She stood still
Beautiful like the morning sun
The spark in her smile
Melted away my urging desires
like a noon sun kissing
The lips of the snows of summer.
She, that beautiful lake
At the apex of Kotokuraba
Swinging slowly like the memory of the goddess of the cirrus cloud
Indeed is a of a rainbow fate.
I asked the moons of the night
Why she, this beautiful lake of Kotokuraba was created like this of an unknown beauty
The moon walked slowly to my ears
And whispered these words
She, that beautiful lake of Kotokuraba
Was never a rip of Adam but a rip of the charming Eve
Which echoed deep inside my ears like the wrangles of the sea breeze.
I saw a spark in her eyes inside the deep valleys of my dreams
Which won my heart on the little ripples
Beaming her cheeks in randomness
To a land where my tongue desireth nothing but of
Her drops to quench it thirst.
Beautiful Kotokuraba lake
You, who have enchanted me into this world of a rosy gay
You, who have chanced upon the tablet of my heart
Seducing me into a world
Where my eyes walk on your body
like the angels of Michael
Who neither yawn nor sleep
Until the end of Lucifer is married to the lake of fire.
Beautiful, you shine like the glowing midnight stars
Beauty are the accessories of nature of which you were made from
To stand and comb the zeal of a yearning heart like mine
To it magical fantasies and dreams.
Beautiful Kotokuraba lake
I stand at your bank
With my rod of a bait
Asking for that heart which you carry in you
To embrace my hook of it happiness
To a home on the trees
Where only the services of those broadly greeny leaves would be needed
To massage the pains of our skins
For the welcome of the unison that swings
The tales of that twist across the valleys of your hips.
History has been a great fountain of human existence where knowledge of the past and it eventualities are reflected upon towards the future. It has been one solid human playing field where loyalty and truth play the tunes of what and when something happened sometime ago.
Many historical events dates long even before the days of pre-dating of which the tertiary and pre-cambrian eras could have evolved their whispering moments. Time has proven as a very substantial element in the actualities of world history just as human altercations have also done a great deal of influence. However, in the eventualities of what and when, the former has always proven its clout over the latter. So just like time, the world we live in becomes “memoryless” without Africa.
Africa has played a prominent role in fashioning the conceptual dedication of what history through generations, millennia, centuries and decades should be. Records from all faces of judgement have proven Africa’s rightful birth-place in historical pronouncements. It is however sad that through human machinations and chronic clone machiavellian ambiguities, certain facts and truths proving Africa’s strong force and voice in history has been fragmented and concocted. The porosity of these parrots fragmentation of historical facts particularly by certain group of “human race” who through out history have made it a deliberate to wipe Africa from the face of the realities of history is so sad a letter to write. The worst state of this directional machiavellian forgery is the crude impact it has had on the “African mind”.
The western world even in the abundance of apparent evidence of where Africa is in terms of history, still have pejorative distortion when it comes to defining the absolute of Africa in world history. Through elements of malaciousness, they deny Africa of her overwhelming contributions to the history of the world. Sometimes I feel like regurgitating when pronouncements and fairer attributations are made towards Greek and Roman histories as the basis for our today’s world history, thus denying Africa her rightful ascension in terms of time count.
For me, one thing that has denied Africa of her rightful place in the abode of history is the sadistic approach of her scholars in playing by the rot and canker of the west to define what constitute our history. In higher institutions of learning in Africa, where classics and philosophy is studied, it is disturbing to note how care and attention is giving to the learning of Greek and Roman Civilisations. Not much is to be desired when you visit a history class where students are indoctrinated with historical philosophies of this same ancient Greek and Roman empires all at the expense of our African history. This dramatically and drastically play down on the emphasis that should be laid on the culture of our land. It is not surprising at all seeing most of our African people living on this continent behaving as if Africa has no culture at all, thus a reflection in their lifestyles. An attribution of this was the case of the “French Policy of Assimilation” under the nemesis of Charles d? Gaulle.
For Africa to assert her rightful place in the court of history, more deliberate and conscious measures and modalities must be comprehensively put in place, and advocated through the exploration of time to make the African understand what Africa was and is in terms of world history. This can be done by rewriting history in it right tongue and pruning all malices that world history has been engulfed in. All Africans must, thus, come together to demonstrate to the world the right attributes of what Africa has with history.
(A lonesome monody to the Ghanaian Statewoman and designer of the Ghana National Flag, Theodosia Salome Okoh who passed away at the age of 92)
The sun has come home
Singing of pain and blood.
The moon has lost her cheerful ring
Holding her breast in a calabash
Of dry palm wine and squeezed kola….
Another day has folded her sorrow in our hearts,
The sand of evil and darkness has fallen into our eyes.
She, the black Obaatampa tree
Has fallen to the shouts of the cold winds of the Atlantic…
The monogrammatic letter of the casket,
Has reported your farewell chorus.
The epigrammatic tales of you at the cemetery,
Has found a hole to hide your cold tears in me.
I wish to ask one thing of this master;
Why let this day of unawares catch me before light?
The colours you forged in it purest gleam
Beams on the verandah of Independence.
The paint you poured into the eyes of the Union Jack,
Sits with the imprints of Nkrumah in my archives
Waving and fading into the eyes of time.
Though I would have loved to write you a song
And have your autograph embroidered in my face
Of how beautiful your soul was,
But death like the drums of the cemetery would say;
“When holds something at grip, none can take it back”…
Farewell, glorious blood—
farewell, kindred soul—
farewell, warmth heart—
Your imprints have left the hunter with
Dotted indelible trails to follow to the land of birth
Okoh, farewell
For your tears, I have sucked them into the belly of Ta’kora…
—–“I have a dream”—–
(To the broken pot of my village)
I have a dream
a dream born of my fathers
a dream to go home once more
to find that hatched fortune
inside the shrine of the village
I have a dream
a dream to worship love
a dream to cherish each moment
I speak to my pure African Queen
a dream to pay the dowry
before night falls on the feet of my father in-law
I have a dream
a dream to sing to my caged bird
though caged and kept
inside a castle’s dungeon
yet I know this symphonious hymns
shall reach you in time’s eyes
to heal your wounded soul
I have a dream
a dream of sipping palm wine
and sharing the taste in kola
with the village’s god of war
and of her evergreen princess
the goddess of beauty
I have a dream
a dream of Africa rising again
where I shall sing with my soul bloods
“Kulukulu Mama Africa”
“Kulukulu Mama Africa”
to another glorious milestone victory
won from the battlefiled of immortality
I have a dream
you have a dream
of dreams birthed in the womb of a mother
that someday to come
when night would kiss day to die
poetry shall come home singing
“at last I have fulfilled this mission,
of healing worried souls,
of nursing wounded hearts,
and rekindling lost hopes”
I have a dream—-
I have two, hundreds of you; blend of us unified in metaphor aprons of tentative riddling mayhem of ruthless lies coned in oxymoron.
Bad as I, three, hundred billion branded monsterous similes chanting alike and alike of indifference allusion but hope is hope all framed in spiritual sarcasm
Its a pool, let’s cross the deep black sea of lures built up in the ivory of ironies let’s chant one more time at the back of your eyes hypocritical poet!
Lucid climatologist, lying behind clean shades of red-eyes where ballads are antithesis of clowning tears of a believer innocency of a saint loyalty of a virgin degree of awards levels of poverty
And where is LADE WORSONU’s Povertometer? yet all could be clich?s of temptatious bridles of solemnised penchant anachronisms….
In this green wild forest, is an unheard mystery. As a hunter, my ancestors spirits? lead. In the eastern forest path are crossroads, where an antelope stands looking. Ears are erected, with tail highly waging.
I smell her virginity on the path created, with nostrils so nesh to heal. I see in her soul un-felt desires, and in her blood the spell of the gods. Melting the shod of my arrow, is the passion to stimulate her soul. Eyes dimmed to her skin, and straight it pierced her heart.
