Royal^^Pearl^^:
Mabre papa >

naptu2: Thankfully the mods have taken care of the problem. The comments have been deleted and I suspect that the posters have been banned. Please use the "report" button if they try to cause trouble again. Please do not respond to their provocation.

.:

The Ghanaian capital city, Accra, boasts
numerous reasons for its magnetic pull
on me; and, I guess, countless other non-Ghanaians across the world. As a result,
I have visited Accra so many times, I’ve
lost count. For me, one of Accra’s
attractions is that Ghanaians and
Nigerians share so many things in
common.
This explains why there is always
something to write about no matter how
many times you have toured any
destination over and over. Historians,
Alan Burns and Elisabeth Isichei,
authors of various titles on the peoples
of West Africa, teach us that the Ga,
aborigines of Accra, are probably of
Yoruba ancestry and migrated all the
way from Ile-Ife.
At the didactic level, every time I visit
Accra’s James Town neighbourhoods,
I’m at home. It’s like being among our
Ijaw (Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo, Rivers etc)
or Ilaje (Ondo State) kith and kin. And,
going by the plenitude of Ijaw and Ilaje
people along Nigeria’s Atlantic
coastline, and all the way through
Bakassi into Equitorial Guinea, it is
highly likely some of their ancestors may
have sailed westward as far as Ghana.
As in the south, so it is to the north,
where, in Nigeria as in Ghana, Hausa
language is commonly spoken. Never
mind that Nigerian Hausawa call mixed
rice and bean porridge wake (wah-kay),
while in the Ghanaian dialect of the
same tongue, this food is pronounced
wache (wah-chay). But, take out the
phonetics and accents and many would
certainly be hard-put to distinguish
between a Ghanaian and a Nigerian, in
terms of physique.
Aside physiognomic similarity of the
nationals of both countries, in spite of
the hundreds of ethnic groups that make
up either republic, Ghanaian names–
Ansa, Edem, Essien, Oku, Otu, Aquah
(Oqua/Aqua)–are borne by the Efik
people in Cross River and Akwa Ibom
States of Nigeria respectively.
Interestingly, too, Nigeria’s Igbo and
Efik peoples name children after the day
of the week a baby was born. Names like
Afo (Okafo), Eke (Sunday) and Oye
(Okoye) all derive from Igbo weekdays.
In the same vein, Edet (Sunday) is the
name for Efik babies born on a
particular day of the week. This is also
the practice across the many
nationalities that fall within the ancient
Akan Empire, which today covers parts
of Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and
beyond. This is why names such as Kojo
or Kodjo/Cudjoe, Kwame or Kouame,
Kwesi/Esi (Sunday), Kofi or Coffie are
common in at least five contiguous
countries in West Africa.
Interestingly, Ghana’s political and
social and economic evolution is similar
to that of Nigeria. For instance, the
country’s first post-independent
government would be toppled by
misguided soldiers. Subsequent military
dictatorships would spawn obfuscating
corruption and nepotism. Degeneration
would set in, and millions of maidens
would emigrate to foreign lands to work
as whores. Although Nigerians have not
yet experienced the cleansing that
helped Ghana pull back from the brink,
both countries would later embrace
democracy. Again, like Nigeria, Ghana is
now an oil-exporting country!
Like Nigeria, Ghana lies in West Africa;
and, both countries are former colonies
of Britain and, therefore, Anglophone.
Also, Ghana and Nigeria are two
important members of the Economic
Community of West African States
(ECOWAS). Walking along many streets
in Accra, Aflao, Kumasi, Tema and other
Ghanaian cities and settlements, we
frequently heard Nigerian languages,
especially Igbo and Yoruba, commonly
spoken. Although statistics are
unavailable, it is widely believed that
roughly two million Nigerians live in
Ghana. I got this impression from
Ambassador Sam Okechukwu, Nigerian
High Commissioner in Ghana between
1999 and 2003.
On the obverse side, countless
Ghanaians have also melted into the
Nigerian nation. Some have lived in
Nigeria for generations and it would be
uncharitable to label them Ghanaians.
Although millions of Ghanaians were
sent packing by the President Shehu
Shagari Administration at the onset of
Nigeria’s economic woes in 1980, which
cited the earlier expulsion of Nigerians
from Ghana during the Kofi Busia years
as example, vestiges of Ghana still
remain with us. Ghana-bread is one
example. So, whatever is the thrust of
Nigeria’s foreign policy, whether Africa
as Centrepiece or Citizen Diplomacy or
Economic Diplomacy, on every score,
Ghana is important to Nigeria and vice
versa.
It is also important to point out that at a
time like this, when fanatics of Semitic
faiths seem bent to exterminate
indigenous African culture, Nigeria as
the world’s most populous black nation
and Ghana, deservedly proud Black
Star, must join hands to preserve
African/Black culture and also protect
black peoples everywhere in the world.
And, who could forget: Was it not in
Ghana that Nigerian-born brain-washed
Abdul Muttalab procured a ticket to
board a plane that he planned to bomb
mid-air on Christmas Day in 2010?
Evidently, there are innumerable
reasons why Nigerians and Ghanaians
should look out for each other.

