ANDREW

DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION THEORY EXPLAINED

2015-02-20T23:02:00.001+00:00

Advertisers continuously put out persuasive messages through the use of the promotion mix to create awareness for their products or services to a particular target population. The aim of the carefully planned advertising campaigns is to get the new product or idea accepted and adopted by the target audience.

In doing so, they make use of the communication process by creating awareness of the new innovative product or idea which generates comprehension and conviction to get the target audience to act on the message that is skewed towards influence them to adopt the product.

However, as (Rogers 1976) pointed out, the adoption of the new product within the target audience or the society does not occur simultaneously or at the same time, however, some categories of people are more likely to adopt the product earlier than others. This was based on his Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DIT) he posited in 1962.

The theory explains how a product or service gains momentum, disseminates and is accepted by a population or social system over a period of time.

The adoption means that the people must have believed that the new product is indeed innovative and that its performance during trial matches the products expected performance.

It is important that advertisers understand the characteristics of the target population that will help or hinder the adoption of the innovation (Health, 2013).

Adopter categories

The diffusion of innovation theory suggests five main categories of adopters in society. The first group is known as the innovators, which is estimated to comprise of only two per cent of the population. The second group is the early adopters that make up 14 per cent of the population. The third and fourth groups are known early majority and late majority respectively; they are each comprised of 34 per cent of the population. The last category of adopters is known as the laggards, they take up the remaining 16 per cent of the population.

The innovators are the people who try and adopt the innovative idea or product for the first time. They are known as risk takers. In our society, they could be identified as entrepreneurs. They are very wealthy and very well connected in society. Ghanaians such as Kofi Amoabeng of UT Bank can be described as an innovator.

Early adopters, on the other hand, constitute those in leadership roles as well as those who are identified as opinion leaders in societies. Rogers argues that this category of people are already aware of the need for change and as such they do not need much convincing to adopt new innovative ideas. Unlike the Early Majority, the Early Adopters are leaders and they are constantly seeking for change and new products, consequently, the most essential information they require to adopt a product is how-to-do manuals. The other categories normally adopt the innovation the Early Adopters adopt, and if they reject an idea, it dies out immediately before it gains any grounds.

In addition, the 34 per cent of people who form the Early Majority need more convincing before they adopt a new idea. They usually follow the choices of opinion leaders. They adopt new ideas before the average person in society. Rogers describes them as deliberate and more traditional bound. They need persuasive messages such as success stories and evidence of innovation effectiveness to adopt the new product.

Also making up 34 per cent of the population, the Late Majority is often poorer than the above-mentioned categories. They are very skeptical of change and will adopt only after the early majority have tried out and adopted the new product. According to Rogers, they can only be convinced with messages that carry the bandwagon effect. This should focus on how many other people have tried the product and have subsequently adopted it. Peer pressure is very effective here.

The laggards are very conservative people and are also very skeptical to change just as the late majority. They are very poor and they fear change. The best way to persuade this group, according to Rogers, is through fear appeals and pressure from people in other adopted groups.

AIETA Model

Though different people in the population adopt a product at different stages as discussed in the categories of adopters, there exist a product adoption process, which is also known as the AIETA model within each adopter category. Customers go through a process, which begins with first knowing of the existence of a product through to either rejecting or accepting it.

The AIETA Model ( Awareness, Interest, Evaluation, Trail and Adoption/Rejection) describes the process each of the categories go through to actually adopt the product.

The process begins with the customer being made aware of the existence of the product through adverts that usually carries less information. So, an interested customer will then try to get access to more information about the product, after which the customer will evaluate how beneficial it will be to make use of the product. Here the innovative potential of the product plays a crucial role in the customer decision-making.

The next step in the adoption process is trial, the customer purchases the product to determine its usefulness, this then may result in either adoption or rejection. This is highly dependent on customer delight and satisfaction.

The diffusion of innovation theory outlines a long-term strategy that advertisers need to utilize to successfully introduce new innovative products or services to a target group or market. It indicates the importance to recognize the roles of individuals in the different adopter groups and also identify the best advertising strategy to be deployed to each group to gain the acceptance of a product over a period of time.

This theory ensures that advertisers are aware of the role of opinion leaders in the successful diffusion or spread of a new product within a social setting. It also allows the advertiser to know the various demographics that exists in the market so that they can appropriately tailor their messages to target the market.

Diffusion of innovation theory thrives on effective communication to be complete. It focuses on how new products can gain a foothold in a highly competitive market.

Bibliography
Health, B. U. (2013, January 22). Behavioral Change Models. Retrieved February 20, 2015, from bumc.bu.edu: sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/SB/SB721-Models/SB721-Models4.html

Rogers, E. (1976, March 2). New Product and Diffusion. Journal of Consumer Research , 290 - 301.

DAY 3.... FUNERAL AFTER PARTY

2013-03-18T13:00:00.002+00:00

Day 3 and the final day of Asamoah Gyan's mother's funeral did not fall short of the star studded day one and two.

Earlier the family went to a thanksgiving memorial service at St. Francis Methodist Church and later in the day a thanksgiving ceremony "party" on a park near the late Cecilia Love Mensah Gyan' New Gbawe residence.

It was a befiting burial that will only be a dream funeral for most people. The funeral at least ended on a happy note when Asamoah Gyan and Castro took to the stage and performed remakably.

He gave the Hip Life artist a run for his money, for most their performances, Asamoah Gyan toppled Castro. It led to most people saying that he performs better on stage than on the field.

Among some of the most notable celebrities and high profile personalities that attended the thanksgiving ceremony are Aunty B of Ef iewura fame, Mercy Aseidu an actress, Joshua Clotey IBF welterweight champion and Randy Abbey.

Below are some pictures which tell the story of the thanksgiving ceremony.

ATMOSPHERIC SADNESS

2013-03-17T07:48:00.000+00:00

DAY 2 of the funeral got underway with customs and traditions being performed. Now she has been buried in Mamponteng, her home town.

A spectacular funeral with exceptional events and personalities.

Now let’s take a look at some of the pictures that tells story of the day’s events.

Today is day three and my team and I will be firing up our reporting cylinders and give you the best coverage with more exclusive pictures.

The family will go to a thanksgiving church service and later a thanksgiving “party” on a park near their late mother’s New Gbawe residence.

WAKE KEEPING TURN.... STREET CARNIVAL

2013-03-16T01:19:00.000+00:00

The only thing in the world that can be compared to Asamoah Gyan’s Mother’s wake is nothing but a street carnival.

