Circumspect

The Letter-Writing Project: Scoop on GhanaDecides & iRegistered (Survey Incl.)

2012-04-08T12:51:00.000-04:00

If you're an 18+ Ghanaian citizen currently living/studying/working abroad, kindly take a moment to complete this survey on Ghana Election 2012 and the Diasporan Ghanaian. Thanks :)

--
Dear Fellow Ghanaian,

So you probably heard about the GhanaDecides and iRegistered campaigns that BloggingGhana launched recently in partnership with STAR-Ghana. No? Well, you best get acquainted quick! It's the hottest thing in town,even Mashable.com picked up on it. Good thing I'm here to give you all the juicy details and some :)

With the world gradually accepting the fact that tweets, hashtag events and Facebook are here to stay, many have found interesting and innovative ways to use social media, even in the political arena. The Obama '08 Presidential campaign, the Arab Spring and Senegal's #sunu2012 movement and elections are but some of the many ways that social media has contributed to political change. Now it's Ghana's turn.

Come December 2012, Ghana will either elect a new leader or turn the page with a re-elected President Mills. What happens before then? That's where the GhanaDecides - A BloGH Election Project comes in. That's also where YOU come in. GhanaDecides is a non-partisan project by BloggingGhana - a community of bloggers who blog on/about/from Ghana - that aims to encourage informed youth participation in the 2012 Ghana Election. How exactly? ~~Have you been following anything I've said so far :P?~~ Through social media, of course :)

"The GhanaDecides project aims to use the internet to promote responsible election participation and conduct as well as introduce social media to first-time users."

So what has that got to do with you? Well, come December 2012, your vote will be your power. Don't underestimate that power. Sure, the options in presidential candidates might not be what you consider the best, but your participation in this election sets the pace for strengthened democracy in our motherland Ghana, and in due time, will ensure that only the best, most dedicated candidates make it on the ballot paper. It's about time we Ghanaians and Africans start thinking long term gains and here's your opportunity to set that in motion.

Alora, how to get involved? Three simple steps.

1. Get informed.

If you would like to stay informed on how election preparation, biometric registration and so on are going, simply sign up for updates from GhanaDecides on Twitter (@GhanaDecides ), Facebook, or YouTube (yes, there are videos and much more planned!). You can also read election-related blogs on the GhanaDecides Official Site. No longer do you have to go scouring websites for Ghana Election related information. Everything at your finger tips :) And of course, going w/ the whole social media mentality, you gotta share!!

2. Gain #iRegistered Status

Are you a Ghanaian citizen? Are you 18+? Then, you're most likely eligible to vote, and that's where the GhanaDecides #iRegistered campaign comes in. You've probably heard that Ghana is using biometric registration for the first time. Well, our latest foray is costing us a ton, so we better make use of it. Sure, sure, there will be long lines and maybe a little confusion here and there, but guess what? At the end of it all, you not only take a huge step in contributing towards Ghana's development, but also gain iRegistered status!

Here's how:

Find out about biometric registration, which is your closest station etc. This should be easy if you already followed Step 1. I'm just saying ;)

Go and register. Once you register, take a photo of yourself and your new voting card and post to Twitter/Facebook with the hashtag #iRegistered (You can also submit pix of you waiting in-line etc)

Got your iRegistered bragging rights? Great. Now its your turn to get your family and friends to register too!

Simple, init ;)?

3. Join the Movement

First GhanaDecides Tweetup in Accra

Volunteer: After all this, some of you might be feeling more patriotic than usual. Perfect! GhanaDecides is on the lookout for volunteers. There are a ton of great events planned and you could help out. Simply email the team: info(AT)ghanadecides.com

Get Social Media Training: Like this whole social media thing? Well, register to attend BlogCamp Ghana or a BarCamp Ghana event near you and you will be trained in how to use social media for citizen journalism and activism. With these additional skills there's no way you wouldn't make it in as a GhanaDecides volunteer!

Join the Conversation: Want to share insights with other Ghana conscious people? Look out for reports of TweetUps, Facebook Meetups and what have you. The premier Accra Tweetup went great, there's no way we're stopping now! If you're currently abroad and want to get involved, send me a note at j.abdulai (AT) circumspecte.com Also, kindly complete this survey on the Ghana 2012 elections and Ghanaians in the Diaspora

Bon, you've got all the scoop now. Are you still here? Go follow @GhanaDecides, register, volunteer. OR if you're still looking for more insight, take a peek at these pics and video from GhanaDecides :) Looking forward to seeing your #iRegistered photo on a timeline somewhere! Enjoy!

Photos Credit: GhanaDecides

Democratically Speaking: A Tale of Two West African Countries

2012-04-03T13:49:00.002-04:00

Hi Folks!

It's been a month since my last blog and a lot has certainly happened within the span of those four weeks! Of course, it's gonna be hard to recap everything that went down, so instead I'll zone in on key events in the sphere of African democracy.

As you probably know, 2012 is a big year for elections in Africa. There are over 10 presidential elections slated to take place and you can imagine how antsy the whole continent is. Elections are somewhat of a litmus test for democracy and overall advancement in many African countries, and both politicians and citizens tend to be on edge when it's time to head to the polls. So, what's happened so far? Well, we need not look further than the West African region where two neighboring countries - both with presidential elections this year - have embarked on strikingly different paths.

Senegal: Le Teranga, Victorious & Proud
Remember how Youssou Ndour was running for president? Yeah. Well, the Senegalese Supreme Court barred him from running due to his lack of full eligibility. Nevertheless, I think Ndour's ~~shortlived~~ candidacy helped introduce the question of who would contend in Senegal's presidential election and exposed the country's weak opposition structure. And contend they did - all 14 of them, including 2 female candidates and former President Abdoulaye Wade (who technically wasn't supposed to run beyond his two terms). Yes, you read right. Sunday March 25, 2012 marked a huge step in the consolidation of democracy in Senegal. After an initial round of voting which saw Wade and Macky Sall as the key contenders, Sall emerged the clear winner in a subsequent (and close) run-off against then-incumbent Abdoulaye. The election was generally regarded as free and fair, with Senegalese in the Diaspora participating at polling sites all across Europe and elsewhere. After months of bated breath about what would happen to Senegal, democracy carried the day to the obvious jubilation of Senegalese and the admiration of observers in Africa and beyond. Why the excitement? Well, aside the fact that the 80-something year old Wade saved ~~some~~ face by conceding defeat and congratulating Sall after weeks of obstinacy, this handover marks what many hope will be a change among Africa's "old" generation of leaders when it comes to giving way to "fresh" leadership.

The new Senegalese President Sall inherits numerous challenges from Wade - high costs of living, high youth unemployment, and striking poverty levels to mention a few- but the very determination of Senegalese to keep violence at bay after weeks of protest and at least 6 deaths, is definitely something they have going for them. Some worry about how Sall might turn out considering he was a prime minister under Wade's government, but that is left to be seen. Personally, I believe the social movements which were launched to get Wade out present a great opportunity to strengthen opposition frameworks, media and civil society action in monitoring government, and could enhance democracy in the West African nation. For now though, a big felicitation to all Senegalese and bonne chance as you move on to secure the kind of development you hope for. L'Afrique is proud of you!

Mali: Modern Coup & Takeover of Historic Timbuktu
Now to the not-so-palatable news. You know how you read history books about coup d'etats here and there and think to yourself, "That is sooo old-school! Thank God they don't happen in this day and age."? Well, apparently - in this day and age - they do. On March 21st, 2012 Twitterville was a-buzz with coup d'etat reports in the Malian capital of Nouckchott. Some people, myself included, initially thought it was an early, ~~tasteless~~ April fool's joke. We soon found out that a rebel faction from the Malian army had staged a mutiny over what they describe as the government's incompetence at handling the Tuareg rebellion. This was no joker's club. Soon enough the Malian junta, led by US-trained Captain Amadou Sanogo, not only suspended the country's constitution, but also imposed a curfew in a televised statement. While the Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure is said to have escaped to a safe place, some members of his government were arrested.

Fast forward some days and numerous statements of condemnation later, the mutinous rebels have lost control of the historic town of Timbuktu (which, yes, actually does exist) in the north of Mali after being driven out by the Tuareg rebels. Additionally, Captain Sanogo does not seem to have control of the situation as he hastily reinstated the constitution and made an appeal for international assistance. To make matters worse, ECOWAS leaders have imposed harsh (yet somewhat necessary) economic sanctions on the West African nation, with works in place for a standby force to intervene should the situation get worse. With all this uncertainty, there's a rush among Malians for money, fuel, food and so on. As always, the hardest hit will be the many impoverished communities in what once was an incredible ancient kingdom.

All this is your classic African coup d'etat. The main difference? Elections were slated for April 29 this year. So what exactly spurred the rebels to make such a move? Why didn't they just wait for the election OR if indeed their concerns about Malian leadership were well-founded, why didn't they just make a statement indicating their wavering support of the presidency and wait for an election? Will there be a Malian Presidential Election this year? Those are all questions that remain unanswered. What is obvious though is that the ripples of Gaddafi's death are making their way through the African sub-region. Hold up. Gaddafi? Yes, Gaddafi. As it turns out, the former Libyan leader had enlisted the military skills of the Malian Tuaregs. With his demise, the Tuaregs returned to northern Mali...only to find out that their former abode had been overtaken by other inhabitants. Now imagine a group of soldiers who just got back from a battle they ultimately lost, what do you expect would happen? Exactly. The Tuaregs took to arms and unleashed, some would say, terror upon the local populace, adding insecurity to the growing famine concerns in the region.

The next couple of days will be crucial, not only in terms of how far the Tuareg rebellion will spread or how the Malian rebels will act, but also, with regards to ECOWAS and AU action and response. Already, there are reports of thousands of refugees fleeing the country into neighboring countries like Senegal, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. And as to the April 29 election, well, it seems that debate has been suspended for the moment.

West Africa on The Edge
Mali & Senegal, have a lot in common culturally and generally have good relations. However, depending on how things turn out for each country, they could end up being strikingly dissimilar. Aside these two countries, Ghana and Sierra Leone are gearing up for elections later this year with the onset of biometric voter registration. Eitherway, West Africa seems to be on the edge. The question however is, on the edge of what?

Ghana @ 55: What's Our Legacy? (Video)

2012-03-03T16:45:00.001-05:00

Over the past couple of weeks my mind has been on Ghana. Not just because I miss eating waakye, and the sun is finally popping up in these parts, but because in about three days, Ghana is gonna mark it's 55th year of independence. Sure, there might be nothing especially groundbreaking about it, and unlike Ghana @ 50, it seems to be relatively quiet this time around, but I think the time is ripe for us to assess ourselves, both individually and collectively, with regards to Ghana and our future. Simply put, what legacy are we creating (if any) and how do we hope to impact future generations of Ghanaians? I share my thoughts through this two-part video blog, and invite you to share yours as well in the lead up to Ghana @ 55 and beyond. Happy (early) Independence Day!

The Letter-Writing Project: Senegal - Cradle of An African Re-Awakening?

2012-02-21T15:16:00.001-05:00

Dear Fellow African,

The hour is nigh, and the trumpet has sounded. After months of dilly-dallying, the levees have broken and Senegal, as we know it, is at a crossroads. It could also very well be the cradle of an African Re-Awakening. Call it the "Africa Spring", a "Renaissance" or a "Revolution", it is here.

I'm not going to use ink and paper describing what led this West African "beacon of democracy" down this path. Unfortunately, we know it all too well. Here it is in under 140 characters:

It's ironic that the leader in this case is the very one who spent an estimated $27million on a copper statue which he named "La Monument de La Renaissance Africaine." I doubt Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade ever imagined that those words would be transformed into the energy that is sweeping across Senegal as we speak.

