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MUST READ: We Are HYPOCRITES!

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Hypocrisy

Hypocrites! That’s what we really are. Our double standards keep staring us in the face each day of our lives. Our inconsistent yardsticks have made us to always cherry-pick. Morality has become subjective. What’s right and wrong have become absolutely relative.

We all are hypocrites. We hate religion because it came from a foreign land yet have embraced the same white man’s education. Not only that. We are so engrossed in his technology, too. We blame our colonizers for our woes when we have actually colonized state wealth and property. Well, we all have double standards.

Don’t tell me we are not hypocrites. We wail when others discriminate against us because of our skin color yet we always put others down because of where they are coming from. We scream our lungs out and crave for pity in the face of racism yet we dish out all shades of tribalism at our own blood.

Yes, we are hypocrites! We sanctimoniously stand on the podium in our cassocks clothed in innocence and piety every Sunday. However, between the two Sundays, there’s no clear-cut difference between those we preach to and us! We preach what we are yet to practice and practice what we don’t preach. We say what we don’t do and… do what we are ashamed to say! An upside down society.

Tell me you are not a hypocrite. You fight against child marriage on one hand and demand for sex before giving ladies job opportunities, on another hand. You are a so-called responsible parent yet have made your bed a criterion for job qualification. Dirty double standards!

Aren’t we hypocrites? We say our jobs are not well paying but we are not any much productive. We treat state property anyhow because they aren’t ours after all. We substitute working hours for playing and praying hours and use the rest of the time to while away time. We cry for more money yet give out only little responsibility. We say we want change but the truth is, we need a change of our lives― a whole makeover!

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MUST READ: Life is No Fast Food!

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We live in a fast world. Our communication is fast. Our food is equally fast. Everything is literally fast. We live in a generation that wants everything now or never. We only want our needs and our wants have conversely become our needs― a generation that lives in an upside down world.

Life runs on the wheels of principles. No one can defy those principles. When you throw an object up, it must definitely come down. It’s life’s principle. When you sow, it must take time to grow. That is another principle life works with.

No matter how well versed we become in technology, we can’t cheat life’s principles. Regardless of how long an airplane stays in the skies, it must come down. No matter how productive Science makes our seeds, they can’t grow overnight into fruits. You can’t beat life’s principles!

It’s like climbing up an escalator which is moving down. Regardless of how fast you climb, you’ll get nowhere. You would return to your starting point sooner or later. Trying to outsmart life’s principles is like trying to run a race in a rocking chair. You’ll expend all your energy only to realize you are still at the same point!

Life’s principles can’t be outwitted. Even in spite of the abundance of awe-inspiring technology, I’m yet to see babies form in just a matter of days in their mothers’ wombs. When you try to cheat life’s principles, you end up with a half-baked product― premature success.

Premature success, like a building without a strong foundation, can’t stand the test of time. In no time, it would come tumbling down. At the little challenge, it would fall into crumbles. What does not take time to come into being will not take time to stay in being!

Formidable success takes time. A strong marriage/relationship takes a great deal of time to develop. There’s no shortcut! For a couple to trust each other at the top of life’s ladder, they should have trusted each other same when they were down there. A marriage/relationship that has stood the test of time can withstand anything!

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MUST READ: Once Bitten, Never Shy

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People can be ungrateful, I know. For some consecutive times, a particular group of people can treat us so badly. It’s hard not to say, as a woman, that “all men are same,” sometimes― I know. Our bad experiences may lend credence to this; other people’s experience, too.

However, remember that just as you may wrongly generalize people, so may others wrongly generalize you. Just as you may think that all men are bad, so may another ill-treated man assume all women are bad. But… is such a generalization true? Of course not.

Our experiences are based on who we meet. That is why it is so wrong to stereotype. Coming into contact with one bad nut doesn’t mean every nut on this Earth is bad.

Your experiences, whether good or bad, should help you make some vital decisions in your life. However, you should not generalize every situation you may encounter with regards to your past experiences.

If you went down a particular road, for instance, and got bitten, it doesn’t go without saying that every time you go down that same road, you may have that same experience. Your bad experiences should teach you vital lessons. They should not change you. You are not your bad experience!

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READERS’ MAIL: I Fell Asleep During the 2017 VGMAs–And Yet I Have the Best Review!