The wake keeping started at 5:30 pm with notable sympathizers being Speaker of Parliament, Hon Doe Adjaho and leaders of parliament, Aseidu Nketia, alias General Mosquito, and some other celebrities like Funny Face and Castro, former and current Black Star players and Liberty Professionals Club.

Over thousand sympathizers have made their way to the house in New Gbawe blocking four major roads.

The crowd is being managed by a team of both police and military men and being entertained by First Class Live Band. Indeed they have entertained the crowd in a first class manner. The wake was hosted by Papa Sly.

Below are some of the pictures taken by my team during the wake.

DAY 1 OF THE FUNERAL

2013-03-15T10:44:00.001+00:00

As it has been announced, today, 15^th March, 2013 is the day the funeral rites of the late Cecilia Love Mensah Gyan; Asamoah Gyan’s mother.

She died on 6th November, 2012 after suffering a fatal car crash while driving her Toyota Highlander. Her demise occurred at the Ridge Hospital when she was rushed there after the accident which occurred when she drove into a pillar at the Teachers' Hall in Accra.

As it is the custom, they have to visit the morgue and bring the corpse home for wake keeping.

Most people familiar with these stuff know that it is also the day for chanting of songs “jama”, it’s main purpose is to console the bereaved family.

In the pictures below, you will see Asamoah Gyan and his brothers and some of the boys in the neighborhood including Hip Life artist Castro engaged in an electrifying jama.

The elderly members of the family as Baffour Gyan and his siblings and others family members and friends go to the morgue to the the Late Ceciclia Love Mensah Gyan' corpse home.

When the corpse of the late Cecilia Love Mensah Gyan was brought to her New Gbawe residence the protocol asked that no one takes photos or videos.

After her corpse was taken into the house in a casket by pageboys from Gillman and Abbey Funeral Home, my team managed to get the shots below.

P SQUARE CAUGHT RED-HANDED

2013-03-11T21:36:00.003+00:00

Is P Square creating a new dance from Ghana’s internationally acclaimed Azonto? Well from the looks of things they have. The Azonto dance is now the most popular dance in Ghana and this magnetic dance is fast pulling the attention of the world towards Ghana.

Azonto has moved from the shores of Ghana into Africa and its entirety and a couple of months ago, James Coomarasamy of the BBC was videoed learning the dance in the former home of The BBC; Bush House. Azonto has fast become a global phenomenon, it being used as a fitness dance routine in gyms across the world.

The streets of London and subways in America have become new dance stages of Azonto, quiet recently Azonto started featuring in music videos of highly acclaimed African artist like Sarkodie.

P Square, arguably the most selling double recording artists in Africa recently released a new song called “Allingo”. The dance in music video looks like Azonto. It follows the same basic moves of Azonto. When see you the “Allingo” music video, you think the dance is Azonto, at least I made that mistake. Apparently, the Azonto look-alike-dance it is called Alliongo, an imitation of Ghana’s Azonto.

So this sets in moral questions about the reason why big Nigeria will do an imitation of a dance that Ghanaians feel proud off to share with the world? And why should P Square of all people seek to plagiarize Azonto by doing a song for Allingo, a line in the song goes “Girl you got me dancing alingo”.

Ghana and Nigeria are buddies; people who do not know the geography of West Africa sometimes think we share a common border. The question is will they bully as, by taking something from us, use it and not give us credit.

At least I am happy to know that I do not share this opinion alone, my brother gave me Samini’s latest release, it is a cover of P Square’s Allingo. In the cover song he questions why P Square danced Azonto yet called the dance Allingo. The link to Samini’s cover song is below.

This move looks like Nigeria is bent on stealing the momentum Azonto and Ghana is making across the globe and shift the Azonto spotlight to themselves and their imitated Azonto. So what next P Square? Pangnam style?

http://www.ghxclusives.com/samini-azontoprod-by-ephraim/#.UT5DmoGKy_I

By: Andrew Tetteh

CECILIA GYAN; Asamoah Gyan's Late Mother.

2013-03-09T12:13:00.000+00:00

The Late Cecilia Love Mensah Gyan with her family.

A week today, Cecilia Love Mensah Gyan will be laid in state. She is the mother of Ghana Black Stars Skipper, Asamoah Gyan and former Ghana Black Stars International, Baffour Gyan.

She died on 6^th November, 2012 after suffering a fatal car crash while driving her Toyota Highlander. Her demise occurred at the Ridge Hospital when she was rushed there after the accident which occurred when she drove into a pillar at the Teachers' Hall in Accra.

She was an educationist by profession having retired in 2011 as the headmistress of one of the JT Cluster of Schools located at Mataheko. She was a woman of zeal and vision, after successfully raising four children; three boys and a girl with her husband, George Gyan Baffour Mensah and retiring gracefully, she ventured into the sachet water business bringing out sachet water called Love Ice. In her time as an educationist she also engaged in trade, specializing in maize.

Aunty Love, as she was affectionately called in her neighborhood; New Gbawe was disciplinarian and everyone who did anything for her or with her makes mention of her meticulous nature.

“I was on my way home from Kasoa, when I was told of the death of my dear friend. It was a deep surprise for me, much unexpected” Mrs. Sarah Fenny told me in an interview. She is a longtime friend and neighbor to Aunty Love for close to twenty one years, their houses are opposite each other.

Remembering some of the time they have spent together, Sarah Fenny said Aunty Love never went three days without barging into her house asking of her. “Aunty Love was supportive of her and she genuinely loved the people around her. I remember each and every day and sometimes I wish if I walk right across the street and go into her house, I will see her sitting there waiting to have conversation with me”.

Ceiclia Love Mensah Gyan will be laid to rest on 16^th March, 2013 in Maponteng Cemetary in her hometown. She was survived by a husband George Gyan Baffour Mendah, four children (Mavis Danquah, Baffour Gyan, Nana Opoku and Asamoah Gyan) and eleven grand children who loved her dearly, she was sixty one (61).

I will be keeping a live blog during the funeral, sharing exclusive pictures and videos right here.

May your soul find Perfect Peace, Aunty Love.

By: Andrew Tetteh

Women: Nation Builders

2013-03-08T06:36:00.003+00:00

I have always been glad for my birth month; March. As a Ghanaian, I share a birth month with my country and as a human being; I share this month with all women across the globe. March 8 is International Women’s Day. It is a day set aside to celebrate women and their enormous and priceless contributions they make to make this planet a better home for all of humanity.

It always gives me joy to know that as a man, I share this incredible space of mine in the universe with such great beings (women).

