Circumspect

[Repost]: Video Inspiration - Patrick Awuah & Ashesi University

2013-04-29T21:01:00.000Z

“Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

When ever I get to talking about Ghana and why there’s still hope for our continent and motherland,Ashesi eventually comes up. Why? It’s the epitome of what Ghana is, could become and will become — if more of us follow that strong conviction to do something more than live our lives; even if it means leaving a US job with Microsoft on nothing but that conviction.

I got introduced to Ashesi University during its early days and while I was in high school. My father was a computer science lecturer at the university and during vacation I’d usually tag along with him to “do research”. When I started applying to universities, Ashesi was my top Ghanaian school – even though they didn’t have an IR or economics program. Why? The liberal arts curriculum, the questioning, the critical thinking, the novelty of it all.

The Ashesi students I knew then had at least two years on me at the time, but it was great interacting with them. It was also inspiring – many Ashesi graduates have gone on to do amazing things like start their own business (See. DreamOval) – and now, two of my siblings are at Ashesi (one of whom will be graduating this summer!) and I’m proud of the people they are becoming. A bunch of Ashesi students are also in the running for the Hult Prize – in the company of institutions like Tufts University and the London School of Economics – to finance their project Food Alert on addressing food wastage.

I visited Ashesi’s ‘new’ campus at Berekuso some summers back and although I’d completed college by then, it made me want to be back in school all over again. I’ve also interacted with Patrick Awuah on numerous occasions and what strikes me is his openness and willingness to talk, listen. Stories like the Ashesi one are the kind that keep you pushing towards your dreams. To Mr. Awuah, the Ashesi staff, students, supporters – i pang i manga pam (You have done well!) More vim!

Sino-Africa, Twitter Connections & Azonto Love (Mini-Update)

2013-04-26T01:37:00.001Z

Hi everyone!

I haven't posted since Circumspecte won the BlogCamp Award; first because I was too jittery with excitement to really function or write anything comprehensive, and secondly because life events - aka school, spring allergies - took over. Maintenant, I'm still in school mode and inshAllah, will be wrapping up my graduate degree program at SAIS in less than a month! Sadly, that means I probably won't be blogging till that degree is signed, sealed and delivered. But then we have the whole summer to catch up! That said, I created the official Circumspecte Twitter page :)

Right now it's all papers a-flurry and non-stop multitasking tryna get all my assignments done, but I did go to a Sino-Africa happy hour this evening and got to talk to a bunch of interesting people, including Winslow who reached out to me on Twitter about the event after I tweeted a bunch of insights on China-Africa relations during my Trade and African Development class last week. Turns out Winslow spent part of his childhood in Ghana and Nigeria, and had just had a go at kenkey and fish before my classmates and I arrived at Bukom Café for the event.

I also met Cortland who's from Chicago and works in DC. Turns out he's been following Circumspecte for TWO YEARS and - get this - he found out about Azonto through my 2x4 Azonto performance at the end of my "10 things you didn't know about Circumspecte" video. Now, he's learning the dance and also listening to GH and Naija musicians like WizKid! I guess this might qualify as an I Made Ghana Better Today #IMGBT entry, abi Mr. Mighty African?

Anyway, I was really touched by Cortland's kind words. As he said, don't underestimate the power or opportunity you might have to influence someone. Use what you have. Thanks for the reminder Cortland!

Bon, I have to go tell the US government how best to spend it's development money again (policy memo on education in Africa). InshAllah, the next time I write to you all, I'll be done with exams and on my way to graduation! Oooh, btw Christiane Amanpour is our commencement speaker, how cool is that?!

Aight, till the next, please stay safe people - as much as you can - the world is crazier than we think. RIP to the Boston Marathon, Nigeria, China, Texas, Syria - gosh, so many! - RIP to all the world's victims in this very harsh month of April. May May bring with it more life and joy. Stay blessed!

P.S. If you are in Accra, BarCamp Kasoa is happening this weekend! As always, its FREE. Details here.

Circumspecte.com = Ghana's Best Citizen Journalism & News Blog!

2013-03-23T20:02:00.001Z

We won! My writing capabilities are in shock. For now, thank you everyone :) All glory due Allah.

Chinua Achebe: The Passing of a Great African Influencer

2013-03-22T14:00:00.001Z

I woke up this morning to news that Nigeria's prolific author Chinua Achebe had passed. I'm sad, but I'm also grateful - for his life, his work and more importantly, his influence.

Prior to attending Wesley Girls' High School in Cape Coast, I had virtually no idea about what "African literature" was. If you meant the stories submitted by readers to The Mirror, a Saturday weekly in Ghana, then maybe. But if you meant stories that capture the sometimes mundane details of daily life in an African country, complete with the kola nuts, local proverbs, and complexities of traditional and contemporary African life, then not really.

Then came Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Efua Sutherland's The Marriage of Anansewa - and a whole new world was opened up to me. I can't recount the number of times I read Things Fall Apart, it was just that good. Achebe's descriptions of Okonkwo, Unoka and Obierika - some of the main characters - were all too real and inviting. Each character taught something unique and valuable. And let's not forget the somewhat scary, yet hilariously absurd descriptions:

"I am Evil Forest, I am Dry-meat-that-fills-the-moth, I am Fire-that-burns-without-faggots". I mean.

What really did it for me was how he captured the inner struggles of each character, intertwining it within a web of history, tradition, social expectation, individual resolve, experience. In the pages of Achebe's book, I saw glimpses of the life I knew - a complex one, full of transitions, questions, victories, struggles, culture - on both the individual and societal fronts. Things Fall Apart might have been about Nigeria in the pre-colonial era, but it was very present and personal to me. Not to mention the fact that this was (finally) a colonial narration from an African perspective and voice. Two character references which left an impression on me are:

"Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride. It is difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone." - Unoka to Okonkwo

"But the Ibo people have a proverb that when a man says yes his chi says yes also. Okonkwo said yes very strongly; so his chi agreed." - Narrator

And then there were the proverbs, how can one forget the proverbs:

"Among the Ibo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten."

"Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings."

"The lizard that jumped from the high iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did."

"When mother-cow is chewing grass its young ones watch its mouth."

Achebe influenced many, including one of my favorite contemporary African authors: Chimamanda Adichie who I met in 2009. I can't imagine how she must feel. Adichie makes reference to Achebe on numerous occasions, and while their narrations on Nigerian history might differ, they both echoed the same thing: tell your story, speak your truth, bear in mind that it's not the only one. If I were to pinpoint one thing which has greatly influenced African youth today, it would be Adichie's TED talk on the danger of a single story (embedded below). And those words find their roots with Chinua Achebe:

"If you don't like someone's story, write your own."

"I believe in the complexity of the human story and that there’s no way you can tell that story in one way and say, this is it."

“It is the storyteller who makes us what we are, who creates history. The storyteller creates the memory that the survivors must have - otherwise their surviving would have no meaning.”

But that's not all. Achebe's influence extends beyond the literary world. I sent out a tweet asking people when they first encountered Achebe and through which book, and one of my tweeps responded that he read Things Fall Apart at 11 years to impress his father. And his father was impressed, because "at least I was graduating from the Adventures of Tintin to an African writer." The second time around - when he was much older and able to absorb the many themes presented in the book - he got the book's message. Achebe helped forge relationships and lifelong memories.

Nigeria and Africa have indeed lost a great man. But being the great influencer he was, his legacy, work and words live on. Professor Achebe, may you rest in perfect peace.

"Every generation must recognize and embrace the task it is peculiarly designed by history and by providence to perform.” ― Chinua Achebe

The Letter-Writing Project: #Ghana56 - Happy Independence Day (?)

2013-03-07T00:35:00.001Z

Art by Setor Fiadzigbey

As I write this, Ghana's 56th anniversary will be over in about two minutes - GMT-wise. March 6, 2013 has been...quite unusual. For one thing, it's probably the first time in my higher ed career that I've actually had a holiday on Ghana's independence day. All because of a supposed snow storm which never actually happened (Call it 2x4). Not that I'm complaining.

I got the day off, and while I missed President Mahama's Independence Day address (and his singing), I participated in GhanaThink's Twitter Fiesta Debate on whether Ghanaians are more united after 56 years of independence. Personally, I think we have more tolerance for one another. Unity would mean a deep understanding of one another - and our differences - and I don't think we've reached those depths yet. We still look down on one another and hold deep-seated prejudices. Nevertheless, some (tolerance) is better than nothing abi? After the Fiesta Debate, I watched Chapter 4 of Shirley Frimpong's Adams Apples movie series online via Hulu (so cool that they have it there!), but I kept feeling guilty for taking the day off considering all the things I should be studying.

So I decided to treat myself and make a full-fledged Ghana meal in celebration of independence day (see picture). I actually just finished eating all the yummy goodness with my housemates. Me, cooking alone, with GH/Naija tunes in the background and my thoughts at the fore. That's how I celebrated Ghana's 56th. In previous years I've written full-length independence day articles on one thing or another. Today, I'd like to keep it short. To sit with the emotion and the reflection.

The Black Star Lives!

Many of us are frustrated. Today rolled in amidst serious electricity outages and the usual hard times. Most of us are wondering whether we'll ever exit our discouraging situations. Some of us are wondering whether what we do is worth anything. I get frustrated too. It's hard, but change takes time.One of the songs I listened to today was "Happy Birthday" by Efya, Wanlov and E.L. This statement stood out to me:

"If we want better country, we for better wanna selves."

It speaks for itself, I need not say anything more. In four years (2017), Ghana will be 60years inshAllah. Being the Ghanaians we are, we will probably want to go big(ger) on that celebration. Let's make it count. Let's really strive hard so that when we get to March 6, 2017 we can look back and say "We really deserve this".

As long as there's one Ghanaian who's still trying with all their might to chart a better course - even those that seem impossible - the Black Star still shines. May we have the vision to dream bigger than the Big Six and the courage to see those dreams into reality. Happy Independence Day, Ghana! Best wishes for the new year! God bless our homeland!

Love always,

Circum-Alert: Nominee in Ghana's 1st Social Media Awards!

2013-02-21T15:23:00.002Z

So I just finished voting in Ghana's first social media awards - an initiative of BloggingGhana - and I must say, it was such a tough decision. But that's a good thing. It means there's a ton of great content out there! What's more, I found out about some blogs I never knew existed and of course I immediately followed their owners via twitter. Congratulations to all participating blogs!

Also, Circumspecte.com (Yes, this blog!) is a finalist under the "Best Citizen Journalism Blog" category. I've never actually described myself or this blog as "citizen journalism", so it's really humbling to be considered as such. Why? Because it means that all this writing - something I simply enjoy doing - counts for something. That in itself is enough. Thanks to all who've read, written to me, challenged, supported and egged me on. You can vote till March 8 at www.blogcampghana.com/voting

I couldn't have wished to be in better company. Circumspecte is running alongside http://sarpongobed.blogspot.com/. Obed is a very interesting person who's obvious passion for writing and Ghana is contagious. When I returned to Ghana after college and working in the US he invited me to be on the WritersProject radio show - that was my first radio showing and it was a lovely opportunity to share some of my creative writing. We also worked together on the Ghana Decides project for Ghana's recent elections.

