Month: March 2018

In the absence of a father …

#SilentNoises ~knm

The joy of every child is to have pleasant and fond memories of moments shared with dad. Every child sees their dad as a superhero and equate them to their favorite characters from comic novels.
I am lucky. I count myself fortunate. I grew up under my father’s tutelage. Every child’s first teacher is the parents. It is not the bonding but the secure attachment that they provide that endear us to them (our parents). Not all grew up with their fathers. Some lost their fathers to death and others by their dads walking away when they were born. Others simply lost their dads because their moms refused to let them see their dads. Drugs and crime separated fathers from their children.
But in the absence of a father, there must be a father figure. When I was growing up, my father taught me to wash my hands well so as to be able to eat with my elders. ( African proverb). He taught me the qualities to look for and how best to present myself so as to seek guidance and direction.  Father figures are beyond mentors.  So when Dad was alive, I had uncles and yes father figures. They would easily treat me as their own.
Then he died. He left us after being sick for sometime. Some of the father figures evaporated overnight and some of the uncles just got lost. A vacuum was created. It is only when you lose your dad that you realize your foolhardiness in not listening to his advice.
Fortunately,  a father figure filled the vacuum. Even as I travelled and domiciled in a foreign land, I sought and always found these father figures. Father figures need not be of your race or color. Father figures need to understand and guide you. Father figures do not find you; you find them and they in turn latch unto you. Father figures provide love and instill confidence. Even as you become a father today, take someone less fortunate under your wing and guide same.

In the absence of a father, one can always seek a father figure who though not providing the same intimacy as a dad, will provide an invaluable assistance that will shape and mould one into a better person.

#SILENTNOISES

E-Romance

#SilentNoises ~knm

She is in LOVE
Refuses to admit
He is in love
But listens to the dictates of friends
She is a homely woman
He is a mommy’s man
She follows the heart of her man;
He follows the buttocks of women;
She has recoiled not to spring;
He has recoiled because he is scared.
A proverbial ghost torn between two paths:
To come home or sow wild oats.
She sits at home, bible in hand
Wine glass in the other.
Talking as though hot coals burn their tongues
Texting with a carelessness left for the first time lovers.
I sit on the fence and laugh.
I love their E-romance
Or should I say ,Tech-romance.

112517

#SILENTNOISES

In this matter of Ghana @ 61…

#SilentNoises ~knm

Back to the drawing board. 6th of March is Ghana’s independence day. It will be celebrated all over the world. Everywhere two or three Ghanaians are, they will put their heads together and play some “Ebony’, “Wutah” “Sarkodi3” among others. They will cook Fufu and light soup, waakye, banku (if possible) and tilapia and the mighty Jollof. In Ghana, the day will be celebrated with useless march pasts that was bequeathed to us by the Colonial Master. School children will stand in the wickedly blazing sun all across the country to offer a parade to be reviewed by the president and his appointees all over. I wish Nana could say “No more”. Enough of this colonial nonsense and henceforth you judges should stop donning those outrageous robes and wigs. They are relics. Even those that asked us to wear then, no longer wear them. I am nearly derailing. My apologies.
61 years of freedom. Freedom from what? 61 years of independence? What independence? I would rather say 61 years of DEPENDENCE. After all, we still go begging with a tin cup in both hands and the tinkling noise of the pittance handed to us makes us dance as though to the rhythms of the atumpan drums. 61 years of Freedom and we still cannot think straight as a people. We are lawless to a fault and deem ourselves above the law. This is the law of our land. The land that our forefathers fought to ensure independence from colonization. If we cannot protect our own, then let us go back to them. When we travel outside we obey the rules of law as though it is our biological mother, yet when we are home we point to our father’s house with our left hand.
Last year, I asked if the President would ride in a Katanka to boost the message about Made in Ghana? This year? I am hoping that the rhetoric would cease and we would see some real actions.
Example: stop the annexation of Ghana to Nigeria else one day we would celebrate Nigeria independence day as ours. The Nigerians seem to have to taken over (apologies to Shatta) Ghana. They have brought with them their version of lawlessness which is grades higher than that of Ghanaians.
Another example: the spate of armed robberies is disheartening. Why? They rob with impunity and kill brazenly; all in broad daylight. Where are the security agencies? Or these are also Delta Invicible Forces?
Another example: Jospong after ripping the country off is also walking around with raised shoulders. Look at Zoomlion contracts and the treatment of workers. Yet you commend him! How?  Do not forget there are others like him.Then the ordinary decides to emulate Jospong but ends up using the gun to achieve his end.
61 years of what? Our health care system is nothing. Our Veep had to be rushed out of the country to seek medical attention. Why? Can the nation Ghana not put up affordable and smart healthcare facilities for its people? Why buy these V12s to show off as status quo and have the blood of the inhabitants on your heads?
61 years of negligence. We have allowed negligence to become our fabric of choice for everyday wear. We are negligent in speech right through to being negligent in our actions. Some accidents are avoidable so are certain deaths but then thanks to Dada Negligent……                                                                                                                61 years of filth. 61 years of garbage. At times I ask if we do not create the very aura to befit our description. Then we stand up to say we have been insulted when the truth is shoved down our throats.  Even the capital city or major cities are nothing to write about yet I believe we have sanitation capos walking around enjoying hefty salaries and “fianga gers” When it rains ………………………………………..        Our security. Mr President your own security detail is fraught with mistakes. There seems to be some many errors going on around you but then i understand. You are “book-long” and nowhere near the operation aspect of things, I wont be surprised if you at times get confused y the lingo.  You have a million security capos: Security Sinister, Security Adviser, Security Consultant, Security Secretary, IGP, Deputies, Military Chiefs Intelligence Chiefs, security pastors and the almighty prophets, Let them work.

I would wish, a national day of reflection on the 6th day of March. I would wish the people especially those in office and our clergy to ponder  over their actions and words and reflect on where Ghana is today.
It can be done. It will be done. Let us as one hold accountable office holders and put on a new cloth woven of Truth, Law, Accountability and Integrity.
Blessings Always.
#SILENTNOISES