Women in most parts of the world have played crucial roles in the future of their countries or their kingdoms, Ghana’s own Yaa Asentewaa, viciously and courageously led her people of Ejisu to war against the then mighty British Army. She was a huge force to reckon with, though, the British had a walk through during their wars with some kingdoms ruled by men, they literarily stopped in their tracks when they came against a kingdom ruled and led into war by a woman; Her Majesty Yaa Asentwaa. Decades later, most African women aspire to have the courage she had to stand up to the well-armed British army.

The fight for civil rights in America which saw the black and other minority populations been given the opportunity to take part in the practice of democracy was not solitary fought for by men. Though Martin Luther-King is widely known to have been the champion of this fight, women like Rosa Parks also contributed significantly to the Civil Right Movement. Rosa, a warrior, stood up to white supremacist with the most famous of such event being her refusal to give up her seat on a public bus for a white person. She travelled the length and breadth of America garnering grass root support for the movement. Her fight for equality did not end in America; it travelled miles away from home to South Africa. She was part of the fight from the diaspora to end apartheid in the Southern African country.

Aug san su kyi of Myanmar (Burma) is also one of the great women of our times. Her fight for democracy have taken her to different kinds places around the world, talk of the White House, Buckingham Palace as well as her country’s prison. Released on 13^th November, 2010 from a seven years house arrest for doing nothing other than win a democratically organized election as president; (obviously the military junta in Burma saw this as a crime). Today, Burma is gradually accepting democracy and history will in no doubt credit Aung San Suu Kyi for bringing democracy to Burma. She paid huge debts for this pay check; she was not able to be with her beloved husband when he was on his death bed for fear of being stopped by the military junta from reentering Burma; her husband was in London. If she had gone to London she risked throwing years of struggle for democracy since would be forced to live in exile thereby curtailing her from achieving her goal.

Africa and the world have been blessed to have some of these women extraordinaire participate in the molding of our world. There are millions of women warriors in the world today contributing their quota in their little quarters with the aim of making the world a better place for all of us.

Today, I honor women in my own small way, I will hold close to my heart my mother, Yaa Asentewaa, Rosa Parks, Ang San Suu Kyi, and all the women whom I have come across in my life and the billions whom I have never met and probably will never meet. Every man will agree with me that women do indeed bring out our best in us. The contributions of women from our homes to the community and to commerce and politics and religion are invaluable and cannot be written off.

Salute to all WOMEN WARRIORS (women fighting for change and/or a better society)

By: Andrew Tetteh

IS IT 2013? AN OPEN LETTER TO YOU

2013-02-06T08:04:00.002+00:00

Hi friends, I have a few words of wisdom to share with you as we have come back to campus with the intentions of trying to make our life better. I wouldn’t call myself a motivational speaker; because I’m not. A friend whom I gave this article to edit it for me was trying to give me that august title.

I believe most of us went to church on 31st December, 2012 to “crossover” ”run over” “ jump over’’ “dive over” and even “sleep over”. Well, I did too and it was my first and last non wedding church service I attended in 2012.

My friends, what is the difference between the 24 hours you spent when the calendar said it was December 31 and the 24 hours you spent afterwards? There is no difference except that now we humans say it’s 2013.

Regarding the resolutions you made to help you better your life, the question is whether the things you mentioned as your resolutions will help you live your best life and whether they are what God wants for you. My friend Gabriel Obodai Torgbor Ashong from the Ghana Institute of Journalism wrote in an Op-Ed earlier this year that make your resolutions SMART and pass them through the SWOT Analysis to make it solid.

There is statistic that proves that 70% of New Year resolutions are broken, forgotten or abandoned within the first ten days, that means holding onto the rest of the 30% for the rest of the 355 days is certainly the most difficult task you will ever have to do.

The answer or solution to this problem is to be the best of yourself whenever and wherever you are. If you find yourself in class, your job and resolution should be to be the best student, at the work place, just try and be the best employee. If you find yourself among friends just be their best friend.

It is having the continues responsibility of being the best of who you are, irrespective of the event or activity you find yourself in, that will help you live your best life for this year.

Making sense of life is vital to understanding how it works. Life is purely mathematical, you be the best of whomever you are and you are assured of the best results when you go through your resolutions checklist at the end of the year. That is why Beyonce said that though she doesn’t know much about algebra, she knows one plus one it two. What you put in is what you get. If you don’t put much into life you won’t get much out of life.

You don’t have to be hard on yourself, just take it a day after other, by being the best of yourself in every passing minute and hour with the direction from your goals and your Super Natural Power. This is the simple and surest way to achieving your cumbersome resolutions, and hey, if along the way you find yourself abandoning some of your resolutions, don’t beat yourself about it, after all it’s just a resolution, a new one can be made from a new starting point (where you currently are in life). Besides who said resolutions are made only on January 1, life is that flexible.

~With love, Andrew Tetteh~

AFCON 2013

2013-01-14T16:07:00.000+00:00

The greatest ‘Mundial’ in Africa is less than a week to kick-off. It is the greatest football spectacle to grace the African continent close to a century. Over the years it has brought diverse cultures and people together to foster and champion a common African Dream. The idea of African Cup of Nations (AFCON) was brought to life in the late 1950’s as the likes of Gabriel Selassie and Dr. Kwame Nkrumah set up the Confederation of African Football (CAF). No less than five years did their thoughts migrated from the paper to reality as Egypt won the first Nations Cup tournament which had three teams participating; Ethiopia and Sudan with Sudan playing host in1956.

South Africa hosts the 2013 edition after successfully hosting the 2010 World Cup in great fashion and spectacle. They had to take over the hosting of the tournament from Libya due the Arab Spring that toppled Col. Muammar Gaddafi and Tunisia’s Ben Ali as well as Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak.

The most recent edition co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon gave us a new champion; Zambia. They defied all odds to win the most prestigious football trophy on the continent. This edition in South Africa which kicks-off on January 19, 2013 as usual, brings Africa’s best 16 teams into the arena to battle for the title of African Champions.

Group A consist of South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco and Angola. Group B consist of Ghana, DR Congo, Niger and Mali. Zambia (defending champions), Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia (who are making their first appearance in thirty years) make Group C. Group D, tagged as the “Group of Death” by the media, houses Cote D’Ivoire, Adebayor’s Togo, Algeria and Tunisia. Group D has also been dubbed; The Battle of the Confederations as two West African football giants take on two North African power houses. For two editions in a roll, Egypt, the country with the highest number of AFCON trophies, has not made it to the finals.

When the games finally kick-off you will expect stadia like Soccer City filled to capacity as host, South Africa will be based there, and then there is Royal Bafoleng, Nelspruit, Rustenburg and Durban being the other four stadia that will serve as the tournament’s arenas.