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The Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) for 2017 (covering the performance year of 2016, I believe) was held on Saturday 8 April, 2017 at the Accra International Conference Centre. As an avowed old duade who has over the years drifted away from the path of current music trends and the new school genres, some of which I don’t understand and many of whose artistes I don’t know, I do not have the habit of staying up to watch the usually long program that runs into the early hours of the following day, usually not starting on time.

The best I do, in the past years, have been to ‘watch’ the program on Facebook (mostly) and Twitter, following the posts of dedicated members of CAG – Couch Analysts of Ghana, whose witty commentaries from the red carpet moments to the moment when the top award – Artiste of the Year – is awarded, makes for better entertainment than the program instead. Notable members of CAG are Kwame Gyan, Kofi Obirikorang, Andre Jnr, Francis Doku (he is normally off duty on VGMA days as he attends in person and could be relied upon for inside information), Nuerki Ata-Bedu, Lawrencia Elikem Zigah, Prosper Afuti, Kofi Yankey and Ayimadu theDukeofGH.

I was planning to follow the same path this year. Until I checked a WhatsApp message from my friend Kwabena Poku, which indicated that the show would be telecast live on DSTV, which meant Kapokyikyiwofaase the Old Duade could also watch from Amalaman and show fellow Duades like the MP of Facebook South, Hon. Rodney Nkrumah-Boateng, that duades move by sizes.

Predictably, during the build-up to the show, old duades like Rodney and Prof HKP were asking what VGMA meant. Rodney said it stood for ‘Very Good Men Abound’ and Matthew Ayiku wondered if it was a contraceptive. Well, you now know who influenced the new way of pronouncing VGMA. Vagima, is it? These Old Duades will kill me shy! See, the best pitch you can make to an Old Duade, when helping him to understand what the VGMA stands for, is to tell him that it is the ECRAG Awards. ECRAG stands for the Entertainment Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana. At one point, it was ACRAG. More on that later.

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Walter Owusu Writes: Mainstream Media is Responsible for Rampant Suicides in Ghana

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There is no doubt that the rate at which Ghanaians are committing suicide has really skyrocketed over the past few months. About two weeks ago, myjoyonline reported a suicide case involving the daughter of a parliamentarian. It was obviously a big deal because it involved the daughter of a bigwig in our society. A week later, the same joy news portal reported another suicide case involving a Legon student who jumped to her death at the 4th floor of the Akuapim Hall. Another middle aged man from the Achimota vicinity was also reported to have committed suicide just last week. What really struck my attention regarding this domino effect of suicide cases was when citifmonline reported that a 30-year old man from Half-Assini has allegedly committed suicide.

Suicide is a very common topic in western world and I believe it is safe to say that our friends from the west tend to commit suicide more than us (Africans). It seems like taking one’s own life is becoming a norm in our Ghanaian society. Many people have commented on this issue including John Dumelo, a household actor who had some few words to share. He suggested that “we should open up more to friends and family who are troubled”. Indeed venting to others and seeking help can change this unbecoming trend but our media coverage on such issues needs to be checked. Media coverage on suicide cases is rather promoting self-killing. Mainstream media plays a vital role in our society. Nevertheless, the way the news media cover tragedies in modern day Ghana has a big impact on young minds.

Dr. Park Dietz, a well-known American criminal profiler who is also a consultant for popular TV show “Law & Order” has warned about coverage on crimes and suicides. Excessive coverage on crimes may lead young people to go out and commit copycat crimes. When people are constantly exposed to excessive coverage of a crime, they tend to replicate those crimes according to Dr. Dietz. He simply asserts that “human beings are natural mimics who unconsciously mimic others”. Sometimes the media can amplify issues just by the way they report these issues. Giving out irrelevant details about a crime may help people who are willing to commit such crimes. When criminals are glamorised and given such attention, their acts become admirable by certain people who tend to follow in the footsteps of the “celebrity-crime”. Dr. Dietz also makes some reflections on the reportage of suicide as well and calls it the suicide contagion.

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Ghanaian Adulterers Want Homosexuals Dead–Kuukuwa Andam Writes

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In my work as a lawyer, I have come across several heartbreaking stories of injustice: battered wives, abused children, innocent people incarcerated. But one story that has stuck with me is the story of a lesbian who was beaten to death in Accra. The media hardly covered her story and no one spoke up for her after she was gone. And yet, she too, was someone’s child.

