OKUAPEHENE IS MAKING CHIEFTAINCY INVITING

Some people have a way of adding class to whatever they take possession of or is handed down to them; the new Okuapehene, His Royal Majesty Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, is one good example. He stepped into the role with an uncommon verve and is fast adding class to the whole thing called chieftaincy. I have followed him with an obsessive interest and have come to the conclusion that his selection was a good one. It is so obvious that some conscious effort went into his grooming and orientation. And his handlers are also doing a great job. I keep following his initiatives. The idea to embark on a royal tour of the various divisions that make up his paramountcy was such a brilliant one that was also beautifully executed recently. Check his countenance; check his regal bearing and the stylish excellence he exudes anytime he steps out. His demeanour always conveys honour and royalty. He is, indeed, making chieftaincy so inviting.

‘FOCUS, FORTITUDE AND FORBEARANCE IN A LIFE JOURNEY; AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY’ BY SAMUEL TETTEH ADDO

‘FOCUS, FORTITUDE AND FORBEARANCE IN A LIFE JOURNEY; AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY’ BY SAMUEL TETTEH ADDO

By Herman A. Adjase-Kodjo & Henking A. Adase-Kodjo 

‘Focus, Fortitude and Forbearance in a Life Journey’; an autobiography, is an irresistible page-turner that takes readers deep into the life of the author; Prof. Samuel Tetteh Addo, a distinguished geographer who has spent close to five decades acquiring and imparting knowledge to the highest level.

Published by GAVOSS Education Plc Ltd 2022, Accra, the 284-page book is divided into 13 chapters with an addendum that captures comments by the author’s spouse, H.E. Mercy Bampo Addo on the 80th birthday of the author.

There are also a number of appendices which include a lecture by Prof. Addo on “Oklemekuku Azzu Mate Kole II, the Great Krobo King and outstanding statesman”, delivered on the occasion of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the passing of the eminent Krobo Monarch who reigned between 1939 and 1990.

The appendix also contains a publication Prof. Addo co-authored with Alex K. Addo on “The Leadership/Education Nexus in the Development of Manya Krobo in Ghana 1939-1989; The Case of Oklemekuku Azzu Mate Kole II” as well as citations of appreciation and recognition of the author by the University of Ghana for his illustrious service.

The author also documented his family lineage in a detailed family tree. Indeed, this is no average autobiography.

The foreword to the book was written by Alfred Teddy Konu, Former Registrar of the University of Ghana who was Registrar at a time when there were only five public universities and for that matter only five universities in Ghana and so what it meant to be a Principal Officer (Registrar) of no less a university than the premier cannot be overemphasised.

The tone is practical and straightforward. The 13 chapters logically flow into succeeding chapters giving readers a chronological piece and reflecting the author’s widely acknowledged meticulous nature.

Prof. Samuel Tetteh Kwablah Agidi Addo 

The author, Prof. Samuel Tetteh Kwabla Agidi Addo was born on Tuesday, January 28, 1941, at Takorase Miaweni in present-day Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region of Ghana. The book recounts and emphasises the making and transformation of little Tetteh through the various phases of his life into the final and enviable Prof. Addo, teasing readers along the unique trajectory that brought him from obscurity in the Takorase Miaweni hamlet to the apex of academia at the University of Ghana and beyond.

The author’s ‘academic personality’ and cultured mannerisms are as unmistakable as infectious. Prof. would always leave you in no doubt as to his being a professor with his bespoke scholarly appearance, demeanour and speech. He literally ‘wears the book on his sleeves’ and this exuded and advertised scholarship greatly among family and other observers alike. 

Beyond lecturing mainly at the University of Ghana and a stint at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, he obtained enormous exposure from the numerous high profile Visiting Professor roles at North Carolina State University, Raleigh and other institutions in the USA. Prof. Addo had earlier been with a number of Nigerian universities including the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, the United Nations University, Tokyo as a Research Fellow and the Rivers State College of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt which later became the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education.

The author is a personality who has had sufficient interactions with and made a positive impact on many sectors of society including the church, politics, chieftaincy, family, traditional state affairs and academia.