::

Very deja vu
On August 10, 2012, Independence
Square aka Black Star Square in Accra,
capital of Ghana, was an ocean of human
heads and it reminded me of March 6,
1997; when I came this way to cover
Ghana’s 40th independence anniversary
for Nigeria’s Sunday Times. That
assignment would remain one of the
most memorable ones for me because on
that day, the earth practically shook for
Ghana. We were at the WEB du Bois
Centre in Accra, venue of a lecture by
controversial African-American Muslim
cleric Louis Farakhan, when a mild
earthquake struck. It was a most
unnerving experience, yet it didn’t
detract from the thrill of being in Ghana
to witness that epochal passage.
Akin to the situation in 1997, again, I
was one among hundreds of thousands
of anonymous faces that converged on
this square to witness the climax of
three days of mourning leading to the
burial of President John Evans Atta
Mills, who died on July 24. Yes, we were
once again at Independence Square. As
its name suggests, Independence
Square was built in commemoration of
Ghana’s liberation from colonial rulers,
Britain.
But, despite having visited the Ghanaian
capital countless times, I can count the
number of times I’ve been at this square
on the fingers of both hands because I
always found enough to exhaust my time
in other parts of town. In other words,
people only gravitate towards
Independence Square aka Black Star
Square for monumental national events.
And, I wasn’t in the least surprised,
when on walking past this monument
August 17, 2004, the entire complex
was almost completely deserted, but for
the security personnel on guard.
In contrast, on April 6, 1997, there
were, literally, people on every square-
inch of the Black Star Square and
environs. Men, women, young and old
thronged this neighbourhood to watch
official proceedings. Some of the guests,
now hoary-head antediluvian folks bent
by age, where there when the political
leadership baton changed hands, and
presumably came to hear from the
indigenous rulers how much was being
done to improve the lot of the locals,
who were being used as guinea pigs for
economic experiments by the
International Monetary Fund (IMF). On
August 10, 2012, during the funeral of
Atta Mills, the scenerio was similar,
except that the crowd was thicker.
Just as we noted in our report after the
March 1997 tour, during our latest
sojourn in Accra, one could see that the
road network is still being redesigned
and many avenues rehabilitated, with
some completely rebuilt. Street lights
are functional, water flows from the
faucets and power cuts, which Nigerians
have unfortunately been forced to
accept as a way of life, are still a very
rare occurrence in Ghana, whose Coat
of Arms celebrates as land of Freedom
and Justice. However, the telling price
being paid for this country’s economic
reforms surges to the fore from the
numerous destitutes found sleeping on
many streets’ sidewalks and the
emaciated features of countless
Ghanaians.
Still reminiscing on our 1997 trip: “On
the parade grounds, while the official
ceremonies were taking place that
morning, a few of the school children
packed to the venue for march-pasts
actually collapsed. Some dropped from
exhaustion but others might have
fainted from hunger. However, there
were free food and drinks for everyone
who took up then head of state’s
invitation to the presidential mansion.
We couldn’t attend”.
The parade grounds event was attended
by then President of Cote d’Ivoire, Mr.
Henri Konan Bedie; Nwalimu Julius
Nyerere, a former leader of Tanzania
(now deceased) and Mr. Salim Ahmed
Salim, then scribe of the OAU (now
African Union), among other very
important personalities (VIPs).
Evocative of 1997, the 2012 funeral also
drew numerous dignitaries from across
the globe. Even US Secretary of State,
Mrs. Hilary Clinton was at
Independence Square, this time.

