Hey Osagyefo,

I've been back in Yankee for about two weeks now. I am sorry for not notifying you earlier, I wanted to settle in first. I am happier about being back now, a new quarter has started, I've spoken to a number of friends and loved ones, enjoyed fast internet for a while now, you know. I don't think I know much about what's going on in Ghana, even though there are countless media outlets to keep me informed. It just doesn't look the same you know. A discerning Ghanaian abroad may hear people making a big deal about one political party threatening fire and brimstone if an election goes a certain way on radio, but to the Ghanaian at home, there is nothing burning and no signs of smoke. but I never paid much attention to these popular news outlets online when I was home but I am stuck with them now. Where did the other sources of news and information go?

Osagyefo, I know the answer. These other sources of news and information stayed behind in Ghana when I boarded that Delta flight. I travelled with a couple of newspapers; the Daily Graphic issue which reported our famous win over the Green Eagles of Nigeria, a Graphic Showbiz, a Graphic Sports and a Jive issue. You can call them souvenirs but believe you me, there are some interesting bits of information in those newspapers that never made it to any webpage. Kwame, are those of us abroad hearing all the news and information we need to hear from Ghana? We can't hear all of it, but is some important info being hid from us? Should we care? Do we need to know? After all, we are not tax-payers and effectively disenfranchised from helping govern and constitute our country. Do we even want to be 'in the know'?

Kwame, how did you get information on what was transpiring in Ghana when you were abroad in Yankee and Longdon? I cannot imagine a time without cellphones or computers with internet. Actually, I can, I experience those times about 10 years ago. But we had phones then, and a reliable postal system, television, radio, among others. Kwame, did any of your local radio stations have news programming covering the African continent? Did you request letters from relatives asking for the juiciest gossip back home? Those must have been the hardest times for an international student. Did you always know you would go back to Ghana to fight for independence? Is that what you discussed with the few African students you met as you pursued academic excellence?

The one who is willing to keep tabs on Ghana's life day in and out can find it. There are thelistening to radio morning shows which are broadcast online, streaming of television, websites of the print media and countless media sites packaging the news. The trick here is, these media outlets cannot communicate the pulse of the people. I doubt I can blog about what's going on in Ghana by reading Ghanaweb everyday. Yes, I have to be at the front-lines, but for many reasons known and unknown to the children of Ogyakrom, we can't be at the front-lines. These reasons would generate enough paragraphs for another letter so I will postpone any further mentioning. Maybe, I might as well not need to be at the front-lines, most white-collar workers in Ghana have Ghanaweb as their homepage and their news source. It may be expensive to secure a great broadband connection but when you aggregate the costs of buying newspapers, you may very well stick with Ghanaweb. This is a wake-up call to Ghanaian newspapers, you got some online competition.

Osagyefo, I can call home every now and then to get the pulse of the nation. Most of the people commenting on Ghanaian news online are in the Diaspora, but you and I know for a fact that Ghanaians at home are always discussing the news, especially politics. We will never know what they are saying and how different they feel about the issues as opposed to the 'remitting Ghanaian populace'. It's easy to see that you need to be with the people to make any meaningful impact on them, because even the Diasporean Ghanaians look home for the latest and best music, the gossip and news, and the new business opportunities. The only exception to this rule may be the case of the foreign based players versus the local ones. You can check, but very little is publicized about our local sports (leagues, etc) as opposed to keeping track of our sports stars plying their trades in foreign lands.

The Black Stars may be the passion of the nation but we have all seen that that passion is not very sustainable. The politics discussions, the rally cries of better costs of living, the hopes for better standards of living and effects of overbearing petrol prices dominate the news and the minds of Ghanaians at home all through the year. Ghanaians abroad for the most part are clueless about the real situations and the countless media websites are inadequate mouthpieces. So Osagyefo, what should we do and what can we do? If we know only 20% of what Ghana is going through, can we possibly and realistically contribute 50% of what Ghana needs? Or should we just bide our time like you did and return to create positive change?

Osagyefo, I know you are abroad like I am but help me figure these things out. Call your family in Nkroful if (because) you have to, and let's get the real picture. Tell your family in Nkroful that it is their job to keep us informed because we don't want to be strangers to our own home even if we choose not to visit or take active interests in it. Akosua Mansa is more interested in telling me how much she misses me while Efo Kafui is looking to spend some of the paycheck money that's yet to arrive. Ghanaians at home must also get their mind right to right ours.

Join me,
Maximus.