Swedish Television in Ghana

Swedish Television is currently broadcasting a documentary series about the life of Diplomats. In the fifth program of the season, which was broadcast on Monday, they follow a diplomat to Ghana. In the clip above we get to take part of the motorcade taking the Swedish diplomat from Hotel La Palm to the Kotoka Airport in Accra.

I never thought of how scary it must be to actually be part of the motorcade.

The program in Swedish also discusses gin and tonic as a cure for malaria and poor documentation of aid projects. Nothing new there...

Interestingly, a clip of the Swedish diplomats being shown a dirty lagoon when asking to see a successful development project is featured on Ghanaweb under the heading "Who chop-chop the aid money?" I wonder how the clip in Swedish got there.

Swedish Princess Wedding

Just reading Swedish news websites here in English about how Swedish Crown Princess Victoria has gotten engaged. The news cam also be viewed on YouTube here. After 7 years of courting the Swedish gym owner, Daniel Westling, I can't say I am surprised.

However, she is the first female to inherit the throne (after a change in the Swedish constitution in 1980) and he is , according to respected historian Herman Lindqvist, one of the very few Swedish born so called "common people" to ever become royal. And the whole thing is...almost medieval in that a 31 year old has to ask her parents and the prime minister for approval. As my journalist friend Katrine Kielos writes

"We live in a modern society...(Duh! a clip was put on YouTube by the Royal court! My comment.)...is it then not time for the next step? That we become a republic and Victoria runs for Commander in Chief?"

I do agree, but first there is the wedding scheduled for spring 2010 to think about.

Since I got married less than a year ago, I have some tips for the Princess when planning her wedding:

* Choose a comfortable dress and pretty but also comfortable shoes so you can dance and enjoy.
* Visit the bridal site Offbeat Bride for inspiration on a more fun and personal wedding. Don't be too serious!
* Throw a big party, hopefully you just get married once.
* Involve your families in the preparations (that one will be easy for the Princess).
* Marry for love.

Blurry princess - and prince - pic borrowed from SvD.se

Salsamania in Accra

Tomorrow it is Wednesday and I am going dancing!

A few weeks ago I decided to take a friend to the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Ridge in Accra on a Wednesday evening to see if the latin rhythms still was shaking the place. And if they were! I now cant remember why I ever stopped going and quickly made myself a promise to make it every week.

Local radio station CityFM are nice enough to offer this weekly Salsamania program free of charge. I try to arrive a bit early, around 7 PM to get a parking space in the neighborhood. At 7.30 there are classes on beginner and intermediate levels. I have learned some moves in the intermediate group, but it seems the purpose of the class is to get people moving rather than really transmit dance steps. Then after some 20 minutes of class we gather round the pool and start the row dancing (see pic), for instance to Mambo no 5 (which is the only one I have really mastered). This is so much fun!

Ok, people have stepped on my toes and some combinations seem impossible to ever learn. But the feeling when you get a few steps right in the big crowd of like-minded people! If I am lucky I then find some good salsa dancers for the next section of proper salsa music for proper salsa dancing. Most Ghanaians seem to have adopted something close to Cuban style, which is (lucky me!) my preference. Also, quite contrary to salsa dancing in Sweden, there are two guys to every girl, which makes it easy to pick good dance partners.

There is also really good chicken khebabs to eat and drinks to gulp down in the still warm tropical evening (strictly water for us dancers!)

After just an hour of salsa, I can't be upset regardless of how my day has been. Sweaty and happy and sit in my car around 10 PM, driving home.

Listening to salsa, of course.

Saturday Sunrise

Take a deep breath, enjoy this picture and then enjoy your weekend whereever you are, dear reader.

(Will be back next week with more substance).

Hospitals in Accra

Yesterday, I recieved a question from one of my readers about what good hospitals there are in Accra. This is what I answered:

About hospitals, I dont know much more than you do. Korle Bu and 37 Military hospital are the two big government hospitals in Accra and among those with operating theaters and specialized personnel. I have also heard about the private hospital Lister Hospital from some expats working with the UN, but have never been there myself. They have a nice website, see this link. I live in Tema and have been to the simple but nice Caiqo Hospital in Tema's community 10 when my visiting siblings fell ill. They dont have any website or contact online. I also found a complete (?) list of hospitals online, but the four I mentioned above are unfortunately all I know of personally.

