The tyranny of a team

This post was actually inspired by Bright Simons of IMANI GHANA. Yesterday on a show (PM EXPRESS on Joy FM) He finally danced the “azonto” with a member of the government communication team. I have not asked Mr. Simons how it really went down but once he hit him I am happy. Bright gave him one on behalf of us all. Bright I hope you slapped some of the crap out of him. As for these our journalists and their show producers I really do not understand what they want to see or hear when they pair differing people. I am beginning to think it is intentional. It must be, because they enjoy when petty issues are discussed in the name of democracy.

Government Communication Team.  I wrote just that this sentence and left it there. Would you believe it if I told you I actually wrote that sentence around 9am left it there till I picked up my Mac at 2pm. You know me; I always have something to say but wei di33 aburu me so. This one I couldn’t just form sentences. Alright let us do it like this, let me give an image of how I understand what a member of the government communication team is supposed be and then you tell me if I am making any sense at all. Good afternoon by the way, I hope you day is going quite splendid, if it is stressful hmm sorry, Tuesdays can be quite dodgy. How many days more to the election again? Grin. I cannot excite my excitement; I am radiating it every minute. Ha-ha.

Here goes nothing. One word that comes to mind when I think of Government communication team is - FINESSE. I do not have an elitist approach to this appointment (I mean I do not think you must attain the highest qualification in the land and neither must you be very old) but I am adamant that whoever holds this position must be clear in their minds that they are not talking to a bunch of morons. Their mission I believe is to let us understand why government does anything good or bad (depending on where you stand at that time) and assure us that ever be the case our concerns are being heard. Additionally their mission is to basically let us understand the vision of the government in relation to polices they are working with. Am I making sense? The government communication team acts separately from the party functionaries, their speech is different, demeanor, trends of thought, language must reflect the position of the President and the entire team with which the Presidency works with. The coordination of information flowing from all areas of the government is very key. Am I still making sense…..because I do not think I am? Maybe I watch too many CNN live coverage’s of White House briefings or I watch too many series e.g. Scandal that show how spoke persons can make or break the government.

In the past four years, I have seen a new force of tyranny of some sort named the government communication team. Young men and women who have totally lost the concept of what the position entails. At first I used to get soo angry when I watched or listened to them. True story, one day I hurledmy glass yes glass of juice at the radio because one of them was totally misinforming. Something to do with how all the people, under the Cuban scholarship are from deprived areas. It is soo not true, I have my next door neighbor on the University of Ghana campus with well to do parents who is in Cuba. I could not stand the way he had turned a seemingly decent discourse into a fully fledged discussion of absurdity. You know like how you are discussing how nice banku and okro stew then someone says anybody who eats banku and okro stew has orange teeth, then you have to discuss and determine if it is true or not. How absurd. But after a while I began to study them. I had to. I really had to understand how they tick. The more I did that the more they become hilarious. Just try it sometime. Try and understand why young men and women who virtually have no experience in the world of academia, entrepreneurship, governance,family life, work life can sit on radio and talk by heart.

It actually is a no brainer that their primary target is leader of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. I am a huge fan of Nana but it is not with bias that I applaud him for holding his own against the tirade. It is not easy at all. Nature by its own design has taught us that people tittle-tattle about you really deep down want to be like you. Seriously! If any of them are reading this, I know they will huff and puff but it is true. Nana Addo did not have to sit on radio and pretend to be important, he did not have to insult, he made mistakes like any young man but as an adult (because that is the cycle of life that matters most) he is a fine businessman, renowned lawyer, an astute politician, a father, a husband and currently the leader of an opposition party win or lose his name remains in the annals of Ghana’s history whilst most of them will be remembered as the diss machines, men and women who were hired to slight. What a catastrophe. Because if you have even if been sent to do something, cant you at least behave like you have a mind of your own.