The global economic crisis might have wrecked havoc in many-a financial market, but to its credit, it also caused a shift of seismic proportions in the minds of people all over the world from the streets of Tunisia to Wallstreet and now Place de l'Obelisque in Dakar, Senegal. That, I believe, is the essence of the revolution: a re-awakening and change in mindset.

To be real though, not all has been good and dandy. Far from it, at last count 13 Senegalese perished from the ongoing pre-election violence in the land of the Teranga, and one can only hope that number doesn't increase come Sunday Feb. 26, 2012 when presidential elections will take place. However, as has been the case many times in the past, adversity could possibly birth a re-cognition and commitment to a better world.I've been following this developing story since experiencing the incessant power cuts in Dakar in early 2011, and if nothing else is certain in all of this, it's that Senegalese are fed up (Y'En A Marre), and want to take back their country. Many of the kind-hearted people I had the opportunity to encounter are involved in the ongoing protests, and I find myself caught in somewhat of a mother-hen dilemma.

Part of me wants to tell them, stay inside, don't go to the protest grounds. Stay safe. Another part of me is beaming with pride that they have stepped forth and are defending their nation in the best way they know how. Whether it's through actually being among the passionate crowds, or keeping the rest of the world abreadst with what is really going on, they have stepped up to the charge. It also makes me wonder what I would do if -chineke, God-forbid - anything like that should happen in my own country Ghana. Would I run and hide, or would I step up to the plate? Just how far would you go to defend your nation and all you've ever known?

The African Union and ECOWAS are finally taking firm steps to address the escalating violence in Senegal, and while that is laudable, I can't help but think that these are coats made from the same cloth. The very leadership that needs changing is the one trying to change itself. Nevertheless, we rest in the hope that what is right will be done and that the people's voice will be heard. For other efficiently ineffective African leaders, take heed. As we say in Ghana, "Every day for thief man, one day for master." Everything eventually comes to an end. Including tyranny.

Come what may in the following weeks, I rest in solidarity with the good people of Senegal, and all who strive for human dignity, peace and freedom. Reste fort mes soeurs et freres.

So, yes, the hour is night, the trumpet has been blown. The question now is, when the recesses of that call reaches your doorstep, will you answer?

Your Sister,

Photo Source: Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3

Africa Spring: Insights on Senegal from Arame Tall

2012-02-09T06:09:00.000-05:00

As some of you probably know, I worked in Senegal for a while with an NGO focused on women and youth rights. I also got the opportunity to interact with many locals and to get a sense of the political situation under Wade's government. Many Senegalese are simply fed up with Wade and want him out. His second term is coming to an end and elections are due on February 26. Like Ghana, a Senegalese president is allowed to have a maximum of two consecutive terms. However, Wade circumvented the constitution and secured a go-ahead from the Supreme Court (whose judges he appointed) to run for a possible third term in office. The result? Mass protests across the country dubbed "Y'en A Marre, Wade Degage!" (We're Fed Up, Wade Get Out!). It should be noted though that all this has been brewing for a very long while, stemming largely from the economic crisis, rising costs of living and the incessant power cuts in Senegal last March. Also, many people - myself included - don't think the 80-something year old Wade is pushing for the third term for himself. Nope, it's part of a larger scheme to get his son Karim Wade - who barely speaks the local language Wolof! - into the driver's seat. Makings of a dictatorship and "monarchy"? Probably.

Arame & I , infamous African Renaissance Statue

There's also the question of whether Senegal could probably be the starting point of an "Africa Spring"? The mainstream media has done a good job of covering the protests, but a lot of the nuances go unmentioned. I wanted to do a post on this myself, but didn't get a chance to. As fate would have it, one of my dearest Senegalese sisters and a climate change activist, Arame Tall recently wrote on what's going on in Senegal, and I only find it befitting to post her article here, so you hear a Senegalese point of view yourself. Arame's not only one of the most inspiring and hardworking Senegalese women I know, but a VERY accomplished one who knows her stuff. She's currently undertaking her PHD with Johns Hopkins and has been conducting research across Africa on climate change. You can find her entire Op-Ed below via Scribd; it's also available on the Democracy in Africa website. On the question of an Africa Spring, I'd suggest listening to the recent BBC debate in Accra.

Arame Article

Photo Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0168e661f387970c-600wi

The Letter Writing Project: Grad School - A 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'?

2012-02-04T06:13:00.000-05:00

Dear Prospective Graduate Student,

After "officially" completing my first semester at JHU SAIS in Bologna, Italy, I figured it might be helpful to share some of my insights with you, especially since quite a number of your counterparts have already approached me in that regard. So, what are the bolts and nuts of opting for graduate school? Well, I don't have all the answers, and I'm certain responses differ with each person but here are some of the main things I have to say.

1. Know Your Status
By your status I'm not talking "HIV/AIDS". I'm talking know your legal status in the country you'll be studying in and the corresponding do's and don'ts. Knowing your status should also make it easier to figure out what financial options you have, whether you qualify for certain scholarships, if you can undertake an internship or do some work while studying, all of that. The ideal case would be to know your status before you apply to a given program, but even if it's down the line, make sure you know your status. Information is power.

2a. Make Sure It's A Worthy Investment
I cannot stress how important this is. Some people think going to graduate school is just the logical next step, or in the case of the ongoing crisis, it's the best possible alternative to unemployment. Both might be valid, but more than anything, pursuing a graduate school = an investment. In yourself, your future, your country, and essentially whatever career path you opt for. Unlike undergrad where you can ride the wave of 'freedom' or not having a clear idea of what you wanna study until the very end, graduate school requires some degree of certainty about your career path. Not only because it is more expensive and financial aid is harder to come by, but also because it is more specialized. If you have no interest in the program you're hoping to pursue, then honey, you're just setting yourself up for a hell of a time. Literally. So, figure out what you're passionate about, weigh the costs, determine the level of commitment and decide if it's a worthy investment before going in hook, line and sinker.

2b. Money, money, money!
Still with regard to "investments", it is highly, HIGHLY important that you have an income stream available for pursuing your graduate degree. Sure, you might consider yourself to be a top-notch candidate who will have no problems securing a scholarship - and you probably are - but both competition and funding streams are tight in the current economy. Don't underestimate the financial commitment. Even if you have some savings or do secure a scholarship for your entire program, there are still living costs to consider and those can be a pain if you don't have additional financing to take care of it. Add the fact that you'd probably be adapting to a new culture or experience, and it can make studying difficult if not impossible. You might also want to participate in some leisure activities and inadequate finances will be a roadblock. All this ties back to knowing your status. Do your research very early on and communicate directly with the financial office of the graduate schools you're interested in, banks or other student loan institutions. In your correspondence, state your question clearly- eg. I'm a Ghanaian citizen studying with an American institution in Italy. What are my financing option? - so as to get accurate information in a timely manner. Also, draw up a calendar of scholarships you qualify for and make sure to meet those deadlines! It's okay to be hopeful about potential income streams, but as much as possible, when it comes to money, be cut and dry, and as realistic as possible. It will save you a ton down the line.

3. Go Out & Mingle (Network)
Remember how I said grad school programs tend to be more specialized? Well, that also means that you're probably gonna find a ton of people with similar interests, experiences or passions. These are people who you will most likely encounter later on in your chosen career, and they are an invaluable resource. Many graduate students tend to have some prior work or field experience and this usually brings an interesting dimension to learning. Go out and mingle with your classmates and get to know them. In the same vein, you will be bringing something to do the table. At an event? Take a moment to interact with other attendees including your professors. Ever heard that some of the most important business deals are made in a casual setting over coffee or a drink? Same thing applies here. You will be surprised just how much you learn in a non-classroom setting and most of the people you interact with will eventually become valuable friends and networks. Sure, you probably have hundreds of pages of readings to do, but your social life is part of your graduate experience. Let your hair down and have some fun!

4. Make Time for Some Down Time
Don't confuse "down time" with mingling. By down time, I mean getting some rest. Or just taking a few minutes a day where you do nothing, and yes, that includes Facebook and Twitter. Read a non-school required book or listen to music. If your graduate program is as demanding as mine currently is, the tendency to stay on "Go!" will be very high. Make some time to take care of yourself and your mental, physical, emotional, spiritual health. All of it. Beyond getting enough sleep, ensure that you check in with yourself once in a while to make sure you are okay.

5. Read (& Learn)
Do your readings - whether in print or electronic format. Regardless of the impossible number of pages you might have every single week, try to do them as they give you a chance to learn something new. Even if you don't read the entire 200 pages, learn how to do skim-throughs ie. read the introduction and those of sub sections, as well as the conclusion. If you have more time, you can read at a more leisurely pace, but if not, a fast read is better than nothing. Apart from class assigned readings, try to follow current events in your field through the news. And beyond that, if you have a chance, make room for leisure reading as well.

6. Have a Plan, A Backup, & Some Flexibility
If you read my blog about being a student again, you'll understand what I mean by having a plan, a backup and some flexibility. While graduate school is more structured than undergrad and requires a certain level of commitment, you will probably encounter new things that interest you. Have enough flexibility to accommodate those new interests as well. If things don't go exactly as planned, try to adopt an open-mind. Also, stay open to the possibility that you might have to revise your learning techniques especially if you've been out of school for a while. Give yourself enough time to complete projects. Regardless of how much control we humans like to claim, we really don't have that much of a handle on how things turn out. Open yourself to the novelty.

7. Ask Yourself "Why?"
There will be those days when situations make you ask yourself "Why am I doing this again?" In those moments, ask yourself why you were motivated enough to go through the entire graduate application process. Therein lies your constant reminder. As I said already, if your motivations are misplaced in the first place - eg. you really hate the field you're pursuing - then your why in response won't be enough to see you through. Sometimes it also helps to take a break from graduate school. And I don't mean taking the entire year off. Instead, talk to some family or friends or someone not connected with graduate school, about anything but graduate school, in order to get a breather.

8. Self-Discipline
Discipline. This is both the input and the output. You need to be disciplined enough to do your readings, assignments, and attend class since nobody else is really checking that you are (within reasonable measure that is. If you don't show up in class for the entire semester, I'm willing to bet the registrar might contact you about that one.) In the process, you will learn more discipline. Time will be one thing you find to be very scarce, and self-discipline will help you prioritize and figure out how to manage your time. In my experience, self-discipline seems to be the common thread through all my classes and experiences in grad school so far. I'm beginning to think that's all its about lol.

9. Explore
While you will probably have very little time on your hands to do much else, take some time to explore your new community whether its in a foreign country or not. Get to understand the nuances of the culture, and if you can, learn a couple of new words or slang. No place is ever the same and you just might find some interesting surprises.

10. Embrace Your Student-hood
Above everything, embrace and enjoy your student hood. Remember how you kept saying, I wish I were in school and learning again? Yeah. Well you are, so embrace it. The highs (great grades, the euphoria of finally getting something, friends, parties, etc), the lows (too much work, deadlines, fatigue, debt), and everything in between. Besides, you now have the exclusive right to complain about too many readings, soo paper many deadlines, too little time, and if the question of money ever comes up, all you have to say is "I'm a student. Everyone knows students are broke half the time." Just kidding, LOL. But seriously, enjoy the moment.

Alora, thats it! I hope you found this post useful, and if you feel like graduate school is a 'yes, yes' for you and wanna apply, check out this blog on how to write a personal statement that's befitting of all you are. Also feel free to contact me with any further questions. Until then, ciao!