Anyway, I've done my voting, so now its over to you. Head over to http://www.blogcampghana.com/voting/ and submit your vote! I'll tell you one thing though: you're going to have tough decisions all through because all the participating blogs are amazing!

Also, don't forget to register for BlogCamp 2013. It's free and a great opportunity to learn how to make the most of social media. Plus, you get to network and meet amazing folk! Until the next!

The Letter Writing Project: Living In Darkness

2013-02-19T14:42:00.002Z

Dear President Mahama,

I typically do not reach out to specific government officials in my "The Letter Writing Project" series, but in this case, I'm making an exception. During your swearing in on January 7, you pledged to not let Ghanaians down. In turn, we Ghanaians pledged - as citizens - to hold you and the entire government accountable. More importantly, you emphasized the effect that the life of one ordinary citizen can have on an entire nation. You, Mr. President, are no ordinary citizen.

It seems a given that for whatever reason, the name "John" has a presidential air to it. Many presidents aspire to do great things. I believe that the president who tackles Ghana's energy/electricity issues head on will go down as one of the best - if not the best - in Ghana's history. At the very least, he/she will earn the title of 'most proactive president' in my book.

From what I understand, the notion of power outages might have a distant familiarity to some Ghanaian leaders. Why? Because they might not have to experience it given the fact that there are generators available for use. It comforts me that, thanks to generators, government doesn't shut down completely when the Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG) strikes. But from what I gather, this might make the notion of "lights out" a distant memory to many of Ghana's leaders and hence, take the edge off the urgency. Kindly indulge me as I outline what it means to live in darkness, something we have learned to do all too well in over a decade.

Food: Our farmers/fishermen spend hours a day in the burning heat to cajole the earth/sea into giving up their fruit. Once harvest is done, the produce is sent to the markets. I am certain a bulk of it doesn't make it all the way - primarily because our preservation options are limited with incessant lights off. The result? Hardwork with no pay. Appliances: People's fridges, TVs, radios, etc, get damaged due to the unannounced power cuts. As we both know, the majority of Ghanaians probably save for months to purchase these appliances, only to have to spend more non-existent money to repair them and keep them in functioning order. Education: My siblings and many students in SSS and beyond - actually, even primary school - have a tough time studying or doing their homework. With all the traffic in Accra, they get home late from school and just as they are about to do their work -- lights off.

I dare not imagine the effect it has on their eyes - reading by candlelight/lantern as they do - but it's very obvious that the notion of using a computer (if they have access to one) and the internet to do their own research and come up with their own ideas about what they are studying is quite limited. Health: Anytime the lights go off I find myself wondering what the doctors and nurses who prepped for surgery or are in the middle of surgery do. What about the patients who have very uncomfortable ailments and have to deal with the heat and mosquitoes for lack of a working fan? Employment: Those who work aren't spared either. They have to sit in hot offices, waiting for the lights to come on so they can continue working on their computer. Those who work in electricity-heavy industries - like processing - well, I guess everything shuts down for them too.Lights off is wrecking havoc on our productivity and to some extent, on our patience.

Mr. President, I will stop there. From all indications, this electricity issue is not only a nuisance, but is literally damaging our economy and human capital - present and future - as well as our opportunities in turning Ghana around. WE have to do something. But I'm sure you are already aware of that.

"We need to look beyond temporary fixes to find lasting solutions for the complications we’ve experienced with power, water and sanitation."

That is what you said during your inaugural address. I agree with you. We cannot keep living in darkness, especially when we have what we need to change things around. I lived and worked in Senegal for sometime in 2010. Did you know that they rely on oil to power their nation like the Nigerians do? It made me realize that we are really blessed to have hydro-electricity and the Akosombo Dam to serve our energy needs. Imagine having to purchase oil at the ever-fluctuating world prices in order to have electricity! That said, we have a long way to go. The Akosombo Dam that Kwame Nkrumah spearheaded was not built for our current population of 24million AND for our fellow West Africans in Togo, Burkina Faso, and Benin. After Burkina Faso beat Ghana, some people joked that we should terminate our energy supply to them. Given that we are a country of (some) honor, I'm sure we'll keep those commitments. However the fact remains: our current situation is unsustainable.

I have heard that work is underway to construct the Bui Dam as a supplement to the Akosombo Dam. That is heartwarming. I only wish we had regular updates on the issue so we don't keep thinking 'government is not doing anything'. Public opinion of ECG is another matter altogether. What else can we do? Privatize the sector? Some years back I would not have mentioned the word "privatize" in a post, except to denounce it. From my graduate studies, I have a better appreciation for the challenges and decisions that go into delivering services in developing countries. So yes, I think the government needs to explore additional areas to not only improve upon our electricity production and distribution, but also, to diversify it. We need to explore our options - and that includes privatization or private management of our electricity. That said, government must ensure that whatever decision we take is reasonable for the average Ghanaian. Perhaps a tiered tariff structure to take into account the fact that many of us cannot afford to pay for electricity on our own? More importantly, we need to involve Ghanaians throughout the process. By not informing us about what is going on, you give us a free pass to be indifferent...and to lay all the blame on you and the government. That has to change. Just as the average Ghanaian is part of the problem, so are we part of the solution.

Mr. President, you might wonder why Ghanaians hold you - more than any other government official - responsible for what happens in our current electricity crisis. It's simple. You made promises to us. You issued statements saying the power cuts would stop by November, then December last year. You even said ECG was under investigation. Of course, you are not the one pulling the switch and despite what you might have hoped our power base cannot allow for constant electricity supply everywhere. I can understand that. However, the fact that you made those promises now means that you need to take personal charge of the issue in order to find the lasting solutions you spoke about in your inaugural address. Naturally, we - Ghanaian citizens - are also to blame. We have stood by for years, complaining up until the moment the lights come back on. We have simply been bystanders in our own lives. So now, we have to work. If the past is any indication, there is the sore issue of lack of political will. From what I gather from an evaluation of Ghana's poverty reduction strategy credits, past governments only started paying attention to the energy issue upon the insistence of the World Bank. The Bank made it a condition for our Poverty Reduction Strategy Credits. Why do we have to wait for outsiders to tell us - correction, demand - that we must fix our electricity problems, before we do so? Already, we have had at least two national blackouts in the past year. When is enough, enough?

I think a first step would be following up on Anas Armeyaw's investigation on ECG, dubbed "The President's Assignment" and bringing people to the book. The corruption in that institution is wrecking havoc on our economy. Furthermore, many corporations and public institutions - including the office you now occupy - weren't paying their arrears to ECG. It's encouraging that the government settled its arrears in August 2012, but many others are outstanding. Those funds could go a long way in making needed investments in our energy sector. Which brings me to the future. Some time back there was a BBC article about Germany seeking to generate solar energy from the Sahara Desert. That article made me upset - not at Germany, but rather at we Africans for not taking the initiative. It's no secret we have plenty of sun. So now I ask, do we have any plans on the alternative energy front? It's inevitable that we will have to explore those options, can we at least start some serious research on it? Maybe we can use some of the arrears that corporate Ghana pays back to fund research and innovative energy products? I'm sure there are some inventions out there looking for light of day.

Mr. President, you must have a very busy day - even more so with the growing discontent among Ghanaians on this energy issue - and so, I will end here. Thank you for taking the time to hear me out, I have hope that many other Ghanaians will be speaking up on this issue and maybe even take a strong stand to demand some answers. Having read this letter, I hope that you will be open to listening to our grievances and moving forward together towards (a start to) lasting solutions.

Living in Darkness,

[Repost]: Ghana's Bad Romances: Till When Do We Part?

2013-02-09T23:04:00.004Z

This blog was initially published on www.jabdulai.com
--

Many Black Stars supporters often liken their relationship with Ghana's national team to a bad (maybe even toxic?) romance. We love, believe, hope, trust, support and boast about how amazing the Black Stars are - some of us even write about them. All this to no avail - the team still cheats (on) us...with none other than 'failure'. Then proceeds the usual heartbreak cycle - disbelief, tears, anger, questioning, and finally, acceptance. Thing is, right after we accept that our relationship isn't all that it's cut out to be - and that we deserve better - along comes another football tournament that has us loving, believing and hoping all over again. Our love interest seems to improve for a while (think World Cup), before it's heartbreak all over again. It's like a never-ending cycle. But I guess that's what you sign up for when you declare yourself a patriot. Or is it?

My belief in Africa's potential is no secret, nor is my love for my country Ghana. However that has never stopped me from calling us out on our mishaps when the occasion requires it, and that's certainly not gonna stop anytime soon. Call it tough love. This is one of such occasions. Until further notice, I have put the Black Stars on a timeout. It's not them, it's me. I need space. I have no interest in what they do/don't do, who they play/don't play, or which victory dance they come up with in the off chance that they make it past the semi-final stage of a tournament (in true heartbreak fashion, that's a big lie, I still care).

The point is, like many Ghanaians I have emotional investments in Ghana's national team (and maybe even a financial stake - how do they pay them?) and it seems this particular relationship isn't as rewarding as it should be. The Black Stars are not playing to their potential. At all. We always excuse them saying, "Oh next time. World Cup dey,", but in over three decades they haven't even picked up the African Cup! True, the fact that we don't miss a heartbeat in firing our coaches post-tournament probably doesn't help for growing team spirit, chemistry and all the technical stuff- inconsistency wrecks havoc on any relationship - but is that really an excuse? Anyway, as I said, I have no further interest in the Black Stars until they step up to the plate and act like the Stars they are instead of lounging in their current identity as black starfishes (courtesy Wanlov). No, there are many other bad romances in town to ponder about.

I was only half joking with that tweet. Hands down, ECG wins the title for "bad boy" in the romance department. This is a company which has cheated on Ghanaians for decades and in numerous formats that we're not even surprised anymore. Even when our very own Anas Armeyaw uncovers undeniable evidence that ECG's loyalty to the Ghanaian public has been compromised, we still can't seem to get unstuck from our toxic relationship. But how can we? While some of us suffer, others prosper. In the case of ECG there are many "other women" - ECG employees who profit from black market sales, companies which make millions but don't pay a pesewa in bills, and - surprise, surprise - our very own government. When does it all end? When do we dish out tough love - show all our nonperforming leaders, agencies, representatives that they are not as irreplaceable as they think?