Why this book?

In the preface to the book, the author emphasises his “desire to chronicle his lineage which has all along been transmitted via oral narrative” as a key motivation for writing the book. This he believes will serve as potent reference material for this and subsequent generations of the family.

A second reason as quoted in the foreword is to “record his educational trajectory in the hope that it will serve to motivate and inspire our youth to strive to achieve excellence, however difficult the circumstances may be.”

The major events

The story of Prof. Addo as captured in this book is particularly enthralling from the background of the sheer resolve with which he rose from missing out on secondary school (Adisadel College) to the lack of financial support though having passed on more than one occasion to attaining a PhD and reaching the limelight. Obtaining a full distinction at the Middle School Leaving Certificate Exams was no fluke either.

He braved the odds going through Nkawkaw Teacher Training College (NTC), Aburi, Government Teacher Training College, Peki and then to the University of Ghana. From the author’s childhood in the village through school to an extensive career as a University Don amidst all the adversities and distractions, he has succeeded in putting himself and his family on a high pedestal in what is a direct opposite of what life back in the village in the beginning portended.

We are particularly enthused at the perseverance and hard work that saw the author come out of his 1970 Bachelor of Arts in Geography with only Second Class Upper, an accomplishment that gained a mention in a publication in the Daily Graphic.

Winning a conversion from a Master’s Degree to a PhD candidate as one of the only two, (George Botchie and Samuel Addo) upon the recommendation by external examiners was no mean feat. This is more so because as the author put it on page 78 of the book, this feat was achieved in a non-internet and non-photocopier environment; a situation that would have obviously made research more tedious. The same duo of George Botchie and Samuel Addo went ahead to update their proposals, collected additional data and publicly presented their PhD thesis proposals at the beginning of the 1972/73 academic year. This was said to be another first in the University and thus a remarkable achievement for a man who could not get the chance to obtain a secondary education.

The author’s appointment as the first Dean of International Education Programmes at the University of Ghana and his promotion to Full Professor around the same time are but a few notable high points in a remarkable career.

The Attractions

The book aptly conveys the author’s deliberate and consistent deference and gratitude to great personalities whose guidance and support have contributed to his accomplishments in this life journey. Notable names here include the late Prof. Alex Adum Kwapong, first Ghanaian Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, the late Prof. K. B Dickson of the Department of Geography and Resource Development, who taught and supervised the author’s research works, Prof. Ebenezer Laing, a Professor of Botany who Prof. Addo describes as a friend, brother in Christ, teacher and mentor, the late Prof. P.A.V Ansah, former Master of Akuafo Hall and superior of the author and many others.  We consider this attitude of deference and gratitude as one key message this book seeks to express and for that matter a virtue worth emulating.

The author’s acknowledgement of the invaluable contribution of his elder brother, the late Andrews Kofi Addo (who is on record to have introduced Prof. Addo to formal education) to his success is commendable. Known in family and community circles as Teacher Addo Kofi, a pacesetter, mentor and benefactor to the author and many of his contemporaries, this remarkable personality no doubt made a profound impact on the author and many others including our late father Peter Angmor-Atserdi Adjase-Kodjo. For this reason, our father never missed an opportunity to eulogize Teacher Addo Kofi.

Also noteworthy is the author’s positive approach to life that motivated him to steadily build upon the seemingly wobbly foundation to reach the apex of his ability. We believe this will surely serve to encourage others in similar situations to persevere and achieve their goals despite distractions and adversities.

Our impression and recommendation

Reading the entire book gave us sufficient insight into the rich life of a distinguished academic and thus what to expect for those who might want to tread similar paths.

We cannot hide our fascination with the author’s mental agility in recollecting the several and varied occurrences in his general life and career particularly the sheer detail and coherence in narration and recall of facts, names, dates etc. Again, his penchant for detail may just have come in handy here. Even details of his flights many years ago have not escaped him. The ability to retain and narrate all the vivid details from many decades ago appears great to us.