The opening game between South Africa and Cape Verde at Soccer City is not the dream opening game for the tournament as it may look one sided, with all due respect to Cape Verde. Over the years we have witnessed extraordinary opening games which have gone on to impact positively on the other games played. One typical example will be Ghana 2008 when the Black Stars struggled to beat Guinea 2-1 with an audacious strike from Sulley Muntari from well over 35 yards away. Then Angola 2010, when Mali fought back to earn a point after going down 4-0 at a time.

The glory to be chalked at South Africa 2013 will be unprecedented as if the financial benefits, boosting rights and the tag of Champions won’t be enough, the AFCON 2013 winner will represent the whole continent in Brazil 2013 later this year for the Confederation Cup.

I will put my bet on Angola and South Africa progressing from group A, Ghana and Mali who beat the Black Stars to win bronze in Equatorial Guinea/Gabon will progress to the next stage. Nigeria who failed to show up in the previous tournament, I hope will progress from Group C with reigning champion Zambia. In Group D, all-time-favorites Cote D’ivoire will move on from the group with Tunisia.

At this stage, I know the Super Eagles of Nigeria will march their way to the final to annex the AFCON trophy. I place my bet on Nigeria to defy all odds like Zambia did with the rich talents at their disposal like Mikel, Shittu, Uche, Ameobi and Moses to soar high above the other competitors to win their first major title in well over a decade.

Long Live Africa……………… Long Live AFCON

By; Benjamyne Lampard Quartey
University of Ghana, Legon.

12.12.12; A REMARKABLE DATE

2012-12-12T22:46:00.001+00:00

It was 9:10 am on the December, 12, 2012 and I was lying in bed. I was still being lazy after covering the 2012 General Elections for Multimedia as a volunteer. I heard Celine Dion’s So This Is Christmas playing; it is my new ring tone. It was my friend Jonathan calling, the first thing I heard when I answered the call at a snail's pace, was happy 12.12.12.

He started telling me about the sentiments people attach to such days dubbed repeating dates. Probably, the famous repeating date is 8.8.8 (8^th, August, 2008) which was the day the 2008 Beijing Olympics started. Chinese believe eight (8) means prosper and wealth.

The number 8 is viewed as such positive number that even being assigned a number with several eights is considered very lucky china. The opening ceremony of the summer Olympic in Beijing began on 8/8/08 at 8 seconds and 8 minutes past 8 pm local time (UTC+08) A telephone number with all digits being eights was sold for USD $270,723 in Chengu, China.

Many people across the globe attach certain sentiments to dates that have repetitive figures. Today is 12.12.12 and according to Jonathan, people are calling it the testing microphone day, this is because if someone is testing a microphone what they usually say is “testing mice, one two, one two, mice one two”. This day will be the last repetitive date of our lifetime.

For a lot of people, doing a big life changing thing on such a day is great. For instance people would like to get married, give birth, buy a house or do what they deem to be the most amazing thing in their life. It helps to make it more memorable when it is done on a day such as this one.

For the purpose of knowing sentiments people who have had monumental things happen to them today are attaching to the said happenings in their lives, I went to the Maternity Ward of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to ask some of the mothers what they think of delivering on such a day. One of them specifically told me that she thinks it is a sign from God telling her that her son will be a great person in future. Before you start giggling you have to realize that the world and over, people are reading strange and weird meanings into this day and Africa has always been a superstitious continent so it will be natural to expect that these believes will be more here and it will be more creepy.

‎

Naa Lomotsoo Botchway, a cousin of mine posted on Facebook that “2day is the day. 12/12/12. N it happens 2 be ma birthday. I feel special bcos God made me so...” but the fact is that she has celebrated her birthday before, so what makes this one so special, is because it is 12.12.12?

Today is a special day and everybody should do something to remember it. Days like this literally come once in a life time. Of course there is something you wished you could do on such a day to realize the full significance of it. For me, I wish that on such a day as this, I would go to launch with Oprah Winfrey, she is a remarkable woman and love her or hater her. She is an unequivocal example of success and the results of hard work.

By: Andrew Tetteh

12.12.12

STEVE JOBS

2012-10-05T18:15:00.000+00:00

On the anniversary of his passing, I want to dedicate my blog post to this magnificent man who once walked the face of our planet.

It my way of paying tribute, to this Technological Giant of our time.

Below are some of Steve’s most inspiring quotes. You might have read this already so let these serve as a reminder to all of us.

“I want to put a ding in the universe”

“Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?”

“My job is to not be easy on people. My job is to make them better. My job is to pull things together from different parts of the company and clear the ways and get the resources for the key projects. And to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better, coming up with more aggressive visions of how it could be.”

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me… going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what it matters to me.”

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

“I think the things you must regret in life are things you didn’t do.”

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

“Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.”

“Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma- which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

He will forever be remembered.

REST IN PEACE STEVE JOBS

THE INTEREST OF WOMEN CAN BE IN MEN

2012-09-30T10:22:00.000+00:00

I have grown to understand the issues of women in society and have come to the realization that women are indeed the integral force of society. I know how my mom worked tirelessly just to raise Penny for me to climb my educational ladder, supporting my dad in every little way just to keep the family going.

I learned how to live a modest life from my mom, how she thought me to give due respect to anyone irrespective of my status in life. She thought me values and hard work but was quick to remind me of natural equity. Not to take undue advantage of things but to live by the rules of the game.

It is however regrettable that, 'today's women' would rather play on gender sentiments to attain achievement, great women who have written their names in the arsenals of history played by the rules of natural equity and justice not on gender sympathy. This development of playing on the pulse of Gender to attain self actualization is as dangerous as playing on ethnic and tribal sentiments and must not be encouraged in public sphere.

More interestingly, history has thought us that being a woman does not really mean you understand the issues of women better; it is refreshing that those who struggled for the rights of women were men; Martin Luther King Jr, Mahatma Ghandi,Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chander Vidyasagar, Jyothirao Phule, Haribilas Sarda, Maharishi Karve, Bhimrao Ambedkar, Jawaharlal and the likes, a path I am passionate to follow.

Men have by far worked as well to fight for women even at the peril of their lives. I have come to the realization that men understand the challenges of women better, and will be a disaster if women take advantage of their weakness to seek favour or their interest.

I Believe:

To empower women is to see women as strong partners not as weak ones who deserves favour because they are weak.

To empower women is to see women as workable vessels equally as good as men, working together as a team, holding hands together and leaning on each other to make it and extending a helping hand when we are all weak.

To empower women is to fight for society to change the Status Quo, where resources will be shared equitably, where women will live as men and men as women based on merit and not favour.

By: Samuel Creppy

Goddamn It! Asiedu Nketia Is Such A Bloody Nuisance!!