Can anyone else fill in? Where do you go when you or your family members are sick?

Ghanaian Beads

Glass, recycled, clay, brass, silver, ceramic

Beads in Ghana is big business. In 2007, I made a web search for "beads" and "Ghana" and got 609 000 hits, today I got 655 000 hits. My love of beads which I have written about here, here and the other week here have recently been upgraded to obsession.

Most importantly, I have joined the Ghana Beads Society which convenes the first Thursday of every month at 4.30 PM at DuBois Centre in Labone, Accra. The meetings are enthused gatherings of bead nerds as myself, mostly other (female) obrunis and some (male) Ghanaian bead traders (where are the Ghanaian women who most often wear beads?). In the beginning of each meeting, wonderful beads are being sold for bargain prices, the peak of the meeting is spent learning about beads, feeling their delicate textures, getting shocked by how difficult they are to make/bring into the country and marveling at their various colors. There is also some networking and meet and greet with the founders of the GBS and other bead experts.

I have gotten to meet with bead enthusiasts and bead entrepreneurs like Kati Torda of Suntrade and Trish Graham of Ahene Pa Nkasa. It is truly inspiring how they have rediscovered Ghanaian beads and though determination and a will to learn have upgraded the traditional bead into modern use. See for instance the lovely bead work Kati Torda did for Miss Ghana 2005 here.

And I have started thinking about setting up my own bead business. If I did, I think I would be focusing on bracelets - which I love - and "over-the-top pieces" which would be overtly elaborate combination of the West African beads I have come to enjoy so much. In a few weeks, I hope to go for a "stringing" class to learn how to successfully create jewelery with the beautifully rustic and colorful beads I have already purchased over my first two years in Ghana. Then we'll see.

I only know, this is not the last time I write about beads.

Pic borrowed (and cropped) from Kati Torda's photostream on Flickr.

Let's Talk About Love

This post has a topic chosen by the members of Ghanablogging for this month. I have decided to do a first attempt of blog poetry, inspired by fellow Ghana blogger Antirhytm. Please let me know what you think of it!

DarlingSweetheartBabyCutiepie

Months had passed
before I noticed you always used my first name

DarlingSweetheartBabyCutiepie
was something you had never called me

I had not noticed
I had been too busy falling in love

DarlingSweetheartBabyCutiepie

I felt sad, I was angry
I resented you like someone who had never loved

DarlingSweetheartBabyCutiepie,
you would not hold my hand
you would not come with flowers
you would not make plans for Valentines day
you would not say the words!

DarlingSweetheartBabyCutiepie, let's talk about love.
You listened like you always do.
DarlingSweetheartBabyCutiepie is not talking about love, you suggested,

more precious is your name

Pic: Tulips in the snow, Sweden Jan 09.

I've Been Snapped...

...by Ghanaian photographer and blogger Nana Kofi Acquah. See the pretty result in black and white here.

Kokrobite Beach Vacation

There's a beach just west of Accra called Kokrobite that seems so far from my everyday life of metro-boulot-dodo, but in geographical terms is not. This is where I spent this past weekend.

Kokrobite(some native English-speakers spell it Kokrobitey to underline the correct pronunciation, including the "e") is situated one hour from Tema, 30 minutes from Accra on a good day with little traffic around Mallam junction leading out west from Accra. This backpackers hide-out is complete with cheap accommodation (can wholly recommend Bah'doosh where I stayed this time), Rastafarians, palm trees, cold beer and a beautiful and crowded beach with a glittering and wavy ocean.

Everytime I go, I bring only a pair of flip-flops, a piece of African print that can make a dress or a wrap or a towel or a headgear, a flowy white cotton top to avoid sunburn and my colorful patchwork trousers (bought in Kokrobite last year)- all of which goes with a bikini and some beads around the wrists.

My husband and I also take a long the books we never get to read. In the mornings we have breakfast in the shade reading together, something that is terribly nerdy, I know, but just screams vacation to me. Swedish celebrity blogger Alexandra Pascalidou has made beach life her everyday life in Thailand for a couple of months. It should be possible to do the same in Ghana.

Some people might have ulterior and somewhat more "smokey" reasons to come to Kokrobite, but as for me I just find it relaxing without any additives. It is like I took a plane to vacation land. But I didn't. Did I say this place is an hour away from home?