Inside the sweat on my feet, is the dream of hurry. She lied down calmly, eyes glistening to mine. As if she knew the thoughts, conceived at the oasis of my soul. Her blood so pure on the shrine’s altar, “she has duly paid her dues to the spirits”, thus said the words of incantation.
Her soul flies with pride? a quell for the spirits, an appease to the gods. let mothers not be barren in womb, and the land not baked in infertility. Children be filled to the full of the soil, and the moon pour down her everlasting joy on you. These were the words unlocked, from the peaceful antelope appease.
Education has evolved through diverse philosophical eyes as centuries and decades are born ?and gradually die out. In my own percipience, education can be defined as, “socialising people in an environment to develop their cognitive, and equipping them with the requisites knowledge to become more adaptable and informed, to aid their own personal enhancement in terms of attitude, and behaviourial concerns as well as their immediate enivornment, and the broader community”. It has thus revolved itself to place a paramount prominence in the socio-politico?economic and cultural development of both developed and developing societies. Clearly, no progressively inspired nation on this sole planet of living (earth) can run the race of development without the boots of education on feet.
Education goes with a lot of systems and factors as well it challenges. In Africa and Ghana for that matter, education has been with the people for time immemorial? thus the informal type. However, the people on this continent got hold of our present education? formal type, through various interactions with their colonial masters. Ghana on one hand, had her taste of what formal education meant through her formal colonial master, ‘The British’. The British government during the colonial era, laid down certain systems through which education which begun in the castles in the Gold Coast (now Ghana) should follow. This system produced numerous local elites who in one way or the other helped to later gain independence for this country.
With this nation gaining independence on 6th March 1957, the Nkrumah government under the leadership of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the First President of Ghana, made a lot of educational reforms from that angle. The Nkrumah government in order to foster education in a newly independent country, brought in certain reforms which sought to purge out certain anomalies which the colonial educational system came along with. The Nkrumah government in the 1960’s provided free education, free school uniforms, free textbooks, and the provision of other basic educational infrastructural facilities as evident in universities, colleges, secondary and basic education as part of it reforms. The same can be written in the cases of, the Acheampong’s government, the Rawlings’ government and so on. All these reforms were in view to help better enhance the educational prospect of this nation.
Several years down lane, with many governments rolling in and out, our Ghanaian educational system still faces a lot of challenges, thus placing a lot of hindrances in terms of meeting it positive prospects. The major reforms in our educational system can be dated to the1990’s when the Basic Education Certificate and the West Africa Secondary School Certificate? Examinations were introduced under the Presidency of? J. J. Rawlings.? These reforms brought in it wake new syllabus, and ushered in a cut in the years of education to three years for both Junior and Senior Secondary education. This educational system was however, fraughted with a lot of challenges as in terms of the percentage passes in the external examinations. These challenges could partly be attributed to inadequate professionally teachers, teaching and learning materials as well as other necessities.? In 2007, the government of Ghana under the stewardship of President J. A Kuffour made some reforms in the educational system citing various reasons for doing so. There was introduction of a new syllabus as well, a change of name from the previous government’s to Junior and Senior High Schools with three and four years of learning duration respectively and later years, got another change to the former by President Mills’ government, also indicating various reasons. All these were done with intents to improve the country’s educational system into one which could solve the problems at hand.
It is however sad to note that all these reforms having been made, have not holistically and wholly done any thing worthy enough to better the lot of this country’s education. What is worrisome and vexatious about Ghana’s education has to deal with the huge number of failures that comes with it? that is, failures as in candidates failing their final external examinations, thus unable to get admissions into either Senior High/Technical Schools or Tertiary Institutions depending on ones level of transition. The rate at which students fall victim to this situation has become chronic and cancerous. The situation has risen from worse, worst and now at supposedly an ‘uncurable’ one for that matter. Various interventions have been made and are still been made, yet this high failing rate of students in both Junior and Senior High Schools in Ghana has become a cumbersome mathematical problem with no solution.
As a graduate of this same system in 2013 of Senior High School, I feel it is important that a matter so cogent like this and been discussed all over in Ghana in both print and electronic media by people who ‘presumably’ think have solutions to salvaging it, I add my naive thoughts as well. Whether we would continually swim in decades of crude reforms or make cupboard inferences of changes construed to our educational system I think would amount to nothing less than what we are already facing. Genuinely, it would be very prudent for the various time leaderships of this country to distant politicking from our education. Education is an all involvement methodologies and must be deemed apolitical. This is the first thing which adversely impinges on the prospects of our nation’s education system and must be eschewed as such. Plunging this nation’s educational soft-underbellies into ‘cheap’ political gimmicks only has the potency of worsening the circumstances we are already facing.
Again, sound educational research worth making to identify, accommodate and finding lasting solutions to the problems militating against the prospects of our educational system in terms of the high failing rate of students must be conducted. The government and the various bodies in charge of our educational system such as the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service and the likes must be actively involved in this, and the needed impetus given to researchers when demanded. This I perceive will help logically and critically identify the real bottle-necks weighing us down and find realistic modalities of finding root solutions to the root causes.
Teachers on one hand do complain bitterly about the insensitiveness of our governments, all because salaries and conditions of services are below their work rate. In Ghana, from all indications without an iota of doubt, the teaching profession is the least respected and cherished. Conditions of service in this profession is so poor to the extent that it instantly demolarises the spirits of teachers. Some teachers have to make sacrifices without any reasonable compensation from the government. Those in charge of this situation must make deliberate efforts to solve this situation for, “we do not use an empty stomach to blow the horn of cow”, thus says an Akan traditional proverb. The government must also do well to provide all the needed teaching and learning materials. The teachers must also endeavour to put in much effort and not lazy around idly to teach students to the very best of each learner’s learning ability.
Parents play key roles in the academic development of the learner. Most parents due to pressures of life and high economic burdens become reluctant in supervising the progress of their ward(s) education. Hardly would a parent even go to the school in which their ward(s) attend to assess their performance, and when the unfortunate should happen im terms of fails, they kick it to the face of the teachers. Parents must however, avert their attitude towards their childrens education and also provide them with the basic necessities which can compliment their education. The needed moral support must also be given to students by both parents and teachers.
‘SAINT ABIOM’ Clapping their big hands were the clump that cheered his street with their branches He is Saint Abiom of Calipon Sounding his voice out for lonely souls Dark nights are his best days Preaching his heart out for no dyingsouls Saving souls for that hell his fate rest upon Amen to the tune of communion which only rest it eternal days at theheart of the grave.
There is a time in life, I mean a reference period that a boy and a girl mature into a man and a woman respectively. With this changes taking shape in life, the rhythms of the mind-to-thought also undergoes this transformation. We do then begin thinking proactively in positions that sends our thought on travelling reasoning succession of what ought to be.
The celebration or observing of the AU(OAU) to me is such an irrelevant day as the aims or objectives of AU when put under the microscope of critiqu? can be sorted out as not addressing the brain behind it as envisioned by the likes of it founding fathers like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and so on.
The AU which sprung out of the former OAU has resumed a status of a ‘defunct’ more than becoming ‘active’ in pursuing it agenda and aims. To date, the AU has not been able to achieve the full taste in it aims. The AU has not achieve greater unity and solidarity between African countries, it has also not accelerated the political and socio-economic integration of the continent. Where is the integration of the economies in Africa? People are swimming and dying in abject poverty, diseases, malnutrition and so on.
The sad issue is that, the AU has not been able to defend and promote the common position of all Africans on issues of interest to the continent. The AU if were a human would have being a woman in a man’s skin. Cowardice is the perfect description of the AU when it comes to defending and speaking on common grounds on issues which would affect Africans on the world’s geographical scale.