2012-09-22T09:09:00.003+00:00

That Asiedu Nketia, the NDC’s national Secretary has a penchant to heave needless invectives on people who disagree with him or the NDC is not in doubt. That the NDC’s scribe has unenviable habit to subject opponents; whether real or imaginary; to blatant insults and also on anybody else who dares challenge his view or that of his party on national issues come as a sure as the night follows the day. He has had a run-in with Sir John. The same labelled the 17 contestants for the flag bearer-ship of NPP in 2007 as “thieves”. He called former President Rawlings; his party’s founder a “barking dog”. There have been many brushes with some other personalities in the country which makes his recent escapade with PRO of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana a kid’s play.

Asiedu Nketia’s recent verbal salvo on the PRO of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana was only true to character. Though people may not admit this in the open, the NDC as a party has carved a niche for itself as anti-Christianity for denigrating the clergy at the least opportunity. Leading members have time and again lampooned and castigated men of God at different times for just having an opinion on national issues which were at variance with the stance of the NDC. A renowned man of God like Pastor Mensah Otabil has been subjected to ridicule and opprobrium time and again. Also, Archbishop Dag Heward-Mills of Lighthouse Chapel International was equally scandalised for having a different opinion to that of the NDC. The party’s hounds like Kobby Acheampong, Tony Aidoo, Ama Benyiwa-Doe and many other NDC apparatchiks have one way or the other sought to humiliate the church of God and its leaders for no apparent reason. Tony Aidoo for instance once called all “tongues speaking” Christians “mad” even when late President Mills was himself said to be “speaking tongues at the castle during morning devotions.” The list of Men of God and other prominent citizens who have been publicly humiliated for making public their thoughts on national matters is endless.

A lot of eyebrows have been raised since the Electoral Commission announced the creation of 45 new constituencies for the December general elections and many people have questioned the common sense in the whole exercise. The E.C have been cautioned by various stakeholders and well-meaning citizens but it seems Afari-Djan and his group are hell-bent on going ahead with the creation of those 45 constituencies. To that effect, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana as a major contributor in the nation’s development especially, in the area of education issued a statement to tell the nation and the world about their stance on the whole saga. True to his character, Asiedu Nketia had the effrontery to chastise the Presbyterian Church for having an opinion on the E.Cs stiff-necked intransigence to create 45 new constituencies for the coming general elections. The effrontery displayed by Asiedu Nketia when he declared “keep your Bible and let us keep our constitution” was childish and bordered on damn-right idiocy! This is why I for one, agreed with the PRO of the Presbyterian Church for taking on the NDC’s scribe who prefers to behave like spoilt-brat and hoodlum; rather than the secretary of a national party. Asiedu Nketia’s tongue-in-cheek comment that the Presbyterian Church should stay away from constitutional matters was pathetic! Who does he think he is? I can say without a shadow of doubt that many of the clergy in the Presbyterian Church are much more educated and are more knowledgeable on constitutional matters than the likes of Asiedu Nketia. As Ghanaians, the clergy have every right to voice their concerns on any national issue and shaggy looking Asiedu Nketia can go to hell if he wants! Being priests does not make them less Ghanaians than the likes of “General Mosquito.”

It’s about time weaklings like the NDCs national secretary and others in his party who hide behind their party being in power to cast needless innuendos on noble men and women of the clergy are met with even more potent verbal missiles than they spew out in the public. The Presbyterian Church has contributed and still do contribute immensely in diverse ways especially in the area of education in the country and therefore are obliged to verbalise their thoughts on national issues and whoever disagrees can tie a bag of cement on their backs and go swim in the deep blue sea for all I care! What has Asiedu Nketia and the generations of his family ever done for Ghana? Other than shamelessly contriving to get a contract to supply the most expensive blocks in the country to the Bui Dam Construction Company and also calling his own party’s founder and other prominent citizens’ names; what else has he done? Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong, the PRO for Presbyterian Church was right when he put Asiedu Nketia in his proper place by telling the latter that a, “normal person cannot speak like” the way NDC scribe does. Even more poignant was when the PRO quipped; “I don’t know whether Asiedu Nketia was speaking under the influence of alcohol… The President must call them to order because these insults have been going on for too long.” Bravo Mr Osei Akyeampong! I guess you were being tactful with the choice of words you used to describe him. Asiedu Nketia looks like an alcoholic anyway even if he is not one. The Presbyterian Church owes no one an apology. If Jesus Christ cracked the whip when the occasion necessitated it, then the PRO was equally right in chastising the NDC scribe for behaving like a riffraff. President Mahama’s apology and call for ceasefire was misplaced and hypocritical. If the latter’s wasn’t a political gimmick, he would have asked his general secretary to apologise to the Presbyterian Church. President Mahama should not goad Asiedu Nketia on behind closed doors and come out in public to play on the emotional keyboards of the citizenry and Christians in particular.

Asiedu Nketia is a wind-up merchant who has perfected the art of making sarcastic comments even if it’s needless and out of place. He cares less about the impact of his utterances; be it positive or negative. Goddamn it! The man is such a bloody nuisance!! He doesn’t seem to appreciate that democracy has big enough room to accommodate all sorts of diverse opinions: even silly opinions like the ones he himself espouses. He is but an incorrigible hoodlum and a rabble-rouser. I dare him to continue on the path he has chosen to tread on. Nemesis awaits him for denigrating God’s anointed in the Presbyterian Church. Asiedu Nketia is tactless and lacks decorum. Once again, I congratulate Mr Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong for cracking the whip on an incorrigible soul like Asiedu Nketia. The ball is now in “General Mosquito’s” court. To change or not to change? That’s the question for NDC’s scribe to answer. I rest my case.

By: Kofi Kyei-Mensah-Osei

ASAMOAH GYAN SURPRISES NIECE

2012-09-02T21:15:00.000+00:00

On her tenth birthday, Venus Gyan, daughter of Baffour Gyan, former Black Stars Midfielder had a very huge lavish party organized for her.

The party was held on Sunday, 2nd September, at her Grandmother's residence at New Gbawe. Though a lot of people were hoping to catch a glimpse of Baffour Gyan, little did they know that Ghana's number one Striker, Asamoah Gyan was on the guest list.

The party attendees, who mainly consisted of Venus's age group, were really delighted to see the football star. For the Gyan Family it was a family reunion for them.

Below are some photos taken at the party.

