you value in a friendship? Why do you call someone a friend? What is your definition of the words ” friend” and  “friendship” ? My friend Fekye (small) posits it is not about material gains but an exercise of spiritual magnitude that transcends the borders of imagination. I hold same to be true. Why wait and upon seeing the obituary lay claim to be a friend? What role did you play in his/her life? No you were not a friend. Just an acquainted with their presence sometime back. True friends bond. When water condenses it can become thicker than blood. That ingredient called LOVE is all it needs. Display your friendship. Flaunt it. 

   O I wish the president of Ghana would read this piece. The sycophantic relationship he is in with certain individuals calling themselves friends is having an effect on his style of leadership.

Are you my friend? Are you worthy to be called a friend?

#SILENT NOISES 92014

In the beginning was the word. Over ages some have tried to change the word. What is etched in but on sand will be there for all to see. Some means not all are same. The world is a stage but what about those backstage?

When a friend becomes a brother or sister.

When they say it to you as it is but with discretion.

When they still got your back despite your shortcoming.
When they assist you to bring out the best in you.
Above all the encouragement.

For certain reasons, I mention no names but I am most appreciative and grateful

THE PARABLE OF THE FOOTPRINTS.

The ultimate. Do not ask me. Yours. Mine. Ours if it is a joint venture. The ultimate. Wet cement roads. Slippery clay roads. Quick sand roads. Grassy roads. Becareful lest you slip on the clay road and hurt yourself, or you get stuck in that wet cement or you sink in that quick sand. Stay on the grassy road. No footprints to be seen. Destination assured.

How good it is to sit and dine. Virginity of minds encircling a table. Purity of hearts sharing love. Stability of gaits devoid of Bacchus water. Full. Thoughts and composure. Full. Compassion. I pray it continues. Dream or wake? God be my help.

It is amazing. Very much so. How people pull it off and get away with it. How people portray themselves as the epitome of holiness yet are the devil’s incarnate.
She did not know who to turn to. She did not trust anyone. Not even the so called man of …. I beg or rather plead. To ask. Who, what, which made these to be proclaimed, acclaimed, and appointed with titles to lay claim to be of the royal priesthood? These days for a penny, one becomes a title holder. I digress. Her story. One of pain. One of sorrow. She had been bashed on the rocks of life. The ship that she was, built with a flotation device, she refused to go down. She drowned. Nowhere to be seen. A blow had been dealt her.
There she was. All wanted to befriend her. She had ridden on a low crest of a wave into port. She had docked safely. Only this time, her dock was God. Her creator. He had moulded her. He was her flotation device.
Then their eyes met. Anger, pain, love, hatred, forgiveness, amazement, peace. It was all there. Laughter, a giant kind smile, an easy going attitude was all it took.

Excerpt from the book. Untitled.

A #SILENT NOISES publication

This piece is dedicated to the selfless souls of Ghana. Dead or Alive. 

Circa 1992. Two  young men. Youthful exuberance at its peak. They had taken a car belonging to the father of one of them. Only one of them knew how to drive properly. The other drove by rote. You would think being the son of the owner of the car, he would try to boss it over the other young man. It was my dad’s. The other young man is my cousin Harry. The car in question was a 1972 BMW.  The color  could best be described as Tie and dye; then brown and finally military green. We were proud of the car.  Some of you know the car. What if I had never allowed Harry to teach me the rudiments of driving? 

2010. Parallel parking. Two young men again. One is well  versed in the art of driving. He  can drive any machine on the face of this earth.  The other admitted to him his lack of knowledge in parallel parking especially in a reverse format alongside other driving skills. Today I am well versed in driving coupled with what I knew previously. What if I had not allowed Enoch to teach how to park in tight corners and sharpen my skills on defensive driving?

How many of us admit we are not capable of something? Admittance is not a sign of weakness. It is a strength to recognize someone is capable  or more than able in a particular field. Why then do we take our cars to the mechanics? Why do we engage masons/ builders to construct our houses? Why do we?  When we are assigned duties or tasks that we know nothing about, instead of seeking those capable of doing it, we choose to do it ourselves leading to aviodable failings. We rather choose to destroy  or relegate those who are qualified and with the necessary expertise. The quest for self aggrandizement is just so pathetic. What do we seek to achieve? I am not good in economics. I simply hate numbers. I will not venture lecturing anyone on how to run an economy or how to do anything involving numbers. If I have no inkling what to do or how to go about it,  I will recommend one who can do it. The question is are you cut out for that job or role? Recently, I consulted one of my childhood friends to aid me in reorganising my resume. He was surprised. His position and current educational level put him in stead to teach me. My humility allowed me to go to Eric for help. Will you do that? How many times in our lives have we not lost a good thing just because we feel too big or just cannot fathom the fact that the boy from the village can do it better. How many of you can set a trap for bush meat? Before Ebola? 

It is for this reason that I love my schools. Bishop Herman College taught equality and assessing each others knowledge. Many notable business partnerships have accordingly emerged. Guggisberg House in Motown preached humility.  I am yet to see a haughty member of that noble house. Then Commonwealth Hall of the University of Ghana.  The V.A.N.D.A.L.S. Talents abound and are tapped and developed according to their area of competence. ( Note: not every member of this august institution has this attribute including The Fourth John) I do not know about your school but allow me to make noise about mine. I also condescend to the fact that, yes these schools are not perfect. I believe other schools might have or have had better if not best principles and inculcated into their students humility and all.

If we as a people, cannot appreciate each other, then I guess the dogs and cats will. Visit the pet aisle at the supermarkets and you will agree with me. The story is told of a guy ( illiterate) who kept holding kenkey parties on a regular basis at his bachelors pad. He asked one of the guys to buy corned beef one time. The guy came back saying it was too expensive. There was an argument. He offered to show the aisle where it was cheaper. On entering the store he led his friend towards the pet aisle and pointed out the corned beef. it was dog food with the imprint of cow features on it.

 I believe it is time to do away with tribalism, nepotism, individualism, selfishness, greed and that general attitude of ” why should I promote him/her?” Remember, the fingers of the hand are never the same. They rather complement each other. They admire each other and live in harmony. When they fight and one or two leave, the rest become handicapped in their day to day functions. Do not forget, each finger and thumb perform a peculiar function that is exclusive to them.

Until we help others to develop, we can never develop ourselves. If we do not prop our own to stand, who will prop us?

The writer is a motivational speaker, poet and author.