Last week, as calls were made to jail and kill LGBTs (lesbians, gays etc.), I remembered her story. And, I wondered why people are so obsessed with LGBTs? LGBTs are not the reason why youth are hawking goods in our streets, why school children do not have chairs or why many cannot afford one square meal a day. How exactly does 2 grown women or men being attracted to each other affect the price of kenkey? People keep panicking about ‘gay marriage.’ Which gay person in Ghana has ever asked to get married?

It is sad that discussions about LGBTs are often riddled with myths. People insist that sexual orientation is a choice. But, if it is a choice, why would anyone choose to be gay in Africa where they can be killed? No one wakes up in the morning and decides to be attracted to the opposite sex or the same sex for that matter. It is something that comes naturally to everyone by the time they hit puberty. I have known since I was a child that I am bisexual. People claim LGBTs are ‘recruited’ and yet no one recruited me. People allege LGBTs are paid. So why am I struggling to finance my studies?  On the contrary, writing openly about these issues may endanger my career and life but I must speak up for people like me who are persecuted.

People insist that homosexuality is alien to our culture and yet we have always had gays, lesbians etc. among us. We called them names like kojobesia.  Centuries ago, anthropologists who visited Africa discovered homosexuals living here. And yet we all lived together in harmony. So why the sudden urgency to kill off our own brothers and sisters? Armed robbers rob people, Paedophiles rape children but how does a relationship between 2 mature, consenting adults harm you personally? Christianity, Islam, English and suits are alien to African culture. Yet people who love all these insist on stigmatizing homosexuals because of culture. Historically, some African societies used to kill albinos, twins and the disabled. Shall we revert to that also because of culture?

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Ghana @ 60: Independence Or In Dependence

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Kwame Nkrumah

Freedom is such a big deal to humanity. Everyone wants to be free. Back in the day, we could not wait to get into high school where our parents would have almost no influence on our movement anymore. We wanted to be on our own and definitely we were. As though that wasn’t enough, we were even in greater haste to enter university for one major reason― freedom to be us!

Freedom is expensive. It comes with responsibility. Independence comes not only with privileges but a sense of duty, too. After all, of what essence is independence to us when we still are in absolute dependence!

Sixty (60) years of Ghana’s independence is supposed to be no mean achievement. At a retirement age of 60, however, can we really boast of sustainable development and resources which have been accrued over the years?

A diamond anniversary of little or no achievement is not worth celebration, tell you what. It’s like a retiree who blames his woes on how harsh his father (who died many decades ago) was. As though that’s not enough, the little he has on him, he decides to blow it up on a lavish retirement party!

At 60, we are still grappling with the basic needs of our people. At 60, we produce little or nothing on own yet spend a chunk of our wealth on imports. At 60, we are still depending on foreign coaches― we are just allergic to hiring our own Ghanaians to be at the helm of affairs. At 60, we can’t buy and eat Ghanaian. At 60, we still have the colonized mind of a teen!

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Femininity is Not Inferiority–And Masculinity is Not a Synonym of Superiority

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Black woman

You are born either male or female not by choice. Like one’s skin color, one does not choose their gender. If one’s gender is not by their preference, thus, it does not make sense to look down on another because you think their sex makes them think lesser.

Our men must know that masculinity is not a synonym of superiority. And… someone must kindly whisper into the ears of our women that they having breasts doesn’t make them any inferior!

You are not the tail because you are feminine and another is not a head because they are men. Just because you menstruate doesn’t mean you don’t matter. Just because you have a womb to carry another being doesn’t make you any less human. Your sex does not in any way have any correspondence with your worth. Our women, especially the young ones, should know that femininity is not inferiority!

The first woman was woven out of man. Thereafter, all men and women alike, have had to pass through a woman to see life. If women are inferior versions of men, then men should have been quite more inferior versions of women because they came through them after all.

A woman, just like a man, has self-worth. She, like man, has a sense of pride. She has power on the inside. Her body has been made to play roles no other person but a woman can play. That’s how unique her womanhood is.

Is the woman like a man? It’s like asking if a pineapple is like a mango. Well. They all are fruits but have quite differently unique roles and features. The man can never be a woman and the woman… never can be a man. The man was molded to be stronger and the woman, weaker.

