...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

There has been a lot of controversy in Ghana lately about the recent National Honours Awards and who deserves awards and who should be giving them out. Naturally, we would want 'Ghana' to give out these awards and not the president of the nation or a bunch of people with various interests. So what if Ghana was a person? What would Ghana have to say to its people? If Ghana was a monarchy, the king would be Ghana. We don't have that. My buddy, Okyeame Kwame personifies Ghana in his Kwame Ghana song and tells us what Ghana has to say to its people. 6th march 1957 was a Wednesday while July 1st, 1960 was a Friday. Maybe Kwame Ghana's message sums up the thoughts of Okyeame Kwame, who after all is a Ghanaian as well.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

Countless people have asked me about my three month stay in Ghana. Everytime the question is asked, I give a slightly different answer. The default thing to say is - it was great. I normally prefer pointed questions - my indecisiveness cripples my answers to such general questions. My stay in Ghana inspired and taught me a lot, it made me understand how various things work in Ghana (especially in industry) and how comfortable or uncomfortable I could find myself in my own land. Most people seek out my opinion on going back, and my answer is always the same - eventually I will go back and soon. Why would I? My friend Becca would help out here with her song called Ghana.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

I just got back to Uncle Sam's Abode last weekend. It was a long flight. As usual, I had wanted to extend my stay. In fact, I had overstayed my welcome. I met a Facebook friend and made a new friend as well. I had this burning desire to talk to this friend I made because I overheard him say he went to IPS (the one near Legon). Hey, maybe I just wanted to speak Pidgin with somebody. After talking to him for awhile, I realised Asumasi was on the Green Card path and heading towards the land of milk and honey. His IPS education was on hold. Almost seconds later, Wanlov da Kuborlor's Green Card song came to mind.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

After a long night partying in Accra, I arrived home in the wee hours of the morning. I decided to skip church in order to get some sleep in. Sounds like the wrong thing to do, I know. Later in the day, my cousin came from church to find me playing some great gospel music and made a mention of how it is not the easiest thing to 'do bad things' and then switch into worship and praise mode. I agreed and we proceeded to talk about how hypocritical some of us Christians are. Do we use God's word like we should? How serious do we take it? Cee says Awurade Asem(God's matter/word) is very good to her. What can we do to see the same in our lives?

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

When the African Cup quarter-final clash between Ghana-Nigeria game went on recess (half-time) as a drawn game, I was tense. Really tense. Both teams seemed up to the task and it was going to take something special to separate them. I even suggested that President Kuffour should go to the Black Stars' dressing room to motivate and inspire the 'boys'. After all, he postponed his favorite pastime -travelling - to stay in Ghana to inspire them and watch this dreaded duel with the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Eventually, Ago-goal struck and Ghana carried the day in the presence of their 'Number one fan', John Agyekum Kuffour. JAK, we join 5Five to give you kudos.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

Many government projects in Ghana are not done according to schedule due to the absence of funds. It's sad to read about infrastructural projects being launched and then the beneficiaries have to wait extra long to benefit. Is there really no money in the system? We pay lots of taxes but we don't see the taxes at work. We see them buying the four-wheel drives, building the nice homes and financing the trips abroad. This is our money, Africa's money and some people are spending it in ways that do not benefit Africa at large. But who will say it? You bet it would be Barima, formerly known as Sidney. The most controversial hiplife artiste is out again and out to criticize the Ogas and bosses chopping Africa money.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

After seeing my favorite Black Stars agonisingly hit the goal post three times in the opening game of CAN 2008 and remain deadlocked with Guinea, I began wondering if this victory was to be. We finally scored and then the Syli Nationale replied almost immediately. Just when I was about to give up, Sulley Muntari produced a moment of magic two minutes to time and scored the winner. Ghana's biggest newspaper, the Daily Graphic, said sometimes one is tempted to believe that God is a Ghanaian. Apparently, God was on our side, and Esther Smith would agree with her song 'Yesu wo m'afa'. No matter how many heartbreaking missed chances we suffered, we would win in the end.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

I am one of Obrafour's biggest fans. I travelled a number of miles away to buy his latest album, Heavy. The title track dominated the Ghanaian charts in 2006 and rightly so. I hadn't paid much attention to what he meant by 'heavy, heavy', until my little cousin passed a comment about her fears in becoming fat if she eats too much. Then it dawned on me. Obrafour uses 'heavy' to mean 'great, nice', etc. But in today's 'watch your weight world', who wants to be 'heavy'?

