Aaatuu Magazine Issue 3 by Francis Adams

SPOTLIGHT

APRIL-JUNE 2017

Charles Nmai Cecilia Anim Nancy Abu-Bonsrah Emmanuel Akyeampong Dr Ayorkor Korsah

Tales from the Chopbox Achimota@90 10 Fun Things to do in Ghana Bakatue Festival

Portraits of the North Hair Relaxers: Debunking the Myth BEN BOND

#beautifulghana 7

87878 59556

by BEN BOND

AaaTuu

100 AMAZING GHANAIANS See who we are featuring in this issue.

Charles Nmai

Cecilia Anim

Emmanuel Akyeampong

reetings and a warm welcome to our 3rd issue of Aaatuu Magazine. Aaatuu is a warm hug! We couldn't be more excited to have made it to this point. In this issue, we celebrate Ghana's 60th Anniversary. Our country is a very exciting place to be now. There is so much hope for the future, and the general population is buzzing with excitement.

There is not doubt that Ghanaians excel wherever they go and make me proud. We feature in our 100 Amazing Ghanaians Series, Emmanuel Akyeampong, a professor of history & African and African American Studies, and also, Charles Nmai, Manager, Engineering Services at BASF Construction Chemicals.

Ben Bond

We also came across an unknown photography, whose portfolio blew us away. Ben Bond is a master of photography in his own right.

Nancy Abu-Bonsrah

Akua Akyaa of the Green Ghana Initiative, has a brilliant article "15 things the new Government can do diďŹ&#x20AC;erently.

Bakatue Festival

We are also honored to share the work of so many committed and thoughtful Ghanaians from all over the world. Please visit our website and feel free to leave comments on the articles to share your thoughts or ask the author a question. We appreciate your support and are so happy to have you as a reader of Aaatuu Magazine. Enjoy Aaatuu 3. With warmest thanks.

Dr. Ayorkor Korsah

Francis Adams

Portraits of the North

Editor

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On the Cover Ayisha Yakubu is the cover girl for the third edition of Aaatuu. She is beautiful, sexy and conďŹ dent, with an extremely outgoing personality. She is one of Ghana's top models, promoting our fashion which has taken oďŹ&#x20AC; with a bang. This photo was shot by Ben Bond our featured photographer.

Spotlight 10 Glitz, colour and glamour mark Ghana 60 years on 13 Ten Fun things to do in Ghana 25 100 Amazing Ghanaians 26 Charles Nmai 28 Cecilia Anim 29 Nancy Abu-Bonsrah 27 Emmanuel Akyeampong 30 Dr Ayorkor Korsah

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Lifestyle 22 Crossword Gh 31 GOODREADS Great books by Ghanaian authors worth reading 32 Yaa Gyasi gets $1 million publishing deal 32 Trevor Noah 33 Hair Relaxers: Debunking the Myth 38 Oldest person with sickle cell disease Celebrates her 90th birthday 39 Food Groundnut Soup

Fashion 20 Nessa Nyameso Quao 21 Cindy Tawiah

Cover Photo by BenBOND

58 50

Lifestyle

Features

53 Shopping with Adwoa

Photography 47 Ben Bond 56 #beautifulghana 75 Portraits of the North

Politics 45 Ghanaians are Emotionally Choking with High Expectations from Nana Akufo-Addo Environment 48 15 Things to Do Diﬀerently for the Environment Social Media 72 How to Stop WhatsApp From Giving Facebook Your Phone Number

50 The other side Fred Apaloo’s Villa Grace is Shaking Up Ghana’s Fine Dining Scene 52The Amazing Story of Nana Yalley 59 Baltimore students visit Ghana 63 Tales from the Chopbox People share stories from secondary school 64 ARTICLE: Sour Grapes 71 Achimota School launches 90th Anniversary Celebrations 72 Cool Places: Bukom café

Regulars 19 Talking Drums-Ghanaians in the News 71 Grandma Knows best Events 74 Elmina Bakatue Festival

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AaaTuu

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSOCIATE EDITOR ART DIRECTOR ASSISTANT EDITOR GH FASHION EDITOR DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER PUBLISHING EDITOR GH WEB & SYSTEMS CONSULTANT

Francis Adams Nimi Manyo Plange Ato Degraft Johnson Fawzia Osman Ekuwa Dadson Dharmendra Thanki Marvin Adams Kobla Fiagbedzi

REGUL AR CONTRIBUTORS / PHOTOGR APHERS Gladys Adinyira Wuaku:Accra-Ghana, Steven Pierce:Bath-UK Dr. Morkor Newman Harare: Zimbabwe, Parrian Parry:Baltimore Maryland, Nana Sarpong:Maryland-USA, Ben Owusu Firempong:Nairobi-Kenya, Victor and Emmanuel Opoku: Virginia USA, Emmanuel Kweenu Haizel- New York Evelyn Akuetteh, Accra-Ghana, Clear Shot Studios, Yaw Biney-Humans of Accra Isaac Quist-Australia, Justine Quaye Mensah, Brooklyn New York, Yaw Pare-Accra Ghana, Godwin Otoo-Adenta, Accra, ARTEFFECTS-Ho, Ghana, Kwaku Sikahene Ampomah-UK Isaac Quist-Australia, Ben Obiri Asamoah-OAB Photography Accra CHAIRMAN PRESIDENT FINANCIAL DIRECTOR PUBLISHER TRAFFIC MANAGER SALES DIRECTOR- UK ADVERTISING & MARKETING--US BUSINES S DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION GROUP CIRCUL ATION MANAGER

Gibrine Adam Stanley Sutton Benjamin Vanderpuye Frederick Yuen Raju Thanki Ajoa Nketia Parrian Parry Yvonne Ameyaw Paa Kojo Larbi Eli Kuadey Charles Koﬁniti Adzekwei Bekoe Michael Wuddah Martey Benard Akuffo Addo

AAATUU VOL. 1, ISSUE 03 Aaatuu Magazine is published quarterly by Crossover Publishing LLC 9705 Mill Centre Drive 713, Owings Mills MD 21117 USA. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Publisher. Produced and distributed by Crossover Publishing LLC-USA, Crossover Publishing Limited-Ghana While the editors do their utmost to verify information published, they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy.

This edition is published by permission of CROSSOVER PUBLISHING LLC 9705 MILL CENTRE DRIVE 713 OWING MILLS MD 21117 USA Tel. +1 443 432-9266 Online: www.aaatuumagazine.com Reproduction in whole or in part without consent of the copyright owner is prohibited.

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ADVERTISING e-mail advertising@aaatuumagazine.com

Although the editor and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this magazine was correct at press time, the editor and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

For Coloured Girls...

by BEN BOND

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Inbox

Send your feedback, and thoughts to us. You can also share your views on the Aaatuu Facebook Page.

Aren’t you getting too Political? I don’t think it’s a good idea for Aaatuu to begin to sound pro-NPP in the Politics column. It is always wrong when a magazine like yours makes this mistake. Kwesi-London UK

LETTERS

Hippos in Ghana?

Thanks, Kwesi. Our writer Paul Vowotor is impartial and neutral when it comes to Ghana politics. He is not seduced by sources, intimidated by power, or compromised by selfinterest. His articles speak to an independence of spirit and an openmindedness and intellectual curiosity. He sees beyond his class, economic status, race, ethnicity, religion, gender or ego. He is as fair as can be.

Dear Editor, I am rather surprised that we have Hippos in Ghana. It is very exciting for me. Unfortunately, you didn’t say much about it in your article. Can you give me further information?-Benard-Asamoah Well, we got more information for you. Visit http://www.ghanahippos.com. The site hasn’t been updated in a while, but there is useful information about our hippos. The Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary (WCHS) is a unique community-based project, protecting and preserving the wildlife and the environment of a 40km stretch of the Black Volta River in Ghana's Upper West Region. The river is home to one of the two remaining hippopotamus populations in Ghana and was created into a Sanctuary by local chiefs in 1999. Since then, the project has had marked success in providing Ghanian and International tourists with a unique and unusual eco-travel experience. The area has much to oﬀer, both due to the vast diversity of wildlife and the opportunities to become immersed in the local culture and activities. See the section on "Wildlife" to learn about exciting wildlife viewing opportunities at WCHS, and the section on "Local Community" to see ways in which you can experience the local Wala and Birifor (Lobi) Tribal life and customs.

The digital version of Aaatuu Magazine can also be read online for free.

SEE WHAT I FOUND

Ice Cube New Movie features Rocky Dawuni “Shine A Light” song

After a series of shows last month as part of his East African Tour 2017, GRAMMY nominated musician and activist, Rocky Dawuni, Rocky told The Star, “One of my songs from the Grammy-nominated album, Branches Of The Same Tree, the song is called Shine A Light, is in a movie called Fist Fight starring Ice Cube. It is an incredible piece of news to share here in Kenya on the eve of another concert I’m doing. I’m honoured and excited about it.” “Shine A Light” which Rocky Dawuni just released a brand new video for. The track combines the sounds of New Orleans with reggae and samba to create an anthem of positivity. The song and video celebrate the power of our shared humanity and the importance of being courageous to tap into your own power of expression. In a time of great uncertainty in our

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world, “Shine A Light” reminds the listener to uphold the positive and recognize that we are all agents of hope and change. “Shine A Light” was just licensed for the new Ice Cube ﬁlm “Fist Fight” which debuts in the US on February 17. He revealed that his song caught the attention of industry decision makers who then proceed to book the track for a

soundtrack in the blockbuster movie. The visiting star said, “I have also had a lot of music in TV shows from ER to Dexter also on a lot of global video games. It has been incredible to get my music on those platforms.”

Yakubu...

by BEN BOND

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Glitz, colour and glamour mark Ghana 60 years on “Let us mobilize for the happy and prosperous Ghana of tomorrow, in which all of us, including our youth, our women and the vulnerable in our society, will have equal opportunities to realise their potential, and build lives of dignity. Then, our independence will be meaningful. Then, we will have a Ghana beyond aid,” President Akufo Addo. 6th March 2017 Ghana's 60th Independence Anniversary Day Parade was held with pomp and pageantry at the Black Star Square in Accra. The parade was mounted by 1,200 members of the security forces and 1,200 neatly dressed students from basic and senior schools within Accra. President Nana Addo Dankwa AkufoAddo reviewed the parade, lit the perpetual ﬂame, took the national salute and also delivered the diamond jubilee speech at the parade. Professor Azumah Nelson, the legendary Ghanaian boxer, received the perpetual ﬂame from President Akufo-Addo and carried it out of the parade ground to be taken around all the regional capitals of the nation. In reviewing the parade, the Inspector

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General of Police David AsanteApeatu and the Chief of Defence Staﬀ Major General Obed Akwa, were the President's aide-de-camp. Eminent Ghanaian personalities, who graced the occasion, included the First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo- Addo and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia with his wife Samira Bawumia. A number of African leaders, including Presidents Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Faure Nyasingbe of Togo, Liberia’s Vice President Joseph N. Boakai and Olusegun Obasanjo, the former President of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria also graced the occasion. There were also cultural performances to tell the story of Ghana. -GNA

The Inauguration On 7th January 2017, Nana Akufo-Addo was sworn in as Ghana's new president after winning last Decemberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s election. Heads of state from across Africa and thousands of guests and dignitaries watched him take the oath of oďŹ&#x192;ce at a ceremony in the capital, Accra. It was a colourful event and many Ghanaians from all walks of life dressed for the occasion. These are a few great shots by ace photographer Yaw Pare- See more on his RANDOM GHANA PICS page on Facebook. Photos courtesy-Yaw Pare

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Beth Sante...

by BEN BOND

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AKWAABA! It's an expression you will hear several times daily as you travel around Ghana, one that will ring in your ears at night, and bring a smile to your face for weeks after you leave. Welcome to a haven that combines the charms of a tropical beach idyll with a fascinating historical heritage, rich cultural variety, and some interesting wildlife in the national parks...Welcome to Ghana! A A A T U U M A G A Z I N E . C O M / J A N U A R Y- M A R C H 2 0 1 7

JOIN IN AT A CULTURAL FESTIVAL Ghanaian festivals are a colourful and vibrant part of the culture. Each year festivals and durbars are held in various parts of the country to celebrate the heritage of the people. They are filled with traditional drumming, dancing and feasting; each region has its own annual festivals for the affirmation of cultural values. Throughout the year festivals and durbars are held in various parts of the country for reunion, development purposes and to strengthen beliefs of society. Most people believe that festivals help them forge close bondage with their ancestors and ask for their protection. Festivals are also held in order to purify the whole state so that people can enter the New Year with confidence and hope. One of the most spectacular is the Adae Kese Festival celebrated by the Ashantis in and around Kumasi. Others include the Homowo Festival of Accra, the Bakatue Festival of Elmina and Fao Festival of Paga. For more go to ghanaweb.com.

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MAKE THE MOST OF ACCRA: CATCH A SHOW AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE Stroll around Accra’s Independence Square, which is dominated by the Independence Arch, and then head to the gardens around the mausoleum of Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah. History buffs can continue on to Osu Castle and Jamestown lighthouse, while art lovers will find a large collection of Ghanaian art in the National Museum. Catch a show at the National Theatre Watch a concert, play or dance at Ghana’s National Theatre. Haggle for souvenirs and Handicrafts including carvings and traditional textiles at the Centre for National Culture popularly known as the Arts Center. For an altogether, more entertaining shopping experience try your hand at haggling at the busy Makola Market, which is attended by traders from Accra’s surrounding villages. The Osu Night Market is a great place to try Ghanaian cuisine. It is illuminated by hundreds of lanterns and candles.

TAKE IN LOCAL TRADITIONS AT SIRIGU Sirigu is a scenic village in the Upper East Region of Ghana, in a fairy-tale savannah landscape with beautiful, typical Northern traditionally decorated houses, trees, and farmlands. The people of Sirigu are mostly farmers, growing sorghum, millet, groundnut and keeping cattle, goats and fowl and livestock. Several years of intensive farming and poor rainfall has degraded the land to the extent that even subsistence farming in threatened. This is made worse by low prices of farm produce and unreliable rains.

Photo courtesy merrill-samuelson.com

Sirigu is well known for its basketry, pottery, traditional architecture, and wall paintings. Many children owe their education and healthcare to income generated from the handicraft and traditional arts produced by the women of Sirigu. Consequent decline of yields form farm has made it even more urgent to revive these artforms and to leverage it as an important source of income for the women for the upkeep of their families. As stated above women are mostly involved in the making of the artworks, hence SWOPA (Sirigu Women Organization for Pottery and Art). Women in Sirigu are socially and economically disadvantaged in the community due to the largely maledominated traditional system.

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VISIT KUMASI: THE ASHANTI LEGACY Once the capital of the rich and powerful Ashanti kingdom, Ghana's second city is still dripping with Ashanti traditions. The Ashanti are famous artisans, their gold jewelry and trinkets are famous throughout the world, as is their Kente cloth and wood-carved stools. You can see examples at the National Culture Center as well as various craft villages on the outskirts of Kumasi. The bustling Kejetia Market is worth visiting, the Kente cloth is good value here if you can stomach the chaos. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested to see how the Ashanti Kings used to live, check out the Manhyia Palace Museum.Kumasi has some interesting sights, and in comparison to Accra or Tamale, you'll likely feel a pleasant drop in temperature.