The man was made to honor the woman and the woman, to submit to the man. The man was made to play roles the woman couldn’t and the woman, to complement a man’s responsibilities.

What a man can’t do, the woman was made to do. What a woman’s features were not fashioned to do, the man’s was made to. The fact that the man can’t carry a baby in a womb doesn’t make him any inferior. Just because a woman was made to submit to his man similarly doesn’t make her any less human. Each sex was fashioned to function differently and uniquely.

Each sex is unique. Each gender is different. Little wonder we can’t compare both. The man can’t be a woman, try much as he can, and vice versa. Each sex was made to have strength to cover up for the other’s weakness. In other words, it is not about gender competition but… gender completion.

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But I THOUGHT…How I Landed At Madina When I Was Heading to Kasoa

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Trotro Ghana

Quiet recently I was at Kaneshie and had to head to Kasoa from there. I asked some passers-by who directed me to an awaiting vehicle at the station. Guess what. I went to sit in without asking for any further clarification from the passengers and slept off.

After about an hour, someone tapped me on the shoulder. The conductor was asking for my fare. I just paid and slept again.

After about 30 minutes, the conductor tapped me on the shoulder. “We have reached.” I opened my eyes to see clearly. “Ah! Where are we!?” I wondered. “Madina!” he exclaimed.

“Ah! I am going to Kasoa,” I explained. He retorted, “Well… this is a Madina car.” In awe, I heaved, “But I thought…”

Countless times in this life, we have assumed that others should think what we are thinking― in our marriages or relationships, workplaces, every aspect of our lives. Fact is, the best service we can sometimes render ourselves is to be certain that what we are thinking is indeed what we should think. Assumptions are sometimes deceptions.

Ask. Don’t just assume. Be certain. Don’t only presume. Others can’t always discern our thoughts. We can’t be so sure that what we thought was what they thought, too. Many hearts have needlessly been broken on the altar of assumptions. A husband thought his wife should have known better when the wife was also assuming he should have known best.

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10 Practical Tips to Get Over BROKEN-HEARTEDNESS!

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Getting over a broken heart is no mean task, trust me. It’s no easy task to overlook broken trust or disappointment by a loved one. Whatever it is, you need your life back. I hope these few tips help you out. 1. Pray for strength to forgive. Forgive he/she who broke your heart no matter … Read more

10 Fascinating Characters You’ll Find in Every Church–Number 5 May Be You!

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Each church is full of different characters–and it being a house of God does not really do anything to some of the most annoying and pathetic human characters. Of course, it’s the same people you meet on the street who converge at our churches, burdened with a high expectation to suddenly act different or become … Read more

20 UNDENIABLE Truths Every Young Women Must Know–Share It With Her!

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We brought you ‘20 UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS Every Young Man Must Know‘ and today, we are on the women–helping to school and shape their future.

Life is widely said not to be fair but there are times life becomes so fair that we hate it–that’s when it serves us with what we really deserve.

You do not sow corn and expect to harvest a millet–in that, most people live careless and cheap lives and expect valuable returns.

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The Magic Wand Of MakeUp: These Photos Capture the Super Power of Make-Up

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Make-up is a substance or product used to enhance the appearance or fragrance of the body and they include mascara, eye shadow, shampoo, hair styling products, skin cleansers, lotions etc.

In this article, makeup will be limited to facial cosmetics even though the word is an umbrella of cosmetics.  Therefore another definition from my pocket dictionary that will be of immense help states that make-ups are cosmetics such as lipstick or powder applied to the face to alter or enhance the appearance.

Makeup is now on the ascendancy, the youth and even the elderly in our society have embraced it so it has become the order of the day. It is very rare to see ladies without makeup nowadays and this clearly shows it has been accepted wholly by the majority of ladies.

It has become a norm on campuses, churches and even at the workplace. When you go for social gatherings such as weddings, parties, naming ceremony, funerals etc., you can attest to that.  The funniest part is you will overhear some ladies appreciating the makeup of other ladies, whiles some will be engaging in ridiculing.

Personally, I don’t really admire ladies who wear too much makeup, it is a turn off for me. Makeup performs magic on the faces of ladies, in the sense that it temporarily hides pimples or spots on the face, beautifies the face and even makes the ladies look different.