The fact of the matter is this: we (the people of Ghana) are as complicit in our continuing bad romances, as the other parties. True, it gets very complicated when heartbreaker and heartbroken are one and the same. But ultimately, we continue to foster the mediocrity inherent in these bad romances. We reach that level of acceptance for how things are without trying to change things for the better, telling ourselves that "This is how it is and how it has always been". True to Robert Green Ingersoll's words, we have become a republic of mediocrity where genius is dangerous, and as one unknown author posits:

“Mediocrity instills upon you once you begin justifying your lack of excellence by comparing yourself to the majority.” - Anonymous

So, after going back and forth numerous times in our various bad romances, one has to wonder when we will wake up to the fact that we are worth so much more and deserve so much better? Have we married mediocrity into the fabric of our society or is there hope yet that we might have an awakening; a moment where we finally get that we only get as much as we give and that in order to become the nation we claim to want to be we're going to have to demand more of and from ourselves? Until then, I guess this is the part where we sing ourselves to sleep with heartbreak songs: Oh Mediocrity, Till When Do we Part?

--

Sidenote: Congrats to Mali for a well-deserved win. All the best to the underdogs Burkina Faso. And to our sworn rivals Naija - do what you must :P

[Repost]: Ghana, Redefining African Elections

2013-01-26T05:59:00.000Z

This article was originally published on the London School of Economics Africa Blog.

Ghanaian blogger Jemila Abdulai looks back on a landmark election not just for Ghana, but the whole of Africa.

When it comes to African elections, one can always be certain of a healthy dose of unpredictability. From delays in delivering voting equipment to unexpectedly large voter turnouts, any African election fits the bill for a full-length movie, complete with the required suspense. Less evident though is the work behind-the-scenes; those moments of growth which leave such an impression on a country that they ultimately redefine what it means to be an African democracy. Nowhere is this more evident than during Ghana’s 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections.

A woman votes in Ghana’s recent elections Photo: Reuters

The one-day event, which extended into a second day, went beyond most people’s expectations and had both Ghanaians and the international community riveted until incumbent John Dramani Mahama was declared President-elect. Social media emerged as an instrument for political engagement, immortalising the country’s sixth consecutive election in cyberspace with the hashtag#GhanaDecides. There was no delegation of European Union observers for the first time since multiparty elections began in 1992; a move that Ghanaians embraced as a sign of maturity and confidence in the country’s electoral and democratic systems. It was therefore no great surprise that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) observer mission, led by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, declared the election “free, fair and transparent”. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. As with any journey of growth there was a myriad of challenges, both familiar and alien.

The presidential and parliamentary elections took place on 7 December 2012, a day traditionally declared a public holiday. The voting public was so eager that many started queuing outside polling stations as early as 7pm the night before. While these voters were right in anticipating the long queues that contributed to the country’s highest voter turnout to date of 80%, they were probably too optimistic in expecting the polls to kick off punctually. In true Ghana man time (GMT), there were delays in the delivery of voting equipment and in opening polling stations across the country. However, these roadblocks were mere deficiencies carried over from previous elections, rather than a novelty.

Ghana’s adoption of election technology had mixed results Photo: GhanaDecides.com

As the Ghana elections embraced technology in the form of biometric verification machines, the widespread failure of these led to a lack of confidence among the electorate in this new technical dimension. According to Ghanaian electoral rules, eligible voters had to be in the queue before polls closed at 5pm in order to vote. Given that Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) and political parties had agreed a “no verification, no vote” rule, there was considerable alarm among voters who were aghast at the thought of being disenfranchised due to faulty electronic fingerprint readers. As a result,the election was extended into a second day in order to transport working machines to affected polling stations and enable eligible voters to exercise their civic right.

Another first in Ghana’s electoral history was ensuring the security of the ballots cast. Passionate debates took place on the airwaves and street corners about whether vote-counting at unaffected polling stations might ultimately influence the final results. Unsatisfied with the EC’s directive that the police take custody of ballot boxes and election materials, many Ghanaians opted to spend the night at their respective polling stations; enduring the sweltering heat and persistent mosquitoes on a night jokingly referred to as Black Friday.

The second day of voting was relatively calm, and security personnel readily handled the few instances of unrest. Having traced the biometric machine failures to incorrect charging of batteries, the remaining registered voters who made it in line by 5pm got to cast their ballots. A lady in the affected Weija/Gbawe constituency who was finally verified by the almighty biometric machine on her second try epitomised the determination of many second-day voters.

On Sunday, 9 December 2012, the EC chairman Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan announced the final election results – via Facebook. Incumbent President Mahama was declared President-elect after making it across the 50% threshold with 50.7% of the 10million valid votes cast, while Nana Akufo Addo of the National Patriotic Party (NPP), his main contender, secured 47.7%. The Facebook declaration preceded a nationally-televised press conference and this elicited disbelief and excitement both on and offline. Supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) commenced their victory celebrations in white, green and red party colors while awaiting the customary congratulatory call from Akufo Addo. The call never came. Instead, the NPP flag bearer rejected the results and announced the intention to go to court over election fraud; this despite the election being ruled credible by both local and international poll observers.

There is avid interest in what President John Mahana can achieve in his first 100 days in power. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/JDMahama

What followed will probably be remembered as one of the tensest periods in Ghana’s recent political history. There were rumours that the EC’s credibility had been compromised, while heated online debates took on caustic tones. Seemingly following in the footsteps of Egypt’s Tahrir Square protesters, hundreds of NPP supporters converged at Accra’s Kwame Nkrumah Circle for three consecutive days to protest the results. Perhaps the main deterrent to violence was the insistence on peace and the fact that all eight presidential candidates had signed a landmark Kumasi Declaration for Peace. Nobody wanted to be held responsible for disrupting the peace.

Fast-forward a month, life is back to normal in Ghana. The NPP has submitted its petition to the Supreme Court and from all indications it will be yet another opportunity to improve the country’s democratic systems and processes. While the opposition boycotted the 7 January presidential inauguration, thousands of Ghanaians descended on the Independence Square to witness the swearing in of President Mahama and his Vice-President Amissah-Arthur by newly- elected Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho. The event was also well attended by former presidents Kufour and Rawlings, the first lady Lordina Mahama as well as foreign dignitaries like former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and Liberia’s Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

In his inaugural address, President Mahama promised a new era of partnership. Barely a week into his first 100 days, it seems Ghana’s youngest president might have a trick or two up his sleeve. Besides appointing Hanna Tetteh as Ghana’s first female foreign minister, he has also appointed non-NDC members to ministerial positions. Ghanaians online are tracking the president’s performance within his first 100 days with the hash tag #Mahama100, and will undoubtedly be on the lookout for more welcome surprises.

Looking back on the very eventful election year, a number of things stand out. First, it seems almost inevitable that Ghana will remain a two-party state for some time to come, although politics in the country has become more personality-based. With over 200,000 rejected votes, it is evident that more civic education is needed, not only for the electorate, but also for political parties who do not hesitate to call press conferences at the drop of a hat or to prematurely declare themselves victorious. Finally, the fate of social media in Ghana was seemingly sealed with that memorable Facebook declaration. All in all, Ghana is the true winner of the 2012 election, and despite the unpredictability, it represents a very welcome breath of fresh air on Africa’s political landscape.

Jemila blogs at Circumspect. You can also follow @jabdulai on twitter.

Thoughts on the Exuberance of Youth

2013-01-23T08:59:00.001Z

For some time now I've been trying to find a word that describes the magic of youth - the unspoken energy that makes youth so fearless and non judgmental about themselves and their dreams. This morning I had a discussion with someone who has become a mirror of sorts for me; forcing me to look within and back on my journey thus far - and she doesn't even know that she challenges me to question things about myself, ha! - and I realized what that magic is. It's exuberance. A love of life and perhaps more importantly, of learning. It's placing all bets on yourself when you don't even know how things will work out and simply trusting that it will. It's placing your request to God, and sitting back to let the universe conspire on your behalf.

The moment you start thinking you are deserving is when you lose it all. Don't get me wrong, you are deserving. But when you start dwelling on that fact, you subconsciously categorize things as worthy of you, your attention, time, skills, etc, - or otherwise - and so might eliminate good things and blessings in your life based on your taking face value to them.

I speak of youth as though I'm past the stage. But no, I'm still in it. I'd just forgotten. Forgotten to always seek the why, to be curious, to do things for the heck of it and be non-judgmental. To live in the moment. Think about it, children couldn't care less what time of day it is. One moment, they laugh, another they cry. It's in the moment. Yet as we grow up and take on responsibilities, we trick ourselves into thinking its all 'us'. If I do this or that this or that way then I shall get this or that result. We tie a noose to our necks and limit ourselves and the possibilities.

The exuberance of youth lies in a thirst for learning, discovering, pushing boundaries. You don't need to sit in front of a chalkboard to learn. In fact, many sit in front of a chalkboard and come out with nothing. Seek ye knowledge. Get to know yourself. These are but some of the teachings of people like Jesus Christ and Prophet Muhammed.

The Prophet (saw) advised to: “Take benefit of five before five: Your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied, and your life before your death” (Narrated by Ibn Abbas and reported by Al Hakim).

The key to always staying youthful is living in the moment, making a conscious decision to learn every day (and that means admitting you don't know), taking risks, and trusting. And like any good youth, you ought to have a bit of clean fun as well. Stay open, Smile from within. Stay hungry, stay foolish.

From thefreedictionary.com:

Noun

exuberance - joyful enthusiasm

joy, joyfulness, joyousness - the emotion of great happiness

enthusiasm - a feeling of excitement

exuberance - overflowing with eager enjoyment or approval

ebullience, enthusiasm

sprightliness, liveliness, spirit, life - animation and energy in action or expression; "it was a heavy play and the actors tried in vain to give life to it"

lyricism - unrestrained and exaggerated enthusiasm

rabidity, rabidness, madness - unrestrained excitement or enthusiasm; "poetry is a sort of divine madness"

(Belated) 5th Anniversary Post: Gratitude, Growth & Staying True

2013-01-23T08:08:00.001Z

This morning, while doing my daily inspiration rounds, I felt an urge to dig back into the archives of this blog and read something from a younger me. I do that sometimes. It's not just fascinating, but also inspiring to see the growth in one's life. Also if I'm lucky enough, younger Jemi might just have some sense or two to teach me. Anyway, I dug all the way back and that's when I realized: October 13, 2012 was Circumspect's 5th Anniversary! Wow. Not because I actually didn't realize it at the time, but because it's been FIVE years since my first post. Half a decade!

People often ask why and how I started this blog. Like most other things, I didn't have a grand plan. I just wanted to share my love for writing. It wasn't to educate, teach, learn from, interact with, or even inspire others, nor was it to put myself out there and maybe garner some opportunities. No, the initial intention behind Circumspect was to share passion. But it did become each of the other things along the way. Circumspect has grown and changed over the years - both visually, content-wise, audience-wise - you name it. While I've enjoyed most of it, the thing that still takes my breath away is the sated feeling after hitting publish on a post that undoubtedly comes forth from the depths of my soul. I always pray, "God, please help me do justice to this piece of writing. To give it the life it deserves." And that sated feeling only comes after that prayer.