So this is the point I ask what they were trying to prove by fussing about Nana Addo’s CV. Even forget about the fact less than a week to an election what fascinates them is not telling us why we should return them but rather about a withdrawal from Oxford. Have they seen the how they have dragged H.E Mahama and H.E. Amissah Arthur into the fray totally embarrassing. Now we are being told our president too was sacked from some school for sexual misconduct and our veep too doesn’t have a Masters. (Holds head) Why do we do this to ourselves? But seriously all jokes apart did they honestly think they will continue insulting Nana Addo and no one will respond. If I had my own way none of these things will happen because it is simply does not show respect. Lack of respect to age and to a person’s privacy. It is true the persons question want to attain the highest position on the land but is pettiness the way to test his leadership qualities or his ability to churn out policy? And all this we will be told that the president is unaware of some of the campaign strategies? Then it will be the turn of H.E. Mahama to enter the realm of ridicule. What a cycle. So isn’t there any old man in the house of the umbrellas.

What at all can you say after this?

My King Makers

Friday November 23, 2012. 1.30pm

It is left with just two more weeks to the general elections. Omg. I am so prepared to vote, what about you? I am still venting about the frolics of Hassan Ayariga… I am so mad, can you blame me? Anyways I had a totally different topic to write about when I ventured into a discussion online about the possible kingmakers in the event of a run off in the general elections on December 7th. I am no pollster but my definition of a kingmaker is someone who doesn’t have the numbers to win the election whether 1st, 2nd or 3rd round but has himself/herself endeared to many and generate some support for a candidate apart from himself/herself. Truthfully I am always positive about candidates I support in any election though I am normally a mess when the results start trickling in. Hopping from corner to corner, hiding under blankets, jumping shouting plenty ei NaaBia. What is all this.( I fret more than the candidate) Perhaps that is why I rarely look for or is it rather hope for a second round but in this particular race I am inclined to look at the candidates again. This election is really fierce. The list below is in no particular order, I am just listing them for a discussion before some of you get funny ideas especially Dumevi. So we have,

1. H.E John Dramani Mahama- the ruling NDC

2. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo- NPP

3. Dr. Abu Sakara- CPP

4. Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom-PPP

5. Dr. Henry Lartey- GCPP

6. Odike-UFP

7. Hassan Ayariga-PNC

8. Joy something something - Independent candidate and no his name is not Joy something something I just do not know his name and party.

9. Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings did not make it- alas...haha

Pause for a minute will you and ask yourself who looks like the possible kingmaker in an event of a runoff. Before you do that,kindly take the NPP and the NDC out of the list. Why? You ask? Then I will answer you in the typical question with a question ala Ghanaian style. Why not? We simply cannot flog the issueand dance round it any longer. The two main parties simply have the numbers. Full stop. It really does not matter if the people heading the other parties are heroes…if you do not have the numbers, you do not win. Since we are a democracy we must discuss everybody who passes through the filing process right?Ok, now that we are clear on that, kindly look at the list again.Who tickles your fancy from number 3 to 8?

My pick for kingmakers are Dr. Abu Sakara and Dr. Nduom.Why again? Let’s discuss Dr. Sakara first. He has endeared himself to many. Even me die hard NPP, I love him to bits. He oozes leadership and vision that many of us are looking forespecially at a time like this. I never really bothered with him I will be true on that but during the IEA he gave you a bird’s eye view of how the country should grow and a picture of prosperity. He was strident and apparent with his vision though Iwas always guessing which sentence of his will be fused with agriculture. (Hahaaa) Another thing that raised the bar for was his running mate. These days we have to look at running mate not really because of what happened to RIP H.E Atta Mills but because it is quite clear now that the vice president is in charge of certain decisive areas and committees that play a pivotal role in the economy. His running mate was good. Yes she did not have elite titles and degrees but her common sense approach coupled with her understanding of our everyday lives was simply splendid.  For me if there is a run off an Abu Sakara endorsement will mean a lot. Roll in Dr. Nduom.

 Well well well, everybody thought Dr. Nduom will be a defining factor among the candidates especially during the debates. He didn’t get included in the much hyped debate but participated in onesorganized by the state broadcaster. I have always been put off by his hand gesturing and Kwame Nkrumahish dress code. I think you can ooze Nkrumah whist trying too hard after all there can only be one Nkrumah or? Or I don’t get it. Anyways Dr. Nduom for what he is worth is a fine business man. His hotels and banks are really proven brands. And if he has a proven track record of nurturing and building solid brands, I feel his thoughts on who should be leader of this country vis a vis his thoughts on policy is also essential should there be a runoff. I never got to listen to his running mate, did you?