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SHS DIARIES: The New Craze On Social Media—Read Some of the Most Hilarious and Shocking Memories Shared

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SHS Diaries

Day in day out, there are trends on social media but the recent one that has caught fire is the SHS Diaries.

This trend can mostly be found on Facebook and it has become like a grapevine, we don’t know the source or who started it. We have witnessed a couple of trends that were traceable. Examples are the Mannequin Challenge, Ice Bucket Challenge etc.

Mannequin Challenge was started by students in Jacksonville, Florida on October 2016 whilst Ice Bucket Challenge began with Pete Frates, a former Boston College Baseball Player who challenged his friends and celebrities to take the Ice Bucket Challenge to kick out Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

In Ghana, the situation is different in the sense that we don’t know some of the sources of our trends so the individual or groups that initiated such trends can’t be duly credited.

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Ending the AFCON 2017 Conversation–Black Stars’ Performance Exacerbating?

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On a normal day, I would not put on my thinking cap to write on football because I feel a lot of sports journalists do that often. I always want to be unique and appealing in terms of my writings and take different dimensions on key issues. This time around I want have a bite of this tasty cherry. Ghanaians are very passionate when it comes to football and I am of no exception to this, I also love football and when I was a kid I thought I might be a sport journalist but situation alters dreams. I will take delight in highlighting on the just ended AFCON 2017.

AFCON 2017 was the 31st edition organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) with Issa Hayatou being the captain of the ship. The AFCON 2017 was hosted by Gabon and I must say the AFCON has been thrilling, exciting, nerve wrecking, surprising, heartbreaking etc. The mood correlated with the plethora of games we witnessed. There were a couple of injuries, good goalkeeping, great goals and diverse celebrations and this is good for African Football.

Tournament of such magnitude will always attract spectacles from the world and I am highly elated we did well with the organization and the kind of football played. I would not talk about the highs without touching on the lows. One of the flaws of the tournament was the pitches the games were played on, very poor and even caused some of the injuries. The second flaw I noticed was the officiating. Some of the officiating were bad and I believe moving forward we have to take a critical look at these things because they are indispensable. I want to use this opportunity to congratulate the top four teams Cameroon (1st), Egypt (2nd), Burkina Faso (3rd) and Ghana (4th).

Cameroon were not favourites from the on start, in other words nobody ticked them to win the AFCON 2017. This is because they had lost their key players due to certain reasons so the highlight was not on them. This is a team that surprised the world with their performance. You could clearly see how hungry they were for the trophy. They exhibited great teamwork and they worked hard for it so for me I was not astonished they won the trophy. When they eliminated Senegal, scored Ghana in the semifinal, my dark vision became bright and I saw how dangerous they were and will win the trophy. I am not a soothsayer but I saw it coming. My favourite in the Cameroon team was Fabrice Ondua. Egypt were one of the favourites even before the tournament began.

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20 UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS Every Young Man Must Know–Share With Him

5. Don’t choose your ‘bae’ (girlfriend) based on her heels. Choose her based on her skills. Heels don’t pay bills. Skills will pay bills and even buy heels! Life is not easy–and no one promised it was going to be easy. As we go through life, we make a lot of mistakes–some of which we … Read more

Forget the Atheists & Those Who Say We Were Not CREATED But Evolved!

Evolution and Creation
Evolution and Creation

Do you believe that God created all things? If so, you’re not alone; many people share your view. But others say that life and the universe evolved—without the help of a “Supreme Being.”

Did you know that people on both sides of the debate are often quick to state what they believe without really knowing why they believe it. For example:

Some people believe in creation simply because that’s what they’ve been taught at church.

Many people believe in evolution simply because that’s what they’ve been taught at school.

First, we need to ask ourselves an even more basic question: Why do I believe in God?

Because the Bible encourages you to use your mind, “your power of reason.” That means our belief in God should not be based merely on

Emotion (I just feel that there must be a higher power)

The influence of others (I live in a religious community)

Pressure (My parents raised me to believe in God—or else)

Instead, we should be personally convinced that God exists and should have sound reasons for our belief.

When I was in secondary school (in Nigerian term), listening to my biology teacher explain how our bodies function, there was no doubt in my mind that God exists. Each part of the body has its own function, down to the smallest detail, and these functions are often carried out without our awareness. The human body truly is mind-boggling!.