Tell us if this detailed recall of facts by the author on page 71 is not intriguing? “I finally opted to do Transport Geography. Prof Dickson was disappointed but he assigned me to a hardworking and meticulous German Lecturer, Dr Alfred Fiscian. George Botchie and a Nigerian student, Theophilus Okoye signed up for Urban Geography. Thomas Agawu and Kumedjoro decided to pursue Pedology under the tutorship of Dr G.T Agyepong while T. W. Awadzi opted to study soils under the direction of Dr Peter Ann in the Faculty of Agriculture but with the understanding that his degree would be awarded in Geography. A Rhodesian student, Chichike, was doing an Agricultural Geography course under the supervision of Dr George Benneh”.

 Now, look at this last one of a hilarious ‘non-academic’ recall “It was an evening to remember. (In reference to an evening event organised by the graduate class of 1970/71 during the 1971/72 second term – Easter Term for their Lecturers) The music was good and there were more than enough drinks and savouries for everyone.

When the time came for me to address the gathering and explain the thoughts behind the event, I was caught in a game of repetition whereupon Dr Clement Adjorbu seized the microphone and performed the assignment. Apparently, I had had one more beer than necessary. At about 11 pm, Prof. Dickson announced that he was taking over the bar. More senior members had poured in. The party went on until almost 1 am.”

The content is laced with lessons on the political history of Ghana, especially during the heady days of the military rule, most of which had happened during the author’s days at the University of Ghana. The book could thus also pass for an authentic source of history.

The references also detail a good number of the author’s research works. The author explains the numerous challenges from multiple directions; family, work, church etc but he never neglected his responsibilities to any of these. His love for his family cannot escape a reader’s attention. It is evident in the numerous interventions and sacrifices he made on the many occasions to ensure that everyone was fine even when he was far away from home and amidst the many hurdles arising out of the political environment at the time.

We have each read the entire book a few times already and for the above reasons and more that needs to be discovered, we wholly recommend to you “Focus, Fortitude and Forbearance in a Life Journey; An Autobiography – Samuel Tetteh Addo.

 

****Reviewers note****

We consider it an honour to be the ones to review the autobiography of no less a personality than Prof. Samuel Tetteh Addo, a classic scholar and a man of immense dignity and honour who has remained a leading light for many in several respects. So, we did not hesitate at all in accepting this task and we are grateful to Prof. and the family for this exciting opportunity.

A REJUVENATING ENCOUNTER WITH THE AKUMERSU WATER FALL

 A REJUVENATING ENCOUNTER WITH THE AKUMERSU WATER FALL

A closer view of the waterfall

The untarred road meandered through Brepaw, Feefe, Konkoney and ushered us into the peasant community of Akumersu in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region. In that hamlet is a ‘virgin’ waterfall which is wasting away in a nearby bush.

The ‘vuuuuum’ sound which emanated from the revved engines of our chain of vehicles attracted the attention of the natives. The old folks peeped from their windows or doorways and flashed cheerful/friendly grins in our direction as if to assure us of the wonderful hospitality the locals have come to be noted for. The kids had their own way of welcoming us; they beamed with smiles, leapt in excitement and waved at the convoy.   

Gradually, our vehicles processed and snaked through the community before we finally emerged on an outcrop, a rocky surface broad enough to sit hundreds of tourists. There was a brief picnic and moment of socialization to shake off the fatigue and weariness arising out of the long travel.

Then the real expedition began. A few steps away from the picnic center and before us laid an alluring verd, a broad expanse of grassland that ate gently into the horizon, overlooked by an azure sky. The lay of the surrounding was a sight to behold, folks.

The verd/grassland that eats gently into the horizon

Steadily, we went through the underwoods and down the gentle slope, some on wobbling feet which threatened to give up, forcing the thought of a retreat into their minds. I must confess that even me, I came tumbling twice even before we got to the destination.

Water flowing in an incredible volume off a steep crag, overhanged by lovely creeping plants and rocky formations in stratas

Halfway through the journey and we could hear the gushing, splashing, effusive and squirting sound of the waterfall in the valley. It was so inviting. It made the urge to soldier on for the discovery of the hidden treasure irresistible. The more we descended and inched closer to the sound (the waterfall), the more refreshing the misty waft and breeze that embraced us. 