In the promotion of peace, stability and security on the continent, if that were to be an examination the AU would have scored 5% out of 100%. Where in Africa or which part of Africa is the AU promoting peace, stability and security? Take your mind and it visuality to the shores of our continent and you would realise the pains, agonising, and traumatic moments people are going through in some of our countries, and you would understand how ‘sluggishly’ and ‘deceasely’ the AU has become in terms of promoting peace and security. What of the recent coup de’tat in our part of the world? Can that be linked to promoting stability?
Are we not still swimming deeply in the pool of colonialism after our paper written independence? What is the reference point of our being independent when we still can’t unite on our fronts to embattle this world’s order of not favouring or not been fair to Africa? Are our nations truly united? Is neo-colonialism still not eating to our core?
Now, if all these and many more questions of problems are hanging around our necks as Africans, and our so called united body (AU) can’t solve them. Then what is even the point of the existence of AU, let alone celebrating or observing it day? Africa must work and not talk-talk. What is the importance of this statement to us as Africans, “the African is capable of managing his own affairs”?
41 Block C Farmland,
Post Office Box 279,
Mankesim.
THE PRESIDENT,
FLAGSTAFF HOUSE,
ACCRA.
Dear Sir,
HERALDIC CASTLE AND SEA VIS-A-VIS FLAGSTAFF HOUSE ON THE COAT OF ARMS.
I write from my humble, quite village of my village thought to put a question to your thinking cup perhaps if that might have escaped your knowing. Serveral years after Indepence in 1957 and a Republican status in 1960, the Coat of Arms have emerged as the highest national emblem of our motherland. It has shot itself from been just a symbol to that of a unifying epistle. On the head of your letters, he can be seen smiling broadly thus indicating his highest form of importance. On the right hand top corner of the Coat of Arms is found the heraldic castle on the heraldic sea. Truly, I don’t know much about what it means but the little I know concerning this is that it represents the ‘National Government’. To me a village dweller with my calabash still serving as my drinking cup in this ?21st Century, I think it simplest form of interpretation is that, it means the ‘Seat of Government’. Indeed the truth is, the heraldic castle to any commoner is the Christianborg Castle or put it the Osu Castle. Sir, as we all know, not quite long in years that the ‘National Government’ symbolising a castle was changed into the ‘Flagstaff House’. The question I wish to ask you Mr. President who by virtue of your position serves as the face of our beloved motherland to the outside community is , how well do we as citizens relate your office of ‘Flagstaff House’ to that of the Coat of Arms? Sir, in my little village’s microscopic view, isn’t it high time as we look at the dynamisms of the world in relation to our constitution and it review, do same to our national symbols especially the Coat of Arms? It is the hope of this village I sit pensive under the cocoa tree am leaning against that you, and your eminent body of government would take some time off your busy schedules to ponder over this.
An ongoing discussion on facebook streamed me to write this here.
Certain people who are politically and ideologically attached to the
CPP do claim it is impossible or put it, it is not wholly to love
Kwame Nkrumah and hate his CPP. In fact, I am not a political cohort
neither politically sentimental to any group, but as a consumer and a
post-producer of things worth discussion, I write to state my personal
opinionation regarding this issue trending here and about.
First, as a budding Nkrumahist and Pan-Afrikanist,I think without any
obssession that in actual fact, it is ever possible for one to love
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and hate his CPP.
I could ever cherish Nkrumah based on what I have heard and read about
him, be it, his own works he wrote or the works of others about him.
Nkrumah to me is an “influence” and a “spell” that leaves one to be
burried and hidden in his entirety.
Kwame Nkrumah goes beyond mere political entity. Nkrumah is a
“human-god” thus a dime of him is what makes CPP. Nkrumah’s head is a
“Field-of-Knowledge”, that is, relevant for now,?tomorrow?and the
future.
Comparing Nkrumah with CPP is like Comparing Nkrumah with his writings
alone, thus negating his spiritual and physical embodiment.
I love Nkrumah unalloyedly particularly based on his “totality”, and
not just a samplification of his fragment the (CPP). Nkrumah is like a
community and a society. He is a river that people fish in it to get
fishes of knowledge, ideals, principles, philosophies and doctrines.
Ask President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and he would tell you in plain
words that, the man Nkrumah is a “Human-Saintly”.
Nkrumahism is culture, Nkrumahism is tradition, Nkrumahism is values
and Nkrumah is totality.
These are a synopsis of the thoughts of a “village boy”.
Why do most Afrikans and Speakers regularly quote from white books and authors?
Why do most Afrikans work tirelessly to salvage their economies from
it woes and yet have to believe that their woes can only be solved by
reading and quoting the philosophies of white economists?
A lot of Afrikans think they are smart yet they can’t detect the
influx of 21st Century imperialism.
They organises conferences, summits, events, lectures, symposia,
seminars and what have you to create a society of change makers, yet
they still imbibe_pollutesthe minds of the participants with
imperialist tendencies and approaches of white philosophies.
I am a toddler in this world of global white machinations and Afrikan
antagonistic sabotages, yet I believe that the last stage of
imperialism as critically observed by Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah in his
Neo-colonialismthoughts are the very evils betraying the Afrikan’s
conscience and consciousness.
There are many simple reasons for which I think the Afrikan isn’t
aware that he is the cause of his own woes. The Afrikan is still
reading dogmas, doctrines, philosophies, thoughts, ideals and beliefs
which are simply the whiteman’s hidden intents meant to thwart the
potentials of today’s critical Afrikan thinker.
Did you ever think of why the Great Malian Empire King Mansa Musa (I)
was so powerful and rich? And did you know he is said to be the
richest man ever to be recorded in history?
Did you also know why Emperor Haile Sellasie is still hailed in esteem
of high regard? And why he and his people were able to resist Italian
invasion?
Have you also thought of why Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah is still regarded
as the greatest idealist to ever emerge on the fronts of Afrika? And
why his doctrines and philosophies are still relevant to the Afrikan
in today’s contemporary world?
I feel I should weep for myself for being an Afrikan, still seeing the
Afrikan turned into a puppet of neo-colonialism and a crowish of white
imperialism. The answer to the aforementioned questions is as simple
as this. They understood their own philosophies, ideals and principles
which are securely embeded in the virtues and values of Afrika and the
Afrikan.
I’ve shed tears and still finds it difficulty of not a default as to
why the Afrikan is yet the cause of his own problems. The Afrikan’s
thoughts, ideals, philosophies, and principles needs to change, or
else the Afrikan will work and work and at the end it shall all be at
the pleasing side of the white wind blowing under the shade of
globalisation.
These are a synopsis of the thoughts of a “villaGe boy”.
The major policy of French colonial administration in West Africa until 1946 took on the wheels of “Assimilation”. The underlying policy was to enable France implant French culture and civilisation on the people with the intention of suffocating the culture and fundamentalities of Afrikans. The policy of Assimilation can be strategically divided into three folds_ranging; political, economic and socio-cultural.
Political Assimilation
The political administration of assimilation which was controlled from
a centralised federation as the Federation of French West Africa had
it headquarters at Dakar, Senegal. The laws for the
administration,that is, obnoxious were deliberately made in France
under the very watchful eyes of the legislative body in France.
There were the colonial minister, the governor-general,
lieutenant-governors, the commandant du cercle, chef du subdivision
and the puppets_Africanchiefs heading cantons.
With this struture well entrenched and codified in place, the French
government was ever more pig-headed to dance to the tune of
“loot-all-natural-resources” given to Afrikans by nature and make them
wallow in the abyss of poverty and agonies. The political assimilation
however, enfeebled the political authority, military, rulership and
divine authourity of the chiefs who were made to become the elements
of puppetism and stoogism which occured in British West Africa.
Economic Assimilation
French policy of Assimilation took a different trend in the economic
sphere. In the Economic sphere, the colony was made to produce raw
materials particularly to feed French industries. Based on this,
French interest was the premium. The natural resources were exploited
to enable France compete favourable in the league of industrial
competition taking place in Europe.