I have also grown and changed alongside, and perhaps more accurately, through Circumspect. Like my blog, I am five years older and I have a larger archive of experiences than I did back then. In many ways, this site is a testament to the growth within me - as a writer and a woman. My passion for writing and interacting is real, but so are my fears, doubts, problems, insecurities. It's always been important for me to share my challenges because I think its so easy for people's lives to seem glamorous from a distance. However, sometimes, I wondered if I should be sharing so much, literally stripping my soul bare...

In late September I put up a post saying I was taking somewhat of a break from blogging. I was conflicted within myself. Blogging/writing wasn't what it used to be, it didn't feel the same doing what I'd come to enjoy. While I didn't have my answer, I knew that I needed to step away from the blog and assess what was going on. I needed to look within, to figure out why I no longer found genuine pleasure in writing and blogging. At the time, it seemed like it was the added sense of "pressure" - that I "had to" write frequently and especially that I had "no time" - that was the issue. And so, I decided that I wouldn't post any original content on the blog for a while. Instead, I'd write for others - that would take my self-imposed pressure off, give me some structure time-wise, and most importantly, keep me in the act of writing. For the most part, I held true to this. The majority of my posts after my confessions post have been republications.

In many ways blogging has become the "in-thing". While its great that many people are embracing this tool, it also means that the quality of writing and intentions for blogging are varied and different. Many people simply 'copy' and 'paste', while others post other's works without giving due credit. Hundreds more blog simply to make a name for themselves and gain access to opportunities. While it's easy to keep promises to other people, it's usually hard to keep promises to ourselves. I'd promised myself that I'd always be real and genuine with blogging and writing. But I wasn't always. I may not have passed off another's work as my own, but I sometimes posted things simply because someone wanted me to. Other times I'd post because I felt I was slacking off (essentially comparing myself to others), and many times I posted because I felt I was expected to.

The past couple of months have been spent wondering how to recapture the enthusiasm I had for writing, blogging, sharing. "How do I get back the magic?" I wondered whether it had to do with what I call "the exuberance of youth", and if that quality was rubbing off now that I was growing ~~older~~ up. Maybe it was a beginner's luck type thing? How could I recapture it? Last week, I had a discussion with someone who has unknowingly become a mirror of sorts for me, and it hit me. All the gratification that came with writing and blogging was rooted in one thing: a passion for life and a desire to learn.

The moment you start thinking you are deserving is when you lose it all. The truth was I had become a bit complacent. My experience as a blogger, and the opportunities I'd been blessed with as a result of Circumspect, were getting to my head. I thought I knew how to do my art, and so I was no longer open. I'd stopped giving entirely of myself in each post, and instead gave out measured doses. I realize now that complacency is a roadblock to a life of learning and growth. More importantly, I can now immortalize the mission and vision of this platform as being a place for genuinely sharing passions, experiences, and ideas.

It's been five long years, with laughter, inspiration, tears, false starts, successes, opportunities, friends, interaction, faith, vulnerability, fears, challenges, hope and passion. The truth of the matter is this:

We all do things, and hope it will count for something. Whether it's to show our competence, win the heart of another, to prove a naysayer wrong, to gain the respect of a contemporary, or the recognition of a crowd, to have our parents say, well done my child, or have others look up to you. What ever we do, we hope it counts for something. And sometimes it does, as clear as day. But most times, most times you're never actually sure, you just keep shuffling along. How long you keep on shuffling though will tell one thing. Whether or not you really make you count for something - so that you can be proud of all you've done, chosen not to do, achieved, failed, learned - will tell another. Because if it doesn't count for you as well, well, to what value could you put it up against?

Thank you for sharing this journey with me thus far. Wishing you all light, love, and the courage to be who you were meant to become.

Ethiopian Air: Insights from Above the Clouds

2013-01-14T14:32:00.000Z

A great thing about traveling is the people you meet. Not just the people you end up sharing a street, apartment, class, work space with, but also the people you share an aisle with on the train or plane. For the most part, I have shared my travel space with nice, interesting people - persons who are either non-hostile or extremely pleasant, with the former occurring just once. On my way back to Ghana for the Christmas holidays - my first in seven years! - I sat next to an elderly Ethiopian man who, for lack of a better description, had eyes that twinkled. He was friendly right from the moment he smiled and asked "19L?" when I tried to put my hand luggage in the overhead cabin. "Yes, that's me," I responded, before heading over to the window seat. He explained that he was trying to find an aisle seat since it's easier to move about considering his age - he seemed to be at least 70 years. I have always preferred the window seats I've typically been assigned, and never actually thought about the implications of seating for the elderly or even sick.

The whole while we waited for take off, I felt an urge to ask him what it felt like to be sitting in a national airline. This was my first time traveling with Ethiopian Airlines - and transiting through Addis Ababa - and although the plane was yet to set off, I was already impressed. It made me wonder what it would have felt like to sit on a Ghana Airways flight during its glory days. Would I have felt proud that my country was offering this opportunity from people from all over? I opted for politeness instead and asked nothing of my seat mate. That is, until he started offering suggestions to flight attendants on how best to pack the cabin luggage. He must know a bit or two about flying, I thought to myself. My curiosity returned, and I finally asked my question: "What does it feel like to be flying with your national airline"? I asked? His response in two words: It's great and I feel proud.

That question led to an entire conversation - one of those where you can literally feel pearls of wisdom dropping down into your lap. My conversation partner had worked with Ethiopian Airlines for about 30 years in their finance department, and he had watched the airline grow from strength to strength. "In those days, we put the airline first; the airline first and then our individual aspirations. It's not the same today," he said. From the way he spoke, it was obvious that he loved what he did, so putting the airline first was not a far cry from putting his own passion first. It made me even more convinced about the importance of doing the thing you love, making it your life's work. Anyway, the man traveled frequently on Ethiopian Air business and once went on a tour "around the world" - basically hitting every continent on our dear planet. Wow, I thought, so cool!

Beyond Ethiopian Air, he'd also been contracted by countries like Malawi to help restructure their airlines. "Well, Ghana should have reached out to you as well," I quibbed. "Maybe Ghana Airlines would still exist today." He turned, looked at me and said, "Sadly, it wouldn't. Even Malawi Air couldn't take in what we were trying to teach them." I was confused. He went on to explain that despite how well-trained he and his colleagues were, their Malawian counterparts couldn't or rather wouldn't accept what they had to say or teach. They just weren't willing to accept pointers from another black man. "You see, sub-Saharan Africa's experience of colonization is its undoing today. For the average African the 'white man' is still supreme. If a fellow African doesn't look or sound like a white man, chances are, your ideas, suggestions or expertise will not be accepted," he said. He was right. I'd written about similar some years back in an article I entitled "Psychological Effects of Colonization", and I can't count the number of times I've seen this dynamic at play. That said, I believe it is changing, bit by bit, a mind at a time. In order to truly embody regional cooperation though, more needs to be done.

How come Ethiopian Air was flourishing and recently bought two of the latest Boeing Airlines? Because they were never colonized, my seat mate responded. "We never had to answer to anyone, or to match our standards by someone else's. We set the rules, the goals, and so we had the flexibility to change course as necessary. It's okay for us to take risks, to take a chance on ourselves." Basically, they are real masters of their destiny. Could we say the same for our leaders, governments or business people? Or does the creepy psychological remnant of colonization scare us into submission anytime we dare to try?

Another thing my friend pointed to was the fact that in many African nations, there is no national feeling. True, our social fabric is traditionally based on group allegiances, but in most cases, these group or ethnic allegiances override that of the nation. What makes one an Ethiopian? What makes one a Ghanaian? What identifies us as Africans? The latest edition of Dust Magazine talks about the need for country branding and I think the old man hit it right on the head. Without a sense of national identity, it would be hard to brand an African country as one thing or another.

"So, what's your story?" He asked me. "Where are you headed?" I responded that I was returning home to Accra, Ghana to undertake research for my final capstone project. "That's great. And afterwards, what do you see yourself doing? Will you be returning to the continent?" Ah, the almighty question. I responded in the affirmative. Ultimately, I see myself living and working in an African country, whether Ghana or elsewhere. My friend seemed satisfied. "That's good. All of my children live in the U.S. and I still choose to live in Ethiopia. I go to the States to visit them or for medical check ups, but that's it." Not surprisingly, we got to talking about brain drain and the current wave of brain reversal, and that's when this old man with twinkling eyes made the statement about working in Africa that has stayed with me till today. "Money in your neighbor's pocket is money in your pocket. Why would you export that money elsewhere when your own country and economy needs it?"

He was talking economics, yes. But he was also talking the fundamental truth of cause and effect and of the connection between all of us. I might not set out to embark on charity work in Ghana, but the very fact that I am present and engage in business transactions, means that I'm feeding my country's economy and ultimately helping oil the engines of development. Most policy documents refer to the private sector as the engine of development, and this man put it in very simple terms. To take it a step further, I guess we could say the informal private sector is the engine of development in most African countries.

We eventually got to talking about China and Africa relations. We shared similar sentiments - a skepticism about China's influence on Africa beyond being a donor or business partner, and most importantly, an uncertainty about whether our leaders and governments can or will act in our respective countries' best interests. Hearing that the Chinese are swarming African countries is one thing, seeing it for yourself is another. While waiting to board my connecting flight to Accra, I'd thought that a good number of the Chinese in the waiting lounge would board the flights to Lagos and Kenya. Oh how wrong I was. They all ended up on the Accra flight, and as a result, over 50% of the passengers were Chinese, with a smattering of Indians. What's more, many of these passengers looked to be teenagers or in their early 20s at best.

This is where my concern comes in. For many Chinese, Africa is a gold rush - an opportunity to hit a goldmine in their chosen field and make it. But for most African countries, China's engagement is helping keep them from hand to mouth livelihoods. Quite unbalanced, wouldn't you say? Unless our governments put in place the right regulatory frameworks to guide China-Africa relations, we could be setting ourselves up for some serious trouble, while the Chinese can hop onto the next goldmine if the current one proves unprofitable. They are looking out for their interests. The question is, are we?

Anyway, my flight mate eventually found his aisle seat and moved. But for the while that we sat together, I had quite an insightful conversation. Which just goes to prove another thing about traveling: sometimes the real journey is not to a place or location, but inside another person's mind. So, take a chance, ask questions. You never know what new lands you might encounter.

Photo Source: http://www.africaboundadventures.com/ethiopian-airlines-better-connections

Circum-Alert: For the Ladies - Networking & Cocktail Reception

2013-01-08T18:13:00.001Z

Want to take your career to new heights in 2013 and meet phenomenal young female professionals in Ghana?