One striking scene that greeted us as we made the descent was this beautiful canopy of indigenous forest trees in the enclave – sparsely pierced by streaks of light - which appeared to be sheltering the water body. Air-master butterflies of varied shades could be seen performing gymnastics on the leaves which swayed mildly in the direction of the winds. The birds did not miss the occasion; they hopped on the branches and chirped (like the Hamonious Chorale group of singers) as if they wanted to leave us with an inerasable impression. The trees did their own too; they dispensed into our nostrils an unending and revitalizing breeze that kept our lungs bellowing and supplying oxygen to our bodies.   

Down there at the Waterfall was the real deal, water flowing in an incredible volume off a steep crag, overhanged by lovely creeping plants and rocky formations in stratas. Once down the rugged cliff, the water stagnates (collects) briefly under the rocky-overhang to form a sizeable pool before gliding gracefully downstream while caressing and fondling the boulders and trees in its track.

Awwwww, the place was so airy and humid like an air-conditioned room, the wind sprinkling droplets of water in all directions. In all sincerity, I didn’t want to return. Ever since I was introduced to hiking (life in the jungle) and was sucked into the magic and adventure that come with it, I have never come face to face with a sight as mystifying and soothing as the Akumersu fall.

Indeed, a world without the greens and the enchanting scenes that nature offers – like this fall - will be a world sapped of all colours, a world that offers no sense of escapism.

What a thrilling and rejuvenating encounter with nature.

I shall return !!!

THE WOUND J.J. RAWLINGS INFLICTED ON MY LEGS

 THE WOUND J.J. RAWLINGS INFLICTED ON MY LEGS

I don’t remember the year but I remember I was in basic school. We had just closed from school and boys were idling in the neighbourhood.

The day had largely been uneventful and we were yearning for an escapade to end the day with so when words went round that J.J. had flown an HARUGONTA (helicopter) to town and landed on the Lasi park at Odumase-Krobo, our happiness was boundless.

Ei, J.J? And guess what, the news spread like a gas-fueled inferno. Human traffic soon started moving in one direction; the young and old swarmed in excitement to the park to catch a glimpse of ‘Junior Jesus’. The name was that simple, J.J, yes J.J., not Jerry John Rawlings, it was just J.J.

In that news, I found a compelling reason to evade the house chores that were waiting for my attention. I was scheduled to pound fufu for the family’s consumption and I was looking for a way to ‘balance from the system’ so I joined the boys, we quickly hatched a plan and took flight.

The prospect of seeing J.J. and his HARUGONTA filled us with so much energy that we sprinted at top speed and yet we didn’t run out of steam even after running for several minutes.

Then we encountered a hurdle; there was this short retaining wall erected across the ‘lungu lungu’ footpath - that meandered through the neighbourhood. It was meant to keep erosion in check.

The first two boys ahead of me scaled the wall with cheeky ease and that gave me a false impression that I could do so at the same speed as they did, so I hopped, stepped and jumped but I ended up miscalculating the height of the wall and the distance from where I jumped. I paid dearly, folks.

The wall scraped my shin and scooped a sizable flesh on my left leg. Jesus Christ of Nazareth ! The pain was damn excruciating. Tears welled in my eyes and rolled down my cheek unbidden. Blood trickled down my foot and left it drenched in no time.

PWe applied our knowledge of local medicine, fetched some acheampong leaves and rubbed it on the wounds to help stop the blood from flowing and yes it did but the wounds became more obvious. Then a dilemma set in, to go watch J.J. or retrace myself back home. 

My friends dragged me along like a wounded soldier, but as should be expected, the incident tamed us and managed to suppress our zeal/enthusiasm. We were no longer as boisterous and spirited as before. Now instead of running, we walked. The other boys walked slowly so that the ‘wounded soldier’ could keep pace with them.

