Circumspecte

Source:  The Black Narrator Dear President Mahama, It's me again. The lady who wrote you an  open letter about Ghanaians living in darkness , yeah that one. Once again, I'm writing to you, because although I strongly believe that any real change in Ghana's state of affairs will ultimately have to come from the fabric of our society - we Ghanaians - the fact is that you are our president, our chosen leader for this era of our national existence. And so, for the second time, I'm addressing you, with all due respect. What do I know about politics? Not much besides what I learned in school, hear on the radio, or see from Ghana's politicians. Oh, and of course, from the oh-so-awesome TV show Scandal which captures DC politics. So yeah, I know very little about the political game - which I hear isn't so endearing to begin with - and probably much less about being president of a nation of almost 25million. Point is, what I'm about to say might just sound l...

Dear Ladies, So yesterday at the bus station, I asked a young lady whether I could borrow her phone. She lent me her phone and after my call, she asked: "Can I ask you for some advice?" and then proceeded to tell me how many people in her life - and especially at work - whisper behind her back saying she looks like a man, she is too dark, is she sure she isn't a guy, she's not good looking, blah, blah, blah. Mind you, I had just met her. Obviously, the issue was really bugging her! My first impression of the girl was "nice lady in braids, beautiful big eyes!" Anyway, we had a good conversation and it hit me that these are the real things we don't talk about even though we all experience it in some form or another: feeling insignificant or not [insert word] enough. Ladies - you cannot let people get into your head to the point of eroding your confidence and/or belief in yourself. "Beauty" is only skin deep. Sure, life might be relatively ...

Today was a blog waiting to happen. Only, it’s not going to be about the Ghanaian and African Embassies in the West as I’d intended – don’t worry, it will have its time too – but rather about contemporary books, libraries and reading in major African cities like Accra, Lusaka, Jo-burg, Lagos, Dakar. It features some   great insights from people on Facebook   and Twitter on   Africa’s reading culture   and access to contemporary books. Yesterday I participated in a very fruitful Virtual Americanah Book Club meeting with two of my friends – one in Accra, Ghana and the other in Maputo, Mozambique – and we had a swell time reflecting on Chimamanda Adichie’s latest, how it resonates with us, the different themes and so on. I posted some of my thoughts and a tweep asked where they could get the book. I have gotten this question so many times this year – especially after   my “summer reads” blog   - and so I automatically responded “Amazon” and sent a link. T...

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 watc...

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 ...

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...

Dear Fellow Ghanaian,  I'm blogging from the GH! You never quite remember what it feels like to have malaria, until you're (re)experiencing the chills, fever and aches. Then it all comes back to you. If my memory serves me right, I have a little under a day or two before the parasite kicks into high gear. But before this bout of malaria does what it's set upon doing, allow me to share my thoughts on a topic that has popped up in my posts numerous times: the importance of holistic development in Ghana. A tweep of mine shared a   recent blog   on the news that Tamale's domestic airport is to be upgraded to international standards with funds from the Brazilian government. The question at the heart of the piece: Is Tamale really going to get an international airport before Kumasi? Or, in the words of the author, was Kumasi "bypassed"? Now, I can understand where the writer is coming from. According to his blog, plans for a Kumasi airport have been in di...

If you're an 18+ Ghanaian citizen currently living/studying/working abroad, kindly take a moment to complete this survey on Ghana Election 2012 and the Diasporan Ghanaian. Thanks :) -- Dear Fellow Ghanaian, So you probably heard about the GhanaDecides and iRegistered campaigns that BloggingGhana launched recently in partnership with STAR-Ghana . No? Well, you best get acquainted quick! It's the hottest thing in town,even Mashable.com picked up on it. Good thing I'm here to give you all the juicy details and some :) With the world gradually accepting the fact that tweets, hashtag events and Facebook are here to stay, many have found interesting and innovative ways to use social media, even in the political arena. The Obama '08 Presidential campaign, the Arab Spring and Senegal's #sunu2012 movement and elections are but some of the many ways that social media has contributed to political change. Now it's Ghana's turn. Come December 2012, Ghana w...

Dear Fellow African, The hour is nigh, and the trumpet has sounded. After months of dilly-dallying, the levees have broken and Senegal, as we know it, is at a crossroads. It could also very well be the cradle of an African Re-Awakening. Call it the "Africa Spring", a " Renaissance " or a "Revolution", it is here. I'm not going to use ink and paper describing what led this West African "beacon of democracy" down this path . Unfortunately, we know it all too well. Here it is in under 140 characters: It's ironic that the leader in this case is the very one who spent an estimated $27million on a copper statue which he named "La Monument de La Renaissance Africaine." I doubt Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade ever imagined that those words would be transformed into the energy that is sweeping across Senegal as we speak. The global economic crisis might have wrecked havoc in many-a financial market, but to its cred...

Dear Prospective Graduate Student, After "officially" completing my first semester at JHU SAIS in Bologna, Italy, I figured it might be helpful to share some of my insights with you, especially since quite a number of your counterparts have already approached me in that regard. So, what are the bolts and nuts of opting for graduate school? Well, I don't have all the answers, and I'm certain responses differ with each person but here are some of the main things I have to say. 1. Know Your Status By your status I'm not talking "HIV/AIDS". I'm talking know your legal status in the country you'll be studying in and the corresponding do's and don'ts. Knowing your status should also make it easier to figure out what financial options you have, whether you qualify for certain scholarships, if you can undertake an internship or do some work while studying, all of that. The ideal case would be to know your status before you apply to a gi...