Pic: This is how happy I feel on the beach.

Hugh Hefner in Ghana

So, lately the debate has been all about Ghana's Ex-President Kuffuor who has been awarded with some huge retirement benefits.

* Lump-sum (thought to be worth $400,000)
* Six fully maintained comprehensively insured, fuelled and chauffeured-driven cars to be replaced every four years. The fleet comprise of three salon cars, two cross country cars and one all-purpose vehicle.
* Two Fully furnished residences that befit a former president at place of his choice
* 65 day overseas travel with 3 assistants each year
* 18 months consolidated salary
* Million-dollar seed money for the setting up a foundation,
* Security - 24 hours security services
* Budget for entertaining each year

Blogger Que has made an interesting comparison to the benefits of the US ex-president Bush here and an expose of possible feelings towards this here.

While parliament has agreed to again "review" the benefits after the public outcry, I have thought about the benefits intruiging me the most. They are the entertainment money and the 65 travelling days a year with three assistants...Isn't that just too similar to Mr Hugh Hefner of the Playboy mansion?

And when the laughter stops, this is real - not just reality-show, is this the image we want to portray of Africa? and should a developing country really pay for this kind of lifestyle?

Plantain at Work

Now you might think I am all about fruits, well, that can't be helped, because here is my fruit story for the day.

Yesterday afternoon, I was in a meeting. After 30 minutes or so everything comes to a stand still, we are waiting for someone to bring us a document. Bored, I glance out the window and see some green leaves. To be a bit funny, I turn to one of the guys in the room and ask:

- Are you the one growing plantain out there?

With a straight face, he answers me:

- No, it is the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation!

Only in Ghana.

Beautiful Fruit

This will be my dessert tonight, fresh paw-paw (papaya) with carambole (star fruit) and lime! Fruit might not be equal to candy, as the popular Swedish childrens' TV star Grynet often empazises, but it can be veryvery good.

"Happy and Hopeful"

I had my 15 seconds of fame yesterday when I ran in to BBC World Service's David Amanor at the event in Accra celebrating the Inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama. Among popcorn, fresh bottled juices, Obama souvenirs and a crowd exceeding 500 people we found a quiet(er) corner.

Just minutes before he was sworn in, my African-American friend Janet talked about how emotional she felt, my Ghanaian friend Mankye analyzed Obama's popularity in Ghana and to finish the Ghanaian segment off, Amanor suggested this is not only an event that had importance for African-Americans and Africans, introduced me and let me say a few words on how I felt. "Happy and Hopeful" I rejoiced.

Unfortunately, I haven't found the program as a podcast, so you just have to trust me on this one, and see the photographic evidence above.

Behind the Obama-Mania

I recommend to anyone living in this time and age to pick up a copy of Barack Obama's "The Audacity of Hope".

Reading this book is like opening the back door to the Obama inauguration frenzy, including colorful pop-art posters, music galas and celebrity worship, and coming out on the other side of the stage and see that the sky is really blue.

Yes, his election really signifies change due to who he is, but there is more.

It becomes clear that this man is a calm, reflecting but determined do-gooder (funny fact: according to wikipedia Michelle and Barack's first date was to see the movie "Do The Right Thing") who has a dream of letting complexity back into politics. The book is about many other things (chapters are called Values, Our constitution, Race, etc.), but to me the message of complex decision-making resonates. Not every issue can be answered with "Aye" or "Nay", there are trade offs in policy-making and most issues need a bit of explanation before we can take a stand. He also comes down on the polarization between Republicans and Democrats, itself a simplification, in the American political system, but adds that the media thrives off of it:

Your quote doesn't run if you say, "I see the other guy's point of view" or "The issue is really complicated".

I can't help but think that the current economic crises might be just what Obama needs to create a less partisan, less simplistic and more constructive political arena. What we can do, wherever we are in the world, is to accept his challenge of complexity and ourselves get more involved in politics, and maybe also give less meaning to abbreviated news clippings.

The book also has a couple of funny incidents from the (senate) campaign trail, like the one about the guy from Obama's opponent's office who followed him everywhere with a hand-held film camera. After he refused to give Obama even the smallest personal space, Obama introduced him to the press during a briefing. Later he got a apology from the opponent, who by then had been hurt by the story of the persistent and rude filmer.

