Tears of the Wind

She yelled out of a terrible dream when the clock struck 4. “ooh, its morning already. I have to get the girls ready for school.”

She hurriedly finished her chores, woke her husband up and had a warm bath. It was time to play mummy once again.
“Wake up girls, it is time for school and we don’t want to be late”. Little Naa was carried in her sleep while Ayikai took her mom’s hands and they were marched straight to the bathroom.

“Mummy my toothbrush,” Naa yelled “Mummy my sponge,” Ayikai joined in the exasperating chorus . In about 20mins, the kids were ready for school but they had to go take breakfast while she got ready for work.

She was ready to leave . “Alright girls, let’s get going”. She waited for minute but heard nothing. She moved to the dining and realised the girls had neither a taken a sip nor a slice.

“Naa, Ayikai, won’t you eat your food,” she asked. Naa, the youngest of the girls ran to her and hugged her. She looked really sad, “mummy, I don’t want to go to school today. Please don’t make me go.”
Ayikai also joined in the hug and said: “It’s ok Naa, go eat your food and I’ll take care of you when we get to school ok.” They both sat with their sad faces and ate their food.

She was running late for work. Daddy was already in his car but the Taxi driver who sends the girls to school had not arrived yet.
Just when she brought out her phone to call him, she heard the sound of a car pull into the house. “Madam, I make sorry waa for my lateness,” he said. “My car dey worry me sorry, Fa ts3 mi, ense bio.”
As the taxi started moving out of the compound, Naa and Ayikai waved their parents goodbye.

She got to work late, organised a Press Conference for her boss and before the conference was over, the day had ended. It was 4pm and she had to pick her kids from school. She called up the Taxi driver and asked him to go pick up her kids from school.

She got home at 7pm and her kids were nowhere to be found. “Where are the girls”, she asked her husband through rattling teeth.

“I went to the school and I was told you had asked someone to come pick them up with a taxi so I assumed they were with you at work,” he replied.

The taxi was supposed to bring them home, she yelled as she angrily brought out her phone. After four times of calling, the Taxi driver finally answered, Madam my car spoil oo , I dey come. Your pikkins dey fine, then he ended the call. Nothing annoyed her more than his perverted version of the pigeon language.

She tried to call the line again and this time a strange voice picked the call, hello maame make you stop dey call, you no go see the pikkins again
, the strange voice said but before the call ended, she heard her daughter screaming and crying.
Oh my God, she shouted as she fell to the floor.

“Daddy, our kids have been kidnapped”.

Her husband quickly picked up his phone and called the police. My two daughters have been abducted, he told the police. Few minutes later, the parents where at the police station to put down their statement. The Police inspector then deployed dispatch units to go search for the girls.

Suddenly, Goose pimples rained all over her body, she remembered the terrible dream she had that morning.
In the dream, she was playing with her kids on a road which appeared to be covered with snow when a strong wind blew and carried the two girls away. But as she yelled for help, the girls kept smiling and waving goodbye. That was when she woke up.

She fell to her knees and broke down in tears. “I’ve lost my babies, they are gone, I feel it in my soul. They are gone,” she wailed.

“It wasn't you,” she told her husband, “it was all me, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have allowed them to go with the Taxi driver. Please forgive me.”

Her husband hugged her tight and as the tears rolled down his cheeks, he murmured, it was never your fault, I will never blame you. God gives and He takes away. I need you to be strong for me.

A couple of days later, the Taxi was found with body parts in the boot. The police together with her husband identified the part and confirmed that the body parts were that of the kids.

The driver was apprehended by the police at his hideout in no man’s land. He is to appear before a court on the counts of abduction and first degree murder.

What happens to this murderer is up to God and the court.

What happens to the family –the mother and father- is another story .

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Ghana’s fate in the football world

Over the years, two questions at least, linger in the minds of Ghanaian football lovers anytime the international governing body of their favourite game, FIFA, release the FIFA/Coca Cola World football ranking.

These questions obviously are; what position was Ghana placed and where will She be in the next ranking.

Ghana’s ranking over the past 11yrs has been like a seesaw. At a point, the country is ranked so high that football fanatics begin to feel complacent. And another point, the country is ranked so low that everyone – the press, FA , football lovers and sometimes the government -tries to identify the cause for the low ranking and suggest possible solutions.