Baffour Gyan at his daughter's party

Nana Opoku, Baffour Gyan and Asamoah Gyan with some of their friends

Asamoah Gyan with his son

Birthday girl with her cousin

Asamoah Gyan popping a champagne

A family picture

A REVIEW OF ANIMAL FARM

2012-08-29T23:07:00.001+00:00

INTRODUCTION
Eric Arthur Blay who goes with the pen name as George Orwell wrote a very classic and political book he called Animal Farm. The book was published in England on 17th August, 1945. It could be said that the allegorical novel brings to bare issues of colonialism and other significant issues the affect and influences a country and its citizens.
It gives a vivid presentation of what may be seen as the pre and post liberalization of a nation. It considers the struggle for self rule and authoritative nature of the cream of the crop class once freedom is achieved.
Reviewing “Animal Farm” with viewpoint to political Ghana, it is necessary to outline the colonial and post colonial antecedents that took place as examples to justify the political nature of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”. In so doing the review seeks to touch on Colonialism, Fight for Independence, Coup D’état, Dictatorship and Propaganda as was witnessed in this allegorical in relation to The Republic of Ghana.

COLONIALISM
“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals” (p. 4).
This shows that the animals felt oppressed in their situation where they had to work for someone whom they see as portraying himself as master and recognizes them as servants or better still slaves. They work as hard as is determined by their master who is known as Mr. Jones in the book.
The animals saw Mr. Jones as a colonial power that maltreats them and takes away the fruits of their labor to enrich his self. It is in this same light that the people of Ghana viewed the British. The people of Ghana were made to work laboriously for their masters; the British. The British took their lands and its mineral resources to build their nation and became lords over them in their own country.

FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE
The fight for independence always starts with motivational messages, setting up of movement groups guided and goaded for a common and identifiable of self rule. And there wasn’t an exception in George Orwell’s ‘’Animal Farm’’. Old major a middle white boar began stirring up the fight for independence from a strange dream he had. He began his rhetoric with a revolutionary song titled “Beast of England” (p.7). Upon his death, the course was taken up by Snowball and Napoleon two young boars (p. 10-15). The revolution eventually took place on a Sunday afternoon and surprising to the animals they had won their independence though blood was shed.
As steps to claim their right to own their new state, they changed they name of the farm from “Manor Farm” to “Animal Farm”. They also used the famous revolutionary song “Beast of England” as their National Anthem. The animals instituted “seven commandments” to guide them to exercise self restraint, moderation, compromise and peace (p.14 & 15) which served as a constitution. For a national flag, the animals hoisted a green cloth with a hoof and a horn in white painting embossed on it (p.18).
When Ghana won its independence, she hoisted the Red, Gold (with the black star embossed on it) and Green flag to promulgate the birth of a new nation. A new constitution was written and a national anthem titled “Raise High the Flag of Ghana” was sung. Though the animals used force and anarchy to gain their independence, Ghana’s had elements of dialogue.

COUP D’ÉTAT
“But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball uttered a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard before. At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws. In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him” (p.33). This is a clear depiction of a coup d’état in the “Animal Farm”.
Coup d’état is a sudden unconstitutional change of government which is often violent. The action taken by Napoleon was aimed at getting Snowball out of the way so that he could take over the sole leadership of the farm. Snowball was a threat to him and his supposed rule. He used the dogs as armed soldiers with orders to kill.
This action was reminiscent to all the coups that have taken place in this Ghana. The first coup was against Kwame Nkrumah which sent into exile just like Snowball.

DICTATORSHIP
Dictatorship is a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in one person known as the Dictator and/or a small clique. The clique or the dictator becomes take decisions without consulting the people they govern.
“Napoleon acted ruthlessly. He ordered the hens’ ration to be stopped, and decreed that any animal giving as much as a grain of corn to a hen should be punished by death” (p 48).
Napoleon started ruling in the “Animal Farm” by using decrees and whatever he says is not challengeable.
This form of government existed during the Nkrumah era when the Public Detention Act was implemented. Dictatorship also became the order of the day during the military regimes. Citizens were not permitted to speak freely for they feared arrest or facing a brutal punishment. During the rule of dictatorship regimes in Ghana, the Constitution is suspended and most democratic practices are abolished.

PROPAGANDA
Propaganda is information, ideas or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement or a nation. In the “Animal Farm” false information about Snowball was communicated by the Napoleon-led administration through Squealer to the animals in other to influence the thinking of the animals
“”Comrades!” cried Squealer, making little nervous skips, “a most terrible thing have been discovered. Snowball has sold himself to Frederick of Pinchfield Farm, who is even now plotting to attack us and take our farm away from us! Snowball is to act as his guide when the attack begins. But there is worse than that. We had thought that Snowball’s rebellion was caused simply by his vanity and ambition. But we were wrong, comrades. Do you know what the real reason was? Snowball was in league with Jones from the very start! He was Jones’s secret agent all the time” (p.49).

The same thing is being done in modern day Ghana. Political parties in the country spread unsubstantiated rumors about other political parties or the people in the party so that Ghanaians will form negative opinion about those parties. Some of the parties even go to the extent of creating an executive office for Squealer’s equivalence, which they explicitly call Propaganda Secretary.

CONCLUSION
The book which was published on the heels of World War II tells the story of the political atmosphere that existed which is now of relevance to modern day Ghana. The history of Ghana can be told using “Animal Farm” as a symbolism. The days of colonialism, the fight for independence, the dictatorship regimes that sprang up, coup d’états and the use of propaganda are all stages through which “Animal Farm” went through and so did Ghana. It is right to conclude that George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an iconic representation of Ghana’s political history.

By: Andrew Tetteh

IS IT FOR PATRIOTISM OR TREASON

2012-08-23T09:25:00.000+00:00

My friend Lemuel Nortey sent me this amassing poem of his. If you are eighteen years or above and a Ghanaian, the chances are that you will be joining a queue come December 7, so while you wait for your turn to exercise your franchise, please do ask yourself; is it for patriotism or treason?

My brothers and fathers!

.....sisters and mothers!

Is it for patriotism or treason?

For the time is here and we`ll run and not cease

to that place under the trees,

to that church space

that hospital yard,

or even by that roadside.

[Despite],

that constantly, with burdens our backs coil

and our foreheads drip with toil,

they shamelessly fight to keep place and trinkets

whiles poverty fills our empty pockets

and yet to the polls we`d go

and make our 'kokromoti' power flow.

so I ask , when we go, is it for patriotism or treason?

Sometimes I even wonder, is it the promises?

or the mere assurances?

for the 'elephant-people' say

they will pave the way.

Irrevocably, the 'umbrella-people' vow shelter

and a national future that is better.

'Others' promise us well behaved troops

but better yet, tasty chicken to grace our soups.