Attend the Young, Fabulous & Savvy event!

Thursday, January 10, 2013, 6:00pm-8:30pm, 15GHS, Golden Tulip. See below for full details.

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Young, Fabulous, & Savvy Event Series

Event Details: An exclusive reception and panel discussion where leading female achievers in media, entertainment, technology, and entrepreneurship inspire and motivate young women with their life stories, sisterly advice, and honest perspective.

Date: Thursday January 10th, 2013 from 6:00pm-8:30pm

Venue: Golden Tulip Hotel, Liberation Road, Accra

Featuring: TV Personality Deborah Vanessa, Helena from Aya Morrison, Abena from MultiTV, Renee from ReneeQGhana, Kuorkor from Twists & Locs Salon, Safoa from Sa4a Designs, and Claudia from Glitz Africa Magazine along with other special guests.

Attendees: Limited seats available for young professional women.

Company Overview: The Savvy Madam is committed to providing young African women the skills, resources and connections they need to succeed as professional women. With an online platform full of tips and advice and local events that connect women, The Savvy Madam aims to showcase the successes of professional African women and inspire the next generation.

RSVP: http://bit.ly/UbChue

Poetry/Prose - Revelle: The Estranged Ex

2013-01-05T08:31:00.003Z

Source

"Excuse me, do you mind if I share this table with you? All the others are taken."

You look up and see the woman of your dreams. In live color. In the flesh.

"Of course, you may have that seat. Nice to meet you, my name is..."

She mentions your name before you can even finish.

"Wow, you know my name? Have we met before?"

She smiles. "Many times. But I don't think we've been introduced properly."

She introduces herself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Revelle", you respond. "Would you like something to drink?"

"That would be lovely," she answers, a shy smile on her face.

The waiter brings over a bottle of mineral water and you both watch the bubbles gleam in the light.

Source

"If you don't mind my asking, what brings you here?"

"I'm waiting for someone," Revelle responds. "A long lost friend"

"Ahh. And what might this long lost friend look like, so I can help you keep watch," you offer

She looks at you intently. It feels like she's piercing through your soul. Your heart skips a beat.

"He's amazing," she finally says after a minute or two.

"You know how you can meet that one person and just know that you are the answer to the question they've been asking all their life?"

You nod your head in response, even though you haven't the slightest inkling.

She thinks too highly of herself, you think to yourself

She echoes your thoughts, "I know, it probably sounds self-assured, maybe a little conceited. But that's exactly how I feel about him."

Mentally, you downgrade her potential from love interest to friend. She's obviously crazy.

Instead you say, "How so?"

Source

She gives you that piercing look again. The kind that bores to your soul and strips you naked of all your pretensions.

"We used to be childhood friends. Inseparable. He enjoyed telling me his hopes for the future, and I enjoyed listening to them.

I knew he was special from the moment we met, and that we would have a long journey in life together. We would conquer the world, he and I. I had no doubt about it.

Time passed, and our communication began to falter. First was school; he was always in school, head buried in textbooks. And when he was not in school, he was trying to live up to society's expectations. To be the man he was expected to be."

A slight shiver runs down your spine. You, like every man on the planet, understood all too well what such expectations could do.

"I got it. He was growing up, coming into his own, had different responsibilities, maybe different hopes. But that didn't stop me from missing him. From wishing he would call or see me more.

Sometimes he did, and oh, what a lovely time we had together. Just us two, away from the world. Like old times, he would share his hopes, and I would listen and wish them real."

She paused to take a sip of water and you notice tears are welling in her eyes.

Oh gosh. How did I end up with the estranged ex?

"He eventually finished school and that's when he met her. Tuma. He claimed she was all he ever wanted in life. His dream come true."

Her lips quiver, the way a child's does right before a good cry.

Please, please, please, don't cry, you pray silently, as your eyes dart self-consciously around the restaurant.

Source

After a few moments, she continues.

"They became want we used to be. Inseparable. He was always with her, practically living and breathing her.

But why wouldn't he? She was alluring, very beautiful, very smart. She seemed to be his good luck charm, because once she entered his life, he seemed to have it all - the money, the fame, people adored him."

"Well, its possible people adored him because of the money or even because of her, and not necessarily for who he was," you interject.

You knew the scenario all too well.

"Yes." She responded. "I thought so too. But what could I do? I wanted the best for him, whatever he deemed it to be."

"You know how you meet someone and have a strong connection with them? You want the very best for them, for them to succeed in all their endeavors, and above all, for them to be happy.

While others might give them a standing ovation on their achievements, you give them a hug. You say, "well done my friend, but the best is yet to come".

You're always looking to their potential. And you believe without a doubt that they can reach the heights of that potential."

She looks into your eyes, awaiting your response.

"Yeah, I believe I recognize that. Some people would call it love."

She smiles. "Then love it is. I loved him dearly. Even though he didn't always pay me mind, even though he was focused on someone or something else."

"But is that anyway to live," you ask? "To put your whole existence on the line for someone who has forgotten you even exist? Excuse my saying lady, I barely know you, but you look like you have so much going for you. Surely there's someone else out there who can recognize this."

Source

Her eyes search your face, as though looking for an answer.

"It might seem so. But you see, I know why I was birthed into existence. For him. To support, love, and help build him into the best he can be. Some would call me too much of a traditional woman, but essentially, that's why I exist."

You're confused. They always did say that a woman in love could be loyal to a fault, but you never imagined such a woman would be sitting right in front of you one day.

"Forget him," you tell her. "Move on with your life, find someone else."

"I can't." she responds. Silence descends on your table, and the hum of speech from other guests seems to escape into the background.

After an eternity she says:

"It was never about me, was it? Never that I had failed you in some way or form. It was always you. Scared about what might become if we revisited what we used to be - when you shared your daring hopes with me and actually believed you could make them be."

"Excuse me?" you say looking around. "You're talking to me?"

"Don't you recognize me? Look hard. Think back. Everything you wanted to do, everything you wanted to be. They say children know nothing, but that's only because they only know what's important. You had dreams. You had me. But you got caught up. In work. In life."

You stare at her. The gentle contours of her face. The bridge of her nose. And her eyes. Looking at them, you felt like you were swimming in a wide ocean...of your dreams.

Photo Source

"It's you," you mutter softly.

She smiles. "I promised you I would never leave you. I'd always be here for you. And I am. Whenever you're ready. I just came to remind you, that you can do this: chart your own course. And that you are worthy of me.

The day Allah breathed life into you, he charged me with sticking by your side until the very last of that breath escapes you. Some people call me purpose, other's destiny. You chose to call me "dream"."

"Revelle," you murmur "Rêve-elle."

"Yes. Rêve, the french word for dream. That's what you used to call me, remember now?" she responded.

"I do, I do. I'm so sorry, I forgot all about you. How could this happen?"

"It happens. But like I said, I'm always here. While I might not be able to call you, I do send SMS reminders to your heart. That you still have me. That we're still destined to conquer this world together."

"But who's Tuma? I never really was serious about any woman," you say with a sheepish grin

She rolls her eyes, in the way that says, "You already know"

"Of course. I was always working," you say smacking the side of your head.

"I see you haven't forgotten your Dagbani," she laughs. "Well, I'm sure you have a lot to think on. I will excuse myself. But remember, I'm always here for you. I always believe in us. And you are more than worthy because God thought you so."

You look up to say thank you. But there's no one in the seat across from you.

"Excuse me sir, your fortune cookie" the waiter says out of nowhere.

"Thank you".

You open it up.

Two words against a white background:

"Dream again".

Photo Source

2013: "It's Taken Care Of!"

2012-12-31T23:09:00.001Z

For the past two or so days I have been trying to recollect 2012. To remember what happened. I know there were highs and lows, but for some reason those peaks and valleys weren't as defined as those of latter years. How could I live through 2012 but not remember it in great detail? Did it really fly by that fast? Well. You know how you try to untangle a knot and it takes that one string to have everything tumbling forth? That happened this evening.

Exactly a year ago today I sat in an apartment in Bologna, Italy with my Italian and Russian friends as we waited for 2012 to roll in. Over a dish of shrimp rice and plantain and beans we shared our thoughts on how 2011 had gone as well as our hopes for 2012. But that's not all. We took it a step further, each writing on separate sheets what we would "leave behind" in 2011 and what we would "birth" into 2012. Tonight we're not together. My Russian friend is recovering from cancer in Chicago, my Italian friend just started her first experience in an African country, and I'm home with family for my first Christmas in seven years! Nevertheless, I'm sure we're all remembering that very special night a year ago.

That night, I was very clear on a couple of things. One of them was that I would no longer call myself "poor", despite the fact that I probably fall into the category of "poor student". I could be "temporarily impoverished" I declared, but never poor. Not with all this abundance of blessings. And so I made a pact of sorts with Allah. I'll cast my concerns on you, I said. In exchange, I will try to worry less and trust you more. Talk about a balanced wager, huh? Anyway, that was the agreement between Al-Rab and I.

Fast-forward to tonight when all the memories from 2012 came rushing forth (they are too many to recount in a single post), and I see that we fulfilled our wager; He more-so than I, but fulfilled nevertheless. From having weeks in Italy when I had barely 5 euros in my pocket to late summer when I thought I would have to suspend my masters program with Johns Hopkins for a year, to worrying about the health of important family members, and especially through all the self-doubt - Allah came through for me. He took care of everything, in his own time. And coincidentally, that's why the highs and lows of 2012 don't seem so pronounced: because I had a protective covering over me the entire time. Allah had my back. Alhamdulilahi.

Remembering everything, I am excited for 2013. Yes, I have some goals in mind which I will write down somewhere in order to keep myself accountable, but generally-speaking, my words for 2013 are: Positivity. Passion. Growth. Gratitude. Courage. Truth. Surrender.

The new year has barely started, and I already have some dreams and concerns packaged and ready to be shipped out to Allah on the first flight. You probably do too, so whatever your belief or situation, just work hard, do what's within your power, and let it go. Believe that it will be taken care of and, InshAllah, a year from today each of us will look back on 2013 and say "It was taken care of".

Thanks to each of you who shared in my 2012 - whether virtually or in real-time. I wish each of you enough of everything necessary to make your 2013 meaningful and the best one yet. Stay blessed and Happy New Year!

Poetry/Prose: P.S. I Love You

2012-12-20T22:46:00.000Z

Poetry finally chased me down and caught hold of me :) Inspired by the movie "P.S. I Love You." Consider it a double entendre ;)

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Hello again

It's been a long while

I have seen so much, experienced so much

Met people who reminded me of you

Many times I've wanted to stay away for good

Many times I've wanted to come back to you

But why should I when we have such a history

Of laughter, fun, smiles, love, yes

But also of challenges, correction: littered with challenges

It would be so much easier to leave it all behind, leave you behind

And start afresh. With someone, somewhere who's more sure

More certain, more clear, more easy to get along with?
Someone who doesn't make me so damn angry all the time!