Photo Source: Photo 2, Photo 3, Photo 4

The African Resource Paradox: Nigeria's Fuel Subsidy Cuts

2012-01-08T05:01:00.000-05:00

It's been a week since Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan moved to slash oil subsidies in West Africa's largest oil producing country. Seven days on, and unprecedented protests have been the result. Nigerians argue that the increased oil prices will make overall living costs higher, particularly for food purchases as an estimated 160 million Nigerians live on less than $2 a day. With ongoing protests, it would seem that ~~finally~~ Africans are realizing the power of mobilization and collective action.

President Goodluck's TV address on the subsidy cuts was quoted in a BBC article this morning:

"Either we deregulate and survive economically, or we continue with a subsidy regime that will continue to undermine our economy and potential for growth, and face serious consequences."

Reading that, the economist in me thinks "He's got a point." Manipulating the economy to ensure lower prices doesn't take away from the fact that in reality, prices are still high, and the government, or rather the people, are still paying the difference - an estimated 1 trillion Naira or $6.13 billion annually - probably through taxes and government revenue which could be invested elsewhere.

A few doors away in the not too distant past, Ghana's President Kufuor's government suffered an early demise due to perceived price hikes, corruption and a harsh economy during his tenure. True, removing protective measures usually affects the poorest in society first. But attempting to maintain those protective measures doesn't bode well for an economy in the long run...does it?

Some might argue that Nigerians are making a big fuss over nothing: there are oil price hikes all over Africa and the world, its a norm, particularly with the current global climate.Yes and no. Firstly, Nigeria's economy is heavily dependent on oil. Not only as one of its key resources, but also as the very elixir of the economy. Unlike Ghana which utilizes hydroelectricity as its main power source, Nigerians rely on oil to light their lamps, run their companies, and essentially power their nation.

How can it be that a nation which produces the most oil in Africa does not have a sustainable power structure and instead its people have to live (mostly) in darkness, or opt for using oil consuming generators for electricity (if they can even afford that)? That my friends, is the crux of the matter, and yet another African resource paradox. It's also huge factor in why we've seen protests in Nigeria and not too long ago, in Senegal (another oil dependent nation for electricity), but not (yet) in Ghana.

According to President Jonathan's TV address, Nigerian government officials will be seeing a 25% pay cut this year and international travel will be reduced. That's all good and dandy, but I have to ask, why didn't the government salary cuts come before the subsidy cuts? And even if it makes more sense to have the subsidy cuts first - in order to ensure that the entire cabinet doesn't desert their posts- and especially with growing pressure from the IMF and other international actors, was there adequate public education or preparation before the cuts? What about safety nets for the poorest?

At the end of the day, I believe it comes down to planning and social welfare. Economically-speaking, the Nigerian government might be right, but maybe it could have done more to not only educate the public on its stance, but also to get feedback and draw up welfare programs to support the most affected before implementing the subsidy removal? With countries like the US and Germany exploring alternative power options like solar energy, what is being planned in Nigeria and Africa for the longterm?A nationwide protest is planned for tomorrow, Monday January 9 2011, and from all indications, its gonna be absolute shutdown in Nigeria.

One resists what one does not understand, and its about time African leaders quit playing their citizens like pawns in a game of chess and instead demonstrate transparency and accountability. And, ahem, it would serve Ghana's political leaders well to take notes on how the showdown is going when it comes to Nigeria's oil sector, considering Ghana's recent foray into oil production.

Here are some videos that gives a good overview on Nigerians' concerns about the subsidy removal and implications for the government and economy:

Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3

2012: Africa's Election Trail. First Stop, Youssou Ndour

2012-01-03T06:18:00.001-05:00

It's day three of the year 2012. Already! First off, I wish each and every one of you a great year ahead. May you have enough of everything you need to achieve your biggest dream and highest potential, and may you never want for the love, support, strength and confidence to get to where you want to be.

Second, Youssou Ndour - world renowned Senegalese musician - just announced his candidature for Senegal's presidential election on February 26, 2012! I'll admit, the first person I thought of when I read the news was Wyclef Jean who put in a similar bid for Haiti's presidential seat in 2010. But let's not dwell on that. It's a new year and if the recent past has been any indication, it's that anything is possible. Besides, unlike Jean who didn't even meet the constitutional requirement of having lived in the country for at least five years, Ndour has been very visible on the local scene - mainly through his music - and is also a UN goodwill ambassador.

What are the odds against Ndour? Well, for one thing, experience. While Ndour has already established somewhat of a legacy in promoting Senegalese music, he has very little - if any - experience in politics. Sure, he participated in some of last year's rallies against current President Abdoulaye Wade and tackles issues like corruption and elitism in his music, but when it comes down to facts, his lack of formal education and experience will be highly scrutinized. That aside, with numerous businesses and a strong stake in media - he owns a TV station and radio - the question of true 'democracy' where media independence is concerned might pop up. Think Berlusconi.

I browsed through some comments on Seneweb about Ndour's candidature, and if those are any indication, these are but some of the challenges that Youssou Ndour might have to face. One of those is getting the religious leaders - who hold a lot of clout in Senegalese society - on his side. That will be no easy feat as some of these Muslim leaders have criticized both Ndour and his music for being 'unIslamic'. He will have to win the people over, show them that he is capable of succeeding in governance as he has been in music, and also, to build a strong, committed and competent team around him to achieve what he hopes to. Above all, he must not underestimate the enormity of his proposed charge, and should he win, must not turn out to be like ALL the other so-called African leaders we've had the misfortune of granting power.

What's going in his favor? Well, Abdoulaye Wade. After consistently failing to fulfill his promises since first being elected president in 2000, the majority of Senegalese are fed up. There are also fears that he might try to instate his son, Karim Wade (and current Minister of State for International Cooperation, Regional Development, Air Transport, and Infrastructure, AND Energy). Last year seemed to be the final straw when Wade attempted to change the constitution and extend his presidency. People - young, old, men, women, you name it - took to the streets and protested. All this came after equally passionate protests in March dubbed "Y'En A Marre" (We're fed up) at the height of the food and economic crises and power cuts across the West African nation. Since then, a campaign called "Wade Degage!" (Wade, Get Out!) has been ongoing especially on social media networks pushing for the incumbent to step down.That aside, Senegal might be riding the remnants of the wave of change that swept the Arab world. If Youssou Ndour is able to play up the notion of "Power with the people", he could potentially draw the strong following he needs in order to win or at least put a considerable dent in Wade's image as "the only option".

Personally, I don't see why Ndour should not run. He's as legitimate a presidential candidate as any other Senegalese.Some might say he's even more 'legitimate' than say, Karim Wade who barely speaks the national language Wolof. Citizenship aside, I believe leaders are made, and each person deserves the chance to serve their nation as best as they can. If Mr. Ndour thinks he's up to the charge, give him a shot. What's there to lose? True, he might not have the experience, but with over ten years under his belt, Wade certainly doesn't seem to be making things any better, is he? Besides, as Youssou Ndour eloquently put it, "Presidency is a function, not a career." Many of our leaders have sought to make careers of the solemn charges granted them and look where we are now. I hope Ndour preps himself well and makes the necessary sacrifices, investments, and decisions to ensure that Senegal moves forward in prosperity. Best wishes to Youssou Ndour and to Senegal!

Same goes for all the African countries embarking on elections this year, including my dear country Ghana. Elections are a huge determinant of peace, and I pray that peace presides regardless of who wins what race. That said, and based on unfolding events in Senegal, I wonder if there could ever be an Africa Spring (after Arab Spring). Who knows?

Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3, Photo 4

Circum-Alert: Make a Difference in Accra w/ Project Drive-By

2011-12-22T04:32:00.000-05:00

"For the spirit of Christmas fulfills the greatest hunger of mankind."

- Loring A. Schuler

It's about that time of year when we reflect on everything that happened or did not happen and take stock of where we might be in relation to our goals, dreams, growth etc. If you're one who makes new year resolutions - and even if you're not - and still have "make a difference" on your list, then you might want to check out Project Drive-By - a non-profit initiative by LifestylzGH and feedForever which aims to spread the love and good cheer this Christmas season. Other sponsors include iStandAbove, TicketGhana.com, REACH Ghana, Heel the World, DailyGuideGhana.com.

The project is exactly what its name says: driving by less fortunate areas of Accra to provide a meal or two to an estimated 300-400 people, while sharing some good times and ushering in the new year as one. In the spirit of the season, I couldn't have come up with a better idea. So, while you're munching on all those tasty foods, opening presents, and sampling delicacies from the ~~numerous~~ Christmas hampers you might have gotten, take a day off and spread some love and good cheer. Event details below, Happy Holidays All!

Date: December 31, 2011

Time: 9am

Meeting Point: Labone Coffee Shop

Venue: Point A & B (TBA) in convoy

Questions? Want to Donate/Volunteer?

Contact: feed@feedforever.org or lsg@lifestylzgh.com

Project Drive-By (PDB) 2011

Circum-Alert (Happening Now): BarCamp Ghana & Barcamp Dakar

2011-12-17T05:58:00.001-05:00

Hi Guys!

Great conversations going on at BarCamp Ghana 2011 which is happening RIGHT NOW! Here's a quick video on some of the key discussions taking place. Not in Accra? You can join in via twitter by following #bcghana. Also, BarCamp Dakar is currently ongoing. Follow via twitter #barcampdakar! Have a great weekend and I hope you find it useful!

--

Salut tout le monde!

Plusieurs discussions interessantes se passent actuellement a BarCamp Ghana 2011 (a Accra) et BarCamp Dakar 2011 (au Senegal). J'ai fait un petit video (en anglais) pour expliquer qu'est-ce que c'est un "BarCamp". Si vous vous interessez, vous pouvez suivrez tout en ligne sur twitter. Faire une recherche pour #bcghana ou #barcampdakar. Je vous souhaite un bon weekend!

Poetry/Prose: Identity & Other (Travel) Musings

2011-12-12T12:24:00.000-05:00

The thing about embarking on a new experience - travel, project, idea, decision, dream, opportunity - is that you always uncover yourself anew.

--
"Why don't you write anymore?"
That's the question that sent me running back here.
The number of false-start posts I've had in the last two months are shameful to say the least
You either go all in or it's nothing at all.
So what keeps stopping me?
Sense of duty
Of what I should be doing (studying, reading, problem solving), and when I should be doing it (NOW!).
Ironically, that's also what keeps me from starting. Anything.

When did the notion of putting thoughts out there seem so scary?
The moment certainty walked out the door
Of who I am/should be and exactly what I am/should be up to.
We all - or I do - like to put things out there that We are - I am - sure about
Nobody wants to be accused of plagiarizing, heresay or concocting pure nonsense
Unless you're just in the business of plagiarizing, heresay or concocting pure nonsense
If that's the case then nobody has any business making grand statements about life
"Life - It's the journey that counts", "Despite all its gloom, life is still beautiful"
And other philosophical musings
So if certainty was never guaranteed to begin with, why limit oneself to what one deems to be "certain"?

You throw yourself into a new country, and you're satisfied you've proceeded on some 'immersion'
Honey, you have no idea how much.
What you will encounter is not the least bit as interesting as who you will encounter
No need to look around. It's all YOU anyway. Yes you.
The student. The boy. The girl. The child. The man. The woman. The friend. The foreigner. The change maker.The confused. The hopeful. The procrastinator. The successful. The over-indulger. The guilt-tripper. The micro-detester. The conflict studies discoverer. The pizza devourer. The bicycle rider. The pinata breaker. [insert whichever cap fits]
Every delicious bit. All you.