French Colonial Pact, made it possible for France to dictate the
economic and financial decisions of the colonies to favour or serve
the interest of France and her citizens at the expense of the
colonies. The colonial pact also forbade French colonies to engage in
any foreign trade with the exception of France. What this then meant
was that, France became the ‘god’ of trade for their colonies which
even till date works like a generational ‘curse’. It is however clear
from the principle that, France did not only lord herself over the
colonies but to the entrenchment of a “one-evil-route-trade” all in
the name of serving the parochial selfish whims and caprices of
France. France like any other European colonisers feared for losing
their foul gain as a result of the lack of or inadequate resources
they had.
Cultural and Social Assimilation
Another policy of Assimilation which is equally as dreadful is that of
the socio-cultural assimilation. The cultural assimilation was solely
meant to implant French culture on the local people thus distorting
the cultural heritage of the local people. French civilation meant
that, everything Afrika was barbaric and ungodly, and that it beholds
on the local people to accept and uphold their claim of their culture
being divinely-ordained.
The social assimilation took on the harshest of all trend, thus
dehumanising the Africa into the notorious system of indigenat and
prestation. The worrying thing was that, the subjects under the social
ordinaces or obnoxious laws were subjected to forced labour without
any monetary payment. The subjects did all the difficult works
especially those conscripted into the army to work as auxiliaries.
They were popularly known as deuxieme contigent, who did all the
drugeful work. In fact, they were regarded as “Slaves” in their own
homelands.
The General Effects
The many uncurable problems confronting French West African countries
today can all be stemed from this system. The situation where France
has over-lord herself over the French West African countries all are
as a result of the French policy of Assimilation.
Even in 1958, when Sekou Toure and his Guinea voted against the French
community, all the colonial ‘benefits’ Guinea had although it was
generated from her own resources were destroyed with impunity. Charles
de Gaule must have being very diabolic_wise to enable France envisage
her vision which they (France) are enjoying today.
Leaders who decide not to walk the talk of France are quickly engulfed
in the web of pustch or coup d’e tat machinated by France.
Today, about fourteen (14) West African countries after serveral
years, say 50 years of independence from France still pay colonial
‘benefits’ to France. These countries are made to pay annual financial
contributions over billions of Dollars to France simply because they
are deemed by France to have benefited from them as a result of France
colonising them.
In terms of trade, major trading partner of all French West African
countries is France and no one else. The failure to trade first with
France means the worst is yet to happen.
After several years of independence Africa nations from colonialism, Ghana in particular has not being able to stand tall to her meriting as the ‘lodstar’ of Africa since it is still meandering in the river of how to develop holistically. When one cast his or her eyes to the happenings in other African countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Algeria, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Lesotho, Sao Tom? and Principe and the rest the same observation as to what is happening to Ghana can be seen.
Colonialism has influenced Africa and her nations to the far side of retrogression. Many are the deliberate efforts by African countries and governments to reverse the symptom of stifled stillness of development. It would be very unfortunate for anyone to say or think that Africa leaders have not made any efforts at all to ameliorate the lives of their ‘ruled’.
Continentally, many worthy course have been embarked upon to see Africa develop. Key Organisations such as the Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU) now Africa Union (AU) being the foremost body has been established to this effect. The AU despite it challenges in areas of ideological differences of it member states, language barrier, lack of effective standing army, overly attachment to aprons of colonial masters, as well as lack of a common voice by Africa on the international front about pertinent matters which concern Africa. One cannot simply justify the soft-underbellies of AU as not enough efforts towards helping Africa.
Regionally, the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), East Africa Community (EAC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) and so on have also been instituted as regional blocs primarily focusing on economic empowerment and regional integration.
All these are laudable efforts by Africa and African countries towards development. However, it is very sad to note that despites these efforts, Africa is still swimming in the pool of myriad of problems ranging from the perpetual abject poverty, chronic diseases with no cure, generational ‘Adam’ inheritance of corruption, civil strifes and wars, and other thwarting woes.
The one key area Africa and her nations have not realised is that, these problems we are facing stems from Africa’s continual adherence to the “colonial educational system”. We all, in fact admit that, indeed education is key to development be it, individuals, nations and continents. Innovativeness and initiative are mammoth factors which oil’s the wheels of technology. On the contrary, the colonial educational system which the colonial masters introduced in the form of “western education” has bedeviled Africa to a larger extent. The demands of this genre of education by the colonial masters sought to provide effective communication skills, clerical, theological and evangelism exigencies by the colonial masters. This form of education did not provide any room considering the needs of Africa. It is this type of education that is still “adored and cherished” by African countries.
With this kind of educational system, the innovative and initiative instinct of students_learners are killed even at birth. What Africa needs to note is that, this type of educational system seeks all diabolic means to down play technical and vocational skill acquisition, and in return usher unto us the elements of “bookish knowledge” acquisition. This same form of educational system which our curricula have been modeled after seeks to perpetuate the words of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as “Neo-colonialism”. It is this same kind of educational system which have made us and continues to make Africa countries producers and exporters of raw materials such as gold, diamond, bauxite, cocoa beans, timber, manganese and the likes, and in turn imports finished commodities thus the resultant effects of balance of payment deficit and flying inflation. This colonial system of education encloses students in places called “classrooms and lecture halls”, feeding them with theories of fictions which kills the true spirit of pragmatism given to Africans by the ‘creator’.
Africa has not being able to catch up with the winds of development aptly because, her human capacities are being fed with some kind of ” knowledge” that is not relevant to her developmental needs and agenda. Right from the basic form education through senior high school and tertiary, students are made to believe that being able to speak like a ‘whiteman’ quantify ones effort as truly educated. Along this same path lieth technical and vocational education which most of our governments have not given it the needed push to ensure it life-long support to our economic growth. Per the observations made, if this trend or system of colonial education continues to eat deeper into our continental and national fabric then surely Africa has a long way to go as far economic and infrastructural developments are concerned.
However, there seems to be a glowing light at the far side of the tunnel if Africa leaders and governmental agencies particularly the Ministries of Education in the various African countries, can pool resources together in terms of human, capital and material to “review” and “rewrite” the educational curricula, then surely Africa would be on fertile grounds towards development. Africa and her nations must develop a system of education that is relevant to the needs of Africa in today’s 21st Century. The education system must be made to lay more emphasis on the acquisition of technical and vocational skills which comes along with it critical and pragmatic thinking thus the power of innovativeness.
Africa must eschew the unwholesome licking of the fiction nectaries that comes with the colonial educational system and embrace the realities of the problems she faces. This way, we will be able to avail our minds to finding efficacious modalities of remedying the myriad of problems confronting Africa, her nations and citizenry.
The best thing that every nation can give to her youthful citizenry is ‘Education’. The best tool that as Africans we can use to stand firmly and in fervency against these riotous oppressions is an educational system which seeks to inculcate and imbibe into her future generations all the elementary embodiments of the true state of African culture and values.
Over the years, Afrika has come into a still situation of how it can
develop. Most of her nations and citizenry are wallowing in abject
poverty. It is however a fact that, the fate of every nation depends
heavily on the concomitant of education in today’s 21st Century.
Education is paramount and very critical in development. Many western
and eastern countries that are now enjoying in terms of rapid economic
development is as a result of the high premium they placed on
education.
What we must understand is that, this form of education from the
western world has little relevancy to Afrika’s amelioration. For
instance, the western form of education which emanated as a result of
colonialism has not been able to ractify the myriad problems impinging
on our development.
The colonial system of education which lays more emphasis on “bookish
knowledge”, throw more light on the methodics of “chew-pour-pass” with
little or no emphasis on technical and pragmatic knowledge acquisition
thus breeding in graduate with half-baked knowledge who cannot
contribute to solving the problems thwarting our efforts to progress.