Surely, that's what I should do…right?

I've thought that so many times

But looking back, I'm who I am today precisely because of you

Because of us, and especially because of our struggles

It might be easier elsewhere, but I don't think it would be as profound

Not for me at least

With you, I'm forced to think anew

To give up notions of black and white

To find strength from only God knows where

And to feel such a passion, a burning desire, to live for something, for someone

So you see, try as I might, I find myself here

At this crossroads again, choosing between versions of myself

I know you can be as stubborn as a mule

And I know there are some who will make us all the more harder to envision

But I believe in this thing we got going on

With every fiber of my being

And so. Well, I can't give up

Not on you, not on me, and certainly not on us

We are a match made in heaven, proclaimed as one by God himself

If He saw fit to put us together, tell me, who has the power to thrust us asunder?

No one. Except Allah, if He so wishes.

I know, I know, I'm talking crazy right?

I have nothing to go by than this burning inside my heart

And yes, it freaks the daylights out of me

It's not going to be easy, it never has been

But I think we're worth it

Worth all the tears, the disappointments, the heartaches

Worth all the nays anyone - including those we love - might say to us

At the end of the day, we're still learning our way

But if there's one thing I know for sure,

It's that challenge is where growth is at

And as nerdy as it sounds, I never want to stop learning

So, GHAfrica, I guess we're stuck together.
For better, or (hopefully not) for worse

I'm in. All the way. With heart, body, mind, and soul.

Signed,

Me.

P.S. I love you.

Circum-Alert: Indie Fuse 2012 & BarCamp Accra 2012

2012-12-10T18:31:00.000Z

Hi guys!

I'm sure many of us are still celebrating the fact that we had peaceful and successful elections in Ghana. At the end of the day, we ALL won. Congratulations to all Ghanaians; Ghana did it best :)

Here are two GH-conscious events to check out over the next couple of weeks: IND!E FUSE 2012 (Dec. 15) & BarCamp Accra 2012 (Dec. 22). Further details below!

Jemila

IND!E FUSE 2012

ACCRA [dot] ALT Presents IND!E FUSE 2012 during Christmas holidays

Accra’s coolest music event of the year, IND!E FUSE, is back for a third edition. Music lovers who want a taste of imaginative, super fresh, and amazing live music should come out and jam at IND!E FUSE 2012. The show promotes great live music by young Ghanaian artists based in the country and abroad. 2012 is the third edition of IND!E FUSE. The concert is not an isolated event but a series of exchanges (one-on-one meetings, interactive workshops, studio + jam sessions) between Ghanaian musicians, as well as continental African and African diasporic artists. As a one-of-a-kind concept in West Africa, IND!E FUSE is a launch pad for African alternative music as a viable global industry that can create unique promotional products - mixtapes, music videos, short films, webisodes, wearable art and touring opportunities - for the artists involved.

The show features the trendsetters of the Accra indie scene and a growing network of young Ghanaian artists that are causing international waves in music.

ACCRA [dot] ALT, a cultural network that encourages the alternative work of Ghanaian artists and emerging artists across the globe, closes 2012 with a two-day concert event on December 14th (The Republic Bar + Grill) and 15th (Alliance Française). Last year’s show was a sellout success and this year will be even sweeter. Come and witness Ghanaian and international artists create live sonic rainbows of edgy AfroBeat, electronic soul, drumbassfunk, R&B, true skool hip hop, and rare West African folk grooves.

Our 2012 IND!E FUSE Lineup for the two nights include:

On Friday 14 December 2012, chill with us at The Republic Bar and Grill for a live DJ mashup with Kwaku Ananse, Jason Kleatsh and SanSe beginning at 9pm (5GHC to enter). Catch live performances by Ghana’s leading indie artists - Rumor, Kay-Ara, Holla Blak, Oga Chuxx, Eli, Steloo and Yaw P.

On Saturday 15 December 2012, an eclectic set of musicians from Ghana and abroad will mount the stage at Alliance Française from 7:30 – 11pm. IND!E FUSE 2012 is headlined by FOKN BOIS (UK/Ghana), Tawiah (UK) and Yaa Pono. Fans can also wild out to performances by Jojo Abot (NYC/Ghana), Lady Jay, FaintMedal, Paapa (Skillions Records), Lyrical Wanzam and Zantou Lansre (Niger). The show is hosted by the Sankwas Bois and will feature a live DUSTLVYE (YFM) DJ Booth featuring the sounds of our resident Funky Professor, Mr. Kobby Graham.

Admission is only 10 GHC.

IND!E FUSE 2012 is brought to you by ACCRA [dot] ALT in partnership with Institut

Français, Alliance Française, The Republic Bar + Grill, REDD Kat Pictures, DUST Magazine, Fullish Art, Pidgen Music, Skillions Records, Goba Hub, Smoothy’s Café and Global Outdoor Systems.

For more information, contact:

Mantse Aryeequaye | Sionne Neely, Ph.D. | Co-Directors

ACCRA [dot] ALT

http://accradotalttours.wordpress.com

accra.alt@gmail.com

@Accradotalt

Facebook: ACCRAdotAlt

BarCamp Accra 2012 is a free networking event to bring people together for a day of discussion, demos and dialogue about Accra, Ghana and beyond. It hopes to assemble Accra stakeholders to network, build a supportive entreprising community and partner to build together. The event shall be held at the Methodist University College Campus on December 22. The theme is “Removing fear of failure as a start of success”.

GhanaThink Foundation, an NGO based both in Ghana and the USA, has successfully organized 18 BarCamps in Ghana since the end of 2008. Barcamp Accra 2012 will be organized in conjunction with the Methodist University College, Ghana (MUCG) Google Developer Group (GDG). Barcamps have happened in Takoradi, Kumasi, Sunyani, Tamale, Cape Coast, Ho, and Tema in 2012. The Accra event will take a national stature with a large number of attendees also expected to be Ghanaians who live abroad.

As part of building a movement of Ghanaian young changemakers, doers and entrepreneurs, we'd be demystifying failure and discussing how we can learn from failure. It's been affectionately called a "failcamp". We would have sessions with selected resource personnel who will be sharing and leading discussions on failure, removing the fear of failure and how we can fail our way to success. We shall also have the popular speed mentoring sessions with various young Ghanaian achievers. These would be short, exciting one-on-one sessions to help people gain insights into goals and projects.

Register at http://barcampaccra12.eventbrite.com/. You can also register by sending “Barcamp Accra, Your Name, Your Email Address” to 1945 on all mobile networks. See you there!You may contact the BarCamp Accra organising team through this website for sponsorship opportunities. If you are interested in organizing a breakout session, let us know, especially if you have special needs.

BarCamp Accra 2012 is sponsored by the Methodist University College Ghana, Google Ghana, GhanaDecides, BloggingGhana, MUCG-GDG, Hatua Solutions, etc. Our media partners are SpyGhana, CITI FM, etc.

Get additional info at:http://barcampghana.org/contact or email, barcamp at ghanathink.org

Video: OurVote = Our Voice. Go VOTE (Peacefully).

2012-12-06T01:40:00.001Z

Repost: The Free Education Debate - A Mis-Education of Ghana?

2012-12-04T13:29:00.000Z

Originally posted on the London School of Economics Africa Blog

As Ghanaians head to the polls on 7 December, education has been the principal election issue debated on by rival politicians, but, as Ghanaian blogger Jemila Abdulai points out, a free education does not necessarily equate to a quality education. Jemila Abdulai blogs at Circumspect.

Oil – the word that caused quite a stir in the lead up to Ghana’s 2008 elections. Political parties tried to outdo one another with their grandiose promises on how they would ensure the “equitable” distribution of oil revenues, while politicians launched an entirely different contest – in how many corruption allegations they could level against opponents. But that’s old news. It is 2012 and we have a new election issue over which to crack our brains. Ladies and gentlemen, meet “free education”.

Free senior high school (SHS) education made its first appearance onto Ghana’s 2012 election landscape with the launch of the National Patriotic Party’s (NPP) manifesto. The 59-page document identifies education as a “top priority” since “it offers the best tool for social mobility and social equity”. The NPP is not the only party with its eye on education. Each of the other parties identifies education as key, and in its 76-page manifesto, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) expresses its intention to achieve 100% access to free compulsory and universal basic education (FCUBE) as enshrined in Ghana’s constitution.

It is undeniable that education is the bedrock of development. With free SHS, poor Ghanaian parents might no longer have to choose between feeding their families and financing their wards’ higher education. Also alluring is the thought that an entire generation – who could only dream of continuing its education – might actually find itself in a classroom again. Free education must be a good thing, right? Well, it depends. A lot of the debate on secondary education in recent years and in the lead up to the 7 December presidential election has focused on duration, cost and access. While free SHS sounds fine and dandy, I can’t help but ask this question: WHICH education?

As a product of Ghana’s basic and secondary education, I am no stranger to the gamut of challenges Ghanaian students face. While my dear parents covered the entire cost of my secondary education, there were periods of uncertainty concerning finances. There was also the stress; the pressure to complete the syllabus for all eight of my subjects, and score highly in the final exam to secure a place at a good university. Fortunately, my school had very dedicated teachers who went the extra mile to ensure all the essentials were covered. Between that and private lessons over the vacation, I was adequately prepared for the exams. The next hurdle was whether my exam results would actually count given the high incidence of exam malpractice. All this might sound terrible, but this was a best-case scenario. Many of my peers elsewhere never even saw their teachers for an entire semester, and literally had to educate themselves. To all intents and purposes, the focus of secondary education in Ghana was on completing the syllabus and passing exams, not on actually learning. Consequently, most students settled on learning by rote, otherwise known as “chew and pour”, in order to pass their exams. What is troubling is that once the exams were over, all the “knowledge” evaporated. Almost a decade later, the situation is still the same, and getting worse.

Despite the provision of free school uniforms, meals, and other “free” elements under Ghana’s FCUBE, Ghanaian children are not learning. A recent UNESCO report released in October 2012 estimates that 60% of Ghanaian women and over one-third of men between 15 to 29 years who completed six years of primary education could not read a single sentence at all in 2008. In 2011, Ghana recorded its worst basic education certificate exam (BECE) results in 13 years, with only 46% of registered candidates securing a pass for entrance into senior high schools. Research on investment gains in education show that a nation gains more from investing in basic education, than it does from secondary or tertiary education, investments which accrue primarily to the individual instead. Considering Ghana’s investment in free primary education does not seem to be paying off, we must ask what is going wrong and more importantly, how to bring learning back into Ghana’s educational landscape. All the indications point to the fact that the emphasis on high enrolment numbers (quantity) versus actual learning and performance (quality) is doing the nation a disservice, and this is without even taking actual financial costs into consideration. By not tackling root issues like content and curriculum reform, teacher training, and access to infrastructure and educational materials, the push for “free education” at either the primary or secondary levels could prove more costly than first appears, and could ultimately be Ghana’s undoing.

