To Battor And Back: Not A Safari!

Clinical referrals are often deemed ominous and such was my sentiment when I was referred to see a specialist for the treatment of a condition I was suffering. This news felt even more distasteful when the medic hinted I will require surgery to correct my condition.

Impelled by this news, I embarked on a trip to the Catholic Hospital at Battor in the Volta Region to seek health care. Though the trip wasn’t eventful, I was a bit apprehensive because it was my first time visiting that part of Ghana and so I feared I may lose my way but thankfully, that didn’t happen.

Upon arrival, I got to see the doctor after a tediously slow process of documentation and a long wait. The doctor was very friendly and after a short period of consultation, pronounced a grave diagnosis of my condition and immediately put me on admission. I knew he didn’t mean to frighten me with the diagnosis but that didn’t assuage my trepidation. Moreover, I didn’t take any extra clothes because I didn’t anticipate I will be admitted but I didn’t demur to the admission because by then I was feeling so weak and so it was only prudent I comply with the
specialist.

Though the news of my diagnosis was unpleasant to take in at first, it later dawned on me that what I initially considered ominous actually turned out to be a life saver because the doctor later told me that if I hadn’t come at the time I did, it would have been a different story all together which would have most likely ended with my demise. I was really thankful!

However, I had some reservations chief among them was with the ward sanitation. Though I hadn’t seen the whole compound (or at least the male ward), I reasoned that if it be anything like Korle-Bu then it’ll surely be unsightly and decrepit. And boy was I glad to find out it wasn’t anything of the sort. Though the facilities were not state-of-the-art, they were far better than the average (that is in comparison with other public health facilities I have ever visited) hospitals/clinics. But while I was on admission I was relived to observe that almost every morning there were janitors who mobbed the wards and corridors clean.

Another commendable thing I observed was the kind treatment I received from the nurses at the ward. I had heard many horrid tales from different people who were ill treated by certain callous and unscrupulous nurses while they were on admission at certain public hospitals. To many, this stereotype of rude nurses has become an idée fix but I was glad my experience at the hospital helped shatter that notion. The nurses were so accommodating and patience.
During this period news emerged of a possible strike action by doctors in public health facilities if certain conditions were not met by government. Though I had by then had my corrective surgery, the news was nonetheless disturbing because it will mean there’ll be no doctors to monitor my recovery and also other patients too would be denied crucial health care and will result in the inevitable loss of life. Anyway, I was relieved to find that the strike does not apply to the Catholic Hospital because it’s a mission facility (correct me if I’m wrong). It made me appreciate even more the many benefits that the Christian faith (and religion in general) has brought to mankind. Anyway, it was reported in the news today that talks between the doctors and the government still remain inconclusive. I sincerely hope both parties make concessions so that doctors can resume work to save precious lives of our people.

I am glad to announce I’m recuperating well and hopefully will adjust my lifestyle to a healthier one so the condition does not recur. A word of advice though to my cherished friends: please do well to go for regular check-ups so that any hidden ailment will be diagnosed and please if you’ve been diagnosed with any ailment, do well to seek early treatment to avoid any dire consequences.

Oh the vicissitudes of life but I’m glad to be back from my unplanned hiatus!

SDG!!!

FREE SHS IN GHANA: TO BE OR NOT TO BE?

If you live in Ghana or were monitoring the electioneering events during our recent general elections, I am sure that you couldn’t have missed out on one key message that resonated throughout the whole country among a plethora of other campaign messages and slogans.  This reverberating message was the issue of free Senior High School(SHS) education. 

Though all the political parties had policies on education, almost all carried the same promise of free SHS with the exception of the NDC who initially rejected the idea outright as being unachievable yet were compelled to quickly recant their position after a sound bite of their flag bearer making the same promise of free SHS to Ghanaians as far back as 2008 emerged.  In their attempt to save face and to mitigate their embarrassment, they grudgingly consented to the free SHS concept but with an added twist that they intend to implement it gradually over a certain time frame instead of its immediate implementation as proposed by the NPP.