PADDLE OUT TO NZULEZU: THE STILTED VILLAGE Near the coast at the far western side of Ghana, near the border with Cote d'Ivoire, is a village that is unique in all of Ghana. Nzulezu is a village that has been built on stilts above a lagoon. It is essentially one long pier, called Main Street by the locals, with buildings constructed on both sides. One side of the 'street' are living quarters while the other side of the street has businesess, the school, a community center and other commercial ventures. The village of Nzulezu is about a 7 hour drive west of Accra. Some people love it. Some people feel that the travel time is not worth the experience. If you are staying at one of the beaches in the Western Region, such as Busua or Axim, the visit to Nzulezu can easily be done as a day trip. 16

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SEE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE AT LARABANGA MOSQUE Believed to have been built by Moorish traders during the time of the trans-Saharan trade in the 13th century, Larabanga is Ghana’s oldest Mosque, and one of the country’s most revered religious sites. It is one of only eight mosques in the country built in this manner and has long been a pilgrimage site for Ghana’s Muslim population. Referred to as the “Mecca of West Africa”, the Mosque was built with mud and reeds, and has two tall towers in a pyramid shape, one for the mihrab which faces towards Mecca, forming the facade on the east, and the other as a minaret in the northeast corner. These are buttressed by twelve bulbous shaped structures, which are ﬁtted with timber elements. The Mosque has four entrances, one each for the village chief, men, women, and the muezzin, who leads the azan or prayer call. At the outskirts of Larabanga is a legendary mystic stone which according to stories, whilst a main road was being constructed, whenever the stone was removed to make way for the construction, it always returned to its original place on several occasions. Now that's some legend, why don't you make a trip to see for yourself and maybe try to remove it......."if you want it well done, you do it yourself"... ;) A A A T U U M A G A Z I N E . C O M / J A N U A R Y- M A R C H 2 0 1 7

CHILL OUT ON THE BANKS OF THE VOLTA RIVER A great place to see and enjoy the Volta river is Ada. Ada is a coastal town in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Just off the Accra-Aflao motorway, this town is located along the Volta River. Ada is the tourism center of the Dangme East District with its beaches, the estuary and many tourism attractions and services. With the river and the ocean, Ada is famous for water sports like swimming, sailing, fishing and boat cruises. The river shore is mostly blocked by holiday chalets as many people from Accra use the place as a weekend getaway. There is a ferry and boat harbor at the riverside where boats can be rented for a cruise around the islands in the river. The Ghana Sailing Club, located at the Volta River, is open to members only.

WATCH YOUR FINGERS IN PAGA According to the local folklore, a long ago a hunter was trapped between a pond and a pursuing lion. He made a bargain with a crocodile in the pond that he and his decedents would never eat crocodiles if the crocodile helped him cross the pond and escape from the lion. The crocodile agreed and helped the hunter to cross the pond. The hunter built a house there and established a village. Nobody really knows how the crocodiles ended up in Paga. The pond is completely landlocked and some of the oldest beasts in the water are reportedly over 80 years old. There are actually two crocodile ponds in Paga. The first one which is located on the highway 12 km from Navrango is called as the Chief Pond and the other is the Zenga Crocodile Pond, five minutes drive off the main road to the Paga border. Guides at the ponds use live chicken, paid by the tourists, to lure the crocodiles out of the water and into land where tourists can pet them or take pictures with them. Sometimes children and even adults would sit on the back of the crocodiles and have their pictures taken. 18

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CLIMB THE BATTLEMENTS AT ELMINA AND CAPE COAST The castles at Elmina and Cape Coast are the most impressive of the 20 plus forts and castles lining Ghana's coast. Both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Elmina was built overlooking Benya Lagoon by the Portuguese and was long a stronghold for the Dutch, while the Britishbuilt Cape Coast castle was once at the heart of the transAtlantic slave trade. Take a close look at the coast of Ghana, and you will ﬁnd myriad ancient castles and forts. Marking the beginning of the slaves’ perilous journey during the era of the slave trade, these fortresses were the last memory slaves had of their homeland before being

shipped off across the Atlantic, never to return again. Read more about the shocking history of Ghana’s slave fortresses and their significance to modern-day Ghana… Between 1482 and 1786, clusters of castles and forts were erected along the 500 kilometer-long coastline of Ghana between Keta in the East and Beyin in the west. Back then, Ghana was called the Gold Coast due to its vast quantities of gold, and these strongholds served as fortified trading posts offering protection from other foreign settlers and threats from the African population.

CROSS AFRICA’S FIRST CANOPY WALKWAY AT KAKUM NATIONAL PARK The canopy walk is a swinging bridge set above the trees of the Kakum National Park forest. As you walk, the bridge shakes and wobbles, and at times leans completely to one side, making you feel as though it was ﬂip you right over the edge to your death. There is an option to take a long path or a shorter path (which still consists of 4 swinging bridges). The walk is not one at a time, so it will shake a lot. Kakum National Park, located in the coastal environs of the Central Region of Ghana, covers an area of 145 square miles. Established in 1931 as a reserve, it was gazetted as a national park only in 1992 after an initial survey of avifauna was conducted. The area is covered with tropical rainforest. The uniqueness of this park lies in the fact that it was established at the initiative of the local people and not by the State Department of wildlife who are responsible for wildlife preservation in Ghana. The most notable endangered species of fauna in the park are Diana monkey, giant bongo antelope, yellow-backed duiker and African elephant. It is also an Important Bird Area recognized by the Bird Life International with the bird area fully overlapping the park area. The bird inventory conﬁrmed 266 species in the park, including eight species of global conservation concern. One of these species of concern is the white-breasted guineafowl. A A A T U U M A G A Z I N E . C O M / J A N U A R Y- M A R C H 2 0 1 7

Aaatuu

FASHION

Nessa Nyameso Quao This UK Based Professional Make-up artist knows how to display a face to its full potential and has made a career of it. Nessa’s brand is “Pure_n_holy”.

ure_n_holy making the ordinary extraordinary, was founded in 2009. The art of perfecting the look of mankind by simply enhancing what they already have. Having been a freelance make up artist for 5 years now, I am very experienced in what I do... My greatest strength is the ability to listen to my clients and work with them to achieve the look they want. I am always eager to learn new things in hope to use my talent to give back the women in need...

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Aaatuu

FASHION

Cindy Tawiah K

Ms. Cindy and the hair care brand with a heart nown to many as, “Ms. Cindy,” Cindy Tawiah is the creator and founder of the Diva By Cindy hair care system and its philanthropic eﬀorts, The Diva Project.

Cindy’s brand is “Diva by Cindy”.

Inspired by a chemistry teacher, at the age of sixteen, Cindy began experimenting with making beauty products. Her love of chemistry never left her, and in 2007, Cindy created the Diva By Cindy hair care product line. Prior to creating the Diva By Cindy hair care system, Cindy worked as a registered nurse for 13 years. Her bedside manner transcended the traditional medical ﬁeld and became the impetus for her entrepreneurial eﬀorts.

One way she achieves this mission is through The Diva Project. Launched in 2004, The Diva Project oﬀers women aﬀected by domestic violence a day of beauty and healing. Sales from Cindy’s hair care products support her outreach. Truly, Diva By Cindy is a product with heart!

Cindy lives by six guiding principles: Prayer, Passion, Perseverance, Persistence, Presence, and Positivity! Diva By Cindy is truly changing the world “one diva at a time!“

Cindy is passionate about women and serving their whole being, and it shows through her outreach. Cindy created Diva By Cindy products to enrich and inspire women by giving them a superb product that transforms their lives by stopping the hair from shedding and breaking and stimulates healthy hair growth. Ultimately, Cindy seeks to heal, restore, and transform women.

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CROSSWORD GH 1

Aaatuu

3 4

12 13

NB: This puzzle includes popular terms and words only peculiar to Ghana and Ghanaians

Across 3.MPs head oﬃce 6.Rough attitude 7.Legendary traditional priest of the Ashanti 9.Elmina festival 10.The big bridge 11. Cooking oil 14.Oko and Ateh 15.Ashanti Palace 16.Paa Kwesi

Down 1.Ghana’s favourite beer 2.Second Lady of Ghana 4.Northern regional capital 5.Asante Kotoko 8.Ga dance 12.New slang for trotro 13.Veteran actress Grace

Ghana Blackberries(Yooyi) is the Velvet Tamarind According to Wikipedia, Yooyi is Velvet Tamarind. It's ﬂavor is similar to Tamarind, hence it's English name. The pulp is reddish-orange, with a sweet-sour, astringent ﬂavor similar to baobab, but sweeter. It is peeled and eaten raw. The thirst-quenching, refreshing fruit pulp can also be soaked in water and drunk as a beverage. The bark and leaves have medicinal purposes.

70 year-old grandma graduates from UCC Seventy year old, Mrs Christabel Dadzie received the loudest applause when her name was mentioned during the ceremony. She graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Governance Democracy Law and Development. She told citifmonline.com that: “I was inspired by the desire to enhance my knowledge on governance and development generally towards advocacy and other interventions for my human rights work. One person who encouraged me to join and stay through this programme at UCC instead of other places was Roseline B. Obeng of blessed memory.” “Age was not an issue, at least I wasn’t aware of one. There were a number of even older people in my class. Maybe it was an issue because I (plus a few of my mates) didn’t understand why we should be taught like ancient school pupils 22

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without the expected level of engagement in discussion of the topics we had expected.” “The challenges were many; limited consistency in the system for imparting knowledge. For instance, irregularity of lecture times, tutors and even classrooms rather old fashioned ways of long periods of writing down dictated notes for some of the subjects, highly limited internet library facilities, some grave issues with obtaining supervision for required long paper, deﬁnitely the feeling that students, even at that graduate level, are simply expected to take instructions, since suggestions and/or protests about some of the above issues were not condemned or met with threats of victimization.” Mrs Dadzie is a retired Army Captain, who also served as the Legal Director at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

Vill age Girl...

by BEN BOND

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Awuraba...

by BEN BOND

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100 AMAZING GHANAIANS Five special people who have accomplished so much in their ﬁelds

Charles Nmai

Cecilia Anim

Nancy Abu-Bonsrah

Emmanuel Akyeampong

Dr. Ayorkor Korsah

PROJECT 3

Why we choose them These Amazing Ghanaians have and continue to make a profound and positive impact on our world .

ccording to beam.com, 12% of Ghanaians in the U.S. hold a Master's degree, PhD, or an advanced professional degree. This is slightly higher compared to 11% for the general U.S. population. Ghanaians are well represented in top universities across the

United States. Schools such as Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University have groups speciﬁcally devoted to Ghanaian students besides the more general African and Caribbean student organizations you'd ﬁnd at nearly every university. 18% of the Ghanaians in the U.S. hold a bachelor's degree as their highest

credential. Ghanaians excel wherever the are and we feature 5 of our best. It includes Nancy Abu-Bonsrah who has made history by becoming the First Black Female Neurosurgeon Resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital's neurology department. This means that our educational system was not that bad after all. These people are truly Amazing Ghanaians.

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100

AMAZING GHANAIANS

harles Nmai was born in Ghana and earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering with ﬁrst class honors from the University of Science and Technology in 1980. After graduation, he worked as an intern at Ansah and Partners, a structural engineering ﬁrm in Ghana, before serving his national service program at the university. He came to the United States in 1981 and worked on a National Science Foundation sponsored research project to study the behavior of lightly-reinforced concrete beamcolumn connections subjected to earthquake loading under the guidance of Prof. David Darwin at the University of Kansas, Lawrence. He graduated in August 1984 with a master's degree in civil engineering. He came to Purdue University on a David Ross Fellowship in August 1984 and, working with Prof. Mark Bowman, researched the feasibility of using crack gages to detect fatigue crack initiation in butt-welded connections in steel bridge beams and girders. He completed his doctorate studies in 1986 and joined Master Builder Builders, Inc. in February 1987 as a project engineer in the Cement Products research department. He held positions of increasing responsibility and was appointed chief engineer in 1999, a functional position he currently holds, following acquisitions, as Engineering Associate in the Admixture Systems group at BASF Corporation. In this role, he is responsible for providing technical leadership and strategic guidance and 26

Charles Nmai serving as a technical resource to design professionals and end-users of the company's products and specialty concrete technologies. He is co-inventor of a novel corrosion inhibitor that has been used in megaprojects such as the Denver International Airport parking garage and Singapore's Changi airport and North-East Mass Rapid Transit lines. Leveraging the expertise that he has developed throughout his career, he is very much involved in technology transfer activities and speciﬁcation eﬀorts to advance the use of durable and sustainable solutions in the concrete industry worldwide.

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MANAGER, ENGINEERING SERVICES AT BASF CONSTRUCTION CHEMICALS, LLC

In addition to his eﬀorts within the private sector, he has worked tirelessly with the Federal Highway Administration and collaborated with others to promote the use of highperformance concretes in transportation structures to improve their constructability and durability. He is actively involved in standards activities and is a Fellow and past member of the Board of Direction of the American Concrete Institute, and a n h o n o ra r y m e m b e r o f A S T M International Committee C09 on "Concrete and Concrete Aggregates." Charles and Rita, his wife, live in Twinsburg, OH with their two young children, Christopher and Claudia.

mmanuel Akyeampong is Oppenheimer Faculty Director of the Harvard University Center for African Studies, Professor of History and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. He was appointed Loeb Harvard College Professor in July 2005. Akyeampong is a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (FGA), and a Corresponding Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (UK). He serves as the president of the African Public Broadcasting Foundation (US), a partnership of academic researchers, African broadcasters and African producers dedicated to the production of development oriented programs for broadcast on television, radio and the Internet. He is a cofounder and director of the International Institute for the Advanced Study of Cultures, Institutions and Economic Enterprise (IIAS: www.interias.org.gh) based in Accra, Ghana. He served as chair of the Committee on African Studies at Harvard from July 2002 to June 2006.

100 AMAZING GHANAIANS

Emmanuel Akyeampong Professor of History and of African and African American Studies

He is the author of several books and articles including Drink, Power, and Cultural Change: A Social History of Alcohol in Ghana, c.1800 to Recent Times (1996); Between the Sea and the Lagoon: An Eco-Social History of the Anlo of Southeastern Ghana, c.1850 to Recent Times (2001); and editor of Themes in West Africa’s History (2006); and with Henry Louis Gates Jr., The Dictionary of African Biography 6 Vols. (2012). His research interests are social history, comparative slavery and the African diaspora, environmental history, the history of disease and medicine, economic and business history.

Akyeampong has been an editor of the Journal of African History (20062010), was founding co-editor of African Diaspora and has served on the editorial advisory boards of African Arguments, African Aﬀairs, the International Journal of African Historical Studies, Journal of African History, Journal of the Social History of Medicine, Ghana Studies, the Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana, and Research Review. He was a member of the board of directors for the African Studies Association in the United States, and a former Council Member of the International African Institute.