::

Some economic indices and curios
Although the Ghanaian economy has
been showing signs of steady growth
over the last 20 years, with proceeds
now rolling in from crude oil exports,
the pace of growth is witnessing some
acceleration. Yes, Ghana joined the
league of oil-exporting countries this
year. Commercial quantity of crude oil
deposits was discovered in Ghana a few
years ago, and, though mining
commenced in 2011, Ghana was able to
ship out its first oil export in January
2012.
Yes, our latest tour of the Ghanaian
capital threw up impressions of a
settlement undergoing rapid change.
Welcome to Accra, a city transformed
almost beyond recognition in roughly 20
years. Over the last two decades, we
have witnessed Accra, nay Ghana,
literally reinvented. The functional state
of public utilities and infrastructure is a
major factor in Ghana’s renaissance and
sustains the evolution. The evolution
continues and the velocity is likely to
increase as more mega-dollars flow in
from crude oil exports.
Explore Accra
The Ghanaian capital city evolved from a
settlement founded by the Ga, who,
historians believe, probably arrived in
the 15th century. Going by West Africa:
The Rough Guide, edited by Jim
Hudgens and Richard Trillo, ancient
Accra comprised seven quarters–the Ga
quarters of Asere, Abola, Gbese, Sempi
and Akunmadzei; Otublohu (the
Akwamu quarters), and Alata, which
evolved into the heart of British-
protected part of James Town.
According to Hudgens and Trillo, the
earliest Ga settlers had set up their
capital at a place called Ayawaso (Great
Accra), some 15 km further inland.
However, today’s seat of the Ghanaian
Government was built in the 16th
century along the Atlantic Coast for
purposes of trade with the Portuguese,
who probably built the first fort in
Accra.
Present-day Accra boasts three forts–
Ussher Fort, Christiansburg and Fort
James, all erected in 17th century by
Dutch, Danish and British traders
respectively. Over time, the trio has
undergone mixed fortunes. For instance,
the one-time Danish stronghold,
Christiansburg, now serves as office and
residence of the Ghanaian head of state.
That presidential mansion is locally
called The Castle and stands firm in
Osu. On the other hand, the fate of the
British-built Fort James has dipped so
deeply that it is now Ghana’s maximum-
security prison. Until some years ago,
that role was assigned to the Dutch
Ussher Fort. However, this Dutch-built
fortress now serves as a specialised
repository of Ghana Museums and
Monuments Board (GMMB). Both
Ussher and James Forts stand within 20
minutes’ walk along the Marina
overlooking James Town, where the
traditional ruler (Ga Mantse) has his
palace.
Akin to other cities across the world,
Accra has leapt very far beyond its
original bounds. Take a neighbourhood
called Mile 7, for example. Barely a
decade ago, Mile 7’s most notable estate
was the local cemetery. Today, Mile 7
throws up countless residential
mansions and exquisite malls. Such is
the pace of development in Accra for
you. Apart from the inner-city