As Ghana heads to the ballot box on 7 December, we are yet to see which of the “free educations” its citizens will opt for, but, for what it is worth, Ghana’s 2012 elections are probably the most issue-based polls to date. If nothing else, this is an indication of the West African nation’s maturity as a young democracy. To free primary education, or to free secondary education? That is the question.

The Letter-Writing Project: Your Vote Counts

2012-12-01T15:28:00.000Z

Dear Registered Voter,

In less than 5 days, it will be election day, or as some call it, the day of accountability. We have prepared for this day for months, been subjected to endless bickering by some politicians, and, have gained insight into the men and women who have brought themselves forth to serve our great nation through leadership.

It might not seem like it, but you, dear registered voter, have the opportunity of a lifetime. The opportunity to select Ghana's next leader and to help steer the course of our immediate future. For our country's sake, don't take that opportunity for granted. Many Ghanaians, myself included, do not have that opportunity, and as a result, cannot participate in this solemn duty to our motherland. Nobody should be telling you who to vote for, but we can only implore you to do your best in choosing Ghana's new path and the people who will lead us on it. You might think your vote doesn't count. After all, what's one vote out of millions? You might say that regardless of whether you vote or not, our leaders will not fulfill the roles they signed up for, or worse, might rob our nation blind. You would not be a willing accomplice in such treachery. Your points are valid. But before you conclude your decision not to vote in Ghana 2012 election, hear me out on a number of things.

Your vote counts. It might not seem like it, but all you have to do is look around at just how much money our politicians are pumping into their campaigns, and there is your evidence. Why would they go through such fuss if it didn't count? Your vote counts - again, look around, and you will see the poor living conditions, poverty, corruption - all our problems under the sun - and there lies your opportunity to help change it all. Your vote counts - it is important for Ghana's very future. As they say, little drops of water, make a mighty ocean. Ghana is where she is today because of the seemingly minute actions of Ghanaians - some of us included - in the past. The fact that you do not feel the earth move, doesn't mean it won't make its way around the sun. Your vote counts. It counts in ensuring that our leadership is reflective of our aspirations as Ghanaians today. It counts in sending a strong message to Ghana's youth and children who are not voting on Friday, about the importance of civic involvement. Most importantly, it counts for you to fulfill your responsibility as a citizen of Ghana. We always say the politicians and leaders don't do their jobs. By not voting, you're not doing yours either.

Some might try to sway you with promises of this or that, or worse, with threats. Be patient. Listen, but don't react. Your moment of action will be when you place your finger on the ballot paper and select the person YOU believe will serve Ghana the best. Take note, I didn't say "lead", I said "serve". Because, that's what it is going to take to make the moves we all dream about for mother Ghana. Perhaps, now more than ever, we have a unique opportunity - a literal minefield of wealth. However, our oil resources will only last so long. We have from now and the next 30 years to lay the frameworks for ensuring that we as a people will never have to work, without seeing its gains. Study, without platforms to participate. Be born, without knowing if we will survive. This is probably our only chance at getting it right, and your vote counts in ensuring that we take the first step in doing just that.

True, it might seem as though this whole political game is a rat race, and that the calibre of our suggested leaders isn't good enough. Keep that in mind - for the future. But for now, choose between "the lesser evil" if you must. Now, we have been taught in the past to vote on the basis of who our parents, grandparents voted for. Or even, to pick the one individual who is from the same village, city, region, ethnic group as we are. As they say, if you keep doing the same thing, you will keep getting the same results. How about we try something different for a change? This might sound corny, but vote with your heart and mind. You might still be undecided, but take a moment to review the manifestos, their plans for steering Ghana's future, and pick the one which speaks to you the most. Vote with conviction - that this person, above all others, is most suited for the job of being Ghana's steward; of SERVING her best.

Your vote is your voice. And every voice counts. It could be that the person you voted for might not win. But you won. You exercised your right. Beyond that, your vote will constitute a clear signal about the collective consciousness of Ghanaians. And this, dear registered voter, is also crucial for Ghana's immediate future. At the end of the day, you have a role to play in all of this: to vote, to keep the peace, and in the aftermath, to hold our chosen leaders to task. Yours is a solemn duty to our great nation. Do not take it lightly. Your vote counts. May God bless Ghana, and grant us yet another successful milestone in our common history as Ghanaians. Peace.

Ghana's Elections: (Re)-Socializing a New Generation of Female Voters & Leaders

2012-11-30T14:35:00.002Z

Originally published on the blog Women Change Africa

As the Ghana elections get closer, we thought it would be great to hear from one of our fabulous, smart and beautiful friends of WCA Ms. Jemila Abdulai. Jemila is a woman who is definitely changing Africa. Amongst her many hats she wears, Jemila is a attaining her Masters in International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University, owns and operates a very highly read blog titled Circumspecte which focuses on various issues in Africa, and of course is part of the Ghana Decides team working to help engage youth in Ghana to get involved and vote pre and during elections. We hope you enjoy and learn about Ghana's elections and women, and be inspired the way we were with Ms. Abdulai. Enjoy!

Like its predecessors, this election is important for young Ghanaian women. The obvious reason is that women form the majority of Ghanaian society and being excluded from the political process could result in policies and programs that do not take their unique concerns into consideration. Besides that, the 2012 election is important for young Ghanaian women because it presents an opportunity for transforming an entire generation’s political involvement.

My name is Jemila Abdulai and I’m from Tamale, the capital of Ghana’s northern region. I attended Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast, and obtained my bachelor’s degree at Mount Holyoke College. My time at both institutions made me cognizant of gender issues; because it has to do with their being all-women institutions. I am currently a second-year graduate student at Johns Hopkins SAIS in Washington, DC, where I focus on African development.

I believe in Ghana and Africa’s future, and recognize that much of that future will be decided by us, the youth. I also believe in the power of innovative networks and thinking. One of such networks is BloggingGhana - an association of bloggers in Ghana - and its non-partisan election project Ghana Decides. Since March 2012, Ghana Decides has undertaken numerous activities in its bid to foster a better-informed electorate for the upcoming December 7 elections. In addition to debates on issues like education, poverty, employment, and women via Twitter, Facebook, andYoutube the organization has helped provide a platform for young Ghanaians to share their views and engage with political leaders. Through campaigns #iRegistered, Ghana Decides Tag, and Speak Ghana, youth political participation is quickly becoming the coolest thing in town.

For the first time in Ghana’s history, Ghanaian youth are actively participating in the political process through social media. A new space has been created for young Ghanaian women to air their views on issues like reproductive health and political leadership on their own terms. This will go a long way in inspiring confidence in young women who could ultimately end up in Ghana’s political sphere. Another first in this election is the number of female vice-presidential candidates. Indeed, it’s the first time Ghana has ever had a vice-presidential candidate, much more two. While it’s yet to be seen whether either will actually get into power, a strong message is being sent to young Ghanaian women: there is a space (and need) for you in the political realm. Finally, with former first lady Nana Konadu’s attempt at becoming a presidential candidate, the dice has been cast and the debate about whether Ghana is ready to have a female president has been launched.

In the long term, all of these serve to re-socialize young Ghanaian women and youth on being politically involved and contributing to Ghana’s development. In the interim, more young women are owning their stories and sharing their thoughts. If young women’s participation so far in Ghana Decides’ Our Vote, Our Voice Campaign is any indication, you can be sure that those who are registered will turn up at the polls to exercise their vote; for woman and country.

Contact: Twitter: @Jabdulai

Ghana Decides launches 'Our Vote, Our Voice' Campaign for Election 2012

2012-11-28T12:13:00.000Z

Ghana Decides launched a campaign yesterday, 27 November 2012, to get the Ghanaian electorate to turn up massively at the polls to vote on 7 December.

The campaign, called Our Vote, Our Voice, is the latest in a series of successful campaigns since February 2012, which commenced with #iRegistered, Ghana Decides Tag and SpeakGhana.

The purpose of the campaign is to promote communal voting. Campaign Coordinators, Kwabena Akuamoah-Boateng and Nehemiah Attigah, said “we believe peer-to-peer influence is still high and people could call up friends to vote or post updates to say #iVoted which may encourage others to vote.”

According to the Coordinators, “From our experience during the #iRegistered campaign, enthusiasm usually dies down after the first week or so. That is why the campaign is deliberately launched this close to the election.”

Project Lead of Ghana Decides, Ms. Kinna Likimani said “The Our Vote Our Voice campaign intends to use pledge cards to get people offline to pledge to vote. Much of our work has been focused on Ghanaians with limited or no access to internet, computers or smartphone devices, so this latest campaign is no different. We do not want to leave anything to chance come 7 December.” According to Ms. Likimani “Ghanaians must know that they have to vote because it is the in the interest of their children, their sisters and all of us. If you refuse to vote, it is like saying you don’t care about the people you love.”

However, the Coordinators admit the offline activity would be volunteer intensive, especially on targeted voters outside of Accra and are calling on Ghanaians to volunteers. Additionally, Mr. Attigah said “online pledge forms will be made live so that people can pledge to vote on December 7. We’ll need you to pledge and got others to pledge too.”

The campaign will distribute Our Vote Our Voice branded t-shirts on Friday, 30 November, to all volunteers and participants in the campaign to whip up interest and excitement.

As part of efforts targeting Ghana’s growing tech-savvy community, voice notes and text messages have been designed and are ready for forwarding to users of Whatsapp & BBM. Currently, Ghanaians on Whatsapp and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are already using the logo as their profile pictures.

“We’ll be tweeting with the hashtag #LetsVote to encourage people to go vote and #GoVote on Election Day as well as #iVoted to share pictures after voting. The #GhanaDecides hashtag must trend on election day” says Mr. Akuamoah-Boateng

Ask What You Can Do For Your Country

2012-11-12T17:16:00.000Z

Khalil Gibran is one of my favorite poets/writers. I believe his piece "The New Frontier" rings true for Ghana, L'Afrique today. Changes in [ ] are mine:

The New Frontier

There are in [Ghana/Africa] today two challenging ideas: old and new. The old ideas will vanish because they are weak and exhausted. There is in [Ghana/Africa] an awakening that defies slumber. This awakening will conquer because the sun is its leader and the dawn is its army.

In the fields of [Ghana/Africa], which have been a large burial ground, stand the youth of Spring calling the occupants of the sepulchers to rise and march toward the new frontiers. When the Spring sings its hymns the dead of the [harmattan] rise, shed their shrouds and march forward.