In 2000, out of the 203 countries that were ranked, Ghana was in the 57th position, a position that raised eyebrows all over the country. As usual, tongues came lashing at the coach and officials of the Ghana Football Association (GFA). The GFA led by Alhaji M. N. D. Jawula promised football funs that he together with his outfit were going to work hard to move Ghana up from its 57th position.

Ghana fell two places back in 2001,but the 59th position was not the end of the fall. In 2002, the ranking moved from 59 to 61 then to 78 in 2003.

The FA, now led by Dr N. Nyaho-Tamakloe together with the players and technical team of the Black Stars managed to move a step up in 2004. FIFA ranked Ghana 77 in the world. It didn’t stop, in 2005, there was a tremendous rise. The Black Stars led by Captain Stephen ‘Tornedo’ Appiah managed to move 22 places up to the 50th position.

In 2006, Ghana managed to qualify for the first time to the World Cup which was to be held in Germany and also for the African Cup of Nations tournament which was also held in Egypt. Unfortunately, the Black Stars failed make it out of the group stages.

But its FA’s new boss Kwesi Nyantakyi promised to raise the flag of Ghana high at the World Cup. And so he – Kwesi Nyantakyi- together the entire team fulfilled a prophecy that was long foretold by Cameron’s Roger Milla at the Italia 1990 that the best was yet to come and the world should wait for the Black Stars of Ghana at the World Cup.

Ghana qualified from the group stages and got kicked out by Brazil in the round 16 stage. The ranking for that year was marvellous, Ghana moved up to the 22 places to the 28th position.

Unfortunately, the ranking fell to 48 in 2007, rose to 25 in 2008 and dropped to 34 in 2009. But after a spectacular run at the African Cup of Nations in 2010, the Stars made it to the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup which earned Ghana 16th position in the ranking.

The FIFA rankings have been released three times this year .in the January, Ghana was still ranked 16, in April, it was 15 [the highest the country had ever seen]. In the middle of the year, the ranking dropped to 33.

Football fanatics over the world are wondering what the fate of Ghana is going to be like in the future.

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What is wrong if Mills commissions KVIPs or bore-holes?

As part of the ‘action year’ plan of the current government, President J.E.A. Mills has been commissioning classrooms, road projects, and dormitories among others in some regions.

On the other hand, the opposition party, the NPP has been criticising the NDC that “the President is going round his national tour commissioning bore holes.”

Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo program, the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper Kwesi Pratt Jnr noted that there is nothing wrong if the president commissions bore holes and KVIPs.

“What is wrong if Mills is commissioning boreholes?” Mr Pratt questioned.

“If you are staying in Maamobi and you take a drug for your running stomach, you wake up in the morning and go to the public toilet you meet a long queue, you will know the benefit of commissioning a KVIP”, he said.

He added, “on the other hand, if you are staying in a village where water does not flow through the pipes and you go to the stream to fetch water and realise cows and goats are also drinking from the stream, then you will understand.”

He said the people who leave in the areas where the bore holes and KVIPs were commissioned, count it great joy because they know how important those things are in their lives.

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NPP Commentators are suffering from Selective Unfairness

The editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has stated that some commentators of the opposition NPP are suffering from what he terms ‘Selective Unfairness’.

He said, “some of these commentators from the NPP complain a lot claiming that their flagbearer has been insulted and they take issues with newspapers which try to remain independent or those which are on the side of the NDC.”

He stated that we should all be worried about the spate of insults and heckling in the media adding, “I think it is important for us to condemn all such incidences and not be selective.”

Mr Pratt recalled how a member of the NDC spent valuable airtime focussing on the height of Nana Akuffo Addo. “What has the height of a presidential candidate got to do with finding solution to the social, economic, political and cultural problems that confront our people? Yet we spend valuable airtime on such discussions,” he noted.

Mr Pratt with permission from the show host read out an editorial from June 15th edition of Daily Guide titled “Government’s Hypocrisy”. The editorial termed how government decided not to get involved with the Ga state chieftaincy issues as ‘Nonsense and an act of Hypocrisy’.

It further read that “……we do not welcome this waywardness from a government which virtually begged to come into power”.

Addressing Owula E.T Mangotey’s statement that NPP’s flagbearer Nana Akuffo Addo makes more sense when he is quiet, Mr Pratt said since Mr Mangotey is a citizen, he is entitled to his views.

“As long as there is no infraction of the law, for as long as he speaks within the boundaries of decency, Mr Mangotey’s views will continue to remain his views,” Mr Pratt added

“Masa, the man stated emphatically on this very program that faithful day that he was not a member of the NDC therefore his views are not attributable to the NDC, this is a point I think we should all respect.”