Yet you get so caught up that when you finally - after God-knows how long - look within,
You see the foreign land has become you.
Unrecognizable, strange, exciting, new, but scary.
Uncomfortable to the point where you're not sure whether to:
a) offer your hand for shaking b) bow down low in Oriental respect c)Give a huge smack on the cheek

You said you wanted to go on a journey. To learn new things, meet new people, and explore new ways of thinking.Well folks, it would seem Christmas came early.

Identity.

Photo Source: http://www.olafhajek.de/images/series/african.beauty.jpg

Circum-Alert: BarCamp Ghana 2011 (Focus on Career Development)

2011-12-12T05:16:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks!

It's been ages since I blogged and I must say even I am surprised at how few posts I've been able to publish since starting grad school. Some of you have emailed questions concerning pursuing a graduate degree - to do or not, what to consider, the works. Once I have some free time I'll probably do a post on my candid impressions about graduate school. For now though I couldn't let this event pass without some mention on Circumspect: BarCamp Ghana 2011!

Globalization = (By Force/Voluntary) Partnerships
Life in this globalized era means many things. One of those is the importance of partnerships and collaborations. Like it or not, what happens in one part of the world resonates in another. Choosing not to 'participate' in the global system doesn't necessarily mean you're excluded anymore: case in point, the global financial crisis. A similar dynamic is evident at the local level and especially when you're actively seeking to influence your national or local system through one project or another.

Connections Vs. Networking
Everyone in Ghana has at one point or another encountered the need to use "connections". This usually entails having a family friend or distant relative put in a good word on one's behalf in order to improve one's chance at an opportunity. While it might get the job done, it's by no means a sustainable way of creating partnerships. What happens if your family has a falling out with that 'connection'? Does that mean your job (and everything invested) is on the line? And what about the thousands other people who you don't have an apparent link to? What opportunities are you missing out on there?

I think it's time the mindset in Ghana changed from "connections" to networking. Here, networking is not an ad-hoc (or last minute) attempt at getting your foot in the door, but a more long-term, strategic development of professional relationships that are mutual. From personal experience, nurturing relationships with people in fields I'm interested in, or just curious about, have had a positive impact on the opportunities I have undertaken. Already, the momentum around strategic career development is being built in Ghana and BarCamp Ghana 2011 focuses on exactly this.

Mentorship & Career "How-To"s
How exactly do you go about networking? What kind of things should you be thinking about with regards to pursuing a career in technology, public service, international affairs, etc? What exactly is a resume or CV? How about the 30-second elevator speech? All these things go into nurturing and developing one's career and laying the foundations for a successful career. Who better to give insight than people who've already been there?

BarCamps are in essence about networking and fostering collaboration around innovative ideas and solutions. Under the theme: "Establishing Partnerships to Transform Dreams into Action-Based Projects: Lessons from Mentors", BarCamp Ghana 2011 will take on the issues head-on and introduce inspirational and well-versed mentors who share candid insights on how they got to where they are, and what you need to do to get to where you wanna be.

So, if you're free on Sat. Dec. 17, 2011 from 8am to 6pm and would love to develop networks both in-country and abroad, then you wanna sign up to BarCamp Ghana 2011. As always, the event is FREE to the general public. Venue: AITI-KACE

NB: Final event details will be announced via the BarCamp Ghana Website: http://www.barcampghana.org/ and Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/BarCampGhana. Please see below for a press release and further details.

BarCamp Ghana 2011- Press Release

Circum-Alert: BarCamp Tamale 2011 (Nov. 26 - Turning the Wheel)

2011-11-08T19:54:00.000-05:00

I believe deeply that Ghanaians and Africans can make the necessary changes for development. Yes, there are obstacles. Yes, we have day-to-day responsibilities. Yes, times can be tough. But that's not the entire story. We also have stepping stones, passion, inspiring moments, and above all, we have EACH OTHER. In Ghana's case especially, having each other and keeping the peace is probably the biggest factor in how far we have come so far. Yet, if the events (revolutions) this year are any indication, our peace is not guaranteed, particularly when it is sitting on a minefield of inequalities. Enter Northern Ghana.

Northern Ghana has probably been exhausted on here, so I won't take that route. If you want to know what my thoughts are regarding why development in the region is in the best interest of ALL Ghanaians, click here. Instead, I'd like to send you a personal invitation to take a step in helping initiate sustainable change in Northern Ghana for Ghana: BarCamp Tamale. It's a FREE event supported by the likes of Google and Tamale-GTUG, and if you know anything about the BarCamp Ghana events, you'll know this is bound to be an intellectually stimulating and network enhancing event. Not to mention that the theme: “Championing local voices for development through technology and ICT” is very relevant. Many great initiatives have been borne through BarCamp including REACH Ghana, and it has featured young people like you and I who are finding their path, leading by example, and excelling at it. There's a ton of work to be done up North, so if you're looking for an avenue to contribute, this could be it.

No, it doesn't matter if you don't know the capital of the Northern Region (BTW, it's Tamale :) ). Or if you think the north is another country altogether. All that matters is that you're a Ghanaian/African/Global Citizen, and you care about our common future. That's all it takes. Ghana is regarded as a poor country (middle income title or not), and according to the last WB poverty assessment, 60% of those living in extreme poverty...take that in: SIXTY... are based in Northern Ghana. I found that out today, and it just left me dumbfounded. How come that statistic is not as propagated as all our other indices? Anyway. Experience they say is the best teacher. So this is an opportunity for you to see for yourself, get outside your comfort zone (aka Accra/Tema/Kumasi/Cape Coast) and experience a bit more of Ghana.

To my Northern GH peeps: Helping plan BarCamp Tamale, one thing stood out to me: our networks are so fragmented they border on being non-existent! Beyond knowing someone as your mother's brother's cousin's great uncle's favorite koko seller's niece, how else do we know each other? This is a great networking opportunity and honestly, it would be our own fault if we don't make good on it. We always say we have a lot more to offer than we are given credit for. Well guess what? It's time to show it! Kindly forward this on to all Northern Ghanaians you know - old, new, young, abroad, in-land, - everyone you think might benefit/be interested in this. If you can't make the event, please just forward the information on. If you'd like to be more involved, consider volunteering or sponsoring the event. If there's an entrepreneurial Northerner you'd like to nominate to be a speaker/panelist, kindly let me know (jabdulai@gmail.com) and I will forward you on to the right people. Anyway you choose to act on this, do it! It counts as a contribution!

Alora, quick recap on the event:

Date: Saturday November 26, 2011
Venue: Tamale Polytechnic
Time: 8am - 5pm
Fee: FREE
RSVP/Register: Via Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=216108505126332
Via Eventbrite - https://barcamptamale11.eventbrite.com/?nomo=1

Also Stay Tuned : Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BarcampTamale
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/barcamptamale

Downloadable Press Release: http://www.scribd.com/doc/72099868/Press-Release-Bar-Camp-Tamale-2011

We've come to a point in history where we have to spearhead our own solutions for development. Yes, we work in partnership with one another, but WE have to take the lead. This is Northern Ghana's opportunity to turn the wheel and make a change. How are YOU contributing?

Press Release Bar Camp Tamale 2011

Gaddafi's Demise: What Next (For Africa)?

2011-10-20T16:16:00.001-04:00

I just got online after an English discussion session with the Italian kids who's family I'm living with. First thing I see? An unpalatable, bloody image of someone who looks eerily like Libya's ousted ~~dictator~~ leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Apparently, he's been killed. And in his own hometown of Sirte too!

Now, with all the unrest going on across the Arab world, I can't say the news is entirely surprising. Then again, after attending a recent lecture on Libya and finding out that some of the media reports aired/published on Libya's unrest might have been concocted, I don't know what to think anymore. Politics they say is a dirty game. Well international politics might need more than a scrubbing or two. One thing the lecturer, Professor Mezran said that really stood out was this: Until Gaddafi's gone, Libya cannot move forward. As it turns out, that chapter in Libya's history had to be closed and now that it has - or is beginning to? - what's next?

If I were by any means an expert on Libya, or even a Libyan citizen, I would attempt to answer that. But I'm not. And in respect of how touchy the subject is (extreme emotions and opinions involved), I won't even go that route. What's next is still a relevant question though. In the context of Africa. During the Libya lecture, I asked Professor Mezran what the future of Africa would be with no Gaddafi. Would Libya still be involved? His response - most Libyans never sided with Gaddafi's notions of Pan-Africanism to begin with, so here, my friends, is probably where Libya and "Africa" depart.

With Gaddafi's demise, I can't help but wonder: Who will be Africa's mouth-piece? True, Gaddafi committed some terrible human rights injustices against his people (and maybe even beyond), and he did seem a bit cuckoo at times. But one thing I will hand to him: he stood up to the so-called powers that be. Regardless of whether he was in a room filled with reps from the West, or on a state visit to America or a European country, the dude spoke his mind. As to whether he acted on his statements is another conversation altogether.

Now, I already mentioned how limited my knowledge on Libya in general is. But I can definitely tell you about the sentiment that many Africans probably had for Gaddafi. He represented both heaven and hell. Heaven because he championed the African cause and did not bow in awe when in the presence of (mere human) Western leaders. (Although he conveniently looked the other way in some instances) Hell because, dammit, why does every outspoken African leader have to be a tad cuckoo? Seriously though, he represented the huge kink in African politics of leaders who overstay their welcome and quit making the people's business their business...or so some say.

My facebook newsfeed is probably a good summation of what Ghanaians at least thought/think about Gaddafi. There are many photo postings of the late leader with - Jerry John Rawlings, African chiefs (see photo above), etc. - and statuses such as "Soldier to the end...I salute you", "A sad day for Africa", "Gaddafi the King of kings." On the other hand there are statuses which say things like "The mighty have fallen", "Democracy has returned to Africa" - Umm, allow me: REALLY?!!- and of course the musings: "Why do Africans celebrate the death of another African?", and religious references: "Mark 8:36 What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?" Point is, Gaddafi's influence went beyond Libya. It extended to all of Africa, and it was many and varied, just as you would expect of a controversial figure like Gaddafi.

Now, allow me to just insert here another thing Professor Mezran said: The West's invasion of Libya is not because of oil. It's because of what can be acquired as a result of the oil. Oil is the means to an end. Not an end in and of itself. In that case, I guess we Africans really need to sit up. Our natural/human resources are not ends in themselves. They should be means to an end (hopefully collective development.)

Which brings us back to the original question: What's next for L'Afrique? Personally, I hope Africa's leaders do a bit of musing themselves. Might I suggest some muse topics? Firstly, are you still in service of your people, or instead, in service of power? I'm sure there must be some sort of exhilaration that comes with being in power, why else would people be addicted to it? If the past year has been any indication, people are fed up. The global economic crisis and food crisis together was just too much and finally, the levees broke. Like they say, it could happen to you. So, to all would-be dictators, maybe you should think twice. Times have changed. Oh, how they have changed! Second question/topic: Are you an African leader worthy and willing enough to actually represent your people? Till election defeat come, at home and abroad, regardless of distractions along the way? Is there anyone who will at least speak Africa's truth in global circles?.....That question is yet to be answered.

Good or bad, there's a vacuum where Gaddafi was. He made a mark. Unfortunately, probably not the kind of mark that would warrant him a peaceful death among his people. With Gaddafi's demise and the return of Africa to the global platform in terms of its promise for exploitation/investment (again, depends on how you look at it), we have once again come upon a crossroads in our common history as Africans. To be [insert adjective] or not to be [insert adjective]. That is the question. RIP Gaddafi.