Life does not have a universal measuring tool A guy met one of his school mates several years after school and he could not believe his eyes; his friend was driving one of the latest sleek Mercedes Benz cars. He went home feeling awful and very disappointed in himself. He thought he was a failure. What he didn't know was that his friend was a driver and had been sent on errand with his boss's car! Sampson's wife went to visit one of her long time friends and was very troubled

for seeing the 3 lovely kids of her friend playing around. Her problem was that she had only one child and have been struggling to conceive for the past ﬁve years. What she didn't know was that one of those kids who was the biological child of her friend had sickle cell and had just a year to live; the other two are adopted! Life does not have a universal measuring tool; so create yours and use it. Looking at

people and comparing yourself with them will not make you better but bitter. If you know the sort of load the chameleon carries, you wouldn't ask why it takes those gentle strides. So, enjoy what you have and be grateful for it. Not all that glitters is gold, live and be happy with what you have, everyone is going through one thing or the other, God Bless you.

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100 AMAZING GHANAIANS

ecilia Anim is the president of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), and a clinical nurse specialist in sexual and reproductive health at the Margaret Pyke Centre in London. Born in Ghana, Anim attended school there and completed her midwifery training at Komfo Anokye Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana in 1968. She moved to the UK in the 1970s and completed the UK general nursing course at Hull Royal Infirmary. She later completed her clinical nurse specialist training in advanced family planning at the Bloomsbury School of Nursing. Anim started her nursing career in her native Ghana where she worked as a midwife from 1968-1972. In 1977, having completed her UK general nursing course at Hull Royal Infirmary she took up post there as a staff nurse in paediatrics. In 1979 she began working at London’s Margaret Pyke Centre, where she continues to work as a clinical nurse specialist in sexual and reproductive health, alongside her RCN presidency. Anim was awarded the Bevan award for Health and Wellbeing in 2013. 2016 saw Anim receive an honorary Doctor of Health degree from Bradford University. In the Queen's 2017 New Year's Honours list Anim was awarded a CBE in recognition of her role as a nurse, RCN president and contribution to her community. Cecilia, was recently awarded a CBE, (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by the Queen of England as part of her 2017 New Year Honours list. 2017’s honours were touted as most diverse ever in the almost 100-year history of the Order of the British Empire, with Ghana’s Cecilia Anim recognised as one of the prominent minority names. “I feel greatly honoured and humbled, and I feel that this honour that I received was for all nurses everywhere giving care to patients and making a difference in people’s lives, she said.” “It is an honour for everybody because I couldn’t have gotten there on my own. I had the support of my family, especially my husband, my children, my friends, my colleagues at work, who in their own ways contributed.

Above all to God be the glory.” Cecilia Anim stressed the importance of upholding the professional integrity of nursing, as she advised nurses to do the best they can and “make sure the patient is safe in the care you are delivering and also respected.” Cecilia Anim is currently based in Marylebone; and is the President of the Royal College of Nurses, a position she has held since 2014. She was previously elected deputy president in 2010. Her election as the Royal College of Nurses President was a landmark moment, as she became its ﬁrst black president. She began her education at the St Ann’s Girls’ School before heading for Midwifery training at the Komfo Anokye Hospital, Kumasi, where she worked before moving to the UK and qualiﬁed as a nurse in 1977. Cecilia Anim works as a clinical nurse specialist in sexual and reproductive health at the Margaret Pyke Centre in London, and specializes in family planning and other aspects of women’s health. She is noted as h av i n g s o m e p a r t i c u l a r i n te re st i n menopause and public health issues.

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Cecilia Anim

President, The Royal College of Nurses

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GHANANIANS

First Black Female Neurosurgeon At The Johns Hopkins Hospital is a Ghanaian

eet Ghanaian Nancy AbuBonsrah: First black female neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital By Socrates Mbamalu on March 20, 2017 — We start this week with heartwarming news, Ghanaian Nancy Abu-Bonsrah becomes the first black female Neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Abu-Bonsrah left Ghana at the age of 15, and has been in the U.S for nearly 11 years. The first physician in her family, including the extended family, Abu-Bonsrah was matched with Johns Hopkins Hospital to specialize in Neurological Surgery. A hearty congratulations on the remarkable achievement. In a medical rite in the U.S. known as Match Day, where graduating fourth year medical students are given envelopes and find out where they have been matched to continue their medical training in a three to seven year residency program, Ghanaian Nancy Abu-Bonsrah was matched with Johns Hopkins Hospital to specialize in neurological surgery. The match made her the first black female neurosurgeon at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Abu-Bonsrah will spend seven more years at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she would get hands-on experience in her field. According to the Johns Hopkins news release, prior to Match Day, students

complete lengthy paperwork, and onsite interviews with hospitals, then provide a ranked list of their top choices. Hospitals submit a similar list, indicating openings, preferred students, and specialty or generalist preferences. Each applicant is matched via computer algorithm to the hospital residency program that is highest on the applicant’s list, and has offered the applicant a position. Johns Hopkins students are often matched with their first- or secondchoice sites. Abu-Bonsrah, according the John Hopkins medical news release spent the first 15 years of her life in Ghana and came to Maryland 11 years ago. She attended Hammond High School in Columbia, Maryland and went to college at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, after which, right after her undergrad, she went to Johns Hopkins . Abu-Bonsrah further stated in the news release that she is very much interested in providing medical care in undeserved settings, specifically surgical care. The Ghanaian hopes to return to her country over the course of her career to help in building sustainable surgical infrastructure. Her match to Johns Hopkins Hospital for neurological surgery is a dream come true for her. She says she wants to be remembered for serving her

community either through providing quality surgical care or mentoring the next generation of surgeons. Read: Women can build the nation Abu-Bonsrah attended Johns Hopkins University school of Medicine alongside her husband, and participated in the Match Day, which took place on the 17th of March. The event took place on the second ﬂoor of the Anne and Mike Armstrong Medical Education Building at 1600 McElderry St. in Baltimore, Maryland. In a Facebook post, Abu-Bonsrah said: What a way to begin the Sabbath! I still haven’t processed it yet but this is such an honor and a privilege to join the department at Hopkins to begin this next phase of my career. I’m so fortunate to have the continued support of my husband, family, friends and mentors. Kwabena and I are excited for what’s ahead! #match2017 #glorytoGod #wemadeit #sevenmoreyears #Neurosurgery #ﬁrstfemaleAAatHopkins There has been an outpour of congratulations from social media. We wish Nancy Abu-Bonsrah all the best in her medical career.

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GHANANIANS

Dr. Ayorkor Korsah Engineer and Educator

r. Ayorkor Korsah has been a technology evangelist for as long as she can remember. Growing up in Nigeria and Ghana, she first wanted to be an astronaut, then an engineer. She went on to study in the United States, where she discovered her love for computer science during an introductory programming class. She earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Dartmouth College, followed by a PhD in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence from Carnegie Mellon University. Now, Dr. Korsah is the Head of the Computer Science Department at Ashesi, where she teaches courses in Robotics, Programming, Data Structures, and Algorithms. Dr. Korsah leads the Ashesi Robotics Experience (ARX), an annual weeklong program, which aims to inspire high school students to study computer science, engineering, and other related fields at the university level. The workshop uses hands-on robotics programming projects and other computational thinking activities to inspire participants. 30

Dr. Korsah challenges her students to create solutions to real-world, everyday African challenges. “There are many robotics activities emerging in Africa,” says Dr. Korsah, “Our goal is to highlight, enhance, and provide support for eﬀorts in diﬀerent parts of the continent.” Dr. Korsah is the recipient of both global and African awards including the 2013 Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award (TDIA), with Ken Goldberg of UC Berkeley. They were recognized for their work in founding the African Robotics Network (AFRON) and the “$10 Robot” Design Challenge which spurred participants to create low cost robots to jump-start robotics education in Africa. Dr. Ayorkor Korsah discusses the impact of automation in the job sector on BBC Sharing perspectives of automation in the developing world, Dr. Korsah touched on the need to evaluate the role of technology in the kind of societies we aspire to.

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“It’s really important to think about the kind of society we want to live in,” she explained. “Because what we are going to see as humanity continues to develop is that you can’t stop technology. What’s going to be important is how we organize society such that beneﬁts of technology beneﬁt humanity as a whole. Given the increase in productivity that technology enables, it should be p o ss i b l e fo r p e o p l e to d o m o re interesting things that focus more on the strengths we as humans bring to the puzzle.”

BOOKS

GOODREADS GREAT BOOKS BY GHANAIAN AUTHORS WORTH READING PREDATOR OR PRINCE

HOMEGOING Yaa Gyasi

MURDER AT CAPE THREE POINTS

GHANA MUST GO Taiye Selasi

Kwei Quartey

Dilys Sillah

How do you identify the warning signs of dangerous and controlling behaviours before you become romantically involved? Dilys Sillah works as a life coach, helping women from all walks of life to improve their self-conﬁdence and self-worth. All too often, she ﬁnds that the women who turn to her for support share the same deep-rooted problems and many become trapped in emotionally damaging relationships. When she tried to help a young girl who was being blamed for having been raped, rather than being treated as a victim of crime, Dilys knew she had to act. She founded a charity - Who Will Hear My Cry - that has since supported hundreds of women and young families who have suffered emotional, sexual or physical abuse.Amazon.com

The unforgettable New York Times best seller begins with the story of two half-sisters, separated by forces beyond their control: one sold into slavery, the other married to a British slaver. Written with tremendous sweep and power, Homegoing traces the generations of family who follow, as their destinies lead them through two continents and three hundred years of history, each life indeliably drawn, as the legacy of slavery is fully revealed in light of the present day. Effia and Esi are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and lives in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle. Unbeknownst to Effia, her sister, Esi, is imprisoned beneath her in the castle’s dungeons, sold with thousands of others into....Amazon.com $ 14.66 Kindle Edition $ 13.99

Kweku Sai is dead. A renowned surgeon and failed husband, he succumbs suddenly at dawn outside his home in suburban Accra. The news of Kweku’s death sends a ripple around the world, bringing together the family he abandoned years before. Ghana Must Go is their story. Electric, exhilarating, beautifully crafted, Ghana Must Go is a testament to the transformative power of unconditional love, from a debut novelist of extraordinary talent.

Accra’s hotshot Detective Inspector Darko Dawson returns to solve a complex mystery that will take him out of the city to the beautiful coasts of Ghana, where a grim double-murder seems to have larger political implications.

A canoe washes up at a Ghanaian off-shore oil rig site. Inside it are the bodies of a prominent, wealthy couple, Charles and Fiona Smith-Aidoo, who have been ritualistically murdered. Pillars in Moving with great elegance through time and their community, they are mourned by place, Ghana Must Go charts the Sais’ circuitous everyone, but journey to one another. In especially by their niece Sapphire. She is the wake of Kweku’s death, his children gather not happy that months have passed since the in Ghana at their murder and the local enigmatic mother’s new home. The eldest son and police have made no headway in ﬁguring out his wife; the mysterious, who committed the beautiful twins; the baby gruesome crime. sister, now a young Amazon.com woman: each carries $ 9.92 secrets of his own.

Amazon.com $ 6.63 Kindle Edition $ 10.99

Kindle Edition $ 9.99

THE PROPHET OF ZONGO STREET

Mohammed Naseehu Ali

A dazzling collection of stories, The Prophet of Zongo Street takes readers to a world that seamlessly blends African folklore and myths with modernity. Set primarily on Zongo Street, a ﬁctitious community in West Africa, the stories -which are reminiscent of the works of Ben Okri and Amos Tutuola -- introduce us to wonderfully quirky characters and the most uproarious, poignant, and rawest moments of life. There's Kumi, the enigmatic title character who teaches a young boy to ﬁnally ask questions of his traditions. And as Ali moves his characters to America we meet Felix, who struggles with America's love of the exotic in "Rachmaninov." The Prophet of Zongo Street heralds a new voice and showcases Mohammed Naseehu Ali's extraordinary ability to craft stories that are both allegorical and unforgettable. Amazon.com $ 4.44 Kindle Edition $ 7.49

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Yaa Gyasi gets $1 million publishing deal and her mother Sophia, who is a nurse.

Ghanaian-American novelist Yaa Gyasi is poised to make a huge splash in the literary world with her debut historical ﬁction novel Homegoing which has already earned her a $1-million advance from the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

Her family moved to the United States in 1991 when her father was completing his Ph.D. at Ohio State University. The family also lived in Illinois and Tennessee, and from the age of 10, Gyasi was raised in Huntsville, Alabama.

The novel was inspired by a trip to Ghana in 2009, her ﬁrst since leaving the country as an infant.

According to the Daily Mail, it was on a tour of the former slavetrading fort Cape Coast Castle – "going from the grandeur of upstairs where the slave traders worked to the dungeons below’ – that she realised what she wanted to write about: ‘The idea of placing two people together; the wife of someone above and one of the slaves below.

"I hope it shows that much of what we’re dealing with [the legacy of slavery] didn’t appear out of nowhere,’ she says. ‘When you see things that are happening today, remember to put them in the context of history". Born in Mampong, Ghana, she is the daughter of Kwaku Gyasi, a professor of French at the University of Alabama in Huntsville,

She completed the book in 2015, and after initial readings from publishers, was met with numerous oﬀers before she accepted a sevenﬁgure advance from Knopf. Yaa describes the acclaim that bestseller Homegoing has received as ‘completely overwhelming’. Her highlight? The novel is inspiring readers to dig into their own family history. ‘That response from people is really cool.’

Africa's Favourite Comedian

Trevor Noah W

hen he was 18 (in 2002), Noah had a starring role on the South African soap opera Isidingo. He then began hosting his own radio show Noah's Ark on Gauteng's leading youth radio station, YFM. Noah dropped his radio show and acting to focus on comedy, and has performed with South African comedians such as David Kau, Kagiso Lediga, Riaad Moosa, Darren Simpson, Marc Lottering, Barry Hilton and Nik Rabinowitz, international comedians such as Paul Rodriguez, Carl Barron, Dan Ilic and Paul Zerdin, and as the opening act for Gabriel Iglesias in November 2007 and Canadian comedian Russell Peters on his South African tour. Noah went on to host an educational program, Run The Adventure (2004–06) on SABC 2. In 2007, he hosted The Real Goboza, a gossip show on SABC 1, and Siyadlala, a sports show also on the SABC. In 2008, Noah co-hosted, alongside Pabi Moloi, The Amazing Date (a dating gameshow) and was a Strictly Come Dancing contestant in season 4. In 2009, he hosted the 3rd Annual South Africa Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) and co-hosted alongside Eugene Khoza on The Axe Sweet Life, a reality competition series. In 2010, Noah hosted the 16th annual South African 32

Music Awards and also hosted Tonight with Trevor Noah on MNet (in season 2, it moved to DStv's Mzansi Magic Channel). In 2010, Noah also became a spokesperson and consumer protection agent for Cell C, South Africa's third largest cellular provider. Noah has performed all over South Africa in The Blacks Only Comedy Show, the Heavyweight Comedy Jam, the Vodacom Campus Comedy Tour, the Cape Town International Comedy Festival, the Jozi Comedy Festival and Bafunny Bafunny (2010). His stand-up comedy specials in South Africa include The Daywalker (2009), Crazy Normal (2011), That's Racist (2012), and It's My Culture (2013). In 2011, he moved to the United States. On 6 January 2012, Noah became the ﬁrst South African stand-up comedian to appear on The Tonight Show; and, on 17 May 2013, he

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became the ﬁrst to appear on Late Show with David Letterman. Noah was the subject of the 2012 documentary You Laugh But It's True. The same year, he starred in the one-man comedy show Trevor Noah: The Racist, which was based on his similarly titled South African special That's Racist. On 12 September, Noah was the Roastmaster in a Comedy Central Roast of South African Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr. In 2013, he performed the comedy special Trevor Noah: African American. On 11 October 2013, he was a guest on BBC Two's comedy panel show QI. On 29 November 2013, he was a panelist on Channel 4 game show 8 Out of 10 Cats and appeared on Sean Lock's team in 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown on 12 September 2014.

blakh ir

Hair Relaxers: Debunking the Myth

By Cindy Tawiah

a i r re l a x i n g b e c a m e ve r y popular in the 80's, after people realized the jheri curl couldn't give them versatility and was too greasy. No lye relaxers were formulated due to the complaints of burning from women who were getting relaxer s e r v i c e s . N o l ye r e l a xe r s w e r e presented as a gentler/milder form of relaxer without the lye. Women happily grabbed boxes of relaxer and applied their chemicals at h o m e t o s a v e m o n e y, a n d f o r convenience. When they're hair became dry and brittle, and began to shed they couldn't understand why their hair did not look like the models on the boxes.