Afrika countries are facing numerous challenges. The challenges cut
across all spectrum in areas of socio-political and economic
development. The cedi keeps falling like the tower of Babel whilst
abject poverty, generational inherited corruption, chronic diseases
with no remedy, hunger and the prevalent strifes and wars keeps
suffocating Afrika like a sudden apocalypse.
On the basis of this, to turn things round to steam the wheels of
rapid economic development, our leaders must therefore distinguish
between what makes us true Africans and that which dispels our notions
and mental faculties as aliens.
We must find apparent illustrative, elaborative, effective and
efficacious modalities of building our solidarity as continent and
nations through and “Africonscious educational system”.
Africa’s Greatest future pride lieth not in her vast natural resources
as evident in her cocoa, gold, diamond, bauxite, timber, coffee,
plantain and the wheels of marigold (oil). Her future thus lieth in
her human capacities and capabilities.
In this light, more avenues must be created to breed a system of
education that is in tune with the cultural traits of Afrika and which
also places more emphasis on pragmatic and technical education. When
these are done, Afrika would be able to combat the shades of all these
myriad problems fraughting her abilities to develop.
Don’t misinterpret my reason for this assertion
Honestly, I do hold my personal but undisclosed reasons for this
Let me roll my tongue of a linguist to your flying ears
One thing I have realised within my inner most self is
while I less care about people in a normal free range matters
However, whenever the elephant grass roofings of my hut gets the bath
of the drops of the rains my thoughts do sway me into showing some
kind of concern for others
I mean the dejected one behind my next door whom I call a Soul Neighbour
My personal attributation is like that of an ancestral land calling
out names from the ‘Book of Ghost’
My fear therein is that perhaps in the course of the rains these
people might hear their names being called for an ancestral ceremonial
feast
The foremost thing I have always maintained is
to remain unalloyed in faith and hope
In anticipation that the names of those I do hate nor cherish would
not be on the list of ancestral land call-ups
Deep within my heart I do not doubt my selfless appeal and
supplication for all mankind to remain as old as the Stones of the
Great Walls of China
But with the exhaustiveness of time and longivity
I deem ‘Odomankoma’ the ever life-giver
The honour to let the oracles of my fears shrek in it hallowness
for a journey lieth in the deep dark.
Oh, Asaase Yaa
Thee Great mother ‘earth’
Your beauty surpasses all beauty
You’re the only one
Who seeks to the visualisation of the undenying needs
Of your children.
By our deeds your children have now
Forgotten your name by Odomankoma
Oh, Great Asaase Yaa
And in turn keep calling you ‘earth’.
Is it an infusion of Europeanism that has culminated to this end?
But I know when your name is mentioned it breeds a genuine symbolistic
appeal of the tenacity of our traditionalism.
Oh, The Great Asaase Yaa
You that eradicate hunger
Oh, Great Asaase Yaa
You that produces the fuel of life for
That which cometh forth thy womb.
Why have you suddenly changed?
Why this sudden solemness of silence?
Is it that you no longer care?
Or Is it that your children have wronged you?
Or perhaps is it as a result of the horrorendous distortion by your children?
Why this long stream of silence?
Your intellectual display is no longer seen
Your beauty has fade away like the skin of a pauper
What happened?
Can you please whisper to us?
I guess we should bow our heads to the grace eminence of your presence.
Hear the cry of your children
We pray for your kindness
Open your mammoth eyes to the plights of your wards, for we’re dying
No, I mean we are extincting
Our dear Great Asaase Yaa.
We have come to the turning point
Not to return to the sinking point
We have wept bitterly over this canker called injustice
And moaned gruesomely over inequality
We the people of this land seek justice
In a land where injustice reigns
Ask why the poor is always poor
And the rich always rich.
In the eyes of Twedeampon we are one
In the eyes of the ancestors we are same
Men of character
Baked to different colour
Why then is the national cake unfairly shared?
Why should inequality meander across the valley of the ordinary?
We all pay taxes
Engage in communal labour
So where from these seeds of chronic injustice?
Question the leader that he is not up to the task
And your end surely follows.
We have being sting by the wasp of injustice
And have being bitten by fear
To question the elements of injustices
Is there any contentment in the kingdom of injustice?
Can we make unsalient points to justify what is justifiable?
I guess no.
But why all these chronic injustice?
All fingers are not the same
Yet all must be treated the same
I am torn apart by this hellish called injustice
I am tormented by this disease called injustice
I fear to question whoever
Is behind this evil call injustice
Else I visit my early grave.
“In a society where elements of modernity scuffles with elements of culture, there seems to be no prudency chapter to write about. All that seems emanating are omens of madness, insanity acursing the fate of humanity with characters of diabolisms and bleakness”.
Will culture ever survive this deadly blows punching hard in it face by these traits of modernism and technological surgencies?
Where we are made to disregard our culture or treat it with great impudence, are we safe to the fate that lieth ahead? We are made to feed on theories propounded out of modern context and are in turn made to think in suspensive reasons of a future where liveth the truth of robotic engagement. To be critics of our existence (culture), and play ironic fragmentation to our pride. That is what our souls are fed on in the lantern classrooms of higher learning.
Where do the survival flow of humanity records in this dilemma streams of technological asset and trends? I am concerned with the tales of truism, fate of iotacy starring deep in my face, and demanding realistic answers to the times ahead, and to the moments that yonders afar. In a society where the parlance of bleaching has become a “life-saver” to the beauty of the Afrikan. Where the truth that beholdeth fashion is only adorned by nudity.
Come to think of the baking and flaking remorse of our traditionalism sandwiched by “christianity and Islam”. Where virtue only accomplishes the stance of early grape eating of fornication. Where men are made to think in abstract of living in mars of a woman’s thighs as pride of self esteem, simply because, judgement is for the mockery.
What a world we are living. Where hopelessness, madness, craze, stupdity and abject shamefulness revolving around the axis of modern ty. Truth have no seeking, seeking and finding not, finding without any justification, and justification which knoweth no salvation.
A dirge dancing in a disco, and whereas life is still built on a sheet of mysteriousness. I am on appeal to the land of materialism and fashionism where the rowdiness of the up-thinking minds are married to the rhythms and interludes of the hip-hops.
Clich? of thoughts they say never ceases to amass the meandering holes of the dungeons in the mind’s castle. Be it toothless or plainful whims. By the time I defend my thesis to the merit of a PhD in culture, surely I might either be strangulated to a miscarriage or either way be suffocated to my emptiness with surgical tools of a heightened technology. I better do what it ought of me as a true ancestor would have.
You are my witness. I mean you, you and the many of you here on this stage of a world. Witnesses to the oracles of our culture, customs and traditions. We all are a living ears to the rumours and whispers to the walking and stampeding threats of modernity and her fast evoking smoking pipe_technology.
Where do we stand, which path does this our culture leads to in a slumber where anti-rectroviral has made herbs a no importance but an impotent to the threat of modernity’s dreadful disease HIV/AIDS. Aren’t we acursed by the traumas of technology which premiums a no human head for nature’s wonders? Rhetoric is at play…
I have decided, not to be a skate board to the exigencies of modernism. I have questioned my instinct not to result to resolutions given the demands of technology. I have made up my mind, a mind made up to defend what is duely of my very existence.
“The beauty of a people is in their heart, the soul of a people is in their blood, but the survival of a society is in the faculties of her culture”.
I have consulted the eye of the gods, incantated the spirits of the ancestors, they are ready and have call nature, to walk me safely as I deem this fate of this campaign to wake the minds of the people of why I weep of a culture in a world in which modernity reigns.
After a deeper reflection through all the historical chronicles these nation(s) of ours and continent have passed through leaves me in so much heart bleeding moments.
The treatment of “Lugardism”, that is, Indirect Rule as propounded by
Frederick Lord Lugard is one of a disturbing phenomenon. Talk of how
our chiefs lost their sanctity and supremacy is quite unfortunate.
