Thoughts - Life After Service...

Ghana’s job market does not look very promising to the unemployed graduate but then again so are the other markets (emerging and developed democracies alike). It’s very difficult to be the driver of your own destiny on the job hunting route at this particular period in Ghana. It used to be ‘who you know now’ but that seems to be slowly making way for ‘who knows you.’

The importance of network and ‘links’ cannot be denied in professional circles. It does a world of good in helping people complete tasks faster, easier and with greater certainty. Sadly there is the other side which inadvertently sees to it that deserving and qualified graduates stay unemployed as long as it can hold them down. This phenomenon is fast becoming the status quo.

So what is my advice, start your own company, sure it’s a risk, a huge risk of time and capital but since when did men become successful without taking risks and who says getting employed is risk free. Let not the future disturb you, you will meet it, if you have to with the same tools of reason which today arm you against the present. We err, we falter, sure we will make wrong decisions but so what, experts in any field are those who have made all the mistakes there is to make, so that all they have now is knowledge and experience as to what not to do and that to me is getting ahead. The economic growth of any country to a large extent has its roots firmly planted in the small businesses established and acumen of the many entrepreneurs who dared to start something.

It’s good to dream big, but lets not forget to stop dreaming at a point in time and start living. For its only in living that we can achieve the dream. We cannot jump the staircase upwards or downwards at once but step by step and we are either down or up and not a bit decomposed. One Dutch proverb says a handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains. So what do we do, we start something, do some feasibility studies try to solve a problem a fragment at a time, keep our minds on the big goal of not only becoming wealthy in the process but the prospects of society benefiting. We do not stand down. We keep moving forward, do not forget not all the Israelites reached the Promised Land – a few died on the way. We can partner serious comrades who might leave at crucial moments to pursue other agendas but let not that deter you sir, no sir! Take a moment of your time and consider Irene Logan (Stars of the Future), Gideon Baah (MTN Soccer Academy), Okuraseni Samuel (TV3 Mentor), Okyeame Kwame and the many others who started out with nothing to their names. They started, persevered and look at them now!

Remember folks when you are not practicing, someone, somewhere is practicing and when you meet him, he will win. Of cos keep job hunting, don’t give up, under no circumstance whatsoever should you relinquish, but do not forget to work for you as well – that to me is much more important.

Defer not till tomorrow to be wise, tomorrow’s sun to thee may never rise. (William Congreve) .

Time And School...

It hasn’t been long since I went up north to register for service. I was thrilled because of the added value of ‘the prelude to the unknown’ but I was also a bit skeptical because the data my narrow mind had on the people of Northern Ghana was not encouraging either. (By the way, most northerners are wonderful people, they are exceptionally hospitable.)

My meeting with the principal of St. Joseph Technical Institute, Saboba where I was to teach went well. We agreed on English Language or Social Studies as the subject to teach when the time comes. I came out of his office and looked unto the compound as the students wandered to and fro with most of them throwing about a ‘good morning sir’, or a ‘good day sir’ (some time sake of the tie) I was mighty pleased with myself seeing as sir, in our parts is a huge sign of respect. Enjoying my few minutes of glory, I got lost in thoughts.

I was in class one, seated near one of the four huge round tables. I was busily talking when out of the blue, I was pulled by my ear by Mrs. Dugbatey, when I was close enough she gave me a most painful knock. One that reminded me I was supposed to be coloring just like anybody else. That was a lesson learned. Then there was the squad of defending champions in class two (yen nkyele), no matter how many times and hours Mrs. Atiamoh locked us up after school, we still managed to climb over the door and were careful enough to check our necks when coming down. Mr. Asante, though very wobbly was very firm, one time I stole my sitting mate's book and canceled her name. When she reported me to Mr. Asante I knew I would be let off the hook until I saw him pull out his high density contacts, then I knew I was in trouble. I didn’t know how he did it but my old man read the name aloud and gave me such a sound beating that ‘thou shall not steal’, all of sudden made perfect sense.

There was this one time in Class four when Kwaku Owusu and I caught a bat and brought it to class to scare the girls to prove our manhood. Clearly the nocturnal bird was helpless in the face of daylight but most of our classmates didn’t know that and right there was our window, ignorance. I earned the name ‘Obonsam Fireman’ in class five as my reputation reached new heights. My turning point was in class six when Mr. Ahmed used ‘his ways’ to stamp out my chaotic nature. I had heard earlier that he had a 100% success rate with people like me, boy were they right! There was Ms Addy, Owura Asiedu, Mr. Homia and many others I consider unsung heroes.

In my reflections I discovered the impact these notable people had on me and even as I stand on this compound, though I am inexperienced, though I am no Professor, in my own small way, I believe I can help shape a mind today hoping that, one day when he has the opportunity to help others, he won’t back down, he will go ahead and help, and maybe, just maybe commit to memory his teachers of old, like I have mine.. Sir huh? It’s a funny thing you know…

You are Special...

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumbled and drop into dirt by others. When this happens we feel as though we are worthless, of no value to anyone. But no matter what happened to you or what will happen to you, you will never loose your value as a human being created in the image of God. You are truly unique; there is not another person like you in every way in the world. Don’t ever forget it!



A well known motivational speaker started off his seminar holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200 he asked who would like this $20? Hands started going up. He said “I am going to give it to one of you but first, let me do this”. He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.
He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were in the air. “Well,” he replied “What if I do this?” And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. “Now who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air.

“My friends, you have learnt a valuable lesson today. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.”
You may be worried you haven’t crossed a certain milestone. You may be worried you don’t have any trophies to your honour, take a second and relax, have you thought of the many differences you have in the life of others without hitting the headlines?



You don’t have to actually take the following quiz but just read through and you will get the point.

• Name the 5 wealthiest people in the world
• Name the last five Heisman trophy winners
• Name the last five winners of the Miss Ghana contest
• Name 10 people who have won the noble or Pulitzer Prize
• Name the last half dozen award winners for best actor or actress

Now try this set of questions

• List a few teachers who aided your journey through school
• Name 3 friends who have helped through a difficult time
• Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile
• Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special
• Think of 5 people you enjoy spending time with
• Name 6 heroes or heroine whose stories have inspired you.



Which set of questions put a smile on your face whilst answering? Which ones were easier? The point is Awards tarnish, Achievement are forgotten. Accolades and Certificates are buried with their owners. The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards. They are the ones that care. The "little people", think free...

It's A Liberal World After All (An Introduction)

I am not an artist, neither do I pretend to be an artisan, a producer, director, composer or a person with outstanding talent in a certain industry, hell I haven’t even authored a single book. I just happen to believe that, when people think freely without anybody or anything calculatedly or inadvertently placed to influence them, then any person that can draw such a picture, make such a song or movie would have created a work of art, a total and unequaled masterpiece. Think free…