What the hair needs is a Stabilizer or a conditioner with a low pH to return hair back to its optimal acidic pH balance and seal the cuticle and reaarange the polypeptide bonds which were broken during application of the realxer. After 3-5 mins hair can be neutralized t h r o u g h l y. A p p l i c a t i o n o f a moisturizing or deep conditioner and rinsing and styling will complete the process.

The purpose of the stabilizer is to bring hair back to its normal acid mantle pH. Process: Relax hair, rinse relaxer, apply stabilizer, rinse after 2-3 minutes, and shampoo with Diva By Cindy Neutralizer.

The reason: The no lye relaxers come in two forms, calcium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide. (CaOH is the chemical formula for calcium hydroxide.) The OH at the end of this compound is actually the base/lye component. The calcium causes deposits on the hair, causing it to become dry and brittle. Because hair consists of three layers and relaxer penetrates to the second layer of the hair to break polypeptide (protein) bonds. The cuticle (first layer of the hair) remains open if relaxer is just rinsed and neutralized after processing. (Which causes splitting, shedding, and breakage.) In order for relaxed hair to remain h e a l t hy avo i d a n ce o f re l a xe r s containing Calcium Hyroxide should be avoided at all costs. Not only does the Calcium reslt in dryness, but the neutralizer in the box is not sufficient to remove traces of relaxer from the hair. Which leads to hair loss and large amounts of shedding especially around the hairline and temples. After a relaxer the cuticle or first layer of the hair is opened and neutralizer removes traces of relaxer from the hair.

hydroxide (NaOH) relaxer containing aloe and shea butter was developed. (The aloe is to soothe and prevent burns, and the shea butter to moisturize) . After the relaxer is rinsed a product called the Stabilizer Plus (or the Ultimate Treatment) is applied. This product seals the cuticle or hair shaft, and rearranges the polypeptide or protein bonds which were broken. Because the pH of hair is acidic and relaxer is a base/or alkali, the pH of the stabilizer is a 3 (acidic).

Shedding and breakage is a thing of the past, now women can enjoy straighter hair with body and bounce. Healthy hair can be attained by all who wish to relax their hair.

Foot Note: In order to prevent overlapping( relaxer touching the ends of the hair) which leads to over processing and dryness. Apply a conditioner to the ends of your hair so that relaxer will not have direct contact with previously relaxed hair. If you are relying on a Professional ( Cosmetologist) towel which was used to drape you before the procedure is changed afterwards. Enjoy Healthy Hair. In 2007 Diva By Cindy hair care company developed a three step condition hair relaxer system, which would resolve this problem. A sodium

Before Diva Stabilizer (Open Hair Shaft)

After Diva Stabilizer (Closed Hair Shaft)

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Ghana’s airport expensive – US Ambassador T

he US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson, says it is very expensive to travel through the Kotoka International Airport as compared to other African countries. The situation impedes US investment in Ghana and also compels most US investors to focus on other countries within the sub-region, according to him.

Ambassador Jackson, who revealed this when he paid a courtesy call on the Business Development Minister,

Mohammed Ibrahim Awal yesterday in Accra, mentioned that hotels in Ghana are also very expensive compared to other African countries. “There is a steady increase in the number of American companies that want to use Ghana as their West African hub, but there are some things that are also holding them back like very expensive travel cost. “Your airport is very expensive relative to other airports in the sub-region,” he said. Visa Challenges Ambassador Jackson also complained about the delays in issuing visas to US citizens by the Ghanaian Embassy in the United States. He said, “We see that the speed with which your Embassy in the United States processes visas is about three weeks. We have our own Visa issues but we process our own Visas within 48 hours. “I don’t know what process occurs in your embassies overseas but I know that some of your

embassies in Europe are far faster than your embassies in Washington. The US envoy said, “If we are really serious about developing business, then I want to be totally honest and say I like to see the Embassies in Washington moving faster. If you want more visitors and businesses to come to Ghana, then making it easier to get visas will help with that.” The Business Development Minister, on his part, assured the envoy that issues related to visas would be dealt with to ensure that more US investors travel to Ghana to invest. He said the Akufo-Addo administration was committed to creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. “I want the relations between the two countries to expand and to do that we will have to work together to eliminate issues that impede business growth in Ghana to attract more US investors,” the Minister told the envoy. Ghana’s trade volume with the U.S. is estimated at $1.2 billion. The US contributed to about $900 million, with Ghana accounting for the remaining $300 million.

ED SHEERAN REVEALS ‘SHOCKING’ EXPERIENCE IN GHANA E n g l i s h s i n ge r- s o n g w r i t e r E d Sheeran has disclosed he knocked off in a “little box” for close to six hours during his stay in Ghana after sampling a drink mixed with weed. The ‘Thinking out Loud’ singer revealed he was trying a local drink called “shocker” and he really had a shock of his life when the liquor overpowered him. “I went to Ghana in Africa, which was a wonderful country, and they make this drink called Shocker, which is vodka, pineapple juice, coconut juice, 34

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and rum, and then they soak an ounce of weed in it, and I didn’t know this,” Sheeran reveals to BuzzFeed . “So, they said, ‘This is Shocker, go easy on it.’ And I was like, ‘I’m Irish!’ And then I was just drinking loads of it. “And they’re like, ‘No, no, no, no, no!’ And then suddenly I was like, ‘Woooh.’ “So yeah, that was a crazy, crazy experience because I just ended up being kind of comatose for about six hours, just kind of sitting in a corner.

Don’t try it at home.” He added: “I was just in a little box just kinda like, when do I get out of this box? I’m not big [and] when I was younger I used to dabble, and I just can’t, I can’t do it anymore. ‘ “It just doesn’t agree with me. So yeah, it really didn’t agree with me then,” the pop sensation remarked in a candid Instagram story. He was in Ghana a few months ago to record ambience for his new album Divide.

neuromorphic computing, that they didn’t actually know what it was,” Mr. Williams told last month’s annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston. “In his talk, he defined for the first time really what neuromorphic computing is.” The presentation also showed how far ahead of the pack Mr. Boahen appears to be. He already has built a small robot with a functioning mechanical arm using neuromorphic chips. Among the five challenges he listed, Mr. Boahen already has largely solved four, Mr. Williams said in an interview. “Others maybe have gotten to one or two,” he said. After a recent speech at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Mr. Boahen met with a graduate student from Lebanon who had a long list of questions about his work. The two also talked about U. S. politics, which had become “really scary for him,” Mr. Boahen said of the student. Lebanon is not among the majorityMuslim countries affected by President Trump’s travel-ban proposals, and the student is Christian.

An Immigrant Scholar Leads the Charge Against Computing’s Biggest Roadblock After 30 years of studying the brain as a guide to building faster computers, Kwabena Boahen may have given his fellow researchers a much-needed template for finishing the job. His story, as a Stanford professor and Ghanaian emigrant, exemplifies what America has to gain — or lose — by inhibiting immigration. Mr. Boahen has been working for 30 years to make computers act more like brains. But it was in October, at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ first International Conference on Rebooting Computing, that his efforts gained a significantly new level of appreciation.

and smoke coming out of their ears.” In a 53-minute presentation, Mr. Boahen outlined ﬁve main challenges to producing a working computer based on neuromorphic principles. Each point was highly technical — covering such challenges as developing circuits that “gracefully” respond to signals and work without external timing cues — but the effect was of a salvo. “During his talk,” said Mr. Williams, who is also an adjunct professor of chemistry at UCLA, “you could see people’s eyes growing to the size of whale’s eyes, and smoke coming out of their ears.”

The son of Albert Adu Boahen, the professor of history at the University of Ghana who helped lead his nation to democratic rule, Mr. Boahen did not arrive at the session as a revolutionary. But he may have left as one.

Many in the audience had spent years pursuing neuromorphic computing, Mr. Williams said, and Mr. Boahen had just given the research community a concise manifesto making clear which avenues of exploration deserved more attention and which were probably a waste of time.

“During his talk you could see people’s eyes growing to the size of whale’s eyes,

“He effectively convinced everybody else in the room, who thought they were doing

But the student spoke of fear that his elderly parents might die if denied entry at a U.S. airport and forced to make back-to-back 20-hour ﬂights. He described being warmly accepted on campus but encountering racism not too far out of town. And the student wondered if those conditions, combined with a lukewarm American commitment to funding research, mean that he’ll eventually have to take his computing talents elsewhere. Mr. Boahen said he had tried to reassure the student, who asked not to be identiﬁed by name, that circumstances change. “But it’s really a shame,” Mr. Boahen said, “that people who just came here don’t have that context, and it’s really traumatizing what we are putting them through.” At least Mr. Boahen is not worried for himself: He obtained U.S. citizenship last year. “I could see the writing on the wall,” he said. “My father fought a dictatorship, and I don’t want to try.” Source: Chronicle of Higher Ed.

Sam Okyere is The Most Famous Black Man In Korea Ghana’s Sam Okyere is making a name for himself in South Korea’s entertainment world. Based in Seoul and ﬂuent in Korean, Okyere can be seen these days rubbing shoulders with some of Korea Pop’s most famous stars. He already has a pretty extensive resume of Korean TV shows under his belt, including SNL Korea and Master Chef Korea Season 3. H e c a m e to Ko re a o n a Ko re a n government scholar in 2009 to pursue a

degree in Computer Engineering. “But then again as a young guy I thought it be smart to try and rack up as many experiences as I could, and this entertainment venture is one of them. Korean TV has opened doors to foreigners as a way to get them involved in Korean culture and to take what they can from the outside world. Besides, they have many awesome TV programs and the standards are very high. So once the opportunity presented itself, I couldn’t resist” he said.

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by BEN BOND

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by BEN BOND

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Oldest person with sickle cell disease Celebrates her 90th birthday At 90, Asiata Onikoyi-Laguda is believed to be the oldest person with sickle cell disease in the world. She was born in November 1925, the same year as Margaret Thatcher, first female British prime minister and Malcolm X, the African American civil rights activist. At that time, the average life expectancy of children born with sickle cell disorder was just five years, but she has defied the odds to live up to 90. Due to the high level of illiteracy at the time of her birth, she was never diagnosed with sickle cell. She endured years of pain, which kept her away from school till she was 12 years old. Her pain was so severe and frequent that she would beg God to let her die. After primary school, she enrolled at Queens College Lagos, where she met her husband Bolaji Alakija, who later became a doctor. She did not know she had the sickle cell disease until after she had given birth to five of her six children. Her husband, Dr Alakija, gave her pills including folic acid to take every day, but kept the nature of her illness away from her for a long time. 38

Dr Alakija had 10 wives and 27 children, when he died, she married Alhaji Laguda, but she never had a child with her second husband. She is the second of four children born from AbdulYekeen Ishola Onikoyi, a prince of the Onikoyi ruling house, and Aishat Alake Onikoyi from Kudeti, Ibadan. In spite of her illness, she has outlived her parents, husbands and siblings except one. According to SCD Journal, in spite of the disease: – She is under no dietary restrictions whatsoever: eats salt, eggs, meat, sugar, fried food, etc as she likes – Her blood pressure hovering around 160/90 – She has performed the holy pilgrimage to Mecca 13 times and Umrah half a dozen times

glasses – She takes public transport in superc,haotic Lagos

– She observed the annual 30-day Ramadhan fast until she was over 88 and pressured to discontinue by her children

– She gave birth to six children, all by normal delivery. When only son passed away in August 2014 aged 59, she accepted the will of Allah but prayed, “Please let the rest of the children you gave me outlive me.”

– She reads Bible, Quran everyday with glasses but moves around without

By: Woman.NG

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Food Akua Quarcoo Akua is the CEO of Maqtrex Enterprise Viacell International Trade Finance LLC and runs B&G Pub in Accra.

Groundnut Soup

favorite food from Ghana is Groundnut(Peanut Butter) Soup with Rice Balls -”Omo Tuo”. We all looked forward to spending Sunday afternoons, with Grandma. She would prepare this meal with an assortment of different kinds of meat such as goat, beef, pig feet and chicken. But just like most Ghanaian soups, there will always be some smoked dry ﬁsh for ﬂavour. Rice Balls (Omo Tuo) are usually made with white rice. Here is my Grandma’s Recipe for Chicken Groundnut Soup. Ingredients 2 medium onions or 1 large one 3 very ripe large tomatoes A whole chicken, chopped to pieces Garden eggs (optional) 12 okra (with ends trimmed) 1 scotch bonnet pepper or kpakpo shito Ginger 2 bay leaves

1 rosemary sprig 1.75l Maggi Cubes 4 tbsp peanut butter Water to mix with the peanut butter

Method 1. Place the whole onion, pepper, tomatoes and chicken pieces in the pot and top with the stock. Cover, bring to the boil and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes till vegetables are soft and tender. Remove the vegetables. 2. Blend the vegetables and ginger in a food processor and return to the soup. Bring to the boil then reduce to simmer while you make the peanut butter sauce. If you are using boiler chicken, it can be quite tough, so it may need extra time cooking. Advertisement 3. Meanwhile, make the peanut butter sauce. There are different ways of doing this, I have opted to go for what is easier for me. Scoop the desired amount of peanut butter into a

saucepan and put on gentle heat with constant stirring, peanut butter burns easily. Note: Add water a little at a time. This can be quite tricky as the water instantly changes the runny peanut butter properties. I would say it is a similar experience to white sauce, when the milk is added to the ﬂour and butter mixture. Once a smooth sauce is achieved, allow to simmer. You will ﬁnd the peanut oil begins to separate from the peanut butter. When this happens, you can add the peanut butter sauce to the rest of the soup and simmer for 20 minutes till oil rises to the surface of the soup. 4. Check seasoning to your taste. Serve with your favourite carbs such as boiled sliced yam, potatoes or rice. Traditionally, this is served with fufu, a west African starchy staple made of pounded cassava, yam, or plantain. Easy to make fufu powder is available in the exotic or world foods section of most supermarkets.