What was more painful? By the time we got to the park, J.J. had flown his HARUGONTA back to Accra and the crowd was dispersing with varied tales on the lips of the people. You should listen to the interesting stories from the ‘early worms’ who arrived early enough to meet the MAGICIAN called J.J.  We cursed our stars and hurled a good dose of the curse at J.J. in absentia.

Because I ran away from pounding the fufu, I dreaded telling old girl about the wounds so I hid it under my trousers for weeks until they festered.

Old girl later discovered the wounds and applied the right remedy to heal them after a marathon of painful treatment sessions, but the scars refused to go, they are on my leg till date.

Oh J.J !!

#JJRawlings #JJ #Rawlings #RIPRAWLINGS #RIPJJRawlings #RawlingsGoesHome

Ny3 hii si n3 I pue ny3 toli p3.

Hahahahaaaa, I ml3 ny3  kpa yumu

NB: First published Wednesday 27th January 2021

DIPO AND KLAMA ARE NOT THE SAME

 DIPO AND KLAMA ARE NOT THE SAME

This year, I drew closer to the Kloyosipklemi festival of the chiefs and people of Yilo Krobo. I made sure I was in town around that period and participated in some of the activities including the pilgrimage to the ancestral home, the Krobo Mountain. I was also at the grand durbar on the invitation of Nene Amoatey Akpatsu Azza VI, Divisional Chief of Nyewer.

Folks, I was awed by a lot of things especially at the durbar, the most enchanting was the klama performance. I was busy savouring the moment; the nice tune; the rich, poetic and historical lyrics and feeding my eyes with the dazzling beauty of the nubile ‘girls’ performing the klama dance when snippets of a conversation between some lads seated next to me hit my eardrum.

My attention shifted to them momentarily. It was obvious from the line of argument that one of them didn’t know the difference between dipo and klama. To one of the guys, once he saw the ladies dressed as they did (in beads, cloths, headgear and dangling loin cloths), and dancing, they were performing dipo.

Nothing was more surprising than the confidence with which the dude was advertising his ignorance about the subject matter. I wasn’t invited to join the conversation so I turned my attention back to the refreshing sight the event was offering me and I made sure I had a single-minded focus on the dancers from that point.

One of the dancers noticed I was keenly interested in what they were doing so she flashed a cheerful grin in my direction and I also winked in acknowledgement. You see your life, you want me to tell you more about that, right? It’s pure ‘toli’, so let’s get back to the essence of this post, the difference between dipo and klama.

Dipo is a whole rite involving different rituals while klama is simply a cultural or folk dance. Let me offer a more detailed explanation.

DIPO: Dipo is a nubility rite - of ancient renown - performed by some of the the Dangme speaking tribes of this beautiful country of ours called Ghana. It involves a  chain of rituals performed for nubile girls with the belief that through the rite, the girls transition into adulthood and obtain ‘full status’ in the tribal community. (Definition partly stolen from Hugo Huber’s book, The Krobo).

Fact is, dipo has come to be associated more with my people, Krobos, than any of the other Dangme tribes. The whole rite has however been greatly impacted by Christianity, formal education, modernity and other socio-economic factors to the extent that the fear and reverence it evoked in the past have waned considerably.

Now, views over its relevance and justifications for its continuous performance are quite mixed. I must say that throughout its changing phases, dipo has aroused debates and generated diverse opinions and controversies which have led to various forms of (usually) skewed analysis and interpretations by different schools of thought. To cut it short, dipo is a whole rite involving a set of rituals.

KLAMA: Klama, on the other hand, is an indigenous dance of Krobo origin, performed mainly at festive occasions - such as during the performance of dipo rites, marriage ceremonies - and rarely at somber events such as funerals of traditional priests, and chiefs.

The klama rhythm or sound is composed of beats from a set of drums, gong and a casaba of gourd or beaded gourd, known locally as fau.

The dance move is characterized by a slow graceful, rhythmic body movement and the shuffling of feet. Typically, the left arm is raised horizontally a little above the waist level, and the wrist is wriggled mildly in tune with the beat while the right arm, which points to the ground swings gently in conformity.

Simply put, klama is a cultural/folk dance and not a ritual or rite.