Two more weeks’ people, two weeks then we decide who we call Mr. President.

Are you ready?

Keeping up with the Joneses...

Thursday 22nd October 2012.

1.

1. He is old.

2. He is bald

3. He does not have teeth in his mouth

4. He is a womanizer

5. He is arrogant

6. He is vindictive

7. He is not confident

8. He lies all the time

9. He likes only Akans

10. He is violent

11. He does not know anything

12. He does not talk to his brothers

13. His father disowned him

14. As attorney general he paid judgement debt

15. He does not like Muslims

16. He smokes wee and cocaine

17. He is married to his cousin

18. His stock in trade is fondling breasts

19. He is not intelligent

20. He doesn't know the law

21. He did not attend Oxford

22. He was sacked from Oxford

23. He believes the presidency is his birthright

24. He does not talk to his party members

25. He leads a group known as Akyem mafia

26. He is not a Christian

27. He has trained his daughters to be wee smokers and drug addicts

28. His manifesto is full of lies he doesn't believe in it

30. He urinates anywhere

31. He will be lost in a crowd he is too short

What I have listed above are the things that run through my mind yesterday after the final debate from the IEA. That is the level of pettiness we have descended to but I will come to that in a bit. Ideally after a debate, I should be discussing the merits and demerits on the issues raised , I should be discussing the influence of what transpired both at the presidential and vice presidential debates, if there will be a shift in voting patterns among decided voters or there will be an influence for those who still claim to be floating voters(sigh). Instead I am discussing a realm of foolhardiness I was invited into yesterday (rolls eyes). I for one have been soo excited by these immerging analytical platforms because gradually we were giving ourselves the chance to see firsthand the kind of leaders we want at the Jubilee house(not the slave trade castle), giving ourselves a firsthand all gloves off look at the mindset of the person who will be called Mr. President someday. But alas the discussion has turned into a battle about a man who forgot who was President and attacked his colleague in opposition. (I prefer to use the word discussion, because I was the head of the debating club in my school at one point in time and that was not it….the energy we drove in the discussions were legendry.)

What makes it worse is that I am angry but I am a small voice who cannot do anything. A small voice who for once wishes she had the same platform to give an equal dose to people who haveabsolutely no regard for their audience and behave in a manner which cannot even begin to describe the meaning of dimwitted. I will be truthful; this is the third piece I am writing.  The first two were full of words which were not decorous because of the behavior put up by Mr. Hassan Ayariga of the PNC. Yesterday it suddenly hit me around I: 00 am that all this, all the meeting the late Prez RIP. Atta Mills at the airport for the famous jogging on arrival escapade was calculated because till now I never understood why he went there smiling and ogling for the cameras only to rush to the radio stations and declare him unfit. I now understand why he keeps on attacking NPP’s free SHS programme even the PNC has same in their manifesto. I now understand why he has deliberately attacked Nana not only on yesterday’s platform but also at the previous one and in any interview he gives. I now understand why he decided to cough when Nana Addo who sat next to him was talking and forgot about his “chesty” cough when Abu Sakara and Prez Mahama were taking. I now understand everything. I do not believe he has been bought because really it pennies to impress such people. He is very intimidated. 

You can bear with me that in life through school, relationships, work, family and anywhere there is interaction with people, you meet people who for no absolutely no reason what so ever want to belong to the Joneses. They talk big, dress bigger, show offharder but at the end of the day they have nothing to write home about. In their quest to belong to the Joneses, they will try to pull everybody down to prove to their little egos and those they seek to impress that yes they have arrived. It might work for a while but the order of nature is you will be exposed and laid for everyone to see. So I won’t insult, I will rather wish him well. But someone tell him his worst and pray every night as he goes to end with all the false bravado that Nana Addo does not win. Not that Nana Addo will be vengeful, what is the point in that but he should pray that Nana Addo doesn’t win because that will be the height of his shame.