Some interesting related links.(Feel free to share additional ones via comment):

Gaddafi's Influence on Africa: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/gadhafis-influence-on-africa/article1915484/

What Does Gaddafi's Fall Mean for Africa?: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/08/201182812377546414.html

Another Victory for a New Approach to War?: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/21/world/africa/qaddafis-death-is-latest-victory-for-new-us-approach-to-war.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

The Letter Writing Project: Unplanned (Student AGAIN!)

2011-10-03T13:39:00.003-04:00

Ciao people! I'm blogging all the way from Bologna, Italy! Beautiful city, interesting experiences so far. This blog was written a couple of days ago and didn't get posted because I got quite self-conscious about what it was about (definitely NOT my grandest moment). But after some thought I decided to post it. I feel it's important to acknowledge both struggles and triumphs, especially if growth is the bottom line objective, and particularly since life does throw us a curve ball from time to time. Alors...I'd say enjoy...but given the subject matter, maybe "I hope this speaks to you in some way" is more appropriate? Here goes..

Unplanned
"It isn't what you did in the past that will affect the present. It's what you do in the present that will redeem the past and thereby change the future." - Aleph (Paulo Coelho)

Le Due Torri - Symbol of Bologna

It’s been a week and a day since I arrived in Bologna land, which coincidentally, is the very reason why we have so many foods “Bologna” – think Spaghetti Bolognese. While I just sampled a gelato for the first time ever two days ago (whatever took me so long?!), my appreciation for the city soon-to-be-called-home started from day 1.

I’d written a post earlier while transiting through Brussels, Belgium about why I was a bit melancholic about leaving Ghana and what I hoped for here in Italy and at Johns Hopkins's Bologna Center, and guess what? The entire narration got deleted. Thrown out the door. Just like that. Basically, it became one of those ‘blog your way through your emotions’ posts, because as it turned out, it was just an outlet for me.

Now, fast forward to today and all that has happened already – it’s crazy what can happen in a week! – and I’m beginning to wonder whether my lil blog mishap wasn’t a harbinger of what was yet to come. I must say that I haven’t really gotten to explore Bologna inside and out (yet) since I pretty much got wrapped up in finding a place to live, getting the necessary documents, meeting classmates, choosing classes, and really, just trying to settle in. But I will. Eventually. Promise.

Anyway, anyone who knows anything about me – or reads this blog – knows how keen I am about development issues. As it were, getting into JHU was a huge deal for me especially considering the richness of their economics (development) program. I was simply enthused about getting into the international development concentration and going through the course listings, I wanted to do it all. Of course, that’s impossible. So, in order to maximize my opportunities, I carefully mapped out my plan for the next year, down to which classes I would take and what-not.

Now, there was only one thing – I had to pass a microeconomics exam in order to guarantee my spot. Econ major in college, easy peasy, right? Oh of course. Only sometimes it isn’t. Throw in the fact that you’ve been out of school for two years, and surprise, surprise, your brain has basically refashioned itself to suit your new frame of mind, and that certainty starts bordering on “maybe?” Question mark and all. In order to cut a long story short, lets just say I didn’t quite meet that requirement. I could list a whole ton of excuses (which I have been telling myself over and over) about why I didn’t simply fly through this one, but bottomline is I struggled. Literally stumbled from one question to the next.

So, whereas a week ago, I was certain about my field of study and academic plan for the year, with everything else being up in the air, this time around the script has been flipped. I have a place to live (Alhamdulilahi), an interesting internship which should begin soon, and a handful of people I’m already putting in the ‘friend’ category. What I don’t have now though, is an academic plan. Don't get me wrong, I'm still pursuing international relations and economics as a program, I just have to reroute myself and figure out a 'new'concentration/major/specialization while tryna foresee how it fits in with my overall career aspirations. I’ve been blind-sighted before, but this particular one was a bit hard to take. Think being knocked breathless after a hard breakup. Yeah, sorta like that. Coupled with the tears and everything.

What happened next? Well, if you must know, I found (find? Still happens occasionally) myself questioning whether I should be here in the first place - in this world-renowned international studies program. Whether I really am ready to delve right back into academics, and in such an austere training program too! I caught myself ALMOST calling myself stupid – never has that happened, and thank God I snapped right out of it - because whoever ‘fails’ microeconomics? It was very humbling, trust me. Definitely reminded me that I’m here to learn, first and foremost. Above all, I felt like I had just wasted an awesome opportunity.

Maybe I did. But see, the thing is, I am still here. It’s barely even week 2 and classes are yet to start. This chapter is just being written, so why am I slamming the book shut before I’ve even begun? I don’t know, but I guess we do that to ourselves sometimes.

Alors, what’s the point of this soliloquy? I guess its about giving myself a second chance; trusting the process and God, and this time, of having some flexibility. I was actually quite astounded when I heard myself explaining the very intricate mapping of my academic foray to the program director. I certainly didn’t know I had it all planned out to the last detail, but apparently I did. And as it seems, my plan left very little room for much else. So, I’m starting afresh (not by choice, but rather by design). I’m going to try to come up with a new concentration/major that still has elements of development in there, but that also takes things like… I don’t know yet… into consideration.

Maybe this is a good thing - being propelled to keep an open mind (and I thought I was open minded before lol). Maybe I will discover something interesting about myself I had been unaware of before. Hopefully, it won't go down as one of my biggest regrets (tofiakwa, God forbid!) Eitherway, I’m taking it a step at a time. If anything, it’s a challenge to me to prove that I’m worthy of this field and the enormous undertaking that I’ve professed in under (and loud) tones that I want to pursue. And since I’m apparently great at professing things, here’s another one: Whatever happens, I WILL excel. Mark my words.

So yeah, once I figure out – actually, once I have some idea of (flexibility, remember?) – my area of focus, you all will be the first to know. Until then, I’m keeping it zen. Open mind, open heart. And with that, it's ciao for now!

P.S.: On a historical note, Bologna is famous for its "twin towers" (Le Due Torri), both of them are leaning. I'd say that's symbolic of the need for flexibility when living (studying) in Bologna, no? To read more about the towers, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towers_of_Bologna

Photo Source: Towers

African Youth: Common History, Endless Possibilities (AYGC 2011 Speech)

2011-09-10T05:56:00.000-04:00

With a participant during the AYGC 2011

Last month I was invited to participate in the 2011 African Youth and Governance Conference as a panelist for the African Youth Economic Forum which took place on August 10, 2011 at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. The conference was attended by over a 100 participants from all over Africa and the forum focused on Education; ICT; Natural Resources & Environment; Employment & Entrepreneurship; and Agriculture as key catalysts for sustaining growth and prosperity in Africa.

All in all, the experience was very powerful and more than ever, it is evident that Africa's youth are poised for action and tired of the rhetoric and 'talk shops' that our current leaders are all too fond of. Case in point: the Ghanaian deputy minister of youth and employment was literally rooted in one spot as participants fired questions at him about HOW exactly government is working to solve the youth unemployment situation. Point blank they told him, 'We don't want to hear about policies. We want to know and see strategic action and interventions."

Another thing that stood out to me about this particular conference was the fact that after the initial overview on Africa's challenges and problems, everyone - speakers and participants alike - wanted to move right on to discussing recommendations and brainstorming solutions. And this we did, both in the Youth Economic Forum and the ICT and media panel which I moderated later that afternoon.

A communique, dubbed the Accra Youth Accord 2011, was developed following the conference with various activities in the works to address the key issues facing Africa's youth. You can read the communique here and join the Facebook group.

As requested (and promised), you can now read my speech during the African Youth Economic Forum. Thanks to the peeps who sent in really good recommendations, and for those of you reading this, feel free to share your thoughts. Let's keep the dialogue and action going!

African Youth in the 21st Century

Visionnaire Series: Deborah Ahenkorah, Literary Adventuress

2011-09-07T06:44:00.000-04:00

It's my great honor to introduce this young lady to those of you who might not have heard of her, and for those of you who have, to hopefully share one or two things that you probably didn't know about Deborah Ahenkorah and her journey so far. The Visionnaire Series begins.

Privilege Vs Responsibility

At 24 years, Deborah Ahenkorah is living proof of the heights a person can reach just by trying.

A native of the Eastern Region, Deborah grew up with her parents in Ghana’s capital Accra. She attended North Ridge Lyceum, and later enrolled at Wesley Girls’ High School in Cape Coast. Consequently, she proceeded on scholarship to Bryn Mawr College in the USA, for her university degree.

“I had no reason to want to come back to Ghana. I’m going to America, why would I want to come back to Ghana? But in the four years that I was in school various experiences, you know, switched my mind 180 degrees,” Deborah recounted.

According to the self-proclaimed adventuress who once hawked children’s clothing at the Makola Market in Accra out of sheer curiosity, her epiphany lay in acknowledging both the privilege and responsibility that came with her Ivy League Bryn Mawr education.

“I was trying to be a lawyer, make some good money, you know? But then it became really more than that,” she said. “It became: Look, like it or not your education gives you some privilege. What are you going to do with it?”

What Deborah did was to start an on campus book drive in 2007 in order to get more literature to children and youth across Africa. However she soon realized that the real issue was not a lack of books, but rather access to literature that Africans could actually relate to.

Deborah explained: “How was it an okay solution that: African children can’t read. Well, let’s get them American books to read because American people are writing their books? I felt that African people had to write their own books too.”

Thus begins the story of the Golden Baobab Prize.

Building Blocks & Shoe-String Budgets

Idea rooted in mind, Deborah sought out funding opportunities, including the 100 Projects for Peace. While she didn’t secure that particular grant, she did have a pretty good draft proposal which she improved upon and submitted for minor grants at her college. This time around, she got the money she needed.

Money in hand, the next step was to identify someone, a field supervisor, who would not only share her vision, but also offer guidance in implementing her idea.

Deborah found both in Rama Shagaya, a Bryn Mawr and Harvard Business School alumnus who, at the time, was was on the lookout for Africa-related projects to get involved in. Between them, the Golden Baobab Prize officially took off in July 2008.

“So I got some money, came home one summer, plugged myself in an internet cafe, and the goal was to start the first - okay well, at that time it wasn’t even that ambitious - the goal was just to organize this writing competition.”

Things didn’t turn out so simple. Golden Baobab needed a website, judges, and a good amount of publicity and promotion to reach the furthest corners of Africa. To top it all off, Debbie was still a full-time college student.

“I had no experience at web design. I had to build a website that summer,” Debbie remembered. “But it worked.”

With only 12 entries submitted that summer, and on the verge of writing off the literary award as a failure, Deborah received some invaluable advice from a mentor.

“One of the older mentors that I have was like, actually no. Since you run it you can decide whether it has failed or not,” Deborah remembered. “You can say this has not failed because I’m going to extend the deadline and put in more work to get more people to write.”

And so she continued.

A couple of months later, the number of entries submitted totalled 76 stories from 9 countries, something Deborah describes as “a great success for something we marketed with zero dollars.”

She added: “What was interesting about the first year was that we were going to give 3 different prizes, $800 each. I didn’t have any of this money.”

To raise the funds, both co-founders dipped into their pockets. The book drive club which Deborah started at Bryn Mawr also helped raise $800 for one prize. The remainder was covered after Deborah “literally went around to people begging.”

Reading with kids at Accra's Mamprobi Gale Community Library

Challenges, Motivation, and Personal Growth

According to Deborah, the key aim of Golden Baobab is to discover, nurture and celebrate promising writers of African children’s stories.

The fact that the prize is overseen primarily by a team of volunteers demonstrates just how passionate the organization is about its cause. Unfortunately, not having a full-time team has also been a major challenge.

“My friends were just so supportive. People believed in it and they’d help out a semester, one year, whatever,” Deborah said. “But it just wasn’t consistent; because whenever someone new comes, you have to retrain that person.”

