Fear mongering.
God is a God of love. He loves His children and like any worthy parent, will readily discipline His children with love and not threats.

When you compare, the Western way of worshipping to the African way of worship, doubt and uncertainty begin to crawl along the medulla oblongata.

Whereas prayers are offered in simplicity and clothing is not paramount; where most of the Western pastors carry their own bibles and mingle with the congregations easily, some of the African pastors perch on a pedestal of sensationalism, flaunting wealth as though money is the key to eternal life and cajole and threaten the very souls of their congregation with divine death if God’s will is not done.

Some of these same pastors surround themselves with bodyguards some of whom are built solidly like baobab trees. Are we fools? Some of these acquire property in the name of “blessings from God.”

Whither are we headed?

This journey called life is full of pitfalls and vicissitudes.
Why can’t our men of the cloth lead us in truth and honesty, guiding us on the lonesome and arduous journey into eternity?

#Silentnoises

Touch not my anointed, some say
Mostly the charlatans and fraudsters
Quoting the Holy Book
To back claims of their so called piety
Asking others to sow seeds
When they know there is no land
Leading people astray from the promise of eternity,
Feeding them the gullibility of riches
Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing
These charlatans are thieves in disguise,
These fraudsters are magicians
Preying on the unsuspecting,
While the unsuspecting offer real prayers,
Now, it is over.
The goat messed up our vicinity
In realty none could clean its…
We warned, we cautioned
Now the disgrace….
Live not on borrowed money
Live on your sweat and toil
Now the disgrace…
The world will know of your lies
Now the disgrace….
O quit moving from land to land,
Church to church,
House to house,
Robbing Peter and Paul to feed yourself,
Vineyards would be great,
If only they sowed in their gardens,
But alas, O the disgrace

When one goes to church, they expect to come out happy, satisfied and with a sense of fulfillment. Again, when one goes to church they expect to lay their problems/issues before God and having faith in Him, have salvation. One does not go to church to be burdened by the problems of the pastor, his wife, his children and either his sidechick or sideboy? do you get my drift? The pastors daily life has nothing to do with members of the church. When the children are getting married or the pastors birthday or Father’s day, I tell you it has nothing to with the members of the church. Allow the church members to give unto you from within their hearts and not being rather cajoled to do so. 

Pastors stick to the truth and only what the scripture says. Do not concort your own stories and append it to the Creator. Whom do you think you you are deceiving: 

“What has what we are discussing have to do with God”?

“Touch not God’s anointed. I am the pastor and i will decide. Do not disobey me!”

“You gave it to God. He will reimburse you”

Today church is all about money and who controls the money. Church is no longer about preaching the message of salvation but rather the message of prosperity aka the Prosperity Gospel. Almost every person (there are no animals) of the cloth seeks to control the money. It is not even about prudent spending. It is rather a whimsical myopic infatuation of satisfying material wants and needs. I repeat material.

Now what is it with the bragging about wealth while standing at the pulpit? What is it with “I have this and that”? What is it with “I am your Papa and you have to bless me?” What is it with running churches as businesses and appointing CEOs or self CEOs?

What is it with borrowing money from would be church members under the guise of “God says…”? I find it very despicable that pastors or so called of god, (I used a small “g” for a reason.) fleece their congregation and launch these members unto a fast track into poverty. They destroy credits and integrities that have taken time to build. These pastors organize events, take whatever comes in for personal use and leave the event organizers hanging. What thievery?

But then, without the congregation, will there be church to fleece? Now to the congregation. God is not of a particular denomination. God listens to every heart. Your body is his temple. He resides in you if you do right by Him. Walk away from pastors that are wolves in sheep’s clothing and expose them.

Before I run, let me ask what oil was used in the anointing? Red oil, Castor Oil, coconut oil, Soy oil or what?

Change your ways if you are affected by this message.

#SighlentNoises

So I have one sister. Biological. Then I have other sisters. By different mothers and different fathers. I love them to bits. I have daughters. The eldest actually adopted me. She chose me to be her father. Her biological father lives and is my very very good friend almost equal to a big brother.
Most of my male friends love their mothers in such manner it is beyond human comprehension. They love their fathers too.