With the introduction of indirect rule, the omens of ‘Lugardism’ swept
and ate into our entire traditional fibre. The ‘Lugardism’ sought for
an objective to establish and entrench western democratic institutions
and practices into our administrative set-up.
Lord Lugard in his book “The Dual Mandate in British Tropical Africa”
published in 1922 persuaded the British authority of the need and
appropriateness of indirect rule in British West Africa. Nigeria,
Ghana, The Gambia and Seirra Leone received their turn of entrenchment
in that succession. As a result of the propounder thus the crowing
principle ‘Lugardism’.
Lugardism in a way was ‘trick’ in disguise just as many other European
colonising strategies. It made our chieftancy supremacy weak and
fragile by duping the major architects (chiefs) their powers thus
making the chiefs “puppets and stooges”.
It also took away the power of judicial function which was based on
African traditional customary laws, and in turns tried and punished
offenders through British courts and judges. This also led to the
introduction of the police and prisons to enforce these colonial laws.
The ‘Lugardism’ system brought in it wakes strained relationship
between the chiefs who happen to be the rightful emirs of their people
and some fraction of their ruled (educated elites). The
marginalisation of African intelligentsia was indeed the one surest
way for the entrenchment of indirect rule or better put it the
‘Lugardism’.
The Bristish at some point in their inordinate quest to see total
dominance over their ruled in West Africa, sought for modalities to
cut down it huge financial cost due the vast shape the colony was
getting. Other factors such as acute shortage of personnel,
communication problems, limited knowledge of the territories and fear
of antagonistic posture from the local people were some of the things
that brought in it wake the ‘Lugardism’.
With the full introduction, strech and total entrenchment of the
‘Lugardism’, it basically laid the foundation of our ruling process
even till date. Several constitutions which have exerted a
considerable influence on our current constitutions emanated from
this.
In the case of Ghana, the 1992 Republican Constitution evolved from
the various pre-independence or colonial constitutions. Talk of the
Guggisberg constitution in 1925 which created the Provincial Council
of Chiefs in the Central, Western and Eastern provinces. Subsequent
constitutions like that of the Allan Burns, Reports of Coussey
Committe, Nkrumah’s constitution and so on had their influence as a
result of the infections of indirect rule.
It however comes with no doubt that most of the myriad problems we are
facing as nation(s) and continent stems from this system of rule. In
view of this, if we really want to find solutions to most of the
problems we are facing in terms of our efforts to seeing realistic
development, then we must stop the “cymbal playing and blame games”
and trace back the root of the ‘Lugardism’ principle which till date
has a hand in “setbacking and sabotaging” our nationalistic and
continental developmental agenda.
Once again the annual ritual of reminding ourselves of independence as a nation from British rule. On 6th of March 1957 a nation was born sub-saharan Afrika with her emblem “Freedom and Justice” boldly written on the faces of it declarers and citizenry. We we made to comprehend our freedom from British rule and dictatorship. Indeed, the thrills, sounds and shouts of the thousands sent a signal of what “independendence” meant. The flashbacks and scences indeed sent a strong sign of a nation that had the spirit patriotism and true patriots walking the length and breadth.
The struggle for independence didn’t started with the era of the birth
of United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) in 1947. It must be noted that,
the struggle to gain independence heightened between 1947 and 1949,
that is the birth of the former political movement that of the later
Convention People’s Party movement.
However, it must be keenly seen from an angle that the struggle to
gain independence had two phases. One with the Proto-nationalism era
of which The Fante Confideration of 1868 been the first of it kind of
movement, it also saw the likes of the Aborigines Rights Protection
Society of 1897 which sought to freedomise the people from foreign
land dominance and so on. All these movements and struggles occured
before the first world war.
The other phase of the movement, The Militant/Radical nationalism
happened after the second world war and the firs Pan-African Congress,
Mancester in 1945. It was within this period that independence
revolutioners imbibed, inculcated and indoctrinated with radical
methodisms, a call for antagonistic posture towards colonial wing
powers and as well the intensity of immediatist approach.
A man (NKRUMAH) from “nowhere” was spell-broken from his hide-out by
“Divinety” to come to Gold Coast to lead the way which had already
been paved by others. Despite the myriads of problems and thwarting
antagonistic shades they encountered, so desireous and patriotic they
were, it paid well on an unrelentless wings and so 6th of March 1957
Ghana was born in the speech of the Osagyefo, “At long last the battle
has ended and, thus Ghana your beloved country is free forever”. This
meant the bondage of
Colonialism has been disentangled and the way forward was what all seeking for.
At this very moment all was ready to go the positive way. Kwame
Nkrumah the Prime Minister at the time laid conscious modalities to
make the nation attain full Republican Status. In fact, all that a new
nation need was fly through the winds of quick transformation stream
the atmosphere. Concrete and realistic developmental initiatives were
put in place which saw the realisation of the many things we are
enjoying today. The unfortunate happened in 1966, which set this
nation which was seen soaring high back. All efforts since then made
heads in the abyss of the “dark”.
Anthony Obeng Afrane in his article, GHANA: THE WAY FORWARD TO
DEVELOPMENT reminds us of a lot of things. He said, “Africa is said to
be notorious for its abundance in natural resources: iron, cobalt,
bauxite, uranium, copper, silver, gas, diamonds, gold, oil, timber,
cocoa, etc; and available fertile land for agriculture. The largest
waterfall in the world, the Inga Falls in DR Congo has the potential
to produce electricity for the whole continent of Africa, yet Africa
is one of the poorest regions in the world with billions of its people
dirt-poor.
Japan, a country so small, and who imports almost everything is one of
the world’s largest and wealthiest economies; this clearly shows that
land size and a large endowment of natural resources do not
necessarily translate into wealth. So why is Africa so “poor” and
other nations so “rich”?
Colonization is certainly part of the reasons, but it’s several
decades since most countries on the continent gained independence, and
therefore, I believe we don’t have any excuse for remaining poor.”
The fact is that, we are “paperly independent or say verbosal
independence”, and that is why the forces of Neo-Colonialism are at
work against us. Mental Slaverism has eaten deeply into the minds and
heart of the many especially our leaders who tell us to be more
patriotic. Inspite of the noise making, we are still dictated to and
invariably directed upon to act in conformity to the whimsicalities
and capriciousness of external forces. As citizens, we have less or no
say in matters of “policies” that should affects us, all in the name
of ‘Aids’ and ‘Grants’.
Today,?6th of March 2014, as we embark once again on this annual
ritual of independence, we must all as citizens be reminded that we
have a long way to go on the basis of we realising holistic
developnent and full economic independence, thus we must as citizens
do all that is in power to make this aspiration a dream come true.
I see no wrong with the younger generation being allowed to take
leadership roles in this our time. I see nothing wrong with the
society laying down ample structures to empower the youth of today to
take active part in the democratic process of our dear nation.
I have gone through the rat-hole and that of the hole of the crab.
There is only one similarity, whiles that of the rat’s is a hole, the
same applies to that of the crab. In all, we must never take an
ignorant stance against the vast differences that lieth between these
two holes. Whilst that of the crab holds water and mudd, that of the
rat holds residual products of cassava, palm nut and dry earth.
We need not to think in the abstract like that of an African rocket
scientist who has never seen a rocket engine before, yet he believes
and hopes in fairy tales of the impossibles and unrealisticalities.
So far as the future of our beloved nation(s) and continent lieth not
in her vast natural resources like the Golds of Ghana and South
Africa, the Oils of Nigeria and Lybia, the Cocoas of Cote d’ Ivoire
and Ghana and so on, and the elderly, the youth must thus be involved
in decision making and as such be allowed to undergo mentorship
routine from the older generation.
This way I believe, will enable us to safegaurd the future of our
nations, continent and generations uborn. We can, and we must. Let
that which have being eaten to spoilage go away, then lets make
deliberate efforts to safeguard that which has not gone waste.