Nevertheless, Deborah believes Golden Baobab's impact is enough reason to keep striving on.

Her favourite “success story” involves a lady who happened to be a librarian at one of the Canadian libraries Deborah frequented as a child in Ngoye, Krobo.

After having someone type up her story for her, the librarian, who didn’t know how to use a computer, broke down in tears when she heard she was a shortlisted candidate for the Prize during the first year.

Deborah said: “She sat down and she just cried. Here’s a woman whose read countless of books to children and never thought that her story could potentially be worthy of anything.”

“That’s when it hit me that oh goodness, this is not just me behind my computer at the internet cafe. This is actually writers and actually people with dreams and people with stories who want to tell these stories and who want people to read these stories,” the young entrepreneur said.

Aside helping make the dreams of others come true, the Golden Baobab Prize has had a profound impact on the co-founder herself.

“Personally I think one of the most difficult things has been developing confidence in my ability to make this work, because this is not what I set out to do,” Deborah admitted.

With her mind set on being a lawyer, Golden Baobab first started off as a short-term project for Deborah. That she could handle. What shook her to the core however was when things evolved and started “getting out of control.”

“How can I, just barely graduated school, run a pan-African literary prize, you know, that is saying that it’s going to change the African literary landscape? What skills, qualifications do I have to make this work?” Deborah asked herself.

Apparently, enough. Three years down the line, Golden Baobab's Executive Director is coming into her own and acknowledges her role in making the Golden Baobab Prize what it is today.

“I guess my resilience and passion for it thus far is evidence that I can continue to take it places. And, I guess just with doing it for three years I’ve realized that actually I can do it a little bit,” she said.

Debbie with staff members of Playing for Change
during the Echoing Green Final Interviews

Winning the Echoing Green Fellowship

It’s been three years since the Golden Baobab Prize took off. Since then Deborah and her team have taken many bold steps in overseeing the annual literary award which has received over 200 entries since inception. They have also gotten literary giants like Ama Ata Aidoo to actively participate in their mission.

In June 2011, Deborah was named one of “today’s boldest social change visionaries” by Echoing Green; an acclaimed lending network with over two decades of experience in supporting ideas aimed at addressing some of society’s most pressing issues.

She applied for the Echoing Green fellowship after the application was forwarded to her – three days to the deadline - by Maya Ajmera, founder of the Global Fund for Children, which helps fund Golden Baobab through grants. Prior to that, a friend had forwarded the fellowship application to her via email. Her response? “Haha. Delete.”

“The funny thing is I was on the Echoing Green mailing list and had seen them sending the mail that people should apply for the fellowship. But it never even crossed my mind to apply for it. I was like, there’s no way I’m going to get this. This is for high rollers,” Deborah explained.

It would seem, however, that destiny would not take no for an answer. With the deadline three days away, Deborah spent an entire day contemplating whether or not to put in the needed effort. By day two, she was working feverishly on an application which many take months to complete.

While the Echoing Green application process was by no means painless, Deborah regards it as a very “powerful” experience which drastically shifted her thinking to the impact of the Golden Baobab. Through what she calls the “friendliest competition” she’d ever been in, she also got to network with likeminded individuals who “were just all so excited about each other’s projects”.

“It was a very empowering process for me in many ways and I didn’t think that I would even make it to the semi-finalist round, but that was okay because it had been a positive application experience,” she recounted.

But make it to the semi-finalist round she did, and as her mother rightly predicted, she sailed through to the finals as well. Ultimately Deborah was one of the final 15 fellows selected from 2,800 applications and initiatives.

“It was a very positive experience and, again, the competition was clearly top-notch, so nobody could be comfortable or confident,” Deborah said. “I certainly was not comfortable or confident and it was a huge shock to me when I realized that I’d been selected.”

With the generous support from Echoing Green, Deborah and Golden Baobab can kiss their shoestring days goodbye as they push on in their quest to rival the Heinemann African Writers series and change Africa’s literary landscape.

“I’m very excited because it’s going to open a lot of doors for Golden Baobab, and it comes at a time when I think Golden Baobab really needs that push,” she gushed. “It locks me in for two years so there’s no running away. It’s just going to mean a lot of really good things for Golden Baobab.”

The Golden Baobab Prize

So what exactly does it take to submit an entry to the Golden Baobab Prize? Well, first off, you have to be a citizen of an African state to apply and you can apply all-year round.

“It doesn’t matter what race you are, doesn’t matter where in the world you are, so far as you’re a citizen,” Deborah emphasized.

Stories accepted tend to be between 1000 to 5000 words and are reviewed in two separate judging sessions by a diverse panel of some of the best people in the children’s literature or African literature fields.

Entries which make it past the initial reading session and into the top 10 tend to “speak to any kind of person, not just literati.” In addition, they need to be solid stories.

“One thing that definitely we look for, I think, is just imagination, solid writing and a story that reflects something African. You know it could be uniquely African, faintly African, but a story that is an African story without doubt,” Deborah said.

There are two main categories for consideration: ‘Stories for readers aged 8-11years,’ and ‘Stories for readers aged 12-15 years’. In addition, there's a special prize for the most promising writer below age 18.

“This is a very exciting category. It’s one of those that I’m really excited about because this is identifying a writer at the beginning of their career,” Deborah explained.

She continued: “[It’s] saying that we see a lot of promise in you, you’re going to go places, and we’re going to try our best to help you go places and to help you not to lose your dream for writing.”

Ahmed Farah, a 16-year old Kenyan boy who submitted five stories to the prize in 2010, won last year’s “promising writer” title with Letters from the Flames. Set in his home country during the 2007-08 post-election crisis, Ahmed’s story is about an 11-year old Kenyan girl who writes letters to her dead father.

“It was written so convincingly in the voice of an 11-year old Kenyan girl,” Deborah exclaimed. “This is a 16-year old Kenyan boy. That spoke so much to us that who is this boy who dares to write as an 11-year old Kenyan girl?...It was exciting to discover him and his work.”

In addition to winning the monetary prizes, winning authors and stories are connected with leading publishing companies in order to produce African books for children and young adults to enjoy.

Debbie celebrating Golden Baobab's 2nd Anniversary with Prize
supporters in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Moving Forward – How Can You Get Involved?

Aside the obvious – writing and submitting entries to the Prize – Golden Baobab is on the lookout for support to “fully establish” itself. That said, if you’re – or know someone who is - a corporate sponsor, grantmaker, publisher, illustrator, writer or passionate individual who identifies with Golden Baobab’s mission and vision, you might want to keep tabs on Deborah and her organization via the organization's website,Facebook, and/or Twitter.

“Our goal in ten years is good quality, beautiful written and illustrated African books in bookstores all over the world,” Deborah shared.

As someone who's already proven that she can transform an idea into reality, here's what Deborah has for African youth:

“My advice or word of inspiration would be that - so cliché - but just do it. I feel like a lot of people have really great ideas and stall on those ideas because they think they can’t do it. That was me. I thought I couldn’t do it, but I had to do it and then I realized that oh I can. And I don’t think that’s a unique story. I think we have the capacity to do what we want to do. If we would just do it, we’ll realize that we could.”

Thumbs up to Deborah and the Golden Baobab Prize! We look forward to many more exciting stories. All the best as you continue along your visionary path!

Visionnaire Dev't Minute: Deborah Ahenkorah

2011-09-06T19:58:00.000-04:00

Finally, the first interview of the Visionnaire Series with Deborah Ahenkorah of the Golden Baobab Prize is all set! Stay tuned for the full showcase right here on Circumspect! In the meantime, here's a small teaser/preview, what I call the "Visionnaire Development Minute", on Debbie's thoughts on, well, development in Africa. Agree, disagree, have something to add? Please do share! Enjoy!

Circumspect: How do you think the advent of e-reading will influence Africa’s literary landscape?

Deborah Ahenkorah: I think the discourse around e-reading everywhere in the world is so fascinating, because without a doubt, e-reading is the future. No matter how you spin it, it is the future. But what’s interesting about it is how is it going to become the future? What is the process and what path is it going to take for it to get to the future? The western world is far, far ahead of us in that discourse, or in that journey of e-reading from a concept to the reality, like the reading reality, and Africa is still at the beginning. What’s interesting to me is that this discourse is happening more and more frequently in Africa because of mobile technology and a lot of people exploring the potential of mobile technology being the path for e-reading in Africa.

But all the people talking about these mobile technologies and e-reading in Africa, who’s going to be writing? Currently we don’t have a lot of books because a lot of people are not writing. Suddenly we’re excited about e-readers? When those e-readers come, who will be writing for the e-readers? What’s going to change? Suddenly we’re going to become a literate community because e-readers are here? No. Unless we also talk about where our writers are, what the support they have is, and how we can make them better, nothing is going to change. E-readers can come and we won’t cash in on it. E-readers will come and all we’ll still be reading is Sidney Sheldon and Nora Roberts because we’re not being serious about the arts and we’re not paying attention to something that is important for every society’s scope, but something that’s also a money maker. It has a lot of economic implications and we’re not paying attention to it. For me its almost comical, I’m just like, guys, let’s get it straight and have realer conversations about it.

Circumspect: Do you think access to literature by young African writers is important for moulding Africa’s future? Why and how do you see the availability of such literature written by Africans affecting Africa’s total development?

D.A.: So many ways, goodness. The first one is, I think one of Africa’s main problems, is how much we underutilize our human resource. We have all of this brain and we’re not developing it the best that we can. Our educational systems, at least in Ghana, go through reform after reform, but what are the reforms for? You know, we’ve reformed the system several times but its still Rhodes learning. We’ve reformed the system several times but still it only favors 10% of the population and too many people still fall through the cracks. So I think we’re really not developing our biggest asset which is our human resource, and if we don’t develop that we’ll continue not to do well. Now if the government will not develop for us perhaps we can develop ourselves. How do people develop themselves and their thinking and educate themselves? They educate themselves through books. Now,a lot of research shows that if you have access to books that reflect your experiences and interests, you will read. So if young people on this continent get up and say that we’re going to write the stories that we want to hear, the stories that we want to read, when the stories are out they will be read. Heinnemann proved this in the 1960s when they started this series that to date is still being read, 50 years, half a century later, these stories are still being read. These stories are still the canonical works of literature that we have. So clearly, if you produce books people will read and if people read, you know, we’re developing our human resource if people read.

Circumspect: What is your vision for how Africa should develop?

D.A.: Again, human resource, because I feel a lot of the development conversation, at least in Ghana, centres a lot around politics. And that’s all well and good but since the beginning of time politics has failed us. Political systems have failed us. Politics has not brought change, its people who have brought change. So if the African continent- I wish there’d be a shift in thinking and we would realize that look, government and politics are there to steer us, but we’re the change makers, and people would dare to make the change that they can make, then we’d be in a much better place. Because really, we just need to get up and fix the things that need fixing. If the government isn’t going to do it, we need to do it ourselves. If only we could gear the thinking of our human resource towards this and more people would dare to get up and not wait for the government, and do things for themselves, I think we’d be in a much better place. I think that’s what could drive development on this continent.

Ramadan Special (Days 10-21): What's In A Name?

2011-08-21T07:20:00.001-04:00

It's funny to think that after all this time I NOW get why Muslims are encouraged to learn Allah's 99 names.

We have a guest in our home, and according to Dagomba tradition, her name for the first week of her life here on earth is "Saanpaga", which means "Lady guest". The male equivalent, "Saandoo" also means, take a wild guess, "Man Guest". Total ingenuity, I know. Anyway, today Saanpaga will finally get her own name according to Islamic tradition. And during the last 10- and what is deemed the holiest- days of Ramadan too! MashAllah. In addition, as per family tradition, she will get a Dagbani middle name.