I find it sad when men decide to engage in verbal altercations with women and allow it to degenerate into something else.
Tomorrow is promised none hence we must be careful of our actions. I have learnt that the mouth that eats pepper is also used in eating salt. Likewise, when the goat was busy littering the streets with its mess, little did it realise it was making its own buttocks/a… dirty.

I will always advocate for the woman. I don’t care who is in the wrong but for the fact that she is a woman, I will not insult or physically attack.

I am married. To a woman. My best supports are women. I just read something here on FB. The tears of a woman are the tears of her Creator. If you, a man can bear that pregnancy and still cater for the home, please you deserve applause. Until then, until the camel goes through the eye of a needle; until …..
Respect the woman!!

#SILENTNOISES.

When I was growing, I heard some pretty funny tales. I do not know if you heard them too but it seemed absurd to me.
The first of such was that on a given Sunday, on their way to church, the locals would turn around immediately upon seeing a white man. They viewed the white man as God’s stand in. How fascinating.

In Nigeria, they love and cherish their names. I especially admire those who are in the Diaspora and still use their Nigerian names. Some even go to the extent of making sure that their names are pronounced properly. My people on the other hand, take great pride in Christian names for our traditional names are too local. Almost everyone wants to carry a Westernized form of name without first championing our own.

The story continues. Do we love our own? It is sad that the country has two research centers. It also has a topnotch science and technology university. The country boasts of a teaching hospital. So what are we lacking? Why do we produce doctors and nurses for the so called developed nations to poach them? Every year a good number of doctors and nurses graduate only for them to seek further studies and water the green grass in these developed countries. We celebrate some of them and their accomplishments in the Diaspora on a daily basis. Why can we not celebrate them at home with same achievements? I am baffled, Beyond baffled.

Why can’t the very science and technology university, design and produce some if not all the equipment that we need in the health centers? What is the essence of the university then? Chew, pour and pass? Cycle continues? Write lengthy papers devoid of any practical substance?

Yet we have education ministers. They are vetted. There is a whole ministry dedicated to education.

Ghana will be 64 this year. Our own, in Ghana could not even work on a vaccine for this COVID-19, not to even think about production for Ghana, West Africa and Africa. Once again, we ran to them and made a huge noise about donation of 600, 000 vaccines.  Or did they? It was given to us by our former Colonial Masters. Are we really sure about indepence or it is a sham?

There should be a blueprint. There should be some sort of successive progressive blueprint devoid of political mischief and selfishness. The country is not for a particular political party or select group of people. Ghana is for us us all.

Let us prop up and encourage our own. Let us remove the bottlenecks that hinder progress. Let us make use of the talent to engineer products for our use across all sectors.
Let us start with sanitation and a dust free environment. Let us start with the content of our educational books and materials.
Let us reawaken our attitudinal thinking.

I love you all. Make some Silent Noises wherever you

Dear Tippa
How are you? The beauty of the day is shining on me and you but I have hear it is snow plenty where you are. Bring some for Ghana. The way Awoshie hot eee
So Tippa like that you are?

Ghana is hard oooo. They say Ghana will chop 65 but hmmmm the ground is hard. Nothing for pocket. Everything make someway bi for town. Now some sickness bi to come dem dey call am Colonial Vilus. E dey catch people rough rough. Medicine no dey but I hear say if you drink Akpeteshie you go make fine. E catch plenty big men and womens. E don’t like small poor people. Now they say make everybody wear nosemas. I no get money buy some so I use my wife bra. E big fine.

Tippa I say Ghana go chop 64 but Hmmmmm. People still dey learn for tree unders. Dem say free SHS but e no bi free. The fees I still pay for your nephew no be small.
After election, court ooo. Come see your man. GbeeeTsatsu. Come and see skills. But the EC people go take some Ayigbe lawyer e do your man pasaaaa. Today 7.0 tomorrow 9.0. Me I no sabe the matter well well but Opana too say dem steal am.

Charley when you go come down? Dem go collect plenty dollar sey Colona testing. Like me sef I go do for you.
We go see how dem go march this 6th March. We go see if somebody go still chop money. But Ghana grow but e no get anything. Aaargh.

Eheeer I beg send me something small for my pocket make I take chop the independence.

It is me your back born
Major

Let us make Silent Noises always!