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by BEN BOND

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by BEN BOND

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SPOTLIGHT

FACTS Capital: Accra Population: 25.5 million Area: 92,098 sq miles Major languages: English, African languages including Akan, Ewe Major religions: Christianity, traditional religions, Islam Currency: Cedi UN, World Bank

#aboutghana

hana is considered one of the more stable countries in West Africa since its transition to multi-party democracy in 1992. Formerly known as the Gold Coast, Ghana gained independence from Britain in 1957, becoming the first subSaharan nation to break free from colonial rule. Gold, cocoa and more recently oil form the cornerstone of Ghana's economy and helped fuel an economic boom. Until recently Ghana was hailed as a model for African growth but since 2013, its economy has endured a growing public deficit, high inflation, and a weakening currency, resulting in its seeking an IMF bailout. LEADER President: Nana Akufo-Addo Nana Akufo-Addo won the presidential election in December 2016, tapping into an electorate fed up with a sputtering economy and ready for change. The erudite 72-year-old human rights lawyer won 53.8 % of the votes, according to the country's election agency, and incumbent John Mahama conceded defeat after a hotly contested race that was seen as a test of the country's democracy in a region plagued by dictators and coups. MEDIA Ghana enjoys a high degree of media freedom and the private press and broadcasters operate without

signiﬁcant restrictions. The media are free to criticise the authorities without fear of reprisals, says Reporters Without Borders. The private press is lively, and often carries criticism of government policy. Animated phone-in programmes are staple fare on many radio stations. Radio is Ghana's most popular medium, although it is being challenged by increased access to TV.

Region. By 2012, 17% of Ghanaians were using the internet (ITU). Mobile phones are widely used to access online content. A chronology of key events: 1957 - Independence for the state now called Ghana, the ﬁrst country in black sub-Saharan Africa to shake off colonial rule, inspiring liberation struggles around the continent. Kwame Nkrumah is prime minister. 1960 - Ghana proclaimed a republic; Nkrumah elected president. 1964 - Ghana becomes a one-party state. 1966 - Nkrumah overthrown in military coup; Russian and Chinese technicians expelled. 1969 - New constitution facilitates transfer of power to civilian government led by Koﬁ Busia. 1972 - Mr Busia ousted in military coup led by Colonel Ignatius Acheampong. 1978 - Colonel Acheampong forced to resign; General Frederick Akuffo takes over.

Scores of private FM stations crowd the dial; many of them are based in the main towns and cities. Most of them are chasing a limited amount of advertising revenue. State-run Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) runs national TV and radio networks. The BBC broadcasts on 101.3 FM in Accra, and on 104.7 FM from SekondiTakoradi, the capital of Western

Rawlings era 1979 - General Akuffo deposed in coup led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings. He and former leader Ignatius Acheampong are executed. 1979 September - Lt Rawlings hands over power to an elected president, Hilla Limann. 1981 - President Limann ousted in military coup led by Lt Rawlings after two years of weak government and economic stagnation.

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candidate for the 2012 presidential election 1983 - Lt Rawlings adopts free-market economic policies, abolishing subsidies and price controls, privatising many state enterprises and devaluing the currency. 1992 - Referendum approves new constitution introducing a multiparty system. Lt Rawlings elected president. 1994 - One thousand people are killed and a further 150,000 are displaced in the Northern Region following ethnic clashes between the Konkomba and the Nanumba over land ownership.

2012 July - President Mills dies. John Mahama becomes interim head of state. 2013 Authorities arrest hundreds of Chinese and other migrants working in unlicensed gold mines. The government says around 4,700 illegal miners, most of them Chinese, were deported in 2013. 2014 July - Thousands take to the streets to

2001 April - Ghana accepts debt relief under a scheme designed by the World Bank and the IMF.

2004 December - Presidential poll: Incumbent John Kufuor wins a second term. 2005 April-May - Thousands of Togolese refugees arrive, ﬂeeing political violence in their home country.

Ghanaians love soccer and built a large soccer stadium in the capital of Accra. Soccer is the national sport.

protest against the government's alleged mishandling of the economy.

The traditional cloth of the Ghanaian people is the bright and colorful kente cloth. In the north, the men wear loose ﬂowing clothes made of darker cloth.

2015 December - Twenty judges are sacked after being implicated in a high-proﬁle bribetaking scandal.

Koﬁ Annan is one of the most well-known Ghanaians. He served as secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997- 2006.

2017 January - Opposition candidate Nana Akufo-Addo sworn in as president after beating incumbent John Mahama in previous month's

In Ghana there is a system of tribal government in addition to the national government. People from Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and Britain came to the Gold Coast to search for gold. The British took control of the country in the 20th century and declared the Gold Coast a colony of the British Empire.

Oil discovered 2007 June - Major off-shore oil discovery announced. President Kufuor says oil will turn Ghana into an "African tiger". 2007 September - The worst ﬂoods for more than 30 years cause widespread devastation, destroying much of the annual harvest.

In 2007, oil was found off the coast of Ghana. A daily production of 200,000 barrels, which could be achieved in about ﬁve years after commencement of production, could give Ghana a total revenue of approximately US$1.6 billion yearly.

2007 December - President Kufuor says off-shore oil reserves total 3 billion barrels. 2008 December - John Atta Mills elected president. 2009 July - Ghana secures a $600m three-year loan from the International Monetary Fund. 2010 December - Offshore oil production begins. 2011 July - President John Atta Mills chosen as ruling National Democratic Congress party's 44

The currency unit in Ghana is called the cedi. The word “cedi” comes from a local word meaning a cowry shell. Cowry shells (from sea snails) were once used as money in Ghana.

Children in Ghana begin two years of kindergarten at age four. Then all children ages 6-12 attend six years of elementary education. If families can afford it, children go on to secondary education. Ghana’s school system is more advanced than many of its African neighbors.

2001 February - Petrol prices rise by 60% following the government's decision to remove fuel subsidies.

2003 October - Government approves merger of two gold-mining ﬁrms, creating new goldmining giant.

Lake Volta, in the Volta region of the country, is the world’s largest man-made lake. It’s 250 miles long and covers 3,283 square miles, or 3.6 percent of Ghana’s area.

There are six national parks and many smaller nature reserves, which were set up to help protect Ghana’s wildlife.

Kufuor elected 2000 - December - John Kufuor beats Vice-President John Atta Mills in the presidential election.

2002 April - State of emergency is declared in the north after a tribal chief and more than 30 others are killed in clan violence. State of emergency is lifted in August 2004.

Ghana was ranked as Africa’s most peaceful country by the Global Peace Index.

election, fought mainly on country's faltering economic performance. More Facts First country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence post-colonialism.

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The name Ghana means warrior king and harks back to the days of the Ghana Empire between the ninth and 13th centuries. Ghana has the largest market in West Africa. It’s called Kejetia market and it’s located in Kumasi, the Ashanti region’s capital. There you can ﬁnd everything under the hot Ghanaian sun, from local crafts — beads, cloth and sandals — to second-hand jeans and clothing, and meats, fruit and vegetables. Ghana produces the second most cocoa beans in the world. Ivory Coast is No. 1.

Ghanaians are Emotionally Choking with High Expectations from Nana Akufo-Addo

nd so the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership is still hanging out there, unclaimed. This is a prize set up by British-Sudanese billionaire Mohammed "Mo" Ibrahim in 2007 “which awards a $5 million initial payment, and a $200,000 annual payment for life to any African head of state who democratically transfers power” to their successors and delivers to their constituents the following: • Security • Health • Education and • Economic development

would suggest he includes in his presentations how a head of state must be assertive in order not to be controlled by outside forces he chooses to help him run the state. One of Kwame Nkrumah’s regrets we are told was his trust of party apparatchiks who would rather let

African heads of state are still tainted. They cannot make it. “Mobor!”. Right now, Ghana's story to the world can be called "The Politics of Transition" because the world is hailing us for a job well-done in this department. Former President John Dramani Mahama is an exponent of this art in politics. Now he goes around the world telling anybody who will listen how he did it in Ghana. This must be to the disappointment of citizens of some countries of Africa where their presidents seem to be aiming at staying in power for a thousand years. Yaya Jammeh, ex-president of the Gambia had to be forcibly uprooted from the state house to leave the country with its millions. Ironically he now resides in Equatorial Guinea, the third-largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa, whose wealth is in the hands of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and his family. Citizens of this country still queue in the morning to attend nature's call. Mahama is giving speeches all over, especially on how he did what is so hard to do in Africa, i.e., giving up power to a new and elected person. I

him by down, committing atrocities in his name, especially locking up alleged foes in Nsawam Prison for years until Kotoka’s coup. The picture of an NDC MP whose mansion sits on top of a hill overlooking pupils in a mud hurt, tells the story of the Mahama period riddled with scandals of million-dollar corruption. The NDC and Ghana’s Problems Explained Away Voodoo Politics Style Mahama’s “babies with sharp teeth” are still out there roaring their

By Paul Korkutse Vowotor

nonsense. In recent utterances by Korku Anyidoho, a deputy general secretary of the NDC seems to have found an epiphany of sorts, and so he does no longer accept Mahama as his ex-boss. He even finds it difficult and revulsive to call Mahama president. He now expresses a mea culpa for the way his party handled the late President John Attah-Mills (in whose office he was communication director), whose grave is now in a very dishonorable and deplorable state. That is a reflection of the NDC and some Ghanaians then and now. Remnants of their ideas of “solutions” to Ghana’s problems were a mish-mash of undefined spiritism. Their alarming ideas are beyond the Stone Age. They talk of voodoo politics and voodoo management. One Prophet Kwabena Tawiah, of the Church of Rabbi (is that a Jewish synagogue or a name to market the church/temple?), alleges Mahama spent monies “on the occult”, (whatever that means) to transport gods from India to help him win the elections. But for his powers of intercession, Mahama would have won the elections again! And so if not because of this prophet, Ghanaians were destined to vote for Mahama again. We are in the 21st century and utterances like these in this age just make you numb. On Sunday March 19th tragedy befell the country when 18 students, from the Wenchi Methodist Senior High School and the University of Energy and Natural Resources, lost their lives when a tree along the banks of the waterfall fell on them during a heavy downpour. Then the usual know-alls (reverently called “men of god”) started assertions of what was the cause. But one standout explanation was that of Joseph Yammin a former

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NDC Deputy Youth and Sports Minister. He alleges that the cause of the tragedy was the “dirty and dangerous prayers of one “man of god” by name Owusu Bempah, who’s “church” goes by the name the Glorious Word Power Ministry International. Yammin says Owusu Bempah is to blame for the recent suicides and ghastly road accidents in the country. We Ghanaians hear about how the country has retrogressed when compared to Malaysia, Singapore etc. - countries that we were are told were on same development par with Ghana but now have left us behind prattling in this state of mismanagement. You get the cause of our problems is because of minds like Yammin's. This former leader would not agree that our problems are the results of maladministration and the obvious neglect of our environment. We live in a country where many passenger vehicles on the road lack maintenance. The police who are to check such these faults collect bribes from the drivers and let these culprits go. Accidents happen later and we attribute the causes to a deity on the road. Reports say the Kwame Nkrumah Circle “Dubai” ﬂyover is an uncompleted project that the NDC opened early in grand style because they wanted to showcase it to get votes. The Brazilian construction company is gone without any provision made to de-silt by the hour, water that collects under this system. If these reports are true, then this project is a time bomb waiting to explode. But then as usual, we shall explain it away Yammin-style, i.e., the cause of any tragedy here could be attributed to some Circle gods. When one is writing a story, whose plot thickens every time and there is no concluding solution, the easiest way to end the narration is to invoke a deity to come in, save the situation and let heroes live happily ever after. Ex-President Mahama and his team seemed to have gone through similar situations. They had no clue to solutions of the country’s problems and most of his ministers resorted to

unseen beings to tackle our problems. Meanwhile, their eyes were focused on their booties. I’d suggest Mahama inserts instances like these in his speeches to the world. The NDC was Here Last Year Ghanaians in a Paradigm Shift The elections have been over for some four months now. Ghanaians are emotionally choking with frustrations and expectations. Jobs are hard to find. Many Ghanaians are taking stock of what went wrong with their hopes in the NDC. For some, they think they should not have put all their eggs into one party basket and lose big time. Others, who played the party “chacha” gamble well, have now retired to their mansions of loot. They have stolen and run down the country’s coffers and have walked out into the sunset with their illegally acquired wealth. For some like actor John Dumelo, his cup was full when he was caught with two of the 234 vehicles, out of the list of over 700 vehicles that are still missing. This guy, who could have been a role model for kids, had no shame. The irony is that the founder of this party is Jerry Rawlings. What we now have is an unrecognizable group that instituted decrees that sent people to the firing squad for infringements that were a miniscule to what we now see party officials committing. President Nana Addo Dankwa AkufoAddo and the NPP are Here This Year The president looks a relaxed man in this time of stress. He seems in charge of the myriad problems he has set himself up to handle. This is a sharp contrast to what we have just seen, where Mahama, touted as “the great communicator” acted like a puppet on the strings of some super manipulators. Akufo-Addo exudes maturity. He seems to have waited for years to become the head of state and shows signs of having thought of the country’s problems and how to solve them. A documentary on him shows a young boy who was a “bookworm”, whose father insisted he read books as weekly assignments. As Ghanaians, we pride ourselves in brain power and so to most of us, one big highlight of the Independence Day celebration of Ghana@60 was the

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president lighting the perpetual flame aided by 14 year-old Afua Ansah. She made history when she made it in the top 45 finals of the 2016 Scripps Spelling Bee competition in Washington DC. The president came up with the 110minister-solution to our hydra-headed problems. His earnest explanation is worth listening to. We would hope President Akufo-Addo has surrounded himself with men and women who share his progressive focus and agenda. He says these ministers have all declared their assets. We have not overheard any yet babbling on the phone that his or her aim is to make at least one million dollars before his/her term is over as one Mahama era minister did. Our hope is that the president becomes Ghana’s John Magufuli, president of Tanzania (hopefully destined for the Mo Ibrahim Prize, which he may refuse to take), who is hailed all over Africa and the world for cracking down on corruption and wasteful spending in his country. Already President Akufo-Addo has placed an indefinite freeze on the purchase of new vehicles for ministries and departments. This could be a reflection of who he is. Privately he still drives a car he acquired ages ago. Balancing and properly demarcating the borders between our spiritual, financial, educational and recreational needs is the proper way to achieve success. This seems to be AkufoAddo’s mission now. He sure must have been contemplating these for years that he has waited to be head of state. If he does well, Ghanaians will make him stay for one more term in office. And with the dynamism of his vice, Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP could be staying in power for a long time if Ghanaians see they are giving them what they want - that which they did not get from the NDC.