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Ghana defeats Congo by 3-1 to stay on top

The Black Stars led by John Mensah, today demolished the Congolese team by 3 goals to 1 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. The team maintained their place at the top of Group I of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Ghanaian side was not able to settle for the match in the first half of the game.

After a useless tackle from Congo’s Pablo Makita -who brought down Black Stars’ Kwadwo Asamoah- , the referee issued him a red card which sent him off the pitch.

After the redcard Black Stars gained a lot of possession in the midfield.

Isaac Vorsah’s powerful header in the 62nd minute put the Black Stars in the lead. Before the Congolese could regroup, Prince Tagoe, known to his fans as Prince of Goals put the ball at the back of the Congolese net.

A rather careless manoeuvre from Ghanaian goalkeeper Richard Kingson ended with the ball behind the Ghanaian net. The Stadium became quite not because the fans were scared but because they did not expect experience goalkeeper Kingson to commit such an error.

After taking on two defenders, Black Stars’ Agyemang Badu landed a powerful strike in the net of the Congolese to seal the deal at 3 goals to 1. The victory sent beams of smiles to the face of Black Stars Coach Goran Stevanovic who had earlier promised Ghanaians that he was going to win the African Cup of Nations with the Black Stars.

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Spio-Garbrah bows out of NDC’s flag bearership race

Dr Ekow Spio-Garbrah after taking the bold step to join former first lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, to contest the sitting President John Evan Atta Mills in the flag bearership position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has withdrawn from the race.

The shocking revelation about the withdrawal was made at the party headquarters by his spokesperson Mohammed Nasiro on June 1 , the day Mrs Rawlings also submitted her nomination forms.

The editor of the Daily dispatch newspaper Mr Ben Ephson, earlier predicted that Dr Garbrah was going to withdraw from the race . But spokesperson for Dr. Gabrah,Mr Nasiro, says the withdrawal was as a result of harassment on the part of some delegates in the party.

Dr Spio Gabrah is expected to formally issue a release addressing Ghanaians on why he withdrew from the race.

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I love martial art- Majid declares

“Growing up, I studied Martial Art because I realised it was the only sport I was good at. When I started, I trained so hard that I killed my shin cell so if anyone tries to kick me in the shin, I’m sure he will get hurt and I’ll just be staring at him.” This was how ace Ghanaian Actor, Majid Michel described himself on Joy FM ‘Drive Time’ programme.

Majid revealed that when he was young, he was not fond of school but one thing he enjoyed was to train hard so he could become good at Martial Arts and that his favourite sport was “Kung fu”.

The ‘Heart of Men’ star said back in the day at Mfantsipim school, “during one of our Physical Education (PE) lessons, we were asked to do push ups. Some people did 25, others did 30 but the teacher and the rest of the class were surprised when I did a straight 80.”

“Everyone started to see me as a tough dude and when they asked me how I did it, I told them it was all about constant training,” he said.

Majid added that he still trains in Martial Art because he has to keep in shape. He refused to talk about football but when he was pushed to the wall, he noted that; “if I’m asked to choose two footballers I like, I’ll choose Manchester United Ryan Giggs and Ronaldinho because those two players are good at what they do.”

Majid began his acting career when he got a role as “Shaker” in the theatrically successful TV series ‘Things We Do for Love.’ Following his success, he made a smooth transition to the big screen when he appeared in his first movie “Divine Love,” alongside Jackie Appiah, and Van Vicker.

He has since starred in a lot of Ghanaian and Nigerian movies such as; Silent Scandal, Crime to Christ, Agony of the Christ, 4 Play Reload among others.

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Mills picks nomination forms

It was almost impossible for motorists travelling on the Ring Road Central to get to the Kwame Nkrumah Circle because delegates and party sympathisers stormed the NDC headquarters to welcome the president, H.E. John Evans Attah Mills.

President Mills arrived at 10:30am with a massive crowd of people cheering him as his security officials struggled to get him into the premises of the headquarters.

He paid 500ghc as filing fee to the party’s General Secretary, Mr Aseidu Nketia, who presented the nomination forms to him at exactly 11:07am.

The President, after picking his nomination forms assured the former First Lady of a free and fair Congress come July 8. He was accompanied by several ministers of state as well as party functionaries.

“…I would like to use this occasion to wish Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings well, I would like her to know that like the true sportsman that I am, we will give her a clean fight but at the end of the day both of us will win…”

Mills together with the NDC delegates and other party sympathisers moved to Kuku Hill in Osu where he is expected to launch his campaign.