neighbourhoods of Adabraka, James
Town, La and New Town (formerly
called Lagos), Osu et cetera, Accra now
encompasses Adenta, Dzorwulu, East
Legon, Kaneshie, Korle-Bu, and Madina,
among other suburbs, and seems poised
to swallow Teshie and Nungua as it
marches to overlap with the port city of
Tema.
As a result, the tourist will need several
visits or a very long stay to become truly
familiar with the Ghanaian capital.
Aside the numerous neighbourhoods,
each with its own character, nightclubs,
bars and restaurants; the list of official
tourist sites is also a long one. A snappy
roll call will include the Independence
Monument, Ghana National Museums,
National Theatre, Kwame Nkrumah
Mausoleum, Ussher Fort, the alluring
beach resorts on the Atlantic Coast and
WATO. WATO is an acronym from West
Africa Trading Organisation, and this
body is housed in an antique building,
more than 110 years old. Located across
the road from the local General Post
Office, the ground floor of WATO House
hosts several shops, whose wares range
from foodstuff, confections, textile to
perfumes and spices; while a bar-cum-
restaurant occupies the second floor.
From the balcony of this bar, the tourist
can enjoy a special view of Accra, while
sipping some drink or enjoying a bite.
A visit to Ghana National Museums and
the National Theatre is strongly
recommended because a tour of a
museum will give the tourist a better
understanding of the rich culture of any
destination; and frequently, a major
event or performance by some famous
musician also takes place at the Ghana
National Theatre. In 1997, it was at
National Theatre, Accra that we
witnessed Makosax, a show by Manu
Dibango as part of activities marking
Ghana’s 40th independence anniversary.
After that show, we subsequently
enjoyed the privilege of a lengthy chat
with this saxophonist of world renown at
Novotel, where he put up during the
1997 tour.
In Accra, the tourist might want to
explore the Samora Machel Street
neighbourhood. A popular eatery called
Kalibre Restaurant stands near 4th
Crescent link. This 4th Crescent link is
located off Samora Machel Street, and
Kalibre Restaurant offers grilled tilapia,
and okra soup to ease the swallowing of
morsels of banku as well as balls of fufu
served with goat meat soup.
Samora Machel starts at a junction with
Farrah Avenue, and it is in one corner of
this intersection that Beverley Hotel is
situated. Barnes Road, where the Holy
Spirit Cathedral and Ghana Museums
and Monument Board (GMMB)
headquarters stand, starts at this point
where Samora Machel meets Farrah
Avenue. Barnes Road also now boasts
headquarters of Tigo, a popular GSM
phone network service provider.
Also, Barnes Road throws up images of
the Ghanaian society’s concern for
people with disabilities. This could be
seen in the secretariat of the Ghana
Federation of the Disabled (GFD), which
stands within the Accra Rehabilitation
Centre along Barnes Road. The GFD,
founded in 1987, has the motto,
Strength in Unity and informs that
Disability is not Inability.