Paul Korkutse Vowotor lives in Columbia, South Carolina. He describes himself as a liberal with a sneer. He can be contacted on e-mail at korkutse@yahoo.com , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/korkutse and on Twitter at @korkutse.

BEN BOND

I think what makes a good photographer into a great photographer is consistency. And I guess, inconsistency makes a bad one. I think and believe anyone can take a great picture once in a while.

But to do that time after time after time and say, in a "roll" of 20 or 30 images, have 25+ outstanding images. That to me, would be a great photographer. I can think of a few great Ghanaian photographers. Yaw Pare, Steve Ababio, Kofi Daffour, Emmanuel Bobbie, and many more. It would take me hours to list them all. What makes them great? Consistency. They are attentive to detail and everything is "perfect" when they push the shutter. In this issue we feature one of Ghana's finest. BEN BOND. Ben Bond Obiri

Asamoah (OAB Photography) is a Ghanaian based photographer who specializes in Portrait, Fashion and Commercial photography. His high sense of art makes him see photography as a painting skill which he uses his camera and lights to paint photos. His grungy and spontaneous style over-whelms his clients which keeps them coming for more. His inspiration evolves from anything he comes in contact with which he calls it "Anything, Anywhere, Anybody" and he captures them in an uncommon way which leaves a lasting impression.

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THE ENVIRONMENT

15 Things to Do Differently for the Environment by akua akyaa greenghanaian.org

hange has come and everyone seems to be happy. Everyone except the outgoing government, I suppose. But to whom much is given, much is expected and the newly sworn in New Patriotic Party (NPP) is no diﬀerent. As a public commentator on the environment in Ghana, my interest is to make the incoming government aware that they have to fulﬁll their promises. The environment has been heavily ignored in the past (by both the NPP and NDC) and if change has truly come then this must also change. Here, I have compiled a list of 15 things that Nana Addo and his governing party can do to make Ghana’s environment the one that Ghanaians deserve. Most of the things mentioned are already in their manifesto. Here’s my list. 1. Forest Protection Let’s understand why forests are important. Forests provide us with the

oxygen we need to breathe. They purify the air from pollutants and serve as habitat for most of our wildlife. Forests are also our biggest protectors against climate change. They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, they keep temperatures cooler, they help regulate rain patterns and they prevent ﬂooding. Ghana loses at least 2% of its forests per year since 1990. The NPP manifesto targets planting trees on 30,000 hectares of degraded land within and outside forest reserves every year. That’s about half the size of the entire Tema Metropolitan Assembly. This would be revolutionary if implemented. 2. Water Body Protection The truth of the matter is that if we don’t protect our water bodies, eventually we will have no water to drink and that is all. We are degrading our own water bodies with human activity. Galamsey (illegal mining) is high on the list. 3. Water Provision

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Ghana’s water coverage, despite public perception, has actually seen steady positive progress over the years. Latest reports indicate that from 1990 to 2015 access to improved water sources in the country rose from 56% to 89%. With that in mind, I think we are capable as a country of reaching 100% coverage by the end of NPP’s first term – the year 2020. 4. Illegal mining (Galamsey) Undocumented and untaxed trading in valuable national resources, destruction of farm lands, destruction of water bodies, deaths from uncovered pits and conflicts, rare diseases from chemical contaminations. Need I say more? In order to address this menace once and for all, we have to indulge the exercise of asking why young men and women resort to engaging in such a risky, tiresome, dirty, destructive source of livelihood in the first place. The most obvious reason would be that there is little more lucrative to do in these communities.

7. Urban Planning Do our cities and towns look like they were built according to any plan? In what ministry does the Department of Town and Country Planning currently sit? It’s been moved so many times I’ve lost track. It’s another institution that has been so poorly resourced and we’ve paid dearly for it. When we fail to plan our cities well then we are indirectly planning for disaster. 8. Flooding And that takes us to our annual disgrace, ﬂooding. During the rainy season last year I compiled the National Ghana Floods League Table. When 2016 ended I updated it and gathered that there were 34 ﬂooding incidents in all 10 regions of Ghana killing 16 people and displacing 13,630 people. Such a preventable tragedy yet every year we allow it to take lives, destroy property and spread disease.

5. Sanitation & Waste Management The sooner we stop playing the ostrich when it comes to our sanitation and waste management challenges, the better. There has been continuous outcry about the litter on our streets, the prevalence of plastic in our drains and the inability of our waste to be picked up from our residences on time. We are persistently shamed by the open defecation that makes so many of our beaches appalling, the annual outbreak of cholera and the fact that only 14% of our population has access to appropriate toilet facility at home. 6. Climate Change Climate change is a reality that we have to face head on. Gone are the days when it was debated. There are two ways of combating climate change: mitigation (work to prevent it from worsening) and adaptation (we change the way we do things to cope with the challenges).

9. Coastal and Marine Protection For a coastal nation that loves ﬁsh and depends so much on the sea for livelihoods, its amazing the way we treat our coasts and seas like borla so (garbage dumps). Fishermen collect as much garbage as ﬁsh in their nets. Our ocean waves are polluted with plastic waste, poisoned and dead whales are tossed on our beaches too often. 10. Ecotourism All the natural blessings of our nation could be a large source of foreign investment, income and pride if we are smart about it. Indeed, nations like Tanzania, Botswana and Madagascar come highly recommended by the International Ecotourism Society.

ensures our yields and food security. In 2015 agriculture counted for 45% of employment, in 2013 it was 54%. This can rise even higher if we are strategic and update our practices to reﬂect current challenges. 13. Research Ghana is a booklong country. We’ve got universities, institutions, doctors and professors. Our problem is that these researchers hardly connect with private sector and the private sector hardly connects with the research. This needs to change. 14. Law Enforcement Many are of the view that Ghanaians need an attitudinal change to improve their behavior towards the environment. I disagree. The phrase attitudinal change is very vague and doesn’t hold us to concrete results. 15. But Don’t Do These Please…. National Sanitation Day. I have previously written on why I don’t like cleanup exercises. I believe that the nation would be better served ensuring that the right thing is done everyday instead of surface cleaning once a month.

Over to you, Mr President. Change has come! Read the full article: http://greenghanaian.org/author/akuaakyaa/

11. Renewable Energy Our energy challenges have become so notorious that ‘Dumsor’ is now a word known all over the African continent to represent inconsistent power supply. The sad thing is that our eﬀorts to address these obstacles have been in the wrong direction. As an equatorial country, it’s a no brainer that investments be made in solar energy. 12. Agriculture As an agricultural country we must continue to improve our methods and guard the very environment that

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the other side

a collection of interesting articles we found on social media

Fred Apaloo’s Villa Grace is Shaking Up Ghana’s Fine Dining Scene by okayafrica.com

hanaian chef Fred Apaloo is serving up elaborate brunches at his Accra pop-ups. He’s part of a budding fine-dining scene in the Ghanaian capital that emphasizes international flavors.

called ‘Brunch Friends,’” he says. “I’d lay out a spread every Saturday, and I’d plate it nicely as if we were in a restaurant in the comfort of my home.” After two cousins encouraged him to create an Instagram page as a platform

With a growing number of Ghanaian professionals returning home from abroad, Accra’s food scene is in the midst of a revolution. Alongside newly launched restaurants—Tea Baa, Neem Grill and Café Kwae—Villa Grace, Apaloo’s boutique dining company, is leading the charge to help more Ghanaians rethink their relationship with food. Villa Grace has quickly become one of Accra’s most exclusive and unique dining experiences. Through intimate pop-up brunches, the brand has gained a large following, selling out tables weeks in advance. And yet, despite the careful preparation that goes into each Villa Grace event, its creation happened almost by chance. When Apaloo moved home from Miami in 2015 to spend more time with his mother, he spent much of his downtime experimenting in the kitchen and documenting his creations via Instagram. “As I posted the photos, I had a lot of people message me asking if I’d cook for them, so I started a series 50

for a social media blog, he launched Villa Grace as a food photography project. The overwhelmingly positive response led him to develop a pop-up dining experience a few weeks later. “I studied hospitality management and I have a background in hospitality and service, so the whole concept wasn’t brand new to me,” Apaloo tells

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Okayafrica. “In Miami, pop-ups are common, but they’re still a new concept in Accra. Our first brunch, the ‘Genesis’ brunch, featured six courses and went extremely well. After I saw the reviews, I realized I could really launch it into a concept.” In West Africa, where the kitchen is often perceived as the domain of women, some might view Apaloo’s choice to branch into catering as unusual. He dismisses such comments with a laugh. According to him, “Skills aren’t gendered. You don’t have to be a man to be a doctor or a woman to cook. Culinary skills are about artistry and individual talent.” Named after his beloved grandmother, Villa Grace celebrates her painstakingly meticulous approach to entertaining. Apaloo credits his appreciation for presentation, excellence, and natural ingredients to time spent following his grandmother around the kitchen and garden growing up. “I saw the love and the care she put into the food she made, and at a young age, I made the connection between effort and product when it comes to food,” he says. Read the full article : http://www.okayafrica.com/culture2/afropreneurs-fred-apaloo-villagrace-ghana-fine-dining/

For Coloured Girls...

by BEN BOND

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REINVENTING GHANA

The Amazing Story of Nana Yalley Stowaway At Age 16 And Now Back With A Plan To Solve Our Power Crisis Source:modernghana.com

world.

renowned US-based Ghanaian technology expert, Nana Yalley has ranked the country’s educational system as one of the best in the

According to the Chief Executive Ofﬁcer of the Agrobrasilia International Group Export, a company hell-bent on solving the power challenges facing countries across the Africa sub-region, his schooling experience outside Ghana has exposed him to the reality that the country runs one of the best educational systems across the globe. Speaking on Metro Tv’s Good Evening Ghana program hosted by Mr Paul Adom Otchere, Mr Yalley narrated the chilling story of how he left the shores of Ghana at age 16 and ended up schooling in one of the Scandinavian countries. According to the technology giant, he was a stowaway on a ship from Takoradi at a tender age of 16 with hopes of landing in Europe, but was dropped off in Liberia after he was discovered and had to ﬁnd his way to Norway to school courtesy the benevolence of a family friend and captain of Angel Block, a Greek ship,. “My whole objective was I wanted to put myself back to school but I heard somewhere that Scandinavian countries were much more generous and much more understanding. So I took a train and ended up in Oslo, Norway, and I ended up going to a boarding school. The headmaster of the school and his family adopted me and helped me get all my documents in Norway and they treated me as one of their own. As soon I completed High School I went to Sweden for my university education where I studied technology,” Mr Yalley noted. Though he has lived outside the country over the past 40 years and only came on visits, Mr Yalley praised Ghana’s educational system as offering one of the best teaching and learning methods one could get around the globe. 52

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From a humble beginning on the streets of Takoradi where he lost his mother at age 12, Mr Yalley has built up an international proﬁle that includes a stint at Rupert Murdoch’s Fox and starting his own internet based company. His mother, the technology giant sorrowfully narrated, was run over by a drunk driver when she was walking the streets of Takoradi with him one afternoon to make ends meet. Mr Yalley revealed how he sold his company to Microsoft and now leading a commodities company in Brazil, and now deciding to return to Ghana to help solve the debilitating power crisis which as cripple many business and brought untold hardship to many homes. His said his plan now is to introduce the use of ethanol, extracted from genetically modiﬁed sugar cane, to serve as an alternative energy source to solve the power challenges bedeviling Ghana and other countries across the sub region.

Nana Yalley with former UN Secretary General Koﬁ Annan

Today, whether you live in Accra or Lagos, Los Angeles or Las Palmas, Brooklyn or Dansoman, the internet has made it possible to browse the shops of the entire world, without leaving your home. I love to shop, and this column is an attempt to show you what I found that I believe every home should have. Sure, those of us in Africa and especially Ghana will have it tough purchasing items online, but hey, where there is a will there is a way. Get friends and family to order these great items for you. Here are my picks for this edition.

Adwoa Nketia

Gotham Steel Deep Square NonStick Copper Frying Pan Peanut Butter Powder Add some water to this PB Fit Peanut Butter Powder, 30 oz and be ready for some deliciously decadent Peanut Butter soup.Use it with bananas, strawberries, toast, or mix it with your morning protein shake! This 30 ounce Tub is resealable, so it's easy to carry to work and back. Keep one in your desk at the oﬃce and another at home! PB Fit Peanut Butter Powder, 30 oz is all-natural, Gluten-free and Kosher! Just add water to this PB Fit Peanut Butter Powder for delicious, low-fat peanut butter spread!

USB LED Bulb Lights Flexible cable can do the whole direction of rotation, free bending, adjusting the angle, flexible and convenient. No external power, to take power directly from the USB port inserted. Soft light illuminates the keyboard without affecting other people around. Can be used as emergency backup light when electricity was off which has USB port such as laptop, desktop, power bank, home charger and car charger or present your customer's when make promotion, Roadside, market on the train, in the dormitory etc

Endorsed by Chef Daniel Green, Gotham Steel Pans make cooking easy by combining a non-stick ceramic surface with super strong titanium. How? By allowing your food—whether it’s eggs, steaks, or even cheese—to slide right oﬀ, without using butter or oil. You also won’t have to worry about scratching your Gotham Steel Pans, since they’re safe to use with metal cookware.

Smart Touch Electronic Can Opener Having trouble getting your canned and jarred foods to open up to you? You just have to have the right Touch. The Smart Touch can opener makes it easy to open cans without dropping sharp-edged lids inside. We like the built-in lever and hook: They break the seals on tight jar lids and open pull-tabs without endangering your manicure. Helps you lift pull tabs on soda cans and food tins without damaging your nails. Detachable blade May be easily cleaned in the dishwasher. Battery operated. Uses popular AA batteries. $14.95

Need a way to make one-pan recipes? Gotham Steel Pans can help there too, since they’re oven-safe up to 500 degrees, and are PTFE/PFOA/PFOS-free. And when you’re ﬁnished, pop your pans in the dishwasher for easy cleanup! Will Gotham Steel Pans really make cooking as easy as they claim, and will they stand up to real-world cooking? Here are some questions we think you should be asking: Price: about $17.99

Portable Electronic Luggage Scale Avoid hassles at the check-in counter. Easy travel with a digital luggage scale! Travel can be stress free. Why bother with the embarrassment of repacking your over-weight baggage at checkin? This accurate and handy digital luggage scale can deﬁnitely save you out. Never travel with your luggage as unexpected carry-on, and never pay unexpected overweight bag fees! Beep Signal----every operation is accompanied by beep signal for reminder 2-Step Auto Shut-Oﬀ $12.99

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Portable Induction Cooktops Induction is completely diﬀerent from all other cooking technologies— it does not involve generating heat which is then transferred to the cooking vessel, it makes the cooking vessel itself the original generator of the cooking heat through an electromagnetic ﬁeld.

minutes; auto-pan detection and diagnostic error message system, Low and high voltage warning system; 5 foot cord. This feature rich cooktop is compatible with Duxtop and other induction ready cookware; such as cast aluminum, enameled iron and steel, stainless steel with a magnetic bottom, or cast iron. $69.99

These Duxtop Induction Cooktops use 120 volts, 15 amps of electricity – standard in all homes; Lightweight and compact for easy handling and storage. With 15 power levels from 200-1800Watts; 15 temperature ranges from 140°F to 460°F; Digital control panel; Built-in countdown digital timer up to 170

New Perfumes and Fragrances 2017

DKNY Be Tempted Eau Blush $ 46.16

Alaia Blanche $52.40

YSL Black Opium Floral Shock $87.34

Zara Home Tonka Wood $37.42

Clean Reserve Sel Santal $98.57

Dolce & Gabbana Velvet Cypress $205.87

Now Essential Oils Set Essential oils are a wonderful way to enjoy the fragrances from some of today’s most sought after extracts. Aromatherapy oils are genuine reflections of the botanical from which they’re derived from. When these natural extracts are diffused into the air of a room in your home, they can inspire, energize, soothe, and encourage wellness and peace of mind. Today, essential oils are primarily used in therapeutic settings to help achieve a positive mood and bring about relaxation. NOW® Solutions’ essential oil kits make an ideal gift and are the perfect way to introduce friends and loved ones to the mood-enhancing benefits of essential oils. Enjoy natural fragrances and unique aromas with our outstanding selection of premium quality essential oils and blends. $36.99

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by BEN BOND

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#beautifulghana Photographs by Yaw Pare

Accra is not Ghana! On the way to Ketekrachi. Through the beautiful Volta Region.

Bojo Beach. Bortianor.

Paradise-Resort Lake Bosomtwe

Tanoboase Sacred Grove. Brong Ahafo.

Ada Foah

Beach at Keta, Volta Region.

Axim Beach Resort.

Cape Three Points, Western Region. The southernmost tip of Ghana.

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Sudoku 1

“OKYEAME”

The "linguist" (okyeame) is an important and respected office in the Akan traditional chieftaincy system, which is still functioning. The office is symbolized by a "linguist's stick" which must be present for the okyeame to exercise the duties and privileges of the office. The word "okyeame" does not mean "linguist" in our English sense of the word. It is better to explain the office as a lawyer, ambassador, mouthpiece, spokesperson, and speaker.

Answers on page 76

is.

15 Jamaican Patois Words That Originated From Ghana

8. Dokunu – Kenkey The Jamaicans say Dokuno too.

1. Adrue – Medicine Medicine in the Patois language is Adrue, pronounced “Aduru” which actually comes from the Akan language “Aduru” or “Aduro” which also stands for medicine. 2. Afasayah – Wild Yam Wild yam in Akan is termed as “Afasew” and the Jamaicans term it as “Afasayah”, you see the similarities?

After the abolishing of the Atlantic Slave Trade, many slaves that were from Africa were left to live in the island plantations they worked on. Some of these lands later evolved into countries such as Jamaica. Many of them were from diﬀerent African countries and thus communication was a bit of a challenge since education was restricted. So they came up with their own language which is now popularly known as Patois. A fusion of bits of diﬀerent languages including English. So you’re likely to come across some words in patois that can be found in many African languages most predominantly Ghana. It is believed most of the slaves that were shipped to Jamaica were from Gold Coast.

3. Afu – Farm They term the plantation or the farm as “Afu” in Patois, same as “Afuw” in the Akan language. 4. Anansi – Spider Thought only the Akans call it Anansi right, the Jamaicans also call it Anansi too. 5. Bafan – Baby A baby below the age of two is called a “Bafan” in Patois and the word was derived from “Bofra” in the Akan language.

9. Nana – Grandparents Nana means grandparents in the Akan language, it means the same in Patois too. 10. Opete – Vulture We say Opete, they say opete too and it means the same. 11. Poto-poto – Mud Akans will say, potoo or poto poto, the Jamaicans say same too. 12. Kaba-Kaba – Unreliable Means fast fast in Ewe, to describe an unreliable person in Patois but the word is also predominant in the Ewe language too. 13. Mumu – Dumb Mumu means dumb in both the Ewe and the Akan language and it also means same in Patois.

6. Broni – White person They say Broni too in Patois

14. Kongkos – Gossip The Jamaican will say, Kongkos and the Akan will say, Konkonsa. Hope you catch the drift.

7. Casha – Thorn Thorn in Akan is “Kasei” and in Patois the word is “Casha” which is where the word was derived from.

15. Dote – Ground Dote means ground in Patois and in Akan it means sand and you can clearly see where it is coming from.

Well! Let’s ﬁnd out how true this assertion A A A T U U M A G A Z I N E . C O M / J A N U A R Y- M A R C H 2 0 1 7

by BEN BOND

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Baltimore students visit Ghana

n January 2017, 16 students and 4 faculty members from Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA) embarked on a 10-day trip that would take them through Accra, Cape Coast, and Kumasi. With much help from the Aya Centre for Intercultural awareness, the students enjoyed a varied itinerary that included visits to historic sites, outdoor activities, and many engaging cultural and artistic experiences. The goal of the voyage was to expand the global perspective of the young student- artists, who were chosen for the trip through essays and interviews conducted by faculty. The trip was also part of year-long focus at BSA on the contemporary arts and culture across many countries in Africa – an attempt to expand beyond the euro-centric curriculum that is often used in American schools. One highlight of the trip was engaging in a cultural exchange with students and faculty of the Anani Memorial International School in Nima City. Anani students shared songs and dances with the travelers, and BSA students joined in a jubilant celebration of art and expression that transcended geography and language. It was a moving experience for many of the American students, who were inspired by the Anani students’ commitment to their education, and impressed by their discipline. All of the student travelers shared the same perspective after visiting Ghana: they appreciated the warmth and hospitality of everyone they met, saw how much pride and honor Ghanaians take in their flag and country, and can’t wait to visit again soon! Baltimore School for the Arts is located in Baltimore, Maryland. BSA a four-year high school with a mission to provide young people who aspire to a career in the arts with intensive, pre-professional training in the arts combined with a rigorous academic curriculum. Students at the school pursue one of five disciplines – the visual arts, music (vocal or instrumental), theatre, dance or film.

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by BEN BOND

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by BEN BOND

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by BEN BOND

A A A T U U M A G A Z I N E . C O M / J A N U A R Y- M A R C H 2 0 1 7

Tales

from the Chopbox ƆDADEƐ

People share stories from secondary school

Untold Story of an Odadee Athlete –John Addo Fening aka Zonda

by Eddie Coﬁe

e came to Presec from University Primary School Legon on Wednesday September 22nd 1976 and was assigned to Kwansa House. Shy, unassuming and a typical Dadaba, he never gave any inkling to the athleticism in him. In fact no one ever thought he had enough gas in his tank to even attempt a 50 meters dash. Yet unknown to many, it was in his genes; it was a family trait. Mum was a sprinter in her days and was well known sprinter in the Eastern Region. His brothers and sister too were champions in their own strides and the old man the affable History Professor at Legon was a Table Tennis Champion in his days. Highly favored and tipped to win the 100 meters Giants race for form one boys in March 1977, Zonda lost to Foyooo of Clerk House in a photo finish. 40 years after this race, controversy still rages and lingers on. Did Senior Ayerson ‘drug’ Foyooo? Did Clerk house break rules on the race by making Foyooo carry blocks on his head to ‘shorten’ his height to make the required 5ft height?Zonda who drew inspiration from Seniors Sakitey aka Bobo and Ramie Ashie strangely ‘abandoned’ athletics for four years but would take Presec by storm in form five with a spectacular blistering performance leaving the field behind.

PRESBYTERIAN BOYS SECONDAY SCHOOL OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION

by Eddieﬁco had taken his place in the relay team, came on the tracks, drove Zonda away and received the baton to ﬁnish. Simply Incredulous and bizarre!!!!!!!

InterCo and Zonals competition brought the best out of him as the vociferous Presec Jama psyched him up. Athletics coaches who saw him run would talk in superlative terms about his natural talent. His 10.9 sec race at Motown against likes of Hunter justiﬁed his placement on special diet by Sports Master B.T Akrong.When you come from Osino and raised in the environs of Senior Staﬀ Flats at Legon, you lack Korle Wokon toughness. This absence of temerity was in full glare when Zonda standing in lane 4 of a Zonals 100 x 4 relay competition bolted when threatened with bodily harm by a WASS athlete Timothy Hesse aka Timooo who had failed to make the zonal relay team but wanted to be part of the relay team!!!! Timooo who would not accept that Zonda after beating him in the trials

Speculators make a living on the stock exchange. What if Zonda had taken advantage of the admission offers from UCLA Santa Barbara and Michigan State University to pursue his tertiary education and ran on the US College circuit? What would be the value of his ‘stock’ today?The University of Ghana Athletic Oval has been the venue of many great races; many national champions have passed through this program. In 1985, Zonda a freshman caused an upset taking home both the 100 and 200 meters in an effortless manner stunning the capacity crowd and making him the toast of Volta Hall ladies(Oh ladies and success). In beating the reigning favorite sprinter, Zonda became very popular on campus. Yet in all this, his Presbyterian humility dwarfed his newly found fame and glory. In the last decade, the workaholic Zonda has been in the trenches on the Odadee Alumni front working in concert with others in building a very vibrant 1981 year group. What drives him is his passion, selflessness, generosity and compassion to give back to alma mater and make a difference in the lives of others. Presec is proud of him. Give Zonda a high 5 next time you meet him. Eddiefico-Akro House 76-83

GHANA

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ARTICLE

Sour Grapes

- To all Ye Who Suﬀer in Silence from the Wine Drinkers of this World Wine is a beverage made out of grapes. It is usually served in nice looking bottles and served in even nicer glasses with stems. Broadly speaking, wine may be either red or white. For reasons that are still unclear to me, red wines are not served chilled, but it's okay to chill white wines in your fridge or wine cooler. Red wines also give your front teeth a reddish hue, like someone gave you a bloody punch in the mouth; so when you drink red wine, remember to lick your teeth clean immediately afterwards before grinning at other people. Most wines have more alcohol than beer so they tend to get you 'there' faster'. Unfortunately, wines must be sniﬀed, tasted and swirled around the mouth in siplets before being swallowed and allowed to do their real work of intoxicating you. Depending on your crowd – I'm assuming you won't drink alone – you may be required to have long discussions about the wine you're drinking, or wines in general. This makes wine an annoying choice if you're in a hurry or thirsty. The conversations about wine are tricky and require you to conduct a lot of research in order to sound intelligent and classy. First you must know a little about the wines ethnicity or nationality. For some reason this is important; don't ask me why. Wine may be French, Italian, Australian or a host of other nationalities; mostly non- African with the notable exception, I think, of South Africa.

For some reason, the year in which the grapes were sown and harvested – along with the weather and soil conditions - is also important. These and a host of processes to produce the wine make it dry, sweet and indicate the acidity, the balance, the aroma, whether or not is has body or is just bones, chewy, creamy, corked, ﬂabby, herbal, intense, jammy, tannic, vegetal, oaky, smoky, spicy, silky velvety – anything but the words that aptly describe wine; wet, with alcohol and made from grapes. Please note that in the world of wine drinkers, 'wet' is not 'the opposite of 'dry'. If you want to sound sophisticated or at least not feel like an absolute idiot - at a wine tasting session, please read what these absolutely meaningless descriptions mean to these people who seem to have too much time on their hands. Sometimes in restaurants, your host will grant you the honour of selecting wine. Please do not be a fool like me and say any of the following, unless of course, you have no intention of dining with this person again: “I'd rather drink beer” “I don't really care, you choose” “A red/white wine would be nice” (That's like saying you prefer a sedan when asked what is your car of choice. You will be pressed to be more speciﬁc and technical. See link to website on types of wine below). When the waiter brings the bottle you ordered and shows it to you,

So if you're faking knowledge of a wine's nationality or ethnicity, please do not hazard a guess that the contents of your glass might be Malian, Chadian or Ghanaian – unless you're delivering an exposé on palm wine. There are deﬁnitely no Akuapem wines.

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by Ben Owusu Firempong

pretend to study the label for a few seconds, pause to consider it, remember to look impressed and give him a slightly-less-thanenthusiastic signal to proceed. When he gives you that insultingly tiny portion to taste, remember to swirl the wine around in your glass without spilling any, sniﬀ the wine a bit (it will smell of alcohol and decayed fruit), swirl it in your mouth for a few seconds, look like you're thinking about it, swallow it, cock your head to one side, raise your eyebrows as you would when pleasantly surprised and nod in appreciation. The waiter will then pour you a more generous portion. Sip it slowly. Go along if anyone commends or condemns the wine. No one cares what you think. They're busy getting drunk too. Now wine-drinking guests; that's another pain in the you-knowwhere. They know their wines and you don't. Buy a cheap wine, and they'll make faces and whisper unkind

comments when your back is turned. Buy expensive wines and they'll break the bank – your bank. Wines range from almost nothing to thousands of dollars a bottle. You'll want to know whether they like Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling or whatever. Practise uncorking wines and impress your guests with a ﬁftysomething dollar corkscrew or wine opener; it's a one time purchase. They say you must let the wine breathe after opening it. In layman's terms, let the open bottle stand around doing nothing for a few minutes before you start serving it. Apparently this makes the wine feel appreciated – and you thirstier. Keep an open bottle of beer in the fridge for the time when your wine is breathing. This tip is free.

For more information on wine tasting, wine etiquette, types of wines, glossary of wine tasting terminology, you may ﬁnd the following links useful:

teeth – or you can just twist the top oﬀ the bottle. When your friends are in a good mood, or have just been paid, they're also free. Your call. BOF

http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Taste _Wine http://www.wine-tastingsguide.com/how-to-tastewine.html http://www.frenchscout.com/type s-of-wines http://zebra.sc.edu/smell/wine_gl ossary.html Or you could just drink beer. Beers are amber in colour and best served cold. They may be drank from the bottle, in a glass or straight from the keg - if the bartender will let you. You can open them with a regular can opener, a lighter, a spoon, your

by BEN BOND

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Grandma Knows best Grandma gives us numerous tips on treating coughs, headaches and other conditions using natural ingredients, through to ways to avoid chemical-laden products around the home. These should also save you money as well as providing healthy alternatives.

Plantains Rock! Plantains are a close relative of the banana and tend to be mistaken for them. But in one of the 120 countries that grow much of the world’s supply of plantains — like Ghana, Colombia and Cameroon — people know the distinction between the two. That’s because plantains are starchier, contain less sugar than bananas and are much more versatile as a cooking ingredient. Also, unlike bananas, plantains are typically cooked before eating. Plantain trees grow best in moisture-rich, tropical climates. The tree ﬂowers develop into a bunch, which holds about ﬁve to 10 fruits. Plantains don’t have a growing season and are, therefore, available year-round. This makes them a very valuable, reliable food source for developing countries. Only 15 percent of global production is used in trade; the rest is consumed domestically in the countries where they’re grown — and they’re grown all over the world. In fact, plantains are the 10th most important staple

food feeding the world today. Despite their popularity in other countries, plantains are not as common in the U.S., but they are available in most large grocery stores. The plantain is nutrient-filled fruit that provides many vitamins and minerals, and it can be a great substitute for rice or potatoes. Plantains are a solid source of carbohydrates with a low fat content, but they also provide a number of other health benefits as well. Plus, they don’t contain any significant levels of toxins. Then plantains are the perfect snack. They pack 36 percent of your daily recommended amount of vitamin A. As another powerful antioxidant, vitamin A provides a number of benefits to the body. Along with vitamin C, it helps control your immune response, which keeps illness at bay, and a number of important immune system responses rely on vitamin A to perform correctly.

Remedies for Relieving Mosquito Bites With a mosquito bite, comes that insatiable itch. Why can't it just bite you and let that be that? Instead, you're left with those heinous red bumps and an itch that seems to last forever. While a mosquito or other insect may just bite or prick your skin, it's actually your body's immune system that causes that annoying itching sensation. Here are a few tips to help ease the itch: A cold pack or a cube of ice will take the itch out of bites. If you don't have an ice pack, you can always get creative by holding a cold glass of 66

water to the area, or even some ice pops out of the freezer. If you have a ton of bites, soaking in a baking soda bath might be your best option. Add about a cup of baking soda to a tub of warm water, hop in and relax for 30 minutes to an hour. When you get out, make sure to air dry (you don't want to wipe all the soda oﬀ with your towel). If you don't need a full-body soak, you can make a paste to apply to aﬀected areas instead. Mix two parts baking soda with one part water and stir until a paste forms, then apply to the itch.

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The humble Banana This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation. One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey.

Sugar for hiccups When you hiccup, the diaphragm undergoes a series of spasms, but you can fool your body into stopping that reaction by putting a teaspoon of sugar underneath your tongue. The sweet sensation is strong enough to stimulate the vagus nerve. That's the longest cranial nerve in your body, starting at your brain stem and extending as far down as your diaphragm to control the stomach. "Keep the sugar under your tongue until you stop hiccupping, and then swallow to ﬁll the back of your throat with even more sensation," Grandma says.

BUSINESS

UMB Bank Sets Up $100 Million Fund for 1-District-1-Factory

“Support For Entrepreneurs Will Turnaround Economy, Reduce Unemployment” – President Akufo-Addo

The programme by the Akufo-Addo government to provide each district in the country with at least a factory has received a major boost, with the Universal Merchant Bank announcing a $100 million support package for the project. The Board Chairperson, Betty Zormelo, disclosed this when management of the bank paid a courtesy call on President Nana Akufo Addo at the Presidency yesterday. Chief Executive Oﬃcer of the bank, John Awuah, pointed out that the bank had already set up a department that would ensure that individuals and organizations that have interest in establishing a factory in any of the district in the country is ably assisted. He said the bank, having been in existence for 45 years, had supported the setting up of many enterprises in the country. “It is one thing we have done before and we believe we have the capacity to assist going forward and with that background, we fully embraced the grandiose, innovative and aspirational vision of one district, one factory, which we share very deeply in because we believe that each district in the country has some distinctive competency around the setup of the district that can be harnessed into an industrial hub and that is where we believe with the government in place, we need a ﬁnancial muscle in between to partner the project and get it going,” he said. President Nana Akufo-Addo described the announcement as one of his birthday gifts coming from a bank, stressing that it was welcome news to him and his government.

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has indicated that the fastest way to resolve the issues of an economy that does not meet the needs of the people and of an alarming rate of unemployment lie in entrepreneurship, business and technology. According to President Akufo-Addo, the country has not come to terms with the image of the entrepreneur in our country, adding that “we seem unsure about the deﬁnition of what constitutes business.” Nonetheless, the President has noted that “it is time to take entrepreneurship seriously”, explaining that “successful economies always depend on entrepreneurs running successful businesses.” President Akufo-Addo made this known when he delivered a speech at the International Conference on Entrepreneurship, Business and Technology (ICEBUT), organized by the Methodist University College Ghana, on Monday, March 27, 2017. The President noted that it is in the interest of all stakeholders that “those who set up ventures and take business risks are able to generate

wealth”, adding that “this is the sector that must grow, for it is the sector that will provide the cure for our unemployment crisis.” It is for this reason that the President has assured that impediments, largely found in the public sector, which include petty corruption and excessive regulation, which demoralize businesses will be removed to ensure that the businesses grow. The ‘Asempa Budget’, the President added, “has shown that my government is serious about its part of the bargain and is committed to strengthening business and the private sector.” On the role of educational institutions, President Akufo-Addo noted that “educational institutions would have to take a closer look at their curriculum content and the way they teach, and align it with present day realities”, as “the value of a university is measured by how easily its graduates ﬁnd jobs.” The President also urged businesses to employ the use of technology in the running of their businesses as it “formalizes their operations without much cost. http://presidency.gov.gh

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For Coloured Girls...

by BEN BOND

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by BEN BOND

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by BEN BOND

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Achimota School launches 90th Anniversary Celebrations

chimota School has launched its 90th anniversary. The ceremony which took place on Saturday 28th January 2017 attracted “Akoras” (Old Students of Achimota School) from all walks of life and was characterized by choreography performances from current students of the school. The occasion was also used to hoist the ﬂags of the various houses together with the school’s and national ﬂag.

Achimota produced Heads of State for Ghana but other African Countries as well. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Sir Dawda Jawara, the ﬁrst head of state of The Gambia also passed through the walls of Achimota School. The Assistant Head of Achimota school in charge of administration, Mr. Ebenezer G. Acquaah in his welcome address

Achimota School formerly (Prince of Wales College and School, Achimota) is a coeducational boarding school founded in 1924 by Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg, Dr. James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey, and Rev. Alexander (Alec) Garden Fraser. It was formally opened in 1927 by Sir Frederick, then Governor of the British Gold Coast colony. The school has educated many African leaders, including Kwame Nkrumah, Edward Akufo-Addo, Jerry John Rawlings, and John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama all of whom are former Heads of State of Ghana. Not only has

reiterated Achimota’s commitment to training students holistically to become

living water to thirsty lands. He made reference to Achimotans steering aﬀairs in diverse professions as a testament to Achimota’s success in delivering this core mandate. “As we celebrate today and launch the 90th Anniversary of this God given school, let us be proud of who we are and who God has called us to become. Let us highlight the milestone we have achieved and seek for ways to make improvements upon areas where our lives have dimmed over the years” he added. “Let us return to the principles and the philosophy that under guide our foundation and which triggered the growth we have attained over the years. Let us re-engage the ethos that has stimulated our eﬀorts over the past nine decades to scale greater heights and break new frontiers. Let us aspire to quench the thirst in all aspects of our national challenges and indeed the world” Mr. Acquaah continued.

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Cool Places The President of the Old Achimotan Association (O.A.A.) and immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana Professor Ernest Aryeetey during the delivery of his address revealed that Achimota School has paid its dues to the nation and deserves to be celebrated. “Achimota School helped to democratize secondary education. Today, we celebrate 90years of a period which we’ve seen many Ghanaians come from the North, South, East and West to Achimota School to gain a good secondary education. They have moved further to make a difference in the way our country runs. They’ve run the civil service, our universities and the corporate sector” he said. He further revealed that, in as much as Achimota school has chalked many successes, it has also had its challenges. “We as the O.A.A. have recognized that the school has difficult challenges and have decided to do whatever we can to assist the school. There are challenges on the land issues, infrastructure, human resources, and finances. The O.A.A. would do everything it can to ensure these challenges are overcome within the shortest possible period” Professor Aryeetey added. The Chairman of the Board of governors of Achimota School, Mr. Osei Agyeman noted that the Achimota brand is a unique brand to not only Ghana and Africa but globally. He, therefore, called on all Akoras to always be mindful of the sacrifices their predecessors have made to make the Achimota brand unique. He also called on all Old Students of the School to contribute their quota towards making the celebration of the 90th anniversary a success. Mr. Osei Agyeman officially launched the celebration of the school’s 90th anniversary which was followed by a sod cutting ceremony for the construction of an ultramodern science laboratory at a cost of about US$300,000 (GH¢1.3 million). The project is an initiative of the Old Achimotan Association (O.A.A.) under the sponsorship of Tullow Ghana. The chosen theme to commemorate the year-long event is “Black, White, and Heart … That All May Be One” As part of activities to mark the celebration, there will be a monthly symposia dubbed “Achimota Speaks”. This symposia is designed to share Achimotan thoughts on various aspects of national discourse guided by the theme of the celebration. There will also be several fun activities that will serve as platforms to reunite long-lost peers, friends, and family. There will also be several fund-raising activities with the objective of raising a minimum of $1,000,000 (or the Ghana Cedi equivalent) seed money towards a wall to fence off the School and protect her from encroachment as well as other “legacy projects”. Report by Akora Desmond Kofi Tawiah, (Ghana Institute of Journalism) 72

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bukom café Washington, DC, USA

Bukom Café reflects the true essence of the original Bukom Square. Bukom Square is land tucked in the heart of traditional Accra, home of the “Ga” people, later to become the political capital of Ghana. At sunset, colorfully-clad women arrived with their oil lamps. They set up their little shops for ready-to-eat food, labored over at home while the square sat. Then they lit their fires, and got busy with what had to be cooked on the spot, usually whole fish. Bukom Square suddenly became a throbbing food market, ready-to-serve anyone with the palate for a home- cooked meal, less the labor. Some carried food home to share with the family. Others hung around, ate, and traded views and opinions. Children played and exchanged tales from their little ones’ world. Even a courtship or two may have carried on. Our “joint” in Adams Morgan lights up way before sunset. But we embody all that was clean, tasty, homely, convenient, and simply fun about original Bukom. Since our doors opened on the 14th of February 1992, we have built a growing clientele out of the International and American dining communities with a desire to savor exciting, home-grown tastes of West Africa, which is remarkably similar to Caribbean, Latin American and Creole cuisine. Our congenial environment is a cozy international ambiance, created through our decor and a diverse selection of music, reflecting all genres throughout the Diaspora. Bukom Café is known as one of Washington, DC’s best spots for live music and good eats. We have an extensive catering service. We cater parties, business meetings, fund-raisers, weddings, and any other social event on and off the premises. Some of our past and present clients include: DC Mayors, The world bank, Friends of various African Peace Corp, various international organizations in the DC metropolitan area and Universities.

How to Stop WhatsApp From Giving Facebook Your Phone Number WHATSAPP’S PRIVACY SETTINGS are changing, and not for the better. As of today, the phone numbers of WhatsApp users will be shared with parent company Facebook. This will allow Facebook to run analytics on user activity and send you friend requests for people you talk to in WhatsApp. And of course, it will allow Facebook to serve targeted ads to WhatsApp users. Thankfully, there is a way to opt out of this. But WhatsApp’s opt-out period is only 30 days long, so if you don’t want your phone number shared with Facebook, opt out now before the window closes. WhatsApp keeps the policy change somewhat hidden, but there are two options. Both are outlined in the FAQ, and both of them will work inside the Android and iOS apps.

through the setup, go into your WhatsApp settings. Tap “Account.” Here, you’ll ﬁnd a new option for “Share my account info” and a brief description of what checking the box means. Just uncheck that box and you are done.

Option 1: Read the Terms and Conditions When you update to the newest version of WhatsApp, you’ll see a new set of terms and conditions. Once the app is done updating, the ﬁrst screen in the process will come up. Don’t tap “Agree” just yet! Scroll all the way down and uncheck the box that will share your WhatsApp info with Facebook.

Take that advertisers and Facebook! New app, who dis?-Source WIRED

Option 2: In Your Settings If you’ve already updated to the latest version and just breezed

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EVENTS

Elmina Bakatue Festival Celebrating the Rich Culture of the People of Elmina Photos by Ben Bond

he Bakatue Festival is celebrated by the chiefs and people of Elmina in the Central region of Ghana each year. The festival is celebrated on the first Tuesday in the month of July every year—to mark the beginning of the fishing season in Elmina. It coincides with the annual rainy season of Ghana. The day Tuesday, was chosen as it is regarded locally as the day for the sea god. As such in Elmina, as in many fishing communities in Ghana, fishermen do not go to sea on Tuesdays in order to honour the sea god. During the festival, the Paramount Chief and his sub-chiefs and the entire state of Elmina offer the sacred festival food of eggs and mashed yam mixed with palm oil to Nana Brenya, the river god, and pray for peace. On the morning of the festival, all members of the Elmina royal family participate in a royal possession made up of chiefs and stool carriers. Chiefs of higher towns in the Elmina paramount area ride decorated palanquins. After the procession and the giving of various addresses by select chiefs and invited guest, the chief priest casts his net three times into the Brenya 74

Lagoon. This is followed by declarations of the end to the ban on fishing, drumming, funerals and other social activities in the Elmina traditional area. After which there is the riding on the lagoon by women in Kente cloth and local festive headgears. A royal procession leading to the chief's palace amidst traditional music ends the festival. All the fish that is caught by the net, during the ceremony, is offered to the gods as a symbol to thank them for the harvest. The day ends with merry making after the durbar. The Dutch reported existence of the festival at least as far back as 1847 and was mentioned in a report by Governor Nagtglas in 1860. The festival is used to mark the beginning of the fishing season in Elmina. The name Bakatue is got from the Fante dialect which translates as draining of a lagoon. The celebration of the festival was instituted to commemorate the founding of Elmina by the Portuguese in the early days of the colonization of the then Gold Coast. It also is used to offer thanks and prayers to the gods for a good fishing year.

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Portraits of the North by Ben Bond Obiri Asamoah Our project "Portraits of The North" has been shortlisted for 2017 ZEISS Photography Award. was hired to go to Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region of Ghana to photograph the staff of a Basket Weaving Company. After I finished up the task, I decided explore and photograph the beautiful and friendly people of the various villages. We moved around to different villages with on motorcycles. Series description Being a fashion and portrait photographer who lives and works in Accra, my perception of ‘the beautiful’ has been mediated by impressive architecture, high rise building, attractive surroundings, urban music and clothes, cosmetic environments and a whole lot of ‘plastic aesthetic’ that can be associated with the city. So traveling to the Bolgatanga in the upper east of Ghana afforded me the chance to experience ‘another beauty’; raw uncut, everyday, un polished beauties embodied in different personalities and different environments I came across. Speaking with the people and negotiating for permission to shoot them, gave me a chance to listen to different narratives unfamiliar to my experience in the city and also appreciate many beautifully contrasting and paradoxical situations; The spontaneous people as against the carefully selected models /spontaneous settings against ‘cosmetic’ studios/ordinary clothes as against stylish clothes of fashion models / and oh! no “super talented” M.U.A's. So in creating this documentary project I used the ‘lens of glamour’ (as associated with my fashion photography) to capture the mundane. Every image captured in this project is a portal to the different narratives and experiences of the different people and environments I came across. I tried to capitalize on the magic of photographs, to scrutinize how my experience of the rural could be embodied in the image. So I find many resemblances between the glamorous (that am used to) and the mundane and also I appreciate a certain fantastic order that can be found in the spontaneous.

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Soduku Answers

Aaatuu Magazine fully supports

#Notogalamsey

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Mankatah...

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Available in Ghana @ NK BeautySupplies Tel: 0262370590 Email : Natasha kessie.nk@gmail.com