Once again I come to you. Once again I write. I guess taking a jolt to the head does a lot. Fortunately, I did not hit it.

Northeasters do dump a lot of snow. Then we clean up because life must go on.
I wrote articles when Papa J changed his abode. Those articles are in archives. Maybe one day, the sun will shine on where they are hidden. For now, I write and permit to say “Adieu, Papa J. You have done your bit. We cannot and will not judge you. Fly your way home, sir”

I write in pain and turmoil tonight. I ask myself if 2020 was not enough. 2021 has just started and those getting off the train of life are close to home. The tears will no longer flow except for fond memories. Memories so pleasant you ask yourself why you mourn.

With that let me enshrine my adopted mother’s name here. Auntie Abigail Dom, I am going to miss you. I will always cherish your advice and laughter. I still miss the Christmas Carols you took round the homes of Rotarians just to raise money for projects. I will miss the fireside chats and dinners. I will miss standing on the stairs to catch a breeze with you. Kofi Gyan and will grieve but we will laugh for you were so full of life. Head on home, mummy. Uncle K Dom awaits.

Then Mr Robert Bentil. I don’t even know how to describe the smile that will make the toughest melt. O if you were a woman, your suitors would have been many. Your kind and gentle self decided it is time to catch up with your Creator. A founding father of the Ghanaian Catholic Ministry that has metamorphosed into a Quasi Parish, you patiently did impart your knowledge to all who came near. Your laughter healed many a wound and left no scars. Sir, I salute.

Then Mr.Lennox Kukuu Arthur. So young. Life cut short. Loved ones left reeling in anguish and shock. How? My good sir till we meet again.

There are many more but I will not mention all. I will say Rest Well.

People are still dying. Be it Covid related or not. But at best let us prevent that death that we can avoid. So I urge you all to mask up, avoid gatherings and simply stay home.

These words have come to stay. Remote, New Normal, Social Distancing. They carry new meanings for us. Travel is now a strange word and connotes a lot of pain and discomfort. Passports and Visas are even stranger words. Who needs them now.

Keep healthy. Eat healthy.

Do not be defined by society. Be you. Dress in what makes you comfortable and not what others think you must wear unless it is a uniformed job or career.

What will it take for us to focus and develop instead of constantly selling our kith and kin for thirty pieces of silver? Yes Africa must grow and take her rightful place.

This fall has really juggled my brain.
Till I write again, I say mask up if you are stepping out. Other than that stay indoors.

Make some noise but Silently.

There is this thing dancing on my mind. It is so peculiar it stands out. There is no way I will push it away but definitely, I will let it play out.

The thing is “The leadership of the church in trying times”.
I hold this article dear because I am writing based on the first-hand experience. It will harbor no insults and certain words will be in inverted brackets. Failure to comprehend what I write will leave you in a prejudiced state of mind. I suggest you read devoid of any myopic lenses lest you fail to understand the writer.
In this article, I will ask blatant questions which if you are sincere and pragmatic will answer truthfully else…

“The leadership of the church in these trying times”

My question always has been and will remain so: If Jesus Christ were to come today and meet with all so called Bishops. Pastors, Rev Ministers, Priests, Apostles, Disciples, Only One et al, would they be able to look him in the face and answer, in all honesty, they strived to live as he did?

I pose this question as a premise to what I am about to espouse on. Let me start with the deification of some of these so-called. Why do they attribute to themselves authority beyond contestation? Such that it becomes a bit of a chore to point out their errors to them. Why do they see themselves AA commanding such poets that the first thing they say when you dare point out their ways is “I will curse you” to be followed by “touch not the Lord’s anointed”.

Why do these folk think they are not fallible?

The leadership of the church has let down its people.

The leadership of the church has failed its people in times of need.

The leadership of the church has focused on what it stands to gain from the congregants rather than offer them the hope and impetus to face tomorrow?

Salvation is not designated for an individual but for all. So then it beats the imagination when the leadership strikes partnerships with the well to do who are ready to buy into their agenda and forsake the poor up in whose shoulders the church stands.

In these times, when people of color have been denigrated and trampled on, one would think the leadership of the church would take a giant step and stand out for people of color and be their advocate. Even if they did, the silence has been deafening. Where was the leadership in calling out the perpetrators of these heinous offenses? Did the church leadership issue a communique? Once again they left their people to battle it out and then come to church on Sunday with their Tithe and offering.