When I see a skyscraper, a cruise ship, or a car, I ask myself, ‘Who built this?’ It takes intelligent people to build a car, for example, because so many small components have to work just right for the whole thing to function. And if cars have to be designed by someone, then so do we humans.

When you realize that it’s taken the most intelligent human minds hundreds of years to understand even the smallest fraction of the universe, then thinking that it took no intelligence to bring that universe into existence seems completely unreasonable!

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President OBAMA Came to Ghana and Advised ‘Africa Doesn’t Need Strong Men, It Needs Strong Institutions’ – After Some Years, I Totally DISAGREE

President Obama in Ghana
President Obama in Ghana

“Africa doesn’t need Strong Men, it needs Strong Institutions” is a statement passed by current President of America, Barrack Obama, to Ghana’s Parliament, when he visited Ghana on the 11th July, 2009.

Since the time Obama made those remarks, till date, every social commentator, politician, political analysts or lecturers, social feature columnists in some print media, Economists, and other people in academia, ALWAYS quote Obama and say the latter’s advice, is what Africa actually need.

I’ve pondered over what Obama said all these years and after doing so, I totally disagree with his avouchment. Indeed, what he said makes less sense to me because, I feel the converse of what he said, is rather true or should rather be the case.

Point is, human beings create systems and not the other way round – so if human beings, or men, are not strong, they can’t make strong institutions. This is common sense! I have not had any duologue with Obama to explain to me what he actually meant nor have I had the privilege to read the actual speech he read when he came to Ghana.

But, ‘strong’ as Obama used, was or is not about machismo, physiques, or brons, but brains! I strongly believe Obama actually meant, once we have strong institutions – as in, institutions that are: effective, efficient, transparent, corruption-free, accountable, and have general positive orientation, most of the social-economic problems in Ghana, Africa for that matter, can highly be overcome. That is 100% true!

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RE: Where Do We Go When We Die? Your Understanding & What You’ve Been Told

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With the speed of light, I would want to make a quick response to an article published earlier on this platform (CLICK HERE TO READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE) by stating emphatically that whoever shares in the thoughts of the writer is either an atheist or is attempting a flee from reality.

The subject of death and what follows is more often than not treated with goofy speculations. Ahead of my argument, it is prudent to state that, to make a comparison between the life of an animal of higher intellect and class – human being and other animals that have no sense of judgment and reason is far over the bar.

We do not require Rocket Science to teach us that all humans, unless you are a hybrid of a dinosaur and a camel; are made of the physical, mental, intellectual, a soul and a God-like spirit. After death, these components find their separate ways .The body certainly remains on earth, as the spirit and soul make another transition – where they go is best left for your guess, based on what your credence stems from.

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Ghana Vrs USA: How Ghana Can Beat USA-World Cup 2014

Ghana Vrs USA Match Preview
Ghana Vrs USA Match Preview

“When I get older… I will be stronger … They will call me freedom … just like a waving flag …and then it goes back… oh oo o ” … Four years ago, Somalia’s K’naan rose to prominence with this theme song for the World Cup in South Africa, and while Shakira’s Waka Waka had a groove about it, Waving Flag just tugged at your heart strings in a special way…

Four years ago, Nana Borro’s “Aha y3d3” became another unofficial theme song, especially after Ghana games; Four years ago, Octopus Paul was your go to guy for match predictions; Four years ago, the Cedi was 1.4 to the Dollar…. Oh how the times have changed since the last World Cup!

But those moments are back; those moments when you, including your boss, steal office hours; dash from the office to the pub or rush home, if your wife is the “house master” type, to catch the action live on TV, or simply tune in to radio commentary from your car. For one long month from June 12 – July 13, our daily routines will be rearranged because the 2014 FIFA World Cup is here; live from the home of football, Brazil! and you know what that means; a football party!

For us this side of the Atlantic, we are concerned with how our beloved Black Stars would kick start the campaign against perennial World Cup foes, United States of America (USA), on Monday June 16, 2200 GMT in Natal. In keeping with the World Cup fever, I have got a couple of tips for Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah on how to beat the USA from a purely scientific angle, nothing Kwaku Bonsam-ish. And oh, while I am at it, I will attempt an ideal line up too.

Arrest Michael Bradley

US Coach Jurgen Klinsmann, a former German international, recently stated that formations do not matter as much as tactics. In the lead up to the tournament, Klinsmann has departed from his favoured 4-2-3-1 in favour of a diamond 4-4-2 and tried several combinations with different players, although one has been ever present; Michael Bradley, son of former US and Egypt Coach Bob Bradley.

