Village boy Impressions

Photo Credit: Ghanacelebrities.com So you say what?  Ghana must go?  Yes  Definitely  Ghana must go  But where?  All we know is Ghana must go!  We went with the Whiteman  But he dropped us like a sucked orange  Then we went with the Blackman  But he used us to wipe his underparts and dropped us in a man-hole  We went with the men in uniform but they raped our women at the bus stop  We turned to monarchs but found no sweetness there  We went to 'bullet' boxes but they sold us for the thighs of university girls We went to court, but our lawyers filed a 'nolle prosequi' without our consent We appealed but the judge fell asleep during the trial Having spent all his night counting monies and collecting goats In his waking moments, he threw our case out of the window We run to the police but they met us with stray warning bullets That left many dead and even more with broken limbs and fractured skulls The lucky ones went to the hospital to

The following discourse was presented by my good friend, Martin Akandawen  during an inter-university debate. He presents very cogent arguments on why all the tension and hullabaloo before, during, and after Ghana's 2016 elections should not be seen or feared as a sign of deep ethnic divisions in the country. Enjoy.   Mr. Martin Akandawen in traditional regalia Mr. Chairman, Panel of Judges, Distinguished Guests, Time Keeper, Fellow Debaters, Ladies And Gentlemen, I rise to speak on the motion: “Pre-election, election, and post-election happenings show deep ethnic divisions in Ghana." Ghana is hailed highly among her peers for the many successful peaceful elections we have conducted so far. We have engraved our name in stone as a beacon of democracy that is worth emulating. This feat was chalked on the back of more than two decades of pre-election, election, and post-election happenings in this country and not on a single event or by sudden flight. Where therefore is

“6th of March! March!  Nineteen fifty-seven, seven!  Ghaaana, independence day! Ghana is marching,  Ghana is marching, Ghana, Ghana,  Ghana is mar—ching!” Those were the words we sang, with our shrill voices Shuffling our feet and swinging our arms  Proud even though we knew little of what we sang And we all loved the '6th March' marching day, But surely that was a long long time ago. But what is there to tell about mother Ghana now? They say, we said our country was free forever And yet every day I see her in heavy chains They say, we said, we could manage our own affairs But when last I checked,  The Impossible Mission Fund (IMF) was still in charge. They say, they said, well, isn’t that all we know? The days have gone down in the west;  and now you are old, dear mother. The elderly should recount the good old days.  And the young talk endlessly about dreams,  And castles in the air But what do you talk about at your age?  'good ol

1.         For three long years, it festers  With occasional flares   Whilst we wait like impatient  Hungry school kids for the bell!  Half listening, half-sleeping  Whilst the hapless teacher drones on  About formulas and theorems  And when we hear the clang  Of the lunchtime bell,  All hell breaks loose!  We are released from holding  Like breached waters  That go roaring down the valley,  Each trying to outdo the other. As the banners fly In election time! Read: Village Boy Impressions - A Tribute to Hunger 2.         It is a trying time, yes!  Election time is nuisance time.  Trying your patience and nerves!  You can’t listen to the radio!  All day without rest or respite  Talk show hosts and panellists  Hiss and bark at each other                        and at you!  Whilst others beat war drums  And sound rallying trumpets  All to get your poor thumb!  3.         No solace on the TV either! Irksome commercials run non stop Regurgitat