Yes, her Islamic name will most likely have "tu" affixed to the end as most Islamic female names do. No, it's not a fad, but rather a grammatical rule, as "tu" serves as a female indicator. Kind of like the French 'e'. My full name for instance, is Jemila(tu) Wunpini Abdulai. Jemila means beauty or beautiful in Arabic. My Dagbani name Wunpini - given to me at age 14 by my late grandfather- means "God's Gift", while Abdulai is our family name and incidentally, the name of Prophet Muhammed's father. So now you know the origins of the "God's Gift" on my Facebook profile.

Anyway, after suhoor this morning I was doing some research on how Muslims select names for their babies and I came across this website detailing Allah's 99 most beautiful names. Nothing new there. I'd heard about them and even attempted memorizing them. But I'd never actually connected with them. This directory gives a good descriptiom of each of Allah's names and I found it especially comforting. That's when I realized the importance of knowing Allah's names by heart- so at any given moment, we can "call on" Him and find solace in the many roles he plays - as our Guide, Confidant, Lord, Protector, etc.

Here's something interesting about His names. Each of them starts with "Al", "Ar" or "As"which means "The", and Allah encourages people to take on some of His names as their own, only without the "The". Also, all names are free game with the exception of "Allah" which means "The One" (Obviously, the name would become defunct if more than one person used it.) So, essentially, Allah gives each of us some quality similar to the many He has and asks us to imbibe it. Now if that's not an amazing thing- sharing the same name as the Creator of the Universe! - then I don't know what is. MashAllah.

Bon, I've only just started perusing Allah's names, and already, I have favorites - Al-Rahmaan ( the Compassionate), Ar-Raheem (the Merciful) and As-Salaam (the Source of Peace). Take a look at the list and let us know yours :)

Love, Light and Blessings to you all! Salam!

P.S. My lil cousin has a name! Shefa'atu Nasara. Shefa'atu meaning 'intercession' in Arabic, and Nasara being 'blessing' in Dagbani. Welcome to the world lil one! May each of your steps be guided by Allah, Ar-Rahman! Amine!

Circum-Alert: Hold The Future - The Movement Is Here

2011-08-19T12:46:00.001-04:00

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it." - The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)

Finally, after numerous allusions on this site, I get to introduce you to a project I've been personally involved in since returning home to Ghana. As you know, our dear continent (Africa) has undergone many challenges over the years, some of which seem to get worse by the minute. In the midst of all of that however, there has always been the resilience and sheer force of the African spirit that refuses to buckle under all the pressure.

Many times I've listened to friends, colleagues, coworkers, family, acquaintainces and even strangers talk about how they would rather NOT be doing what they are doing (I believe the term used is 'day job') and would rather be pursuing something else entirely (their passion/dream). Why DON'T they? Family pressure, financial contraints, fear, unpreparedness, insecurity, time, age, lack of motivation, doubt; the list is endless.

I do a lot of reading (big surprise!) and usually like to read up on successful people, and more especially, changemakers.I've also interviewed a bunch of people who are leaders in their respective fields. There seems to be a common thread among highly successful and fulfilled people: They take a risk/chance on themselves and follow their passion and/or dream.

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you.”

- Maya Angelou

I honestly believe that in pursuing one's passion or interest, everything else will come, and I like to think that my own experience is testament to this fact. A virtual nobody from Tamale, Ghana, I've simply been doing what I enjoy (writing), and already I've been blessed with numerous doors and countless opportunities beyond my wildest imagination. Sure, I might still be categorized as an impoverished (not poor) student, but Alhamdulilahi, I do not lack. In addition to all the experiences I've been graced with, the simple fact remains: I get to do what I love.

Hold The Future - The Writer from kofi on Vimeo.

So, I have a couple of questions for YOU: Have you ever imagined your future? Overcome a challenge? Birthed a dream? Well, you're not alone.

Now, more than ever, our generation (yes, you and I) have the opportunity to birth possibilities that were "impossible" before. How? With hard work, determination and a renewed sense of purpose, passion and possibility.

I'd like to take this intro again. If you like what you see kindly pass it on.

Here's a campaign I feel honored to be a part of. It's about you and I. Our dreams and our possibilities. Roadblocks and triumphs. And above all: passion and determination. Real People have dreams, and every dream has a holder. Hold The Future.

Website: Http://www.realpeoplescompany.com

Join or "Like" the RPC Facebook page to share your story

Follow RPC on Twitter for updates

Check out videos and real stories from real people like yourself.

This ain't no gimmick. It's real. We're literally holding the future. Join the movement.

Photo Source: RPC

Ramadan Special (Days 5-9): Perfectly Imperfect (Human)

2011-08-09T05:52:00.001-04:00

Nor say of anything, "I shall be sure to do so and so tomorrow," without adding, so please Allah!" And call thy Lord to mind when thou forgetest, and say, "I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer (even) than this to the right road." - Surah 18: 23, Al-Khaf (The Cave)

This is undoubtedly one of my favorite chapters in the Holy Qu'ran. It tells the story of some young Muslims and their dog who came upon a cave when fleeing their enemies. Allah caused them to fall into a deep slumber, sealed the cave and saved them from their pursuers. When they awoke they wondered how long they had been asleep, and God commanded them to go into town to find out. They literally woke up in another time/era, the exact of which remains unknown to all but Allah.

Why I like it? I can't pinpoint one thing. Maybe it's the comfort of knowing that God protects his own, or that He lovingly guides us to the best path/situation. Perhaps I find it amusing that what seems an eternity for us humans is mere seconds in the sight of the Divine, I've always found the concept of time quite fascinating. Or maybe how humbling it is when you consider the fact that our furthest reaches of wisdom is mere child's play to God. Either way, I think the essence of this particular verse is undeniable. By virtue of our humanness, we are inherently flawed. Unlike the all-knowing our perceptions of situations are usually limited to personal experiences and hearsay (that includes what people have told us, what we've read, think we've seen and so on) I'm sure we've all had one or two experiences when we thought we had something figured out to the final dotted i, only to find we know absolutely nothing. If you've never had such an experience, prepare yourself for Humility 101. LOL.

So, if all the above is just and true, pray tell me how we ever expected our so called economic systems - which, by the way, are founded primarily on the principles of profit making- to deal with the inequalities and poverty that mars every society, and leave everyone happy? All things being equal, thats simply impossible. The recent downgrade of the US credit rating, the deepening global economic crisis which is quickly spreading to other so called economic powers (Italy & Spain), and perhaps especially, the riots from Egypt to Senegal, to Malawi and now to London, UK, all call for a rethink of a lot of things, including how we've been doing business. I think this is a huge lesson to African governments especially. How long will we dance to the tune of what the West calls good policymaking or development, when, evidently, its not working for them either? Oops, someone must have missed that particular memo. How is it that Somalia's famine, which has been around for over a decade could possibly get worse when every night international corporations like MacDonalds throw out tons of food? Or that education should see stringent cuts while large businesses get tax breaks? With all due respect, it seems we've done a good job of showing just how limited our perceptions of life are.

Sure, the economist in me gets it. It's a typical case of cause and effect. We spent more than a penny on non -rainy days and as the forces of economics would have it, it's the developing markets that will feel the pinch. However, on a simple human level, its all meaningless. To what profiteth the world if it looseth it's humanity? That inherent urge to be one another's keeper and practice the Golden Rule? Are we so far into modernity, development and what not that we lose our very essence: love? I hope not. The great leaders of our time always claim to have solutions for how to strategically tackle so and so issue. But let's be honest, nobody knows jack. It's all trial and error, no two days are the same, and considering none - or rather most- of us were not around for the Great Depression and so on, how sure are we that whats written in the so-called history books is true?

That's not to say that we should give up arms. Not at all. Rather, we need to realize that our individual and collective histories are written every single day, so if it means going back to the darned ol' drawing board because things aren't turning out the way we expected, then let's go back to the drawing board and quit ~~wasting~~ marching time! While we're at it, how about being a bit more circumspect about what the real situations are and how we can mitigate the challenges given our limited resources? *Eyeballing Ghanaian politicians *All we've been doing so far is recycling. But guess what, as technology has it, garbage in, garbage out. Maybe its time to step aside and seriously re-evaluate? Ultimately, we're part actors-part watchers in this act called life. Like it or not, We all have a part to play. InsAllah we'll step up to our respective charges and do what's best for humanity as a whole, so help us God. Salam!

Turning and turning in the widening gyre, the falcon cannot hear the falconer. Things fall apart, the center cannot hold. Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world - William Yeats

(Full Poem)

Photo Source: http://socialtimes.com/files/2011/04/earth.gif

Ramadan Special (Days 2-4): Circles of Positivity

2011-08-04T06:07:00.000-04:00

In an authentic Hadith, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:

"Man is influenced by the faith of his friends. Therefore, be careful of whom you associate with."

One of the distinct features of Ramadan that I have come to love is the feeling of camaraderie, of being one anther's keeper and of going out of ones way to show love and support. In my opinion, (wo)man's capacity for kindness is never more evident than during this Holy month. Its a time when complete strangers sit together in prayer shoulder to shoulder for hours and contemplate the wonders of God's creative abilities. When families who live in the same house yet have very separate lives pause for a moment and rediscover one another. When people go out of their way to lend a helping hand to the needy and orphaned in society. And perhaps, what's most beautiful, when the indescribable bond between humanity - Muslims and non-Muslims - is renewed.

Over the years and during my time away from home I have experienced just how generous and supportive people (and complete strangers) can be. From the young couple in Washington, DC who opened up their beautiful penthouse apartment (yes, you read right) to me for the summer for free (note, a shared apartment in DC usually goes for at LEAST $800/month), on account of my being an MHC alumnae, to the countless, countless people who encourage and support me in trying to find my path in life. This Ramadan has come with a bounty of pleasant surprises. From my coworkers who check on me periodically throughout the day to make sure my energy level is still up, to my virtual peeps from all over the world who wished me Ramadan Kareem and just yesterday, my friends who hesitated in mentioning "food" and "drink" in front of me in fear that I would be tempted. - Side note, you don't need to censor yourself on the topic of food around me lol. Yes, I adore food, but I can hold my own during Ramadan. - I find it especially heartwarming to note that the level of awareness among the non-Muslim community in Ghana seems to be changing/growing. Sure, there are still the occasional jokes about how "I cant wait for the Muslim holiday (Eid). The way I will eat eh!" or "This Hausa koko (porridge)/waakye (rice and beans) woman paa how dare she not show up because of fasting?"I think all that is in goodwill. Or maybe its less of the phenomenon, and more of the people?

Eitherway, the love, support and positivity that I experience during Ramadan has made me even more conscious of the people I interact with. Not just in general, but particularly on a daily and consistent basis. In primary school or JSS I probably would have restricted my interactions with a person because they passed me in the exam, or they were teasing me, or some other seemingly important reason at the time. Today, I tend to look less to the blatant actions of my circle of acquaintances and friends, and more to how they make me feel. Pause. I know this sounds very hippie, but allow me to elaborate. All the universe is made up of energy - protons, electrons, neutrons, atoms- and science proves that even our very thoughts transmit some amount of energy. Just as some people inspire, others drain, and both influence you to a degree. While you might not be able to change the kind of energy coming from someone (they are their own self contained universe and as it would be you're not king or queen) you can control how much it affects you.