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I’ll bring the NDC back on track: Konadu Rawlings

A crowd of vibrant people – old and young – dressed in their ‘Nana Konadu for 2012’ round neck shirts and party colours, gave Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings – a potential flagbearer of the NDC for 2012 elections – a breath taking welcome into the Accra Conference Centre.

When the former first lady mounted the stage to deliver her speech, she said: “I am indeed honoured by this massive show of support from across the length and breadth of Ghana towards a historic journey of hope and freedom not only for the NDC, but for our country Ghana.”

She noted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) fought a good fight in 2008 and through the toil of millions across the country, the NDC managed to uproot a party that was shamelessly institutionalising corruption.


“We voted for a candidate who promised change and we all wanted that change. We had the conviction that once again, our country was going to benefit from the NDC ideals of probity, accountability, freedom and justice which are the bedrock of every nation. The governance we have experienced since 2009 does not inspire confidence or give Ghanaians any hope for the future.”

She stated that the current leadership has failed to pursue the NDC avowed commitment of defending the will of the people and establishing a government that is entrusted by the people. “A government with humility and sensitivity; a government devoid of arrogance and vindictiveness.”

“A true blooded NDC leadership does not buy support. A true blooded NDC leadership does not buy votes. We don’t buy votes, we work towards the votes. Indeed we don’t buy delegates.”
This tendency, she said, is destroying the spirit and the strength of the NDC and “it’s a shame”.

“As the party stands now, most Ghanaians are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that something dynamic and phenomenal has to happen in the NDC for 2012 victory. Yes, something phenomenal is going to happen and the most phenomenal thing that can happen is when the good people of Ghana, led first by the party delegates who carry the destiny of our party on their shoulders take a bold decision and call for real change on July 8, 9 and 10, when the party goes for congress in Sunyani.”

It can be recalled that Nana Konadu picked her nomination forms at the party headquarters on 3 May around 10:30am. It went down in the history books of Ghana that Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings is the first woman to pick a nomination form to contest a sitting president at the flagbearer ship level.

Mrs Rawlings said she performed that historic act because she feels the pain and despair that have engulfed the true supporters of the party.

“Having heard the cry of millions of our party supporters across the country, I cannot sit unconcerned and look on while our party, this party that you and I sacrificed to build. is brought crashing down on its knees by people who do not seem to have the growth of the party at heart.”

“The true NDC person knows that the time has come for a regeneration of the true spirit of devotion and loyalty of our party. The time has come to put an end to the politics that pursues division and return the NDC to a variable political party that will bring us together.”

As she brought her message to an end, she emphasised that; “I stand before you today to bring our party back on track”.

The founder of the NDC, Jerry John Rawlings explained when it was his turn to deliver his speech that since the day was for his wife, he was going to say two or three things and reserve the rest for June 4th.

He mentioned that: “the NDC started losing the 2012 election within the first week when they assumed power. We finally lost 8 months back and until we change gear, until we change the driver of this bus, we will lose the 2012 elections.”

“The congress slated for July should have taken place last year but when they conducted their search, they realised that this lady was going to beat them hands down. They changed it again to march and again to July. This time they can’t change it again. I supported Mills when all the people he put around him deserted him,” he said.

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Okyeame Kwame clears doubts over ‘Faithful’ song

Okyeame Kwame has cleared the storm of doubts over the ‘exact’ role he played in his latest hit song ‘faithful’.

He admitted on e.tv late night celebrity show that “yes it is true that Kwabena Kwabena sung in my ‘faithful’ song but he didn’t sing the whole chorus like people are saying.”

Bra Kwame confessed to Dzifa Smith, the host of the show that at the time when he was recording the song in the studio, Kwabena Kwabena walked into the studio to see the sound engineer. “….it was then that the sound engineer asked him to help me out with the ‘oooh oooh’ part of the song.”

“Since Kwabena is a very good friend of mine, he did not hesitate to help me out. We sung only that part together with Bertha and nothing else,” he said.
The ‘Rap Doctor’ as popularly known in the Ghanaian music industry found himself in the mist of allegations that he did not sing the chorus of the said song.
These claims intensified when Okyeame Kwame failed to sing his part of the chorus well at the just ended Ghana Music Awards festival where he performed the song with a live band.

A copy of the song’s promotional CD apportions no credit to Kwabena Kwabena as the name behind the voice of the lyrics.

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