The time is not?tomorrow, instead it’s about today and how we prepare
against the unforseen tragedies of?tomorrow. The society must as well
be ready to engage the youth productively and the necessary help must
also be given to the youth.
Church going has bcome a pleasurable desire and an allusive syndrome these days in our national, economic, social, cultural and political engagements.
Every?Sunday, I am confronted with thousands of evoking
questions….Won’t you go to church? It’s almost?10am?and you haven’t
even taken your bath, won’t you go to church? A tap is made on my door
with knocks, upon opening it there they stand there, ah! you are still
inside won’t you go to church?
When all these questions haven been thrown at my face get fractured
and faulted answers, I am starred sternly with looks that sends a
strong message that as if “I AM THE SATAN HIMSELF”.
By?Nana Arhin Tsiwah
Sometimes, I am tempted to quize most church goers as, isn’t
christianity and churchism alien to our society? This sizzles quite
often put me on the travel skate to Okonkwo in ‘Things fall apart’,
when all he tried to empower, awaken, and revamp the spirit of his
traditional community Umuofia from their slumber of missionarism
failed.
What does churchism in itself tell the likes of myself to put up a
stench about christianity? I am not so much deluded by the
“Bible”which some hold in pretence and practice vice in the dark. They
are words which Afrikan history can not be sure of it ‘relevance’ to
matters that have made the entirety of Afrika.
I am always at the kicking side of dis-pleasure to appeal strongly
that, Churchism isn’t Christianity and Christianity isn’t in itself a
religion. If the apostles had the crowning to be titled Christians of
which Christianity evolved when the gentiles saw their lifestlyes as
that of a semblamce to Christ. Then it holds in it realistic
deliberations that Churchism is a religious practice whilst
Christianity is a lifestlye or way of life.
Eschewing hypocriticsms can be amountable to laying the bare facts as
it is, and to some extent in it “nudity”. The record of Church going
and Christianity dominating our lives does not warrant people to put a
measure of impudence on our African Triditional Religion and Practices
which have being in existence since time immemorial.
The odds of Churchism and Christianism isn’t the perfect and right
yardstick for determing one’s spirituality and moral conscienceness.
We must therefore avail our minds to what is right, of the truth and
morally acceptable to the Supreme Being, God, Divinity, the “gods” and
ancestors as forescored by all believers and religious groupings. This
way, we would be able to place the morality guage mark at a precise
and definite measuring path of Moral Conscience.
“A well and comprehensive understanding of the history of a people is a great determinant and impetus to securing a nationalistic consciousness towards untrammeled development”. This was my response to a question asked by a colleague about the
essence of restoring our various community and national histories.
Since the genesis of this world, the archival notings of what embodies
a people and other social groupings, be it, nations, states or
societies have existed and still exist. It is out of this archives
that we are able to fetch from and understand in totality what
happened thousands of years ago.
The drums of Civilisation which beats in loudness today trending in
the pros and cons of technology from way back the Ancient Pharoahnic
Egypt, Sudan, West Africa, The Berbers, The Carthage, Ancient Greek
and Roman Empire, The Babylonian Empire, Ancient Chinese and what have
you. All these groupings had a history which were recorded and studied
in large number.
Time folded, day dims and night brightened on the minds of a people
particularly Africa and her people with the first interaction with
Europeans. The elements of “Slaverism” worked her tools on us,
grinding us to a powdery nature. Its brethren “Colonialism” also came
in with nails, nailing us to the backdrop of our ignorance and
negligence, and in furtherance ushering in our existence, the sad yet
chronic omens of racism, imperialism and a feeling of pathetic
Africans.
Today, many people born Africans have been robbed of their memory.
Their memories do not serve them the best of life’s true moment in
their history. Many Africans cannot tell in detail what their own
histories are, without making references to many white writers.
We have been told in books of histories by “white writers” about our
originality, pureness and truth. Which to me is quite sad. They, the
whites have made us gullible in such that we would not appreciate what
truely make up our history.
In the words of Malcom X, “History is a people’s memory and without a
memory, man is demoted to the lower animals”, with this, they have
lowered us to the status of ‘animals’ who do know their source.
Most of our basic histories in Junior and Senior High Schools here in
Africa with Ghana been the reference point tries to cowardly
shadow-box the thoughts of our future leaders. The histories in the
textbooks used by these our students go a long way to downplay our
historical events emphasing more on the European appeal and
embellishment of their so called “achievements”. Take the case of
achievements by Gordon Guggisberg, with little or no emphasis on that
of our great men and women who sacrificed their lives for their
nations and continent.
Where we lose the thought, sight and knowledge of our histories, we
are caught in the words of Martin Luther King Jnr , that, “a people
without a knowledge of their history, is like a tree with roots”. Our
very own existence revolves around a centripetal force of our history.
The trend of the world today calls for Africa’s participation in the
worlds order. With the constant trooping of foreign nationals into
this beautiful continent of ours because of the worth we are made of,
we must as a people try all deliberate posture to push over genuine
histories to the top.
The fate of our unborn generations depends
largely on our effort to holistically clad our nation(s) and continent
with what she truely stands for in terms of our histories. We have
Oral histories to tell us and more of linguistic sources to hold us in
motion with regards to our history. Lets unite in one spirit and fight
relentlessly on a common vision of restoring and retaining our
unalloyed African histories. Remember, our history is our anchor, and
that is what basically binds us.
I have been punched hard to the walls of ponders and cogitative herrings about what the world would have been without Africa. The thought of getting answers to this drenching question is what stimulated my medulla obligation into inking this piece.
Honestly speaking the world wouldn’t have been any better without Africa I think. Africa has really held a considerable take in global affairs. Her global acknowledgement and toast is beyond measure and non-fictional.
Sometimes, it so happens to me in the realism of traits that indeed Africa has really served as a “savior” to the many souls dead and alive of non-Africa descent.
At other times I tend to ask, what the fate of other “white writers” of repute would have been without the tales, folks, traditional sages, elements of histories and cultural streams of Africa? Many a time, out of ten non-fictional famous writers, eight of them based their writings on Africa. Their popularity gained, global appeal and readership acceptance all was due to the taste-of-pie of how unalloyed Africanism spiced their works.
A critical look at the world development and overwhelming development of these European nations such as Great Britain, France, Germany and what have you, all can be attributed to the efforts and existence of Africa. Talk of the seeds of colonialism which made Africa an arena of exploit and loot. The vast resources she has, gave a great impetus to today’s world progress and advancement. Her oiling yet untrammeled divinely endowments in terms of her gold fields, bauxite sites, timber exploits, oil pour-outs and so on is what has brought the world this far.
Africa has overly come under many of world topical discussions. A dig into her deeper historical archives, her identity, culture and name simply scares the outer bounds. Her human resources in areas of potentialities across all spectrums is what timidifies and has timid most foreign nations. The mere mention of persons like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Emperor Haile Sellasie of Ethiopia, Patrice Lumumba, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Sekou Toure of Guinea, Brother Muamar Gaddafi of Libya, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria and so on scared the world.
To see a united people, nations, and continent into a United States of Africa as propounded or espoused by a Pan-Africanist conscious to the tune of AU is what torments the scale surrounding her.
The world indeed has tremendously been of what it is as a result of Africa. The geographical position of Africa alone sends a mammoth yet unambiguous signal that Africa indeed is the thread upon which the world has revolved.
I think Divinity is what has brought Africa this far. The souls of the dead (Ancestors) is what has nailed Africa to the woods of today’s world fate. Africa must work; she must take over the order of today and tomorrow’s world. Stand proud to be an African and I count yourself blessed to be born in Africa.
Many a time some of us lean against the shadows of the walls of our society to ponder and cogitate deeply on the where about of the Kwame Nkrumah’s of our time. We tend to read between the dirt in our finger nails than to wipe them off with the things that matters for that.