Click this link for a typical klama rendition: https://youtu.be/j4ZzuCIx7AM. I remember recording and uploading this video about five years ago during an event at the Roman Catholic Parish, Agormanya.

So nobody will begrudge you if you say klama and dipo move hand in hand, but note that they are NOT the same. 

My 2 by 4 explanation. You can add on for purposes of education, folks.

NB: First published Saturday 19th December, 2020

MRS. JEAN A. MENSAH MUST HEAR THIS

 

MRS. JEAN A. MENSAH MUST HEAR THIS

I think you have done well up to this point. You are about reaching the finishing line.

I have, however, made some observations and I feel like sharing with you to aid you round up in grand style and to guide your approach to these kind of exercises, going forward.

I. THE 24 HOUR DECLARATION PROMISE:

The rule of thumb is that in managing people's expectations, particularly during exercises such as these elections, you UNDER-PROMISE and aim at OVER-DELIVERING.

When you came out with the promise to complete the rigorous collation and verification work and declare the result within 24 hours after the end of polls, I was sceptical.

I told myself you were grossly underestimating the work at hand and making no room for eventualities that were sure to be recorded, anyway.

Several hours after failing to meet your self-imposed deadline, you came citing rains, delay in the transmission of results from the some constituencies and the extension of polls in other areas as the reasons for the delay. You ended up boxing yourself into such a tight corner. Going forward, please learn to under-promise and over deliver.

ii. SPEAKING OFF THE CUFF

You spoke off the cuff during your midnight address to the media yesterday during which you listed those inexcusable excuses for the delay in meeting the declaration deadline.

Speaking extemporaneously in an overly charged situation like this is perilous. It creates an unnecessary room for mispronunciation.

Yesterday, you sounded repetitious and made some of us feel jittery because we were dreading a slip. You see, sometimes when you speak off the cuff heh, the understanding can vary from the intended meaning in a way that will surprise you and this is not a good time for such an adventure because any mispronunciation or slip could have rippling effects that will be difficult to manage. That is more the reason (why) you don't even take that needless risk in the first place.

The next time you return to our screens with an address or the ultimate declaration, please stick to a script with carefully measured and thoroughly considered words, no time for excesses; go straight to the points.

"Brevity, they say, is the soul of wit', in other words, being brief is the essence of intelligence.

Be guided accordingly, Madam chair.

NB: First published on Wednesday 9th December 2020

THE NPP SHOWED THE WAY IN 2012

 

THE NPP SHOWED THE WAY IN 2012

After the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, the NPP had reasons to believe that the presidential figures which were declared in favour of the NDC were massaged and tempered with.

The NPP could have chosen to use other means to contest the result or resist what, in the estimation of the party's leaders - was a stolen verdict.

The leaders did some intelligent reasoning and reflection and decided to head for the court to challenge the outcome of the elections. The process was rigorous and tiring but the most painful part of the issue was that the plaintiff (the NPP) lost the case miserably. The party disagreed with the court's decision but it respected it and went back to the drawing board to restrategise for the next elections.

The party's decision saved us from going down the road of disintegration; candidate Nana Addo and the leaders of the party conducted themselves in a way that went a long way to endear the party to many. That was a very good example set by the NPP.

Now we are experiencing a similar trend with respect to the outcome of the 2020 elections, except that this time, it is the reverse. NPP is in power and the NDC in opposition. The latter is raising issues about the figures and what it is describing as overt and covert actions by the government to subvert the will of the people.

Even before the referee (EC) blows the whistle, the NDC is out there acting in a way that flies in the face of good conduct, inciting supporters, raising tension and anxiety and undermining the sanctity of the ongoing process even while failing to hinge its argument on solid and incontestable facts and figures.

Why wont you wait for the official declaration by the EC to inform your next action. And if you want your people and party supporters to literally run amok in the name of victory celebration, it is only prudent that you release your biological children and family people to lead the procession, after all they stand to benefit even more.

Taflats3, ny3 bu kaa obi3 l3 e f) noko maji?

The NPP showed the way in 2012, and you can't act otherwise.

NB: First published on Tuesday 8th December 2020