Anyway, I’ll like to briefly address some of the populace objections that were leveled against the concept during the electioneering period.

Objection 1: It’s a desperate political gimmick intended to get NPP elected.

Well, it will appear so but not necessarily because, the concept is constitutionally mandated yet previous governments have failed to implement it whereas the NPP has identified our current educational need as a country as being dire and therefore has expressed a clear and urgent call to implement this policy now instead of some obscure future time! One may be suspect about their timing and even deem it opportunistic…but why not? Now is a good time as any other! It’s only that the NPP has made free SHS a matter of top priority and therefore bring it up for discussion at any given opportunity and rightly so!

Objection 2: There’s nothing free in this world. Therefore, ‘free’ SHS must be a hoax!

Well, I do agree that technically speaking, it’s not going to be free. Someone will have to bear the cost somehow in which case the NPP proposed that this cost must be borne by the government. So yes, to the government, it’ll certainly not be ‘free’ but from the perspective of the recipient, it’s certainly is free as the recipient is absolved from bearing the cost. It’s just like a student gaining a full academic scholarship. To such a student, tuition is free, but to the scholarship awarding institute, It’s certainly not free as they’re going to have to bear the cost(and the full one at that) to cater for the awardee. So here, I’ll simply summarize that it’s just a matter of perspectives!

Objection 3: It’ll cost too much so we cannot afford it.

This is the singular point which I deem as being worthy of any serious attention. The NPP were not forthcoming on how they intended to source funding for the implementation of the concept and this became their Achilles heel on which their opponents quickly cashed in to buttress their claim that the whole promise is one big gimmick. However, the NPP’s reticent attitude then didn’t seem to be much of a problem for me as I considered it a rather prudent act not divulging the nitty-gritty of how they intended to implement the concept for fear of their idea being stolen by their opponent. Moreover, I am assuming its implementation was most likely going to be on a pilot basis first in order to ascertain unforeseen challenges before it would have been implemented across the country.

Well, needless to say, the majority of Ghana’s electorate preferred the cheesy slogan “edey be kerrkerrr” of the NDC to the NPP’s “free SHS” which in my view is the more reason why we desperately need free SHS.  

Though this discussion is rather belated, the matter of quality and affordable education for all is timeless and deserve frank and constructive discourse at anytime no matter which government is in power. 

Long live Ghana!!

A New Year Begins!

So another year has begun and as it’s to be expected people have started making (or have already made) resolutions (which I find often tend to be grandiose and unrealistic) for the year. Though I find this practice ultimately vain, it still does serve some useful purpose in that, at least, one is reminded of what once used to be top priority at a certain earlier time of the year which has somehow fizzled into oblivion(Oh the cares of life!). Reading through these resolutions (i.e. if they were written down) can often spur one into action in attempt to achieve these important(once upon a time) dreams which have been shelved and have collected dust and cobwebs. 

I have however come to adopt a maxim that I find deceptively simple yet profound in its application. This maxim goes something like this: Make sure you’re better off tomorrow than you are today.  For me, everyday marks a new beginning (and not just every 1^st January or the 1^st day of every new moth) which offers one the opportunity for progress and so I often remind myself of this maxim with such questions as “How have I improved my life today?” or “What new thing have i learned today” in the hope of placing what I deem my life’s priorities into perspective.

So this year, I intend to risk more, read more, dream more, do more, love more and then as a result hopefully end up being more!( Read this post by John Piper for your encouragement)

I wish all a good year! Cheers!!

Season's Greatings!!!!

Gradually, the year is winding up. I am not usually given in to the incidental fuss and ado that usually accompanies the Christmas season. Do not get me wrong. I am no ingrate neither am i indifferent to the excitement that this season brings(How can i be? After all, i am a Christian and i subscribe to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, a portion of which my mentor, John Piper, so beautifully rephrase as "The chief end of man is to glorify God BY enjoying Him forever")...May be, my lackadaisical attitude may be due to my self-effacing nature and the fact that i'm feeling kinda broke hehehe

In spite of this, i'm glad to see people go through all the hustle and bustle just to buy gifts for their loved ones(though the the traffic congestion induced by these activities is most disconcerting arrrggghhh )...i think this beautifully captures one of the essential themes of Christmas which is the idea that God gave His beloved Son to the world! So the occasion to remember the birth of my Savior does fill my heart with joy.