The New York Times called Obama "level-headed" in their review of The Audacity of Hope. To me, that is a excellent attribute for a world leader to possess.

In Ghana, I am going to view the inaguration ceremony at the Du Bois Center in Labone, Accra and in the evening I have been invited to a celebration arranged by the Africa-American Association of Ghana (AAAG) at Sweeties Night Club in Airport Hills.

Post Election Thoughts

As the sun sets on the Ghanaian elections of 2008, here is my post election column for the Swedish newspaper AiP.

Although the brief text unfortunately is in Swedish only, the heading optimistically reads "Ghana visar vägen i Afrika" - in English "Ghana Shows the Way Ahead in Africa".

In the pic, the beautiful sunset over Tema/Sakumono beach yesterday evening.

If She Could Blog: Yaa Asantewaa

Since Prempeh and Ejisuhene, my own son, were sent away I have found some power within me I didn’t know I possessed. I miss them and I fear what the white men might do to our people, now that they are gone. My life has changed.

I have taken my son’s seat in the council and yesterday I had to sit and endure the speech of our white enemies. Hearing the British Governor demand, DEMAND, the Golden Stool made my vision get blurred with emotion. At the secret meeting, just after the ugly, lanky Governor had left, when I saw these old men sit and argue - as if we had all the time in the world - my anger just bubbled over.

When I stood up to deliver my speech, I saw surprise in some of their faces, but also respect. I am Queen Mother of Ejisu Yaa Asantewaa, and the future of our Asante Confederation now rests on me. My voice was strong when I spoke at the meeting:

Now I see that some of you fear to go forward to fight for our king. If it were in the brave days of Osei Tutu, Okomfo Anokye, and Opoku Ware, chiefs would not sit down to see their king to be taken away without firing a shot. No European could have dared speak to chiefs of Asante in the way the governor spoke to you this morning. Is it true that the bravery of Asante is no more? I cannot believe it. It cannot be! I must say this: if you, the men of Asante, will not go forward, then we will. We, the women, will. I shall call upon my fellow women. We will fight the white men. We will fight till the last of us falls in the battlefields.

After I had spoken it was like the quarrels had died down. The room was quiet. Apart from my auntie smiling at me from a corner, everyone else had a very serious expression on their face. The silence continued and wasn’t broken until my carriers had taken me out of the council room and into the family palace. As I heard their angry voices, I thought of that I had meant every word; if I have to I will lead the Asante people to war. As a royal, this is my responsibility.

Let’s see if any of these fearful chiefs will come and visit me, else it will be Yaa Asantewaa’s war.

(In the picture, I am wearing my warrior outfit and carrying my rifle, I hope some of the damn British will see it and realize the Asante Confederation must still be feared!)

This post is a joint effort with bloggers from ghanablogging.com. We decided to this month blog from the perspective of a (famous) historical person who might have been a blogger had he or she lived today. The quote is an authentical quote from Yaa Asantewaa who lived 1860-1921 and led her people to war in 1900. She died in exile in the Seychelles.

Smoothie for Breakfast

The papaya (in Ghana "paw-paw") in my garden, planted about one year ago, has started to give me ripe fruits every other day, and this is what I most often do with them.

I throw them in the blender, maybe with some juice, and here with some passion fruit. Run for a few minutes and voila, the best breakfast ever.

This post is part of my new tag Food and Drink. Hopefully I will follow up with more of these in 2009.

Employment in Ghana

I thought I should share some local job opportunities. Even if I am not looking, I belong to a generation who likes to know the options...

I am on a few mailing lists, and recently a couple of interesting jobs caught my attention. Firstly, African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) is looking for new staff. They are searching for experienced policy experts, but also HR and some other research staff and interestingly offering “competitive international remuneration packages”. More on the organization and the job openings here.

Some of my information I get through the International Development Jobs Newsletter, which lists all kinds of jobs all over the world in the “development industry”. To subscribe visit their webpage. Other jobs come though the site/newsletter Find A Job in Africa.

Last, but not least, there is also the Ghanaian site Jobs in Ghana which lists all kinds of jobs, currently themselves are also hiring.

Prof Mills Now Prez Mills

So, finally we have a new president. In the run off on the 28th of December, NDC won with the slimmest margin ever in Ghanaian political history, 50.23 %. John Atta Mills, also called Prof since he is a professor, mostly researching taxation law, will be inaugurated tomorrow as Ghana's new president.