Royal^^Pearl^^:


Nice @ Obrafour, very informative.

::



Eye on the cedi
The Ghanaian currency comprises
pesewas and cedi. One hundred pesewas
make one cedi. Named after the Akan
language word for the cowrie shell, the
cedi has literally seen it all. Years ago,
we frequently quipped that every
Nigerian had a chance to join the
millionaires’ club. All they needed do
was travel to Ghana and convert US$
101 into cedi. Those days, US$100 or
N10,000 at some point, gave you
999,000 cedi. Add another US$1 or
N100, which commanded 9,900, and you
were worth more than one million cedi.
Some millionaire! However, that joke
ended with the introduction of Ghana
cedi, which turned 10,000 cedi to one
miserly cedi! So, today, one Ghana cedi
(usually denoted by Ghc) amounts to
roughly N100.
Affordable rides
Moving around the Ghanaian capital is
not difficult, at all. Accra boasts a
plethora of cabs and buses. Additionally,
there is a fleet of second-hand double-
decker buses imported from Europe to
make intra-city transportation easier
still. Apart from these two-floor affairs,
which ply a few select routes, this city is
widely covered by mini-buses, known
locally as tro-tro.
To be candid, however, it must be said
that not all of Accra’s bus fleet is sleek.
At Accra Neoplan Station or Main Park,
antique Mercedes, Volkswagen and
Ford mini-buses dominate the fleet.
Whether the destination is Korle-bu,
where a hospital in memory of the late
Japanese microbiologist, Hideyo
Noguchi stands; or Mamprobi, Tema,
Osu Re, Madina, Legon et cetera,
there’s no way of escaping these creaky
traps.
On the whole, however, Ghana’s
efficient public transportation system
makes it inconceivable that anyone
could operate a motorbike taxi (okada)
in these climes. “Indeed, the Nigerian
tourist would immediately notice the
absence of the obtrusive okada or
achaba in the Ghanaian capital” is how
we captured the situation in 1997.
Sadly, however, okada are now
widespread in many Ghanaian towns
and are practically creeping towards
Accra. You’d think that from the
perceived correlation between okada
and crime as well as terrorism
experienced in Nigeria; Ghanaian
authorities would come down hard on
this vector, but this does not seem to be
the case.
In any case, Nigerian public transport
authorities might want to know that
commuters in Accra’s tro-tro, the
equivalent of Nigerians’ danfo, sit three
passengers per row instead of four and
sometimes five that is the norm in
various parts of Africa’s Giant in the
sun. More confounding still is the fact
that transport fares are cheaper in
Accra than in Nigeria, in spite of the
higher cost of petrol and fewer numbers
of passengers each bus carries in
Ghana.
For example, in 2009, the fare for a bus
ride from Kwame Nkrumah Circle to
Accra/UTC, less than 10km or the
equivalent of travelling from Ojuelegba
Roundabout to Costain Bus Stop in
Lagos, was 20 pesewas (roughly N30).
By August 2012, the cost of travelling in
a tro-tro for 10km was 40 pesewas
(approximately N40). Evidently, the fare
has risen roughly 33 percent in three
years, compared to the going price in
2009.
Contrast this with the change in fare for
travelling from Mile 2 to Seme in Lagos,
Nigeria, where the cost has jumped
from N200 in 2009 to N400 in 2012. To
make matters worse, the Nigerian danfo
is usually more decrepit and four,
sometimes five, passengers sit per row;
as against three in Ghana. The situation
is made more curious by the fact that a
litre of petrol sells for Ghc1.70 (N170)
in Ghana, against N97 in Nigeria.
During our 2009 visit, a litre of petrol
sold for 77.9 pesewas, or roughly a little
over N100. Ghanaians owe their good
fortune as far as efficient, decent and
affordable public transport is concerned,
to the government and the Ghana
Private Road Transporters Union
(GPRTU), an affiliate of that country’s
Trade Union Congress (TUC). In Ghana,
fuel pump prices can only be increased
after lengthy negotiations with all
stakeholders; and when the cost
eventually goes up, the burden is not
callously passed to the commuters as
appears to be the situation in Nigeria.
Unlike the situation in Nigeria, where
passengers entirely bear the burden of
fuel price hikes through the antics of
thieving touts and filthy politicians’
thugs disguised as executive members of
National Union of Road Transport
Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport
Employers Association of Nigeria
(RTEAN) and so on, everyone feels the
pinch after any increment in fuel pump
price in Ghana. The pain is shared:
Commuters pay a little more, the
commercial vehicle operators go home
with a little less profit and the
authorities get a bashing from the
media. But in Nigeria, the entire burden
is simply off-loaded on hapless
commuters without any intervention
from supposed authorities.
Interpretation: Nigerian governments as
well as the NURTW and RTEAN owe the
citizenry some explanations. How come
fares are higher in Nigeria than in
Ghana, whereas fuel is cheaper and four
passengers sit per row in the former?
This mystery must be resolved before
the next election, even if only to “move
the country forward” to regurgitate the
rubbish of Nigeria’s visionless politicians
found in all parties, whose efforts for the
most part of 52 years since
independence have only moved the
country backward.

Royal^^Pearl^^:
Modified

Obrafour:

One and Only! Shhhhhhh!