Anyway, all i'm getting at is wishing all loved ones a very merry Christmas and a fruitful New Year! Cheers!!!

My Aggrey Days

I enrolled in Aggrey Memorial from 2001 – 2004 where I pursued General Science. I wasn’t particularly happy when I gained admission as it wasn’t my first choice (Adisadel College was my first choice) and became sadder still as I realized that the situation was same with many of my classmates. It dawned on me that Aggrey wasn’t a school of choice. But now with the benefit of hindsight, I’m pleased that I attended the school. I will briefly attempt to elucidate why.

 Firstly, there was this inexplicable pang of fear that struck me upon seeing Casford House atop the hill when approaching the school. I have been trying to make sense of it but thus far, it appears to me there are two possible reasons. The first being that one was hit with the crude realization that one was going to face those dreaded seniors again. During those days, the seniors were so big and fearsome that I perceived even some of the teachers feared them (how much less us puny form one boys). One had to contend with such dreaded seniors as Okwonkwo, Pinky, Anyaa Popo, Bashiru, Sakyi and their ilk but gradually, I realized the easiest way to appease these seniors was through paying ntuahoo ¹. The second possible reason was school authority. Though students generally respected the staff, there was one particular man that I perceived every single student from form one to three feared the most. We nicknamed him Pire (pronounced pa-yaa, a truncation of the word Vampire). I immediately understood why he was named such. He had two of this front teeth sticking out like the vampire characters in movies. Though I never personally witness this man punish any student, the mere mention of his name warrants a buee². Whenever he attended assembly, students (even the seniors) could be seen running helter-skelter just to avoid an encounter with him. He still remains an enigma to me till this day wherever he is.

Secondly, dining was an integral part of my days especially when I was in form one as I often spent a chunk of my spending money paying ntuahoo.  We had a reasonable array of meals to choose from but there was one particular meal that featured prominently in the menu. We called it moftoto. This meal though deeply satisfying was particularly notorious for inducing acute flatulence. On nights that this meal was served, I never enjoyed prep as i’ll be too uncomfortable to study (due to gas buildup in my stomach) and also because I have to keep holding my breath due to obnoxious gas emissions from other students suffering the same fate or worse. One remarkable thing I observed during my years in Aggrey was that the girls never attended breakfast. This was truly impressive as the girls demonstrated they had ‘flex’ (I believe the word swag is its modern equivalent) but I later found out the girls usually ate heavy gar-shit before attending class.

Thirdly, there was fun entertainment nights every Saturdays with a variety of activities to keep me occupied. This was a time I usually looked forward to as it was the only form of break I had from school work. On these nights, I got to admire the girls as they dressed down to perform beautiful dance formations to popular tunes of the day. One such dance still rings in my mind like it happened yesterday. About four girls had don colorful shirts with tight jeans and they were performing to a hit song then entitled “mi mgbo” (I’m dying). This they did beautifully interspersing it with the famous Aggrey Dance³. Boy, they were a sight to behold. Moreover, amid the merriment, I will often observe groups of boys and girls engaged in intense dabor⁴ and this will often go on till entertainment session ends. The dabor often turned even more intimate when the boys are escorting the girls to the girls’ side and they converge at the Y-Junction (which was incidentally nicknamed dabor junction).

So on the whole, my Aggrey days were nothing short of eventful with a roller-coaster of emotions with alternating highs and lows. Besides the teeming student population and the much extortion by seniors, the school also afforded me the chance to meet people from the various strata of society thus grooming me on how to coexist with others and also sat under the tutelage of seasoned teachers like Kriss-Kross who immensely contributed to my success as a student. I AM DEFINITELY A PROUD AMOSA!!!!!!!

 

[1]Some sort of goodwill money (or bribe if you like) paid to avoid extortion.

[2]Alarm call made to alert students to flee impending danger.