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What Do Jay-Z, Dr. Dre and Ghana’s E.L Have in Common?

E.L
E.L

For the past few years, we have been witnessing a remarkable “transformation” of the African music industry. We hear of Forbes’ list of the top 10 riches African musicians, endorsement deals with multinational corporations, MTV Africa Music Awards, international collaborations and other staggering developments.

Many African artists are on the hunt for universal recognition with special focus on being accepted in the African-American music scene. And yet, even with their tremendous and commendable efforts, it is still not common for anyone to watch or listen to P-Square feat. Rick Ross’s Beautiful Oyinye or D’banj feat. Kanye West’s Scape Goat on mainstream European and North American television or commercial radio.

As much as African artist are aggressively shooting for fame, the millionaires’ club and a global fan base, it is not particularly clear whether they are even ready for such a great leap. Given the accomplishment of many African-American music icons (e.g. they have their own record labels, a number of artists they manage, they sell merchandises & own other ventures ), it is only natural to hear the majority of African musicians talk about their dream of becoming like them.

For instance, during an interview with TOF TV in Toronto, Canada, the award-winning Ghanaian rapper E.L told the TV host that he looks up to Jay-Z and Dr. Dre. “Those [ Jay-Z and Dr. Dre] are the epitome of what that whole music thing is about. They have taken it to that level so of course I strive to be as good as them” , he proclaims. As we learn during the interview, the Azonto Pioneer desires to be recognize as a creative African artist on a global level..

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Key Management Team Members You Need For a Successful Music Career

Sarkodie1
Sarkodie

As a musician, the team you build to help you with your career is very important just as the quality of music you make. Having the right management team is critical to the success of every artist.

Every successful recording artist has become that way because of their talent and the management team that works to build his/her career. Many recording artists may feel comfortable enough in their talent to believe that is all that is needed to succeed but they quickly discover that is not the case.

If you want to take your career to the next level, then you have to work with a team that understands the industry and work diligently to get your music out to the public.

Take a look at the key members that are supposed to be on your team and the role they should play in making your dreams come true.

Personal Manager

Your personal manager should be the most trusted and important person or persons within your team, and in some way, he or she will be the CEO of the brand, which is YOU!

Your manager’s job is to guide and counsel you for the building of your brand. In addition; your manager should assist you in the administrative tasks associated with the business of music, and advise you on important business decisions.

Your manager should have an understanding of the music industry especially contract and intellectual property law, deal making, publishing, royalties, booking, touring, accounting, and marketing and business planning.

He or she should have at least a detailed plan as to how they are going to take you from zero to “Music Hero” in a reasonable amount of time.

Bad management can really mess up your chances of ever succeeding in the music business no matter how talented you are.

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How to Become Successful in the Music Business…

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There are a few guarantees that you will succeed or reach the point that you seek in today’s music business – even a deal with a major record label isn’t necessarily going to make you rich. The music business is probably one of the most interesting yet difficult businesses in the world. Music is one of those vocations that gets in your blood and keeps you dreaming throughout most of your life, unless you do something about it. A person with great dreams can achieve great things.

If you have that dream of becoming a star, let me help you with some truths about the music business that may make the journey a little smoother and save you a lot of heartache and money along the way.

There are three elements that make anything successful – a goal, a plan and a team. The music business is no different. It is usually the dream that leads to the goal, but then the plan and the team seem to be a problem for most artistes. Most singers, songwriters and musicians possess a very creative mind, but they want someone else to handle the business side of things. The artist who can develop both their creative and business minds are more likely to have great success because they understand what needs to be done and why it is being done in their careers.

Psychology plays an important part in the music business as well. Understanding the mental side of the music business is very important, beginning with mentally visualizing your dreams coming true. A large part of this business is out-thinking your competition and coming up with unique ways of doing things that will get attention.

Here are some tips that will give you the edge and put you on the path to success in the music industry.

Good Music

You can’t make it in this business unless the music you make is good. ‘Good’ means that it has a market (beyond your loyal friends and family) and that you can write and produce to a standard substantially higher than average.