The tithing and offering are very important because it sustains the church. It funds its programs and pays bills. It pays the bills of the leadership and buys their vehicles. The money that comes in makes them live a luxurious life that some of them would have never dreamed of. They forget without the congregants they are like the shepherd whose flock has run away. They have mistaken respect for timidity and gullibility forgetting that when you annoy a bear it will attack you.

In the midst of this pandemic, when people are at risk, what would it take for the leadership to Zoom services and make a passionate plea to parishioners rather than coerce them to come to church and still true to extort money in the name of church business must go on?

Make some noise but silently. Someone must hear us.

“Next move,” Tompo said. The key guys in the room were silent. The executioners were ready. Though they were making huge sums of money, they owed allegiance to the PM. They would do anything for him. Blanket their leader asked, “Should we move for the Major and his family?” There was heightened tension in the room. All eyes were on the PM. He called the shots. He was not the Prime minister and yet some said he was more powerful than the president. He seemed to be the missing piece of every puzzle. His impeccable way of dressing endeared him to the ladies and yet he was committed to only one.
“Hmmmm” he sighed as he prepared to talk.

MaaAbena and I lived on the same street. We decided to do so to allow the children to see us as often as they would. There were times we used the same house. MaaAbena had texted “the eagles are flying” to our children. They had immediately sprung into action securing the houses before making their way into our neighbors’ house. Our neighbor lived outside the country and so no questions were asked when we went in there. Our neighbor had a Peugeot 504 caravan that was old. The interior though was something else. The engine could compete against any V12 engine. The only difference was this engine ran on water and sunlight. This was new technology and I was part of the trial group. The windows of the car had this tint that made the windows look like the normal glass windows but at the same time serving as a shield from inquisitive eyes.
Mawuli and Mawuse were warming the car and waiting by the time mommy got to her house. Mommy and big sister made their way to our neighbor’s house. They piled into the car and rolled out.

“Bring him in dead or alive,” the General in charge of MPol said.
“kill him,” said the PM in a low and calm voice. It sent chills down the spine of everyone in the room.

Mawuli my son is quite tall, big, and very muscular for a teenager, thirteen years old one at that. With him behind the wheel, they had zoomed off out of Accra and were nearing the Ivory Coast border. Mawuse kept a constant lookout while Mom worked her gadgets. She informed me of all that was taking place and how she had to scan phone channels till she stumbled on their secure lines.

“Kwame, you are dead meat” she said. “They are coming for you because they realize we are not at the house so most likely I have told you and you have hidden us” “Sweets, no worries. Let them come. Just take care. You know I still love you” Major replied. “How about a trip to the north to enjoy some peace? We could stay with your friends Sali and the one you call ‘Law’ MaaAbena said.” O ooo we could visit the SheaMaster too” like a little girl. This was just a way to release the tension.

Elom my trusted second in command is ready. So is Troy and Don Willie. Mark would take the gate. Mark is huge and built like a tank. Scally Boy would drive their truck.

I let out a low howl. My men barked simultaneously. The MPol never saw what hit them. I dropped ten men including the General leading them in my living room. My men took the men outside. It was over within two minutes. We took down all twenty men without a single casualty. We cuffed them and loaded them onto their truck. We sat the General in my dark living room and questioned him. We applied a few tricks and he chirped like a parrot. I put in a call to the President’s safe cell line.

My men and I moved at top speed and headed for the president’s residency. We drove furiously and everybody gave way on seeing the truck and accompanying vehicles.

We entered the residency without any incident. HRE, Sowah came out to meet us and listen to our report. My men remained masked and ready. We re-secured the area and proceeded to avail the president of the events of the past twenty-four hours. We played recorded conversations that included detailed murders that had been committed and were about to be committed. He was equally shocked at what the opposition planned to do. He was stunned beyond comprehension.
More confusing for him was the inclusion and involvement of his cousin, In fact, Beehu was the mastermind of the whole plot.
The president offered apologies and summoned his cousin to his residence. When Beehu entered, he was shocked and without being asked to, knelt and began asking for forgiveness.

The president before summoning the security capos of the country thanked us and then with baited breath said ” In the interest of…..”

To be continued…