[Nonetheless]

tenure upon tenure, these broken promises

are thrust awkwardly in our faces,

still to the polls we`d go

when deep down we know

that the national treasury they`ll make low

however we rush to put them there

but when we do, ask , if you dare

is it for patriotism or treason?

[Yes]

its time and with treachery in their hearts

and greed in their eyes

they`ve come again, to sow seeds of hope

but experience says, they`ll drag us down the slope

and so finally, when you stand under that sun

after that long run,

on December seven

ask yourself, is it for patriotism or treason?

By: Lemuel Nortey

GHANA NEEDS A CHINESE PRESIDENT

2012-08-20T08:47:00.000+00:00

Today in our homeland, there isn’t a day we do not hear of at least one thing that suggests the Chinese Invasion.

Chinese immigrants are invading in our privacy, they are engaging in economic activities that are reserved for only Ghanaians. The worst part of their infiltration into our country is that they are engaging in illegal economic activities such as galamsey and they even go to the extent of arming themselves, in our country. Yes! They arm themselves in our country! That poses a National Security Threat.

So many questions have to be answered. First, do we even have a data on all these Chinese immigrants who are roaming on our streets with arms? Secondly, how do they even get access to these guns in the first place? Did they purchase them in this country or they brought the guns into this peaceful country of ours.

In our dear country, nothing gets done without the involvement of these invaders. From digging grave like holes at the Flagstaff House to building huge structures like the four CAN 2008 stadia and construction of roads.

There isn’t any sector of the Ghanaian economy that doesn’t have Chinese immigrants featuring prominently. They are basically taking control of everything that makes us Ghanaian and the worst thing is that we are allowing them to do that.

We have politicians who do nothing but always looking for abrogated contracts to pay judgement debts. The leaders of this country are visionless to the extent that they fail to recognise no faults in bringing in Chinese convicts to engage in laborious work, not to say that we have overcrowded prisons in this country indicating that there is no shortage of convicts in our own prisons. The Chinese convicts, most of the times do not leave the country when their projects end.

I just want my fellow Ghanaians to realise that the Ghanaian generated money ends up in the pockets of these Chinese convicts.

Every originally made Ghanaian product has its Chinese inferior version. They get them into this country through our ports, the products then end up collapsing the Ghanaian grown businesses that our dear fragile economy badly needs. The economy is run behind the scenes by these Chinese people who have infiltrated our country and those who are even calling the shots outside the country.

Chinese are everywhere and it will not be much of difficulty to have a Chinese President in Ghana to make “Operation Invade Ghana Complete”.

Besides if we have Chinese people engaging in retail in Ghana (a venture reserved exclusively for Ghanaians nationals). Section 18 of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act, 1994 (Act 478) reserves retail trading exclusively for indigenous operators. Foreigners who wish to engage in trading activities in the country are required under the Act to invest a minimum of $300,000 and employ not less than ten Ghanaians.

Then the request for a Chinese President isn’t far fetched though it is also exclusively reserved for Ghanaian nationals. In the 1992 Constitution, Art 62 (1a) states that “a person shall not be qualified for election as the President of Ghana unless he is a citizen of Ghana by birth”.

By: Andrew Tetteh

THE GIFT GHANAIANS GAVE TO MILLS

2012-08-15T09:49:00.003+00:00

The most high profile job any Ghanaian can have is President. Maybe being the Secretary General of the United Nations UN could be the job that can challenge this believe.

Presidents are referred to as the First Gentleman on the land and their family is branded as the First Family. All these and many other benefits like a gargantuan ex gratia, and protocol access to other influential Heads of States add up to making the job of a President very lucrative and sort after.

For three times over a period of eight years, the Late President Mills asked Ghanaians to do him the honor of giving him the job. Beaten on both the first and second occasions by John Kufour. On the third, Ghanaians gave him preference over Nana Addo, a move some analyst say, Ghanaians were being sympathetic of the man who had his eyes on the Presidency after serving as Vice President.

With the recent turn of events; his battle with the sickness only him and his entourage knows what, the eventually untimely death to which Rawlings say, though it is shocking but unsurprising death, have left people wondering whether the gift Ghanaians gave to Mills was bad for him.

Most of the fallout from events preceding his death makes it possible to believe that the job of the President may have contributed to his death or differently put, he wouldn’t have died on the 24^th of July, 2012 if was not our President or if Ghanaians hadn’t given him that job in January 2009.

People believe he had throat cancer for years an assertion Rawlings affirmed in his interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC, hours after the passing of our dear President. According to Rawlings, Mills had cancer since he was his Vice President, he added that the cancer had spread to his eyes and ears which sometimes made the Late President unable to sit through meetings scheduled for more than three hours.

As with every painful and unacceptable death, the blame game all ways finds its way into the discourse of the bereaved. Political parties blame each other for having overdone something or having done nothing at all which then lead to the President’s death. Ghanaians are also blaming the people who were rumored to have urged the Late President on two different occasions not to resign from office though Mills himself had wanted to.

In the end, all this blame game boils done to the gift Ghanaians gave Mills on that faithful Wednesday, 7^th of January, 2009.

If we hadn't given him that precious gift, he might have been alive by now, they say. The 24 million Ghanaians who loved him and some who disagreed with him politically are left contemplating on whether we should have or we shouldn’t have given Mills the black pearl.

NB: Please do make a comment.

By: Andrew Tetteh.

THE SHATTERED DREAMS OF MY FATHER

2012-08-12T16:47:00.000+00:00

My father, when he was at my age pretty much knew what he wanted to do in future. But a boy from a very little village in Accra and a son of a traditional ruler with ten other siblings, his career train veered off a little bit from its tracks.

But as it is said, every responsible person has two different dreams at two different stages of his/her life. The first dream is his/her career and the second is his/her plan for his/her family. Thus what his/her spouse should be doing and the career of his/her children.

My dad was that type of a person. He had a plan for his family and him being just a little over an inch far from his career target, was very careful, anxious and more than determined to get it right the second time.

Well, my dad’s plan for his family was pretty much accomplished until me; the last born changed the course with which the boat was being steered.

I wouldn’t want to say I was or is the black sheep or the person who disappointed my dad the most. Talk of mum who did not visit my dad for five absolute years when he was transferred to Kumasi. What about his eldest son, who fathered three children right after junior high school with two different women. Or my mum’s eldest son whom my great dad treated as his own, what did he do? Hmmm, he fathered a son and he didn’t tell his mum or any of his relatives until the mother of the one year old took him to DOVSU for not paying for child support. The eldest of both my mum and my dad hasn’t done any outrageous thing yet, perhaps the most disappointing thing he did was to fail Elective Mathematics, a very important subject for the course he pursued at school, hence inhibiting him from going to college that year, he eventually did the following year.