Mills is a true academic with some 25 years in teaching at University of Ghana and other universities abroad. His PhD was completed at School of Oriental and African Studies in London. We'll see if he will use his in depth knowledge in taxation issues in the four years to come. And if his nick-name Prof will stay, or if it will be changed for Prez.

Before the elections, I wrote a column on the Ghana elections for the Swedish social democratic newspaper Aktuellt i Politiken here (unfortunately only in Swedish).

In the pic John Atta Mills, pic borrowed from republicoftogo.com

New Year, New President?

As the new year approached, we have been waiting to hear who will be our new president in Ghana after the second round of elections on the 28th of December. But instead of finding out we have been showered with accusations of election fraud and delays in the Electoral Commission results. I must say I am shocked 2009 has come without a new leader for Ghana. However, I am impressed the court in this stressed conditions keep to following constitutional procedures. Now I can only hope we all keep our calm and when we have a winner, that everybody will accept the results.

That would be a very good start for 2009.

In the pic, election cloth with the ballot box and the thumb print from Ghana Textiles Printing, GTP.

Funeral Culture in Ghana

This years BBC World Service radio play competition had one Ghanaian in the top. Benjamin Kent wrote the play "Funeral Bells" which evolves around the oh-so-common Ghanaian funeral. Loads of people, food and drinks, but often you don't even know the deceased...

Listen to the play here.

In the pic, my mother-in-law and me at a funeral for someone I'd never met, in a village in Central region, Ghana .

Ghana Elections Update

So, now the elections are off to a second round, taking place on December 28th and with results probably not until just before next year starts, as Maya predicts.

When the total results were in, the "high turnout" (that I wrote about here) was also adjusted, into something much lower than last time. The Economist also questioned the high turnout from last presidential elections citing a bloated voters registry to cause the extraorinary turnout. They concluded wryly:

This time fewer votes were cast by the under-age, the multiply-registered and the dead.

This first round of elections where the opposition party NDC overtook a number of parliament seats from the ruling NPP, but left NPP on top -if just slightly - in the presidential elections, shows that people in Ghana do consider split ballots. Also, the campaign funds that probably were several times greater for the incumbents, much caused by their strong support by the middle class and Ghanaian Diaspora overseas, does not seem to have had any greater impact.

The elections were deemed free and fair by international observers and from my point of view, everybody has remained very calm, even when the two leading parties only were divided by little over 1%.

Maybe it is too soon to draw big conclusions on the quality of Ghana's democracy, but it surely looks promising.

High Turnout in Ghana Elections

Still there is no proclaimed winner of Sunday's elections here in Ghana. According to Al Jazeera the incumbent NPP holds a slight lead, but according to local radio channel Joy FM the race is still a complete tie, with more than half of the constituencies counted.

However, judging from international press it is clear is that the turnout was high, but no estimates have been given here either. According to the African Elections database the turnout was 60 % for the 2000 presidential elections and a impressing 85 % last time around in 2004. Can this year's turnout really exceed that?

In the pic a friend with a purple pinkie indicating that he had voted.

A Close Call

Election results from yesterdays elections start trickling in. We are many who think there will be a second round of elections since a full majority or 50% of the votes are needed to win the presidential seat.

It seems elections went fine, my parents in law didnt even have to queu, but could move ahead straight to the polls because of their (high) age. My friend who voted in the afternoon also came out in 5 minutes with a purple stained pinkie.

Now we just have to wait and see.

Cinema Celebrations

This weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the newly opened Silverbird Cinemas in Accra. I am not the biggest fan of watching films in company of strangers, so bloggers Abena, Maya and Que beat me to it. However, not even having the option to go, makes the cinema love grow...For the longest time - probably since early 1990s when TV-sets and videotapes came to Ghana in bulk - Ghana's capital Accra has been without a cinema. Ok, there are the dubious "video houses" where you rent a film that comes with a private room for you and your company. The one I went to last year had a sofa bed with a rubber cover, hm, wonder what goes on in there...

However, that is now in the past and Accra has now its own five screen cinema, located in the Accra Mall, a shopping complex put together by Broll Management of South Africa, according to afridigital.net. There is popcorn scent all around, red cosy chairs, people to sell tickets (GHC 10 each) and others to rip them apart and say, "welcome, there is free seating". There is Bond and College-films, Indian Golmaal and the occasional comedy.