It’s a harsh reality to face but, looking at the law of averages, it stands to reason that not everyone will be above the centre line. If enough unbiased people are telling you that what you do is impressive, do everything you can to become even better. Devote time, effort and – yes – money to fuelling your dream. If nothing is ventured then nothing is gained.

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Why It is Difficult For Me to Call Myself Beautiful…

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Beauty is a woman’s pride, so why is it hard for me to call myself beautiful. The images I see don’t look like me.  I see shades of white, brown, and tan but none like me. I see structures so tall and so thin but none like me.  You see, I have chocolate skin not too light not too dark. I have a wide nose which I think fits my face, but some find it big.  I have small eyes and specks of details which flow through my face as if I was hand crafted. Details place thoroughly throughout my body, little moles, freckles, and birth marks which identify me as unique. I’m one of a kind consider me a rare gem, so why is it hard for me to call myself beautiful.

 Don’t tell me I have low esteem because I do. Don’t tell me I’m insecure because I am. Why shouldn’t I. Don’t point out the obvious instead dig deeper?  I wasn’t told I was beautiful, so how would I know what beauty truly is. From a young age, I was taught that to be beautiful I must have European features, so this means the straight hair, narrow nose, and most importantly fair skin. So I rush to bleach my skin, perm my kinky Nubian hair and I try to fix everything they considered imperfect. The creator’s perfection turned flawed. But still what is beauty? 

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Still Unsuccessful? 12 Reasons Why You Might Not Make It to the land of Success

  So what does it really take to reach success? Success is a very complex phenomenon that cannot be summed up in a few sentences. Depending on who you ask, success means different things. If you were to ask me, I’d say it means having improved lives with many gifts. If you were to ask … Read more

6 Brand Building Tips for Artistes

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What do you think Beyoncé, Jay Z, Kanye, Coldplay or Lady Gaga have in common? Not music.  They all have built compelling and lucrative brands based on music.

Any marketing guru will tell you that the biggest and most important aspect of marketing is branding. This is as essential in the music business as it is in any other. Potential fans need to be able to remember and associate with you. With so many other artists and bands out there, it is important that you take the necessary steps to stand out in the crowd and not just fade.

Once you start to treat your music as a business and understand the importance and value of branding, things will start to fall into place and you’ll be taking steps in the right direction. The brand is the foundation of your business, and once the foundation is laid you can build upon it. Without a starting block, a business cannot be built. When it comes to your career, you don’t want to be going around in circles, you want to move forward

Without doubt, the biggest challenge most artiste face is getting their music heard.  So it’s important you give yourself the very best chance of cutting through.

Sadly, just having great music is not enough. Artistes frequently spend months writing and recording new material and then rush it out before considering the importance of presentation or brand.

To stand out in the crowd, here are 6 things you should do as an artiste…

Be Unique and Distinctive

Differentiate yourself from all the other acts out there so people will always remember you. A persona makes you yourself, it is a representation of yourself, and that makes you unique.

You’re an artiste right? Well so is your neighbor, his cousin, and her boyfriend – music fans have a bewildering array of choices these days so you have to give them a reason to recommend your latest CD, buy tickets to your show and follow you online.

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LOOK! It’s Me. Believe Me, Asamoah Gyan…

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Have you seen the above Melcom television advert starring the soccer maestro, Asamoah Gyan together with the little girl? There’s something remarkable we can learn from that piece.

You’ll realize that the girl doesn’t recognize Asamoah Gyan and as well fails to believe who he claims to be, until other people take a big opportunity away from her. Interestingly, Baby Jet had apparently given the girl every reason to consider him as that popular celebrity. He had performed his popular dance and as well did a ball juggle. Yet the girl remained in her state of unbelief, indifference, insensitivity and skepticism.

In the end, she is left with a big disappointment on her sad face. By the time she realizes it is indeed Asamoah Gyan, she’s driven away and all is lost.

Who knows? She would have found herself in the arms of that international superstar, been a lucky beneficiary of a fully-sponsored shopping and would also have taken all the media attention that day.

But the little girl was as blind and unresponsive as you and I. More often than not, we do not appreciate what we have until we lose it to others. All the goodies are around us, within our reach; yet we fail to recognize and believe.

Every now and then, we tend to look so long at the closed door that we don’t see that one which has been opened for us. It is true that we don’t know what have gotten till we lose it, but it’s also true that we don’t know what we’ve been missing until it arrives.

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