The one I come after was the star among all of my dad and mum’s children. He is intelligent, actually he has the best grades in the family but his problem was laziness with food. He barely cooks anything, even if it’s just for himself. When he went to college, he barely ate which resulted in medical complications prompting a surgery which really put my family into much emotional and psychological turmoil.

Though all my siblings have failed and disappointed my dad, in recent times they have impressed him. The one who was dragged to DOVSU is now a happily married man, the one who failed his Elective Mathematics is now a banker, Mr. No Eating is now into real estate and the JHS graduate with three children is now an amateur movie director or so I heard. I must confess I’m not in much communication with him lately. My mum too has won my dad’s love all over again. So well, it seems my dad’s plan and second dream of a stable life for his children is right on track.

But, oh yeah, there is a BUT, buts are always the negative. The problem is now with me; the last born, the last hurdle to be jumped by my dad to cross the finishing line. Actually, he thought he had done that when I went to Senior High School and was doing well as a business student. My dad always wanted me to be an accountant and so my decision to go to the Ghana Institute of Journalism was a shock and a mind bugling decision to him.

He just couldn’t comprehend the idea of me wanting to divert to journalism; a profession that do not pay. Nobody has done journalism in both my nuclear and extended families. My family is an old fashioned one in career choices I must say. They believed that careers are like being a Doctor, Lawyer, Banker, Teacher or an Accountant; you know those kinds of old fashioned office-oriented careers.

In my family, these kinds of media oriented careers are dreadful grounds. I can still remember the resounding NO I got from my mum when I told her I wanted to be an actor.

Though my dad is now fully aware that I have shattered his dreams of being an accountant’s dad, he, as a modern dad, he is in full support of my choice of career and I really hope to do good as a broadcast journalist so that I can give the best dad in the whole wide world a gargantuan consolation price. He is a shattered dream dad but a proud one of course.

By: Andrew Tetteh

2011 IN HINDSIGHT.

2011-12-23T10:45:00.000+00:00

The year 2011 is going to be a very memorable year. It has seen the most unprecedented events occur; it has been a very active year at least on the international stage.
The Arab Spring; having been the most talked about issue this year, will be the scar on the face of 2011. The massive wave of change claiming ordinary and prominent people as casualties like Bin Ali the fomer Tunisian leader, Husein Mubarack of Egypt and the Asaad regime of Syria still under threat. Perhaps the highest leap of fall was taken by Lybia's Col. Gaddafi. It is then understandable for Time Magazine to award the coveted Person of The Year Award to The Protestor.
Osama bin-Laden's death at the hands of US Marine Seals and the decade annivesary celebration of 9/11 at Ground Zero and the recent demise of Kim joung-Il adds to the richness of this year at least to the historians.
Though a lot of African countries had controversial elections like the voilence marked Nigerian elections, the Ivorian elections stole the show; it now has Outarra as President and Laurent Gbagbo at The International Criminal court.
The Cambridges wedding was the wedding of the year. The wedding of then Prince William of Wales, Diana's and Charles' eldest and Kate Middleton was monumental; it was broadcasted live in over 100 countries. Oprah Winfrey ending her syndicate talk show was also huge in the history of television not just in America but the whole world as well. But the news story that must have brought the entire world to a stand still was the supposed end of the world propheseid by Pastor Harding.
So, if the world does not end by 31st December, 2011 at 23:59 GMT, then i wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year. And 2011 being such an interesting year, 2012 is bound to be good since we are expected to have a lot of ripple effects from the 2011 events.

2011-11-17T07:01:00.001+00:00

Ensuring safety on our roads isn't just the sole responsibility of the government, the MTTU wing of the police niether is it that of the National Road Safety Commission nor the drivers, but also the responsibility of we the passengers who sometimes urges the driver to speed up and the pedesterian as well as riders of bicycles and motors who often think the traffic rules and regulations does not apply to them, we have to show a lot more concern. What about the vulcanizer who did not fastened the nut well, then what part has the fitter played in the accident by ignoring the brake wire which wasn't in good shape while the vehicle was brought for servicing, a job he was paid to execute. There is a massacre occuring on our roads and untill we identify all the stakeholders involve in road safety and hold them accountabel for their actions, we will go down the drain. Road safety is our responsibility and not just a select few.

2011-11-06T20:58:00.002+00:00

The recent gun and bomb attacks by the islamist group Boko Haram in the north-east of Nigeria which left a dead toll of about 63 people and even successful attacks on the countries security offices have raised interesting and well thoughtful questions about the countries security issues. The inability of the Nigerian security services to keep the Northen parts of the country safe for it's citizens is a very huge concern. These attacks with it's most high profile incedent being the suicide attack at the UN office in the country has in some ways made people aware of how far this islamist group is willing to go in order to achieve it's aims. The group among other things wants to create an independent islamist state in the northern part of Nigeria. But this group is not the only national security battle the Nigerian government is fighting. The government is fighting what seems to be a battle on three fronts with the first and probably the mort daring one being the fight with Boko Haram, second is the maintenance of security especially in the northern city of Jos where armed Christian and muslim men attack families under the cover of religious believe and the third front being the fight with what seems to be the now dormant Niger Delta Rebels. As i type this post the American government is warning of hotel attacks by the islamist group.
With response to these events, the international community seems to be doing very little to help the Nigerian government to coil the situation. ECOWAS, AU and the UN seems to be sitting back and watching the Nigerians themselves to clean up their home, but they are refusing to realize that the security of every country is a worldwide concern since the fall in security in Nigerha, Africa's most porpulous country and the largest economy in Africa after South Africa, will in the long run have an effect on the world securitz as a whole. Perhaps, it is time the entire world rises and stands by the Nigerian government to improve and sustain security in the country. All of us need to help build a very secure world.

2011-11-03T23:07:00.001+00:00

I am very excited about starting this obviously incredible life long journey. Well if you are reading my blog, you will know i am a bit clumsy, that's because it's my first time, and i promise it will get beter with time. This amasing blog of mine despite my clumsiness is going to be the ultimate place for people to comment on stories making the news in the internatimal scene and the Ghanaian front. I will also be posting my assignments for you to know what my lectuerers think and you are welcome to comment on them. I
would like to tell you a bit about myself, i am 21 years old and the last of four sons of my parents who are known as Mr and Mrs Botchway. I am a christian and a strong believer of religious freedom, freedom of speech and the rule of law. I also believe we are responsible for the kind oe world we live in, so it is my hope that this blog will help us create a beter world for ourselves and generations to come. Goodnight and talk to you tomorrow.

2011-11-03T22:09:00.001+00:00