There is on the horizon of [Ghana/Africa] a new awakening; it is growing and expanding; it is reaching and engulfing all sensitive, intelligent souls; it is penetrating and gaining all the sympathy of noble hearts.

[Ghana/Africa] today, has two masters. One is deciding, ordering, being obeyed; but he is at the point of death. But the other one is silent in his conformity to law and order, calmly awaiting justice; he is a powerful giant who knows his own strength, confident in his existence and a believer in his destiny.

There are today, in [Ghana/Africa], two [wo]men: one of the past and one of the future. Which one are you? Come close, let me look at you and let me be assured by your appearance and your conduct if you are one of those coming into the light or going into the darkness.

Come and tell me who and what are you.

Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country? If you are the first, then you are a parasite; is the second, then you are an oasis in a desert.

Are you a merchant utilizing the need of society for the necessities of life, for monopoly and exorbitant profit? Or a sincere, hard-working and diligent man facilitating the exchange between the weaver and the farmer? Are you charging a reasonable profit as a middleman between supply and demand? If you are the first, then you are a criminal whether you live in a palace or a prison. If you are the second, then you are a charitable man whether you are thanked or denounced by people.

Are you a religious leader, weaving for your body a gown out of the ignorance of the people, fashioning a crown out of the simplicity of their hearts and pretending to hate the devil merely to live upon his income? Or are you a devout and a pious man who sees in the piety of the individual the foundation for a progressive nation, and who can see through a profound search in the depth of his own soul a ladder to the eternal soul that directs the world? If you are the first, then you are a heretic, a disbeliever in God even if you fast by day and pray by night. If you are the second, then you are a violet in the garden of truth even though its fragrance is lost upon the nostrils of humanity or whether its aroma rises into that rare air where the fragrance of flowers is preserved.

Are you a newspaperman who sells his idea and principle in the slave market, who lives on the misery of people like a buzzard which descends only upon a decaying carcass? Or are you a teacher on the platform of the city gathering experience from life and presenting it to the people as sermons you have learned? If you are the first, then you are a sore and an ulcer. If you are the second, then you are a balsam and a medicine.

Are you a governor who denigrates himself before those who appoint him and denigrates those whom he is to govern, who never raises a hand unless it is to reach into pockets and who does not take a step unless it is for greed? Or are you a faithful servant who serves only the welfare of the people? If you are the first, then you are as a tare in the threshing floor of the nations; and if the second, then you are a blessing upon its granaries.

Are you a husband who allows for himself what he disallows for his wife, living in abandonment with the key of her prison in his boots, gorging himself with his favorite food while she sits, by herself, before an empty dish? Or are you a companion, taking no action except hand in hand, nor doing anything unless she gives her thoughts and opinions, and sharing with her your happiness and success? If you are the first, then you are a remnant of a tribe which, still dressing in the skins of animals, vanished long before leaving the caves; and if you are the second, then you are a leader in a nation moving in the dawn toward the light of justice and wisdom.

Are you a searching writer full of self-admiration, keeping his head in the valley of a dusty past, where the ages discarded the remnant of its clothes and useless ideas? Or are you a clear thinker examining what is good and useful for society and spending your life in building what is useful and destroying what is harmful? If you are the first, then you are feeble and stupid, and if you are the second, then you are bread for the hungry and water for the thirsty.

Are you a poet, who plays the tambourine at the doors of emirs, or the one who throws the flowers during weddings and who walks in processions with a sponge full of warm water in his mouth, a sponge to be pressed by his tongue and lips as soon as he reaches the cemetery? Or have you a gift which God has placed in your hands on which to play heavenly melodies which draw our hearts toward the beautiful in life? If you are the first, then you are a juggler who evokes in our soul that which is contrary to what you intend. If you are the second, then you are love in our hearts and a vision in our minds.

In [Ghana/Africa] there are two processions: One procession is of old people waling with bent backs, supported with bent canes; they are out of breath though their path is downhill.

The other is a procession of young men, running as if on winged feet, and jubilant as with musical strings in their throats, surmounting obstacles as if there were magnets drawing them up on the mountainside and magic enchanting their hearts.

Which are you and in which procession do you move?

Ask yourself and meditate in the still of the night; find if you are a slave of yesterday or free for the morrow.

I tell you that the children of yesteryears are walking in the funeral of the era that they created for themselves. They are pulling a rotted rope that might break soon and cause them to drop into a forgotten abyss. I say that they are living in homes with weak foundations; as the storm blows -- and it is about to blow -- their homes will fall upon their heads and thus become their tombs. I say that all their thoughts, their sayings, their quarrels, their compositions, their books and all their work are nothing but chains dragging them because they are too weak to pull the load.

But the children of tomorrow are the ones called by life, and the follow it with steady steps and heads high, they are the dawn of new frontiers, no smoke will veil their eyes and no jingle of chains will drown out their voices. They are few in number, but the difference is as between a grain of wheat and a stack of hay. No one knows them but they know each other. They are like the summits, which can see or hear each other -- not like caves, which cannot hear or see. They are the seed dropped by the hand of God in the field, breaking through its pod and waving its sapling leaves before the face of the sun. It shall grow into a mighty tree, its root in the heart of the earth and its branches high in the sky.

Melcom Disaster: The Latest of Ghana's Systemic Failures

2012-11-08T12:47:00.002Z

Credit: Talk of GH Facebook Page

Yesterday, I awoke to news that the six-story Melcom shopping complex in New Achimota, Accra had collapsed, Currently, there have been about 70 rescues and 9 deaths as a result of it.

How does a supposedly state of the art shopping center collapse like a stack of cards after a mere six months of completion? That is yet to be seen, but for now people are dishing out blame on various doorsteps. This is a repost of my thoughts on the issue shared via Facebook:

This whole Melcom thing doesn't have to be a blame game. The truth is, we all contribute to it.

We care more about how things look/seem on the outside (high-rise buildings), than we do about foundations for development (truly reforming education for instance).

We play the 'open for business' card, without looking to put in place regulations to guide foreign and local investment (think not just Melcom, but China, oil, etc). Even when we do put rules in place, we are quick to ignore them in order to 'chop some'.

We opt for short term gratification over long-term vision. And just suck up the consequences, however irrational they may be (Accra Mall location and all the traffic it creates!)

We refuse to change our frame of thinking and step outside the box, yet insist on maintaining old pathways which no longer serve who we are (being so Accra-centric we have all our essential functions - administrative, business, legal - in one city which is quickly becoming overcrowded).

And perhaps the worst of all, we talk plenty when disasters happen, but when the worst is over, it's back to business as usual. We do nothing to ensure there is no repeat (Osu Children's home, the air cargo plane accident, dare I say Melcom too?)

A class A act for the world's favorite African poster child :P The question now is: How can we do things differently and better?

Cudos to those involved in the rescue efforts. Thoughts with the victims, may the deceased RIP.

An African Election – A Reminder of What’s At Stake (RePost)

2012-10-24T15:12:00.001Z

Initially published on the London School of Economics (LSE) Africa Blog.

Jarreth Merz’ film An African Election covers the highs and lows of Ghana’s crucial 2008 presidential election, giving important insights into the electoral processes which helped safeguard the very stability of this West African nation. With many African presidential elections on the horizon for 2012, the film is a reminder of what is really at stake when it comes to democracy across the continent.

Through Merz’ camera lens, Ghana’s political sphere in 2008 unravels. That year, both theNational Democratic Congress (NDC) and the then-ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP) – Ghana’s two main political parties – had eight years of governance under their belt since multiparty elections found its roots in Ghana in 1992. Then, as now, each party had its distinctive colours and symbol. An elephant with the colours red, white and blue for the NPP and an umbrella with an eagle head and the colours red, black, green and white for the NDC.

The film highlights the general consideration of NPP as the more conservative party versus the NDC which is supposedly more socially progressive. Indeed, the two main contenders embodied their party characteristics precisely. Political analysts would later attribute the NPP’s loss to the aura of inaccessibility that the suit-wearing, British-accented Nana Akufo-Addo exuded. As far as it can be inferred from their campaigns, however, that seemed to be the extent of their political differences. Both parties campaigned with promises of modernised agriculture, better education and equity in the utilisation of Ghana’s expected oil revenue. For many Ghanaians, the real choice was between “the lesser of the two evils”; the party which would hopefully leave them better off, but at the very minimum, no worse than they had been before.

Oil. They do say that curious resource can change many a tide, and the 2008 election was no exception. While a direct inference was rarely made in the film the pot at the end of this particular rainbow was not gold, but rather oil. The party to win the election would essentially lay the groundwork for drilling up the oil, and more importantly, for deciding how the oil revenue would be spent. Oil represented a considerable injection of revenue into the coffers of the incoming government. For this very reason, both the NPP and the NDC went all out with their campaigns leaving no stone unturned in the main election, the run-off, and the run-off to the run-off in the unassuming Tain district.

Flags of the leading political parties, NPP and NDC, contesting the 2012 elections in Ghana

Four years later, there are some considerable changes in Ghana’s political sphere which will make for a very interesting election come 7 December. Most notable is the unfortunate and untimely demise of the late president John Atta Mills in July 2012 which saw his vice-president John Dramani Mahama taking over Ghana’s leadership. As is usually the case with personality-based elections, the actions of the outgoing president greatly determines his or her re-election. In this instance, Ghanaians know relatively little about the “outgoing” President John Mahama. However, that has not stopped a myriad of accusations related to corruption and his private life. There are also concerns that President Mahama is abusing incumbency by using the demise of President Mills as a campaign platform. How the NDC spins the change of their flag bearer will greatly impact their performance on election day.

In the NPP camp, a serious repositioning of presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo is taking place. While he showed great respect by postponing his campaign for the duration of President Mills’ funeral, Akufo-Addo still has to work his way into the hearts of Ghanaians. That aside, his political footprints are all over the place, and many Ghanaians remember him primarily as foreign minister and attorney-general under the former NPP government. His challenge, therefore, will be to come to the people’s level and leverage their memory in arguing for his competence.

Last, but certainly not the least, is the role of social media and citizen involvement in the upcoming election. In Ghana, Ghana Decides – a non-partisan election initiative by Blogging Ghana – is using both offline engagement and social media platforms like Twitter, Youtube and Facebook to inform, educate and encourage citizen participation in the 2012 election. Such social media projects will play a crucial role in (re)galvanising the interest of Africans, and particularly youth, in politics during this year’s elections and beyond. The contest between political candidates also seems to have shifted into cyberspace with the emergence of a “who has the best social media strategy” of sorts.

So, what is actually at stake? As many Ghanaians are finding out through Merz’ political safari of his film, it is not the title of “president” nor oil or the opportunity to govern or lead (serve maybe?) a nation. Rather, it is the possibility of charting the course of a people towards fulfilled dreams or of relegating yet another nation to the all too familiar example of African democracy gone wrong.