So now, when the sun is just too much, there is an opportunity to go into the dark, heavily air-conditioned cinema hall and be swept away. My tip is, bring a blanket and someone you can wrap your arm around. It was really very cold in there.

Pic borrowed from Abena.

Tribal Vote in Ghana?

This is the Electoral Map of the 2004 elections, blue for NPP, green for NDC. As you can see distinct areas of the country support different parties, eg. the central part of Ghana was predominately NPP and the north and the east mostly voted for NDC. As it happens, these geographical areas broadly converts into ethnic groups or tribes.

This year there has been a concern that the ethnic vote will create violence and confusion and this possibility has been met with not less than three campaigns: (1), (2), (3), to stem eventual violence. However, when I have talked to people, this is not a big concern. Some say, former presidents have been from different tribes; Ashanti, Ewe, and the main contestants this time around are from yet other tribes; Akyem and Fanti, so we have nothing to worry about. Others talk about an Electoral commission that is competent and independent, so who can then meddle with election results?

Even so, the majoritarian, winner-takes-all political system Ghana shares with USA has the disadvantage of leaving minorities unrepresented. Maybe Ghana, as a country with many ethnic groups would be better served with a multiparty, consensual political system? Read Eric Kwesi Bottah's insightful article for more arguments for a multiparty system in Ghana.

On Sunday the Ghanaian general elections are on, and the question is how Ghanaians will vote this time?

Map from excellent elections' site thinkghana.com/elections/

The Academic Future of Africa

I have spent a few days at The University Leaders’ Forum 08, organized by Partnership for Higher Education in Africa (PHEA) in collaboration with University of Ghana. It was a conference around the topic of the New Generation of Academics.

Because of the emergence of a global knowledge society, enrollment rates world wide are increasing, in Africa even more so, putting pressure on the aging group of university lecturers and highlighting the need for new blood. At the same time, young well educated people move abroad in search of better opportunities, hence increasing the pressure on those remaining.

Even if the enrollment rates are increasing, its not enough. Many drop out, many more do not have access to tertiary education and finally very few become university lecturers in Africa. The consequences are two; there will not be enough teachers to educate the new generation, even at lower levels. Additionally, with a low output of tertiary graduates, Africa will be left behind in the knowledge economy.

My research looking at why Ghanaian students migrate (or don't) was a perfect fit for the conference. I was the most junior participant and enjoyed the discussions and academic input. It was highly rewarding to meet with Vice-Chancellors from the whole continent, researchers whose works I've read and foreign founders who work relentlessly to change the academic environment in Africa, but will the change come from them?

The map from Worldmapper.org shows the territory size by world wide proportion of people enrolled in tertiary education, who live there. Thanks to the VC of University of Western Cape, Brian O'Connell for pointing me to this effective visualizing aid.

Ghanaian Food Surprise

I woke up on Monday to find a kiosk outside our wall, just next to the carport. A blue stall, common for selling Ghanaian fast foods had just appeared over night. Instantly, I felt a bit pissed off: this unauthorized tiny building had been erected right in my reverse turn radius, making getting out in the morning with my car much more difficult.

-Good morning! You must try my waakye!

The lady preparing and selling the fast food looks at me with a bright smile offering me some Ghanaian brown rice cooked with beans, waakye. I smile back. Maybe it is not all that bad having fast food available 10 meters from my front door.

Recipy for waakye here.

In the pic, people in line at another food stand.

View out of Ghana: Fotball

Ghana is the golden country of football. On every small patch of land there is a game coming on in the early mornings and weekends. The European leagues and African derby’s are followed closely on TV. African Cup of Nations hosted by Ghana earlier this year let to even more fotball fever. Fotball is fun. Fotball is entertainment. Fotball is also a possible way out of poverty.

He is a compact, well-built 22 year old I met in front of the Danish embassy earlier this year. Since a young age, growing up in poor circumstances, this young man just knew he was going to be a professional footballer. He was good, he trained a lot and really enjoyed his play. However, his father would not hear of it, but instead wanted his son to work long hours to make money for the family. He moved away from home in his early teens, forced to support himself to be able to continue developing as a footballer.