Some of us when left alone at the corner side of our thinking hours on a raffia mat, we do stare and count the lines of our roofs in an attempt to finding out why the Nkrumah’s of our time haven’t yet emerged on the scenes to salvage ‘things’ from getting out of hands.
Out of pain and anguishness, some of us in our graces and benedictory adornment, we throw our wishes in the refrigerators to be ‘cooled’, simply because it is still unfathomable about why developmental and goal oriented ‘spirits’ like Nkrumah should receive an ancestral land call at such a budding time in our national quest for development.
While it is cogent and worth analysing the tremendous achievements, intellectual persona, vision and purpose spiritual orients and zealousness of the Nkrumah’s who became the pillars of our society at the time and to a greater extent even in today’s contemporary times in areas of socio-economic, politico and cultural matters, it is also paramount looking at what is written at the other side of the tossing coin.
Within my lensical pin-hole observatory device and my teenage conscious life, I honestly believe that the Nkrumah’s of our time are born but? If the Nkrumah’s of our time are born then why the but? This is because, the very person you see each day and label him ‘ordinary’ yet appears to be oustanding in some ways which transcends mortal thinking may be the Nkrumah we all are hoping to see.
The truth is, we as a people and a nation have closed our eyes, ears and spiritual orientation to see, hear and understand these Nkrumah’s of our time. They are just ‘ordinary’, they are found dressed in the impoverished garment of which you can ever know.
They are not by any way people whom society recognise a lot. They are just ‘great’ in their small corner. The society isn’t just ready to give them the audience, opportunities and boost to see them turn the Nkrumah’s in them into nationalistic greatness.
As long as we as a nation and people continue to thread on this path of ‘blind-seeking’ and ‘wash-away’ search, we can pray for the reincarnation of the Nkrumah’s to return yet when the even ask us for water to drink, we shall refuse them to thirst to death again.
In the light of this, I call on all and sundry to open their hearts, minds, souls and spirits to see clearly the little spot of light in the dark for the Nkrumah’s of our time are already born. Those in authority must as well give the youth opportunity and the necessary push to enable bring out the best in best for nation’s growth.
I love football. We all do love the dynamism of the game but sometimes looking at the excitement and dynamics of the game on the field and it acrobatism, certain man-power readiness and manual exceptionalities makes the game beautiful and enticing.
Having had a little insight into the deeper trends of the unfolding realism of the game, it holds in it enclave of overwhelming that, certain individuals were and are truly born ‘Gems’ on the pitch.
The game of soccer as been beautifully displayed by African kids on the lovely sandy beaches and within the small street corners makes it more exciting and trilling.
The likes of certain living legends makes the game more immaculate and still ‘virgin’. Pele, Marodona, Platini, Raul, Figo, Romario, Mila, Zidane, Ronaldo9, Henry, Abedi Pele, Casilas, Reina, Fo?, Abuotrik?, Tony Yeboah, Okocha, Kano, Et?, Messi, CR7, Ibrahimovic, Kak?, Neymar, Rooney, Gigs, Scholes, Stephen Appiah and the likes added and still adds charm to the game.
From the spectaculative observation of my magnificent eyes, my admiration towards the game stemmed from the mind boggling, incomprehensible and magnificent magical tactics, dribbles and hearty warming skills coupled with the enchanting cleverly display of ‘Ronaldinho’ whenever he graces the field.
Here on the soils of Africa, and in the pick nicking noisy streets of villages and towns in Ghana, every kid growing up who by fortune of destiny gets a soccer boots and starts playing on the rocky and sandy angles, prides himself as a football “Ronaldinho”.
The mere mention of the name “Ronaldinho” on the field of African young players sparkled an iotacy of a dream come true. The name “Ronaldinho” had a strong aroma like that of ‘Salted fish’ (Kako) in an African kitchen. It is name that truly changed my perception about the game. It was a name that resonated the addict soft spot in me to becoming an ardent ‘fan’ of football.
I love football and the fans of a global addictiveness to the game which keeps increasing on a rampant rate always makes me excited. Here in Ghana, we salute the game beautifully as if paying homage to an African chief in a palanquin, especially when the dancing skill of Asamoah Gyan graces his goals for the day.
With the 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil within just a stone throw, it’s my wish that Ronaldinho the “magic man” gets his final opportunity to grace the field with his evergreen skills and charm on his home soil. Football is beauty, it’s lives within the marrows of it fans.
Tourism as simply defined by the popular social studies standard for Basic schools as, travelling to see, enjoy facilities and sceneries in other places. Whereas sceneries runs into the wonders of nature as well as man-made monuments which is attractive or pleasant to the sight. Some of the tourism sites in Ghana are; the Elmina castle, Fort Orange, Cape Coast castle, Fort Anomabo, Fort St. Sabastain, James Fort, Kakum National Park, Digya National Park, Mole National Park, Bui National Park, Kogyae Game Reserve, Wlifalls, Botifalls, Kintampo falls, Laranbaga Mosque, Paga Crocodile Pond, Accra and Kumasi Zoological Gardens and so on.
The tourism industry in Ghana has come a long way which can date down the era of colonialism through pre and post-independence. The tourism industry over the years has been a greater force in cushioning our economic purse thus the forth exchange earner.
Many are the very simple reasons why most people do not go on tour to different places. Couple amongst them is; inadequate financial resources, lack of appreciation for beauty and value for leisure, inadequate information and poor advertisement. These reasons however small they are have dealt heavy blows to the exploits of our tourism industry as a nation.
The economic benefits of the tourism industry to our national aspirations can never be underestimated. Employment to the citizenry, revenue to the government of the day, foreign exchange earnings, income to improve upon the standard of living of the populace working in this industry and diversification of our economic gains are some of the paramount benefits our nation derives from tourism.
It is however sad to note that, despite all these immeasurable gains we get from tourism as a nation, we have not being able to utilize the means available to us to our full merit with regards to this rich fetching “gold mines” in this industry.
Poor advertisement about the tourist sites is one major setback that has considerably dwindle and dwarfed our efforts to boost the enthusiasm of both local and foreign tourists. Our media outlets both print and electronic have not being able to spread out their wings to cover the publication and broadcast of these beautiful and wonderful sites here in Ghana.
Under-resourcing of the Ghana Tourist Board is also another crippling factor worth noting. The government by it mandate has not being able to resource the Ghana Tourist Board to it full operating capacity. Basically retooling efforts in terms of capital and human resource of the Board have not being achieved.
Moreover, the individual locally is also guilty by not patronizing these tourist sites. Many a people of our Ghanaian population don not appreciate and admire the wonders of nature. Due to this they don?t travel to these places to witness what nature has done for us as a nation. They also see no need to value leisure thus culminating into this effect.
The government, the individuals and the various media houses have a duty to play in ensuring that the tourism industry is promoted and sustained for today’s generation and generations unborn.
To this, the media must make all wanton efforts in bringing these tourism sites of ours to the limelight through publications. The government must also support the Tourist Board with all that it needs for it operations. In addition, the individual Ghanaian citizen must revive the spirit of patriotism in patron aging our tourist sites. Premium must be placed on the appreciation of beauty and value leisure by the Ghanaian. When all these are done, we shall be on fertile soils to reap the best that is in our tourism industry.
Standing behind the pulpit
Skewing elements of a puppet
Dressed in black robes.
Preaching to the masses
Looting them to a mess
He prays like an Angel
Yet he is not ordained.
He claims he is our black Pope
But who anointed thee?
Claiming to be God-like
Yet protraying the likeness of a demon.
How godly is he?
How pure are thee?
Many a congregation understandeth me not
Calling me the inquirer the devil.
Is Satan himself not a deceiver of the world?
Clothing himself as the Angel of light
Why can’t I a church kid question this man
Calling himself a black saint?
There he is today too
Standing behind his pulpit
Preaching every good on Sunday
And practicing vice on a friday night in a disco.