 It was at this point in my realization that it hit me all the sort of things I have heard about William Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. In my little corner in my room I got 27, someone please add to the list and let me know….I need to laugh harder. I always say people forget Nana Addo won the first election but he didn’t get fifty plus one. So much worked against the party so much at that time and history dealt with the NPP. For those who say there is no message with the NPP apart from free SHS, wellna who cause am. That is all the NDC opposes and rope it ineven if the discussion is about something to do with tomatoes they will rope in Free SHS. That is all they see meanwhile PPP, PNC, CPP all have the policy in their manifestos, slight difference from implementation but it is there.

My conclusion is simple. Whatever the umbrellas and their new found lover Mr. Ayariga decide to do they should do their worst. If you truly live in Ghana and are discerning you will see who is desperate to win power. Dumevi my companion on Facebook especially with the political debates it takes a lot as you have seen infact a whole lot to make me run and hide. If you didn’t succeed why on earth will some PNC candidate succeed in doing so? Have a good day.

Smile. The world truly is a beautiful place.

Finding my way

Wednesday 11/21/12 9.45 am.

Good morning…though I am not sure the time I will be posting this but all the same kindly accept my morning greeting. As you are accepting my greetings kindly indulge me as well; this is not my typical post. It has been quite a well since I wrote anything not because I had nothing to say omg… lots has happened in Ghana. Too much has gone on, some them will make you laugh, some cringe and some just plain sad. But I as said this is not a typical political post of mine.  Let us name it my forever hold your piece post. Hahaaa. But ummm let me ask you to respectfully say a prayer for Hadjia Ramatu Mahama. It is painful to bury a loved one how much more a husband. What a year Ghana has had.

When I started this blog, I started not sure of what I was getting into because my idea of blogging is way up …Huffington Post style. But then again Huffington Post and the likes started from somewhere so little steps at a time right?!. But one thing I was sure off it was the fact that I had created a safe haven to express my thoughts the best way I knew how. As a good friend of mine Eboue Beecham put it (paraphrasing) NaaBia you need to put your thoughts together so that you can turn them into something much later. When it is on Twitter or Facebook anybody can work with it but if it is in a “safe” place as a book, journal or blog you have major control. Eboue thank you but I hope you know you will be my PR manager. I don't have money o, so we will do the salary small small. 

But pause! I am simply not there yet. That stage where one writes books, columns and articles, in-depth journalistic materials of substance ohhhh I am not yet there. I have to learn the art of writing, I have to nurture and tune my mind to work with my environment and enable my thought processes inform and educate simply put adwuma w)ho. (hahaaa) But seriously and most importantly I have to figure what it is that I want to do all of this. The combination and end result is critical at least that is how I see it. When you want do something you might as well make it everlasting right?!.  Doing something right, because it seems like the right thing to do here and now definitely lacks substance. The far reaching consequences must be thought out. Did I just get motivational? Sheesh I guess that is what grey hair does to you? I have three strands… (Eh why are you smiling?)  All I am saying is I am on the journey in finding out what I do with myself, I am not a trained journalist or anything like that. 

Allusions of grandeur or massive influence on social media platforms I am no way near that. I am too young to even shoulder that responsibility. Huge following means you have to watch what you eat, how you dress, what you say and even laugh about…hoh. I beg. But then again I cannot ignore the feedback from a couple of people (my age especially) who ask all sort of questions on these same platform.Questions ranging from here to eat, shop, live, relationships (covers face) current happenings in politics(dancing azonto) and sometimes job opportunities (bewildered look). I even have some business owners who advertise on my page, funny enough I have never asked why they do that or the impact.  

Well I just pooled all these questions and online discussions I have with people and started the blog.  And Ohhhh with lots of encouragement. 

So where does anyone get off saying I have turned what I do into a reality show. I never I had cameras following me 24/7. I never knew I had a momager. Or now there is Ray J in my life i didnt know about. Smh. I just want to share my experiences as and when it comes. As and when i deem fit. All the people I meet online I might never meet them but its okay. It is okay as long as I can make someone smile day at the end of the day. Well as I said this is my forever hold your piece post. I won’t come back to this again. What I have sort to do is to explain the rationale how NaaBia’s Space started and how I think. I am but a simple girl (Rev Otabil adaroma) I am sitting my corner doing my own thing open to critique but I will not have my wings clipped. Do i have wings? Did I just rhyme….hahaha

I guess I am back.