Black Thoughts

English is a well-organized language. In fact, it is the most spoken language across the world. There are two versi ons which are the British English and the American English. The Queen's language which is the formal written and spoken language in Ghana is what I am conversant with. Hugh Masekela of blessed memory once said: "If I don't make heritage visible and the strength of mother tongue important for my grandchildren, it scares me that they might say in 20 years from now, 'Well, it is rumoured that we used to be Africans long ago.' And in many urban areas, it's already happening." Indeed, it is! Many parents speak English more with their children than their local languages. May I ask what your reasons are if you do same? A lady told me her mother who is a teacher said, most of these parents speak very bad English with their kids which the teachers have a difficult time correcting in the classroom. Perhaps, we are trying to make it easier for the...

Growing up, I fantasized about my marriage to a beautiful lady, if I should find her one day. One time I dreamt seeing her dressed in her white wedding gown at church. I didn't see her face, else I would have talked a bit about this gorgeous African queen I beheld. I am considering a change of mind to having a traditional marriage ceremony only. Ask me why and I will say consciously or unconsciously, I started appreciating African culture and traditions and decided to start practicing them once I have the chance. The African traditional marriage ceremony for reason(s) which I know not has become known as an 'Engagement'. It is equated to that of the West hence followed by a church or white wedding. As the Ghanaian traditions and customs demand, a man can say he is engaged to a woman after he has presented a drink to the woman's family to announce his intention (that we call 'kɔkɔɔkɔ' or 'knocking'). After the woman agrees to the man's proposal in t...

         In my previous article, 'Black Attitude: A Mess', I discussed the attitude of a Ghanaian as an African while living outside the shores of Africa compared to when he or she comes home. By virture of my work at the Kotoka International Airport, I have witnessed many travellers (specifically Ghanaians) come into Ghana for holidays. Upon arrival, passengers (as they are called) go through a few security checks thus with their passports (visas) and luggage. While being checked, some misbehave when officers from the Ghana Immigration Service or Customs, or even the airlines representatives hold them due to formalities. I planned to highlight a few real cases where such bad behaviours have been displayed. Firstly, a lady arrived from Europe for holidays and after going through Immigration and Customs, was stopped by an airline rep from the flight she travelled with, to check her baggage to make sure she had picked the right bags. She shouted; "what at ...

After a series of discussions with some friends and concerned Ghanaians on the subject of who is to blame for Ghana's inability to develop and be a great nation like Singapore, Malaysia and the likes, I think I am narrowing down on another important factor (if not the main one). I have been trying to establish the fact that over ‘westernization’ is the main cause of our very slow paced development. But then, I think about how Africans (in my case Ghanaians) travel to the developed countries and live by their laws so well, but arrive in their beautiful homeland to practice the opposite. When in Europe, we won't litter the cities. Again, when we are in the United States, we adhere to traffic regulations with all strictness. On the flip side, we come to Ghana and drop waste anywhere, drive and park anyhow. The worst, to me is we go to study in their best universities, work with their best companies and return to do very little for mother Ghana and Africa. ...