::


Dining out and popular Ghanaian
cuisine
Across Accra, the tourist would notice
all sorts of bars and restaurants. Along
some streets, you may find as many as
10, but it must be said that whatever
each outfit sells, the environment is
somewhat neat and well ventilated. It is
not uncommon to find as many as eight
windows in the four walls of a bar or
eatery, here. Moreover, wherever you
go, probability is high the atmosphere
would be cordial. This is one reason the
Ghanaian tourism industry is enjoying a
boom.
For tastes of Ghanaian cuisine, the
tourist might want to explore some
eateries located within Ghana National
Museum complex on Barnes Road. Most
of these eateries are open daily 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m., from Monday to Saturday.
One of these bar-cum-restaurants,
known as Auntie Grace Special Farisco,
is a unique chop-bar. Chop-bar is the
Ghanaian equivalent of the Francophone
Marquis, and Auntie Grace Special
Farisco dishes out Ghanaian cuisine
such as Ampesi, Fufu, Banku, Omo-tuo
and so on.
Edvy Restaurant and Bar is another
popular restaurant in this
neighbourhood. However, Edvy
Restaurant and Bar, which focuses on
breakfast and lunch, Monday to
Saturday, also serves Chinese and
Continental dishes as well as pastries
and ice-cream, apart from popular
Ghanaian menus
Additionally, the tourist may want to try
out the cuisine served inside the canteen
of Ghana Tourist Authority (GTA).
Operators of this eatery inside the GTA
headquarters promise each diner
options of “hot pastries, sandwich and
rice” et cetera, alongside indigenous
menus such as Abunuabunu soup.
Nightlife
Whether it is live music spots or places
to just dance and drink till the wee
hours of the next day, Accra has plenty
to give, and more. Macumba, near
Danquah Circle; Oops Nite Club in
Kaneshie and Kilimanjaro near Kwame
Nkrumah Circle were among the most
popular discotheques in town in the late
1990s. However, we discovered from a
2000 tour, that a visit to Indigo, which
stands near Danquah Circle, comes
highly recommended.
It was at Indigo we saw a performance
by, and eventually had an interview
with, South African-born jazz artiste,
Hugh Masekela in 2000. Also, the
tourist stands to lose nothing by
exploring Shangri-La and the ever-
increasing number of massive hotels and
resorts dotting Accra’s beaches on the
way to Tema through Teshie-Nungua.
A night-out at Kwame Nkrumah Circle
might not be disappointing. You
probably want to visit Vienna City.
Housed in a redesigned structure that in
the past hosted other nightclubs known
at various times as Wakiki, Kilimanjaro
and Le Ker, Vienna City has outposts in
a few other Ghanaian settlements, apart
from Accra. Because Vienna City never
sleeps, dozens of other small nightclubs
and eateries operate around this main
one till dawn. But you are better off just
enjoying the music and drinking the
night away than contemplating any
amorous deal with the scores of flesh
mongers that loiter around the Kwame
Nkrumah Circle area at night.
Bad company probably misled some of
these girls, in their early teens, into
prostitution; but, some observers blame
poverty and hardship wrought by harsh
economic reform programmes.
Interestingly, some of these street
women are Nigerian, Liberian and
Sierra Leonean girls living in Ghana.
The Liberian and Sierra Leonean
women are remnants of refugees who
fled civil wars in their own countries
decades ago. Take heart: AIDS
awareness seems to be very high in
Ghana, where the girls have an option of
using a female condom, should they
encounter some reckless “customer”.

naptu2: I suspect that it's the anti-spam bot. He needs to copy the message on his profile and send it in an email to the mods, so that they can unban him and release the post.

He probably posted a link that the anti-spam bot mistook for spam.

naptu2: I suspect that it's the anti-spam bot. He needs to copy the message on his profile and send it in an email to the mods, so that they can unban him and release the post.

He probably posted a link that the anti-spam bot mistook for spam.

Ishilove:
That anti-spam butt is a pain

otumfour: Obrafour, I know who u izz playa

Royal^^Pearl^^:

proevan:

This your teeth must be very big, seems all the worriors are out of this thread never seen you this happy

Royal^^Pearl^^:
Lol am just laughing at a private joke. How are you?