Shopping 4 A Dictator

                                             I want a dictator for my country

1.bp.blogspot.com

Oh come on, dictatorship is not that bad

(if you elect the right 'dictator')

Someone who is willing to rule for one term only

(one term is all that is required)

It is guaranteed that majority will not want a second term for that person.

I want a dictator for my country

One who has integrity and is willing to let heads roll (not literally!)

When things are not done the way they should

Such a person must be surrounded by like-minded people

A dictator who can manage my people well without stretching the truth too much

(I know I am asking to be lied to but isn't lying part of the game of politics? Name one truthful politician)

Should you be willing to be elected

Know this,

I am not shopping for a saint (they are of the limited variety)

The head I am searching for must be willing to carry grey hairs,

Use an almost military style of rule,

Be willing to bear

Insults that fly from all corners,
Satire of sayings
Caricatured images

Almost-successful-assassination attempts,

Coup d'tats will be stumped

Your family will not be spared.

Nepotism will not be tolerated

One who will implement feasible ideas with the long haul in mind

One who says and no one dare counters

Cos I thought about this and came to this,

Dictatorship will be good for my country; for awhile anyway.

National service will consist of six months military training

To instill discipline in everyone.

Then six months industrial internship.

See what that will accomplish

dvdbeaver.com

I know one such person who would have made a fine dictator

Alas! he is dead

Before he died he did much for my country

Yet in exile he dead.

Should you be willing to take on this role

Know that such death is what awaits you.

This is not for the faint-of-heart.

Any takers?

NB: So which one did we finally settle on, Founder's Day or Founders' Day?

Wise One

You mustn't call your leaders stupid
After all they went to all these fancy schools
Got all the attaches to their names
In order not to be stupid

What about you,
O wise one
Who has all the knowledge there is
Yet choose to butt-sit on
Furthered cushions softer than a babe's bottom
Oh, did I forget to say,
We have done all the criticizing there is
NEWSFLASH:
No one is listening
We are talking way too much

O wise one
I wish you were at the helm of affairs
I am sure our kids will have no need for school
Just like the olden times
Our life will be a forever case study for them to emulate
And since the devil finds work for the idle hands,
We will bestow hectares of land upon their wily bodies
To amass food that will feed the whole populace
Best of all we will grant free everything to all
With come-hither

When they call you stupid fool
Call me
I will hold your hand

This is My Country

Moving through the streets
Accra Poly to Arena
On stark cold pavement
Infront of padlocked barricaded stores
A neat line of bodies wrapped in cloth
Thin sheath cloths providing little protection
Against malaria mosquitoes, blight cold air

this is my country

I am reminded of times of old
Scurrying to Post Office
Across Makola School of Law, groups of young men
Wafting through noses, wisp strains of smoke of hemp
With mouths as incinerators

This is my country

Today I saw an arm wrapped protectively around a small form
That arm conveyed peace, safety

This is my country

A man sleeps on a 'trock' (pronounced the Ga way) in-front of a shop
Sleep man, you know not what tomorrow brings.
Take heart man; sleep

This is My Country

Rain, be at bay tonight
Mensima knows not where mama is
Wofa K came for mama again
Maybe she will come tomorrow
And not two days late like last time

THIS IS MY COUNTRY

Holding a wake?
For the dead?
Forget not the living
Hold a wake for us
Then hold wakes no more


THIS IS MY COUNTRY!

6th March; Wat Hup?

Ghana is celebrating 54 years of post independence and my nephew, AJ, is 10 years today. Hurray!!!
God bless you, Ghana.
God bless you, AJ (Pancakes next we meet) and I know there is cake with your name written on it. Enjoy.

Okay, so how many know there are three stanzas to Ghana's National Anthem, after all, most people know the words of the first stanza. Below are all the stanzas and in case you want to know the tune go to this link

The Ghanaian National Anthem

God bless our homeland Ghana,

And make our nation great and strong,

Bold to defend forever

The cause of Freedom and of Right.

Fill our hearts with true humility

Make us cherish fearless honesty,

And help us to resist oppressors' rule

With all our will and might forevermore.

Hail to thy name, O Ghana

To thee we make our solemn vow;

Steadfast to build together

A nation strong in Unity;

With our gifts of mind and strength of arm,

Whether night or day, in the midst of storm,

In every need whate'er the call may be,

To serve thee, Ghana, now and evermore.

Raise high the flag of Ghana,

And one with Africa advance;

Black star of hope and honor,

To all who thirst for liberty;

Where the banner of Ghana freely flies,

May the way to freedom truly lie

Arise, arise, O sons of Ghanaland,

And under God march on forevermore.

I will be at the Ghana International Trade Fair at 4pm (GMT) spotting a black t-shirt with this design. Look out for me if you happen to be there. :)

Obtuse Change

"Mepawoky3w, eye ahi?", i ask. "5000 ooo", the seller responds. "Ah, 5000 cedis anaa 5000 ghana cedis", i inquire. "Sika dada no", "Fofro no dia me ho anoo", she replies. Has this scenario happened to you before? Or maybe you board a trotro and you don't know the fare to the place you are going; you ask the mate, "Mate, how much to [insert palace]"; the mate answers "3, 5". Ah, what kind of money is '3, 5'. The mate meant 35 pesewas.

The number of times this has happened to me is numerous. It has been three years since the re-denomination and yet some Ghanaians still speak about money using the old currency. It is so confusing

Why after three years are people still talking about money in terms of the old currency? Don't they understand the new currency? If they do, why the reluctance to use the new terms for the money? Are the new terms too much of a mouthful?  We can always shorten the term; say 20p instead of 20pesewas and 1cedi instead of 1 ghana cedis.

Tell me your adventures with the pesewas and the ghana cedis.