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

Home is where I find the most peace but all is not peaceful. News broadcasts in Ghana are as common as every top of the hour. I have known Ghanaian news broadcasts to provide good news; hospital building commissionings, speech and prize giving days, and price increases. Call it boring if yu may please but once in a while we have news to 'tickle' you. My friends in Bawku have some 'tickling' news to report, some of their friends have taken to the streets and have left in their wake some dead bodies. "If my brother dey struggle for Kenya, I be Kenyan oh" - Wanlov sang about it, but if my brother is suffering in Kenya, I feel the ripples, I feel the pain. It could happen in my backyard, Bawku is not exactly my backyard, but it is.

In Ghana - talking about issues, ideas and not people

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

I can't tell you how happy I feel to be in Ghana. Yes, it is home, but it is where I find the most peace. When there is a boring moment, I am thinking. When there is a sad moment, I am thinking. When there is a happy moment, I am not thanking anyone, because it is just routine when I am in Ghana. I must be selling Ghana to you and it's no secret why I may be doing so at this particular time, with the African Cup of Nations underway in Ghana in just over two weeks, every inch of Ghana is being sold. On the back of Ghana's golden jubilee, Ghana wants as many people to be in Ghana. Wanlov is no different.

Wanlov aka One love aka Odo Baako aka Sumo ekome is a Ghanaian musician. Son of Ghanaian father and Romanian mother, he wouldn't strike you as Ghanaian on first glance. You will find it difficult to place him under one genre - he's that good. Wanlov had been stationed in the US for awhile now and just returned to Ghana late last year. He had spent the most of his time abroad making singles, touring the US and performing. I vividly remember him doing a show in a college in Connecticut and then performing in California the next weekend. 'In Ghana' is one of the tracks on his debut release, Green card' which is out now. 'In Ghana' gained popularity in late 2006 after Ghana's debut at the World Cup, it was one of the songs promoting Ghana. Read the lyrics and it's easy to see why, the Ministry of Tourism must hear this one.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins
I have been thinking about the run-up to next year's election. Atta Mills already won the NDC candidacy. People are already saying buy Mills, get Rawlings free. Hmmm. What about their nemesis the NPP? If radio airplay is anything to go by, you have to go with Alan Cash, the man who has promised Ghanaians cash. Guess who is believed to have anointed him 'class prefect'? Yes, John Agyekum Kuffour. Up till today, Ghana politics is still about J A Kuffour and J J Rawlings. Don't let the lack of Boom speeches and Waa waa press conferences deceive you, advises the Ghanaian music monk aka Shasha Marley.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

It's been a while since I blogged here and I am ashamed. Anyway, I am back. :-) What's driven me back? The upcoming African Cup of Nations Football tournament in Ghana - yes, I am excited. It is expected to draw 1 million tourists to Ghana, which is more than we got all through 2007 probably and it is bound to infuse a lot into our economy. Ghana has rehabilitated two stadiums and built two new ones for the tournament and there have been some infrastructural developments as well. You can ask around, even though people are excited about these developments, a lot of people feel the government could and should have done more. Why can't we do something great while we are at it? Who is asking? Amandzeba Nat Brew does in his Pioto song, his most recent hit.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

You know I love Bernard Avle's CITI FM breakfast show. Guess what? It just won an award as the best talk show in the whole of Africa. So you've got to listen as often as I do, ;-) Anyway, Daasebre Dwamena was recently freed from prison and declared innocent in his London cocaine trial. A lot of people have welcomed this news and Daasebre arrived in Ghana to a hero's welcome. His latest hit, Wafom (you have wronged), has been played on CITI FM regularly and recently, Bernard passed a comment saying that the Electricity corporation of Ghana has wronged the Ghanaian populace for reneging on their promises to provide electricity to certain parts of the population as part of their load shedding exercise. They are not only ones failing to do deliver on their promises, politicians are equally at fault. Is there anything we can do as a populace to ensure better accountability? Are we too naive to get hooked onto promises?

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins

My first reaction was to laugh it off. Ghanaweb is at it again, sensationalising another headline. But as I continued to read, it sounded more 'authentic'. Besides, I have strong beliefs in traditional medicine and KNUST was ever present in this scenario. We have heard all the facts about HIV-AIDS but with the recent pronouncement from Gambia about a cure/treatment and now with this revelation from Kumasi (Ghana), should we paying some more attention and giving more credit to traditional medicine? 4x4's Kookoo Aduro is a tribute to our herbalists and medicine men.

...Sounds on da ground and seens on the see-ins
One of the first things I learnt in my Kiswahili class was how to say where I come from (kutoka). My American colleagues mentioned the cities and towns they live in as their hometowns but my situation is different. Like many Ghanaians, our hometowns are the towns where our families trace their roots, heritage, culture or language. Well, maybe some Ghanaians would disagree with me and say they come from Accra because that is all they can associate with. Heck, some may even say they are from the Bronx. Amidst this confusion, maybe the Oseikrom president, Reggie Rockstone could help us answer the hometown question with his "Where I'm from" song.