So, if you have that one friend who always makes you feel down, unimportant or as some would say, a non entity, you need to evaluate why you're allowing that person into your space at all. Wars, famine, and other disasters might affect you on a physical plane, but negativity kills on multiple levels - emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically. On the flip side, there are other people who literally get your blood pumping...and i dont mean in a sexual way....who make you want to push further, to work towards your dreams, to take a HUGE bite out of the apple called life and go on to actively LIVE! Those, my friends, are the people you should be surrounding yourself with, for all our sakes.

So what happens to those people who through no fault of theirs have been handed a hard deal in life? Do they get left behind? Notice that we're not talking about physical conditions here. Some of the people who have inspired me the most have had some of the most unimaginable struggles you can think of. Physically, they might not (seem to) inspire much. The key here is not what they have by way of money, looks, etc, but who they are- persistent, hopeful, determined, kind, etc. Additionally, we all need to realize that we have the ability to influence and inspire. Yes, YOU, in your own small way. Do not underestimate that power. And sometimes,when you find yourself in a pit of gloom, it'sYOU who will reach within and pull yourself up. So no, do not immediately discount someone on account of the negative vibes you get from them, but realize that sometimes, people come into our lives not because of what they can give us, but rather how WE can assist them. There are those one-way interactions in life, and for those my general rule is to assist as much as you can, but not to the point where you yourself are totally drained and can barely help yourself. We are only as strong as our weakest link.

Since coming home I have encountered over 30(and counting) young and inspiring individuals who I am certain without a doubt will leave such an indelible impression on Ghana, Africa and the world, that their influence will continue to resonate long after their charge in this life is done. Here on Circumspect I call them Visionnaires. The beautiful thing about them is they are just like you and I, trying to make their way in life, and perhaps caring a bit more about how they do it. Simply being around them makes you want to be and do better. Make no mistake, this is OUR generation. It's already upon us. We each have an ink-filled quilt poised between our fingers and the upcoming pages of our individual and human existence are literally in our hands. May we each find the courage, the love, and the faith to put quilt to paper and leave positive impressions. Amine. With that, massalama (peace be with you) and have a blessed day!

Ramadan Special (Day 1): Beyond Peace

2011-08-02T05:43:00.000-04:00

Ramadan Kareem! The Holy month is here again, and started on August 1 for most of the world. This year's Ramadan is significant for me in a number of ways. Numero uno, it's my first Ramadan in 6 years with my entire family in Ghana! And by family I mean nuclear family. Previous Ramadans were spent with various 'family members' in the US, France, Senegal, and virtually. So now we're back to home base, Alhamdulilahi, and that also means there are some key differences, the least not being the fact that I actually eat properly during suhoor (dawn meal) and iftar (evening meal) thanks to mummy :)

I've probably mentioned on here how every year right before Ramadan something usually pops ups to mess with my equilibrium and then the entire month is essentially spent delving within and trying to regain my internal balance. So far there has been nothing of the sort. Alhamdulilahi I'm swimming in harmony; my family and friends are close, I have an interesting job, engaging with amazing peeps, Accra's traffic is tolerable, the weather is NICE! - Ok, I need to detour here a bit. The weather is so unlike Ghana! It's chilly and windy most times, not too sunny. Quite reminiscent of Fall. I love it and especially the fact that I can layer, but it is also indicative of how swiftly climate change is taking hold, which is worrying. I read somewhere yesterday that there are hailstorms in the US?? Right after a series of heat waves? God help us all. - Perhaps above all is the fact that there's so much to look forward to. I've been interviewing some exceptional young Ghanaians for the Visionnaire series and also as part of an innovative campaign by Real Peoples Company called "Hold the Future" and I hope to share with you all over the next couple of months. So, I guess this is what contentment feels like.

Seeing that I've entered Ramadan with a piece of peace, it looks like my experience of the month is gonna go to a different level. It's day two (already!)and the main thought on my mind is "I wanna do this right." Not that all my past Ramadans were defunct, I hope not, but rather I'd like to pay extra care to observing the recommended activities - praying, seeking Allah, reading the Qu'ran, learning about Islam, etc. So for instance, yesterday I listened to Enya most of the day because there's less of a tendency for swear words. Also, I'm guinea pigging myself to see if I can wear a headscarf - not necessarily a hijab, more like a turban - throughout the entire month. I've always believed wearing a hijab is more of a lifestyle choice and I'd like to see how this goes. It's something I've attempted it in the past, but never really went beyond a couple of days for whatever reason. So yeah, I'm giving it a shot out of sheer choice. Now if it starts feeling like an obligation handed down to me I don't think I'd be as open. Finally, I've decided to dedicate each day to praying for someone I know who's made an impression in my life. Unfortunately I can't share the list, it hasn't even been drawn up. I'm just gonna go with the moment and pray for whoever's name pops into my head most each day. And of course, I'll be praying for world peace and all that fun stuff too, hehe.

Bon, I guess this post goes in line with the first tip I gave to a friend who's fasting in solidarity with her Saudi friends - which, I think it's really admirable and fosters mutual understanding across religions: Figure out what you're fasting for/towards. As with any productive venture, you need goals. What are yours? Hope you have a blessed Ramadan! Massalama my friends :)

Circum-Alert: Taking Accra By Storm, Chale Wote Style!

2011-07-11T10:51:00.010-04:00

A free urban arts festival, the Chale Wote Street Art Festival could soon be the in-thing on the GH street arts scene. Co-sponsored by ACCRA [dot] ALT, The French Embassy (in Ghana) and Institut Francais, the first edition of the soon-to-be annual international festival will take place on July 16, 2011 in the Jamestown community of downtown Accra from 10am till 10pm. The event is the brainchild of Mantse Aryeequaye (an independent filmmaker) and Dr. Sionne Neely (a researcher and writer); both coordinators of ACCRA [dot] ALT. In the words of the organizers, its purpose is “to promote the exhibition of alternative art in Ghana and to nurture an appreciation for different kinds of art among Ghanaians.”

The first time I read about the Chale Wote Street Art Festival, I thought: interesting name. The second time around during GhanaBlogging’s July meetup over the weekend, I got a peek at the schedule of events and thought, interesting concept/project! Now, after some musing over what this festival could mean for Ghana’s arts and culture/tourism scene, I’m thinking 100% innovation. Why such an endorsement? Well, for one thing, we don’t seem to have as many cross-generational, hip, artsy events in Accra (or Ghana for that matter). Sure we have 100 and something festivals but those are traditional. Not that I have anything against traditional festivals. I just think they tend to be more (ethnic) group-based.

Innovative how? Well take the name, “Chale Wote”, which means “Man, Let’s Go”. I don’t know the exact origins of the term, but in Ghana it has been assigned to the flip flops or plastic slippers that, I’d bet my weekly fufu on, graces every Ghanaian’s feet at one point or another. Symbolically, chale wote emphasizes the undeniable link between Ghanaians irrespective of our different backgrounds, whether rich or poor, educated or not, from north or south, we all wear it. If you ask me, I think it's a pretty appropriate name considering the festival will involves a series of arts-oriented activities and projects - spoken word, painting, a "Funky Fishnet psychedelic fashion show", an array of biker/rollerskater/skateboarde stunts, kite making a la Ghana-style, experimental theater, t-shirt construction and trash sculpture workshops for kids from JamesTown schools, and many others – all within walking distance. Yes, you read right. You can literally shuffle your chale wotes from one interesting activity to the next since it will all be held from the Lighthouse in James Town to the old Kings Way Building close to High Street; probably what would qualify as the “original” Accra or downtown. How neat is that?

What makes it great? Well, in comparison to countries like Senegal which have a very strong (urban) arts scene – probably due to the fact that tourism is one of the key revenue generators – Ghana’s arts scene is generally untapped or rather, not deeply explored. As the co-sponsors are French institutions I’m beginning to wonder if it might be a “French” thing as well. The French do have a massive appreciation for the arts, right? (Think Musee de Louvre, La Tour Eiffel etc) Secondly, most Ghanaians tend to stay within their little bubbles and don't really explore the depth of history, culture and insight that abounds across the different parts of Ghana. Think I'm making too much of a bold statement? How many have been anywhere beyond Kumasi to say, the northern region? Bon, this festival is a unique opportunity to “travel” and experience just that - and right in Accra too! Finally, it’s encouraging and support home grown artistes, or if you’d like a more technical term, Ghana’s human resource base.

I don’t know about you, but just thinking of the event which the organizers have dubbed as a “Do It Yourself” festival brings colour, excitement, creativity and vibrancy to my mind. I mean, with acrobatics, graffiti painting, fashion, musical performances from artistes like Trigmatic, Yaa Pono and Mutombo, and let’s not forget FOOD, it’s got passion written all over it. Besides, with all the rain we’ve had these couple weeks – not that I’m complaining - it’s about time we breathed in some novelty. (Fingers crossed that it doesn’t rain on the D-day) So there! Something to mark your calendars for. See the full schedule below. Hope you make it and let us know how it goes! Quick recap:

Date: Saturday July 16, 2011

Time: 10am to 10pm

Partners: Dust Magazine, Ga Mashie Development Agency, JustGhana, The Foundation for Contemporary Artistes, Attukwei Art Foundation, Pidgin Music, Redd Kat Pictures, The WEB

Live music performances: Trigmatic, Yaa Pono, Mutombo, Artistes from Skillions Records, E.L., C-Real, Scizo, Delasi, and many more.

~~Fee~~ FREE!!! (You have absolutely no excuse for being a no-show!)

Contact: www.facebook.com/ACCRAdotAlt | accra.alt@gmail.com. | Tel: (+233) 0279942414

Chale Wote Street Festival Schedule

Photo Source: Chale Wote Street Festival Event Page, Accra [Dot] Alt Facebook page

Poetry/Prose: Brace Yourself

2011-07-08T14:23:00.001-04:00

When it's this quiet, you know someone or something is up to no good.

Plotting and scheming and devising plans anew, all for the amusement of what it/they can do to you.

It's like an airplane ride.

You get on, make yourself comfortable, listen to the safety instructions – or not - and let your thoughts wonder far beyond the height of clouds upon which you ride.

The pilot's voice comes onto the PA system; introduces him/herself as well as his co-fate holders.

You hear it, but you don't really listen, because if anyone ever asked you anew, you'd never even be able to recollect the first letter of his/her first name.

And so you begin.

Some turbulence here, a couple of cumuli nimbus clouds there, wait is that a bird or a plane gliding next to me? No sir, simply your imagination running wild upon the pasture of sky.

Doze in, doze out, icky airplane food, yet you gobble it all down.

And the musings. Oh my, those musings.Such injustice they do to the very plane ride you're on.

From Hong Kong to Dubai to Cape Town and the Alps. All in but a jiffy of a second.

Finally, mercifully - you never really can tell - comes the sleep.

Deep yet right on the surface, with the neck, arm and leg cramps to show what a valiant attempt you made.

All that is fine, all that is expected, until...

...Well, the nothingness.

The split second when your eyes meet and you take in the essence of an entire being.
The "oops" right before you find yourself kissing the ground involuntarily after breaking yet another heel of shoe.

The hour transitioning night into day when even a pin drop would sound like a million cymbals to the ear

That eerie stillness when everything you ever knew is lain before you and then quickly taken away, and in its place...

“Go into brace position!” the air hostess announces in semi-panic, semi-control.

And there you are. Caught in a frenzy as the entire universe rushes in.
Wooooosh! Overload of information, of possibilities, of uncertainties untold.

Hi there, square one! Everything begins anew
From certainty to wonder, from knowledge to speculation.

They do say the hour is darkest right before the dawn.

Like it or not partner, you've been selected for this particular ride.

Now, fasten your seat belt and brace yourself.

Photo 1