His talent shone through and soon a prominent Ghanaian football club signed him on for their junior team. They made sure he was put though football academy to further develop his skills with the leather ball. Then last summer, a Swedish coach came to Ghana to look for young talents. His eye fell on my friend and in September he was flown to Sweden to do try outs. Back in Ghana, he was approached by an agent and currently also teams in other parts of the world is showing an interest for the young footballer, a striker who can shoot with either foot. Now he is up in the air, will any of these teams sign him on?

Smiling, he tells me this story over a chilled bottle of Soda water in a nice bar in central Accra. I laugh admiringly and can’t help but ask, but how could you possibly know you would make it?

His eyes grow dark, his jaw tightens.
-I just knew it, I know I am good.

The Ghanaian Dream has been lived by my friend Daniel. His amazing story has all the ingredients of a good tale, except for that the happy ending is - how can I put it - pending.

In the pic, Daniel is showing me pictures and newspaper clippings from his fotball career so far.

Ghana, Corruption and the Afrobarometer

I got my hands on a recent Afrobarometer report gracefully put together by Ghanaian think-tank Center for Democratic Development (CDD). The report prepared in June, assesses the Ghanaian’s assessment of the current NPP government. A face-to-face survey was carried out in March this year with 1200 respondents and was the forth round of surveys carried out in Ghana by Afrobarometer.

This being an election year, which I have posted on earlier here, the reading is quite interesting. Basically, large majorities approve of president Kufuor’s performance and the NPP’s policies, especially related to healthcare and education. The trust ratings for the current president are high (88% answered just a little/somewhat/a lot to if they trust the prez) has significantly increased since 2002 (64%) and 2005 (75%).

Surprisingly with this background, a large majority or 70% of Ghanaians also perceive there is corruption in the presidency (the figure above has from my understanding derived from again adding up the answers just a little/somewhat/a lot). Back in 2005, little over half or 56% of the Ghanians perceived corruption in the presidency suggesting a considerable change in people’s view about what goes on in the castle.

I am glad to come across such a important and interesting report underpinned by current and sufficient data, however I find this results very puzzling. Do these results mean Ghanaians trust politicians they believe to be corrupt?

The report can be found here.

Pic: A painting of some murky, corrupt men? Or is it enraged citizens? Or a politician accompanied by her life guards? I recently fell in love with this artwork in an exhibit, unfortunately without recording the artist.

Learn Twi Today!

Since I came to Ghana, I have been trying to learn the language most often spoken around me, Twi. It is an Akan language spoken as a first language by about 40% of the Ghanaians and as a secondary language my many more.

Ever since I was given a pajama with the mysterious world fleur on it, learning a language is something that has been intriguing to me. My mother told me the word meant "flower" in French, which was somewhat confirmed by a white flower blossoming below the puzzling word. When i said "fleuuur", I was speaking French! That thought always made me smile.

Language opens doors and can make you become a part of something new, which I touched on earlier here. A newly discovered fellow "obruni" (foreigner) Maame J, descibes her and her half-Ghanaian son's journey to learn Twi here. It is highly interesting reading for me, and what hits me it how difficult it is to find the tools for learning, so I'd thought I'd describe my process of learning Twi here on my blog.

1, I learned numbers and the Ghanaian weekday-names (find out your name here). A good investment.

2, During my first visit to Ghana, I picked up common phrases like
(Thank you) Me da wo ase (Reply) - Me nda wo ase
(Greeting) - Agoo (reply) Amee
(Wishing someone happy holidays) Afe hya pa (reply) - Afe nkommo tu ye
(How are you?)Ete sen? (reply) - Eye (NOTE spelling is indicative)
It was really difficult just to remember the simplest of phrases.

3, I bought a book in preparation for my move to Ghana, "Let's Learn Twi: Ma Yensua Twi". It was ok, for a schooled person it is always good to get the spelling and "look" of foreign words. However, some phrases were a bit old-fashioned. For example few Twi speaking people today say Mema wo akye (I give you daylight), but rather uses the English "Good morning".

4, I lived with my mother in law for three months and really got the melody of the beautiful language, she speaks the Fanti dialect, as well as all possible greetings (nkyea) under my skin. This is probably the best way to learn a language.

5, Bought Florence Abena Dolphyne's text book, "A Comprehensive Course in Twi (Asante) for the Non-Twi Learner" a smallish red text book from the University of Ghana bookstore for GHC 4 (same in USD) which is a very useful manual for learning the language. It also has extremely useful phrases like Me ye osuani (I'm a student).