[3] A dance form exclusive to Aggrey Memorial. It involves forming a K – shape with one’s leg and the swaying from side to side to the rhythm of a song.

[4] Basically describes a conversation between a male and female student

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The Enchanted Land. Jude Deveraux

Morgan grew up with her embittered mother in their affluent Trahern House without her father. Both of her parents die and when the will is read, Morgan discovers her late father has bequeathed all his property to her. But there is a condition. Morgan must marry and live with her spouse in New Mexico, which incidentally happens to be her birthplace and the reason for her parent’s separation.
Morgan meets Seth(a suave young man) at a party and offers him a contractual marriage proposal at a named fee to which Seth agrees.
Will their marriage remain a mere marriage of convenience or will it blossom into a real marriage with both partners falling in love?



This is the very first romance novel I’ve ever read and I must confess I was blown away. Before I read it, I imagined it will be sappy and soppy like the many telenovelas that are shown on television but the story felt nothing of the sort. I guess it’s true what they say that ‘Never judge a book by its cover’.

Morgan comes across as one who is averse to any relationship with men due to the ideas(which she seems to confirm as true anytime she has a quarrel with Seth and for which ironically, Seth also chides her because according to him, those notions are misplaced stereotypes) she has gathered from her late mother while growing up. Morgan however seem to mature from a naive girl into a mature woman through the many heart wrenching episodes she encounters in her marriage.

Seth at the beginning of the novel appears to be a young ambitious man who seeks independence and is not willing to inherit his father’s estate (which would have fallen to him automatically being the only son of his parents) but wants to be a self made man and has even left home to start his own ranch. He is however not much of a lover. Throughout the book, all his acquaintances and family seem to know that Seth is not one to fall in love especially with one as Morgan who is plain and self-effacing. Seth goes through agonizing soul searching in their marriage and then finally admits to himself that he is in love. This however does not make their relationship any less easy as they (Seth and Morgan) each learn to trust each other amid many scandals and accusations in their relationship.

However, my favorite character was Gordon (Morgan’s foster cousin) who though in love with Morgan, decides it is best she remains with Seth and then deliberately schedules his activities and travels to allow for them to get close to each other and to fall in love again. He is in my view, the true hero of the novel.

The progression of the story beautifully captures the tensions and emotions of real love and the narration is vivid and leaves very little to the imagination. On the whole, The Enchanted Land was a good read.


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Book Review Devil On The Run. Nicky Cruz

In Devil On The Run, author Nicky cruz recounts his life story of how God delivered him from hardcore gang lifestyle which was precipitated by a childhood spent amid parents heavily involved in spiritism.

In this book, the reader is confronted with the ghastly manner in which people(mostly the young) who dabble in acts of spiritism are tormented by the devil and demons who often reveal themselves to their unsuspecting victims under the guise of friendly benign spirits. One such story is told on page 129 of a sixteen year old Canadian Derek Shaw who shot himself with his father's rifle after he called his girlfriend to inform her the devil has appeared to him. Mind you, this is one of many horrid stories of which the book is replete so readers who are sensitive may find the book disturbing. However, such is the manner in which the devil deals with his victims.

One thing i like about the book is that, it doesn't present a lopsided view(which is often the case in many books of this genre and also among certain groups of Christians)in which the power of the devil and his underlings is exaggerated to inordinate proportions thus belittling the power of God Almighty. Nicky does a good job by concluding each account of a victim of satanic attack with how the power of God is able to deliver.

Nicky does a good job in showing that the devil is real and the damage he does to his victims are deadly. The author admonishes readers to be wary of the wiles and seemingly benign ways through which the devils usually entraps his victims which include such things as magic, astrology, mystic auras, astral travels, ouija board "games" etc. The author does an even better job of showing how God is mighty to save anyone so long as we reach out to them with the gospel of Christ in a loving way !

In conclusion, to the Christian, i will say "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you"(James 4:7). Always remember that "all power has been given unto me(Jesus).."(Matt.28:18) therefore "whom shall i fear"(Psalm 27:1)


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