6, Lately, I have been lazy and just lived in the language. Interestingly, it seems like I cant help but learning just from existing in a Ghanaian context. I speak to guards, professors, relatives and coworkers and listen (ok, eavesdrop) a lot too.

7, The future hopefully holds a course of some kind. Maybe at the University of Ghana or some other institution. I need to get into the next gear.

The best resource for learning a language is probably a life partner speaking that language. However, my husband has not been very helpful after step one, but that proves that even without that type of support it is possible to learn a language. Apart from books there are resources on the web such as the Twi-English Dictionary (seems to focus on biblical phrases). Kotey's dictionary can also in part be accessed online. Google Twi Kasa, I have written about here. Wikipedia in Twi can be found here. A video on kids learning Twi here. I have also come across a Twi Pimsleur audio course on the net, as well as the US Foreign Service course has anyone tried them?

Most interestingly I found this 43things-list of 27 people who want to learn Twi. Well, 28 with me!

In the pic, a beautiful silent sculpture I came across in North Legon last week.

Swedish Moment

Just imagine my surprise as I drive to work and see a buss with a typically Swedish name printed accross it - Haglunds buss. Still with the Swedish phone number on it, this bus today serves the citizens of Accra rather than of Ljusdal, not far from where my father was born. It is just amazing how globalized trading is.

I have written earlier about European newspapers ending up in Ghana here.

Obama in Africa

Sorry for my absence here on the blog. It's been a busy week. Anyways, no one (hopefully) hold any grudges today, not towards a lazy blogger nor towards a fellow human with a different opinion, today, the feeling is united.

America has elected a person bigger than a national politician for their next president. Barack Obama is the first African-American to be elected president of the United States, but he is so much more. A politician who speaks about hope in a way that tears people's eyes and about change that people can believe in. It's been a long time since politicians were met with such massive cheer, almost religious devotion anywhere in the world.

For me personally, I am of course happy a man with Caucasian and African parents (just like my future children) can become president of the world's super power. However, I believe the aspect of bringing politics "back on track", suggesting a politician is a role model and an inspiration is even more important.

In Africa as a whole the hopes for Obama's presidency is high. South Africa's President Kgalema Motlanthe said in a statement:

"Your election to this high office of the American people carries with it hope for millions of your country men and women as much as it is for millions of people of particularly of the African descent both in the continent of Africa as well as those in the diaspora."

Kenya's president declared tomorrow a public holiday.

Here in Ghana, the election has been the big topic for discussion of the week and several "Obama parties" were organized yesterday night (I sadly fell asleep on my couch). One more is due tonight at the Accra night club The Office. Most my Facebook friends had written something on the election as their "status". In the office this morning we talked about the election with smiling faces.

I believe my husband summarized the joyous feeling well as he was getting ready to go to work this morning:

"Today, I'm wearing white!"

Pic from Chicago Sun and Obama's trip to Kenya in 2006.

Lunch with Bush and Bin Laden

We go to a restaurant close to work to have some lunch. I order a salad. And then look around the big open space. And see following mural.

Saddam, Blair, Bin Laden and W. Bush are enjoying a meal together! Interestingly they are all eating Ghanaian dishes. Saddam eats banku and dried fish, Blair fried rice, Bin Laden dips his hand into fufu with goat soup and Bush plantain with kontomire stew. Maybe a top-level meeting like this could have solved some issues? At least it would've spread the word about the delicious Ghanaian cuisine.

Moringa Miracles

A friend here in Ghana told me about the many healthy effects of the moringa tree ("benzolive" in French, "drumstick tree" in English) some time ago. I had never heard of it, but through a little research online I now know my friend was right to sprinkle dried moringa leaves on her kids' food.

It contains vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3 and C) as well as calcium and potassium. But the miracle is it also contains complete proteins, which few plants do. Another example is the soy bean, but moringa is much richer in protein! According to Trees for Life an organization promoting the use of Moringa to combat hunger, the leaves also prevent various diseases. Download Trees for Life's interesing PDF on possible uses of Moringa here.

You simply eat the fresh or dried leaves with your food or brew tea out of it.

The Moringa tree grows in tropical areas and the fast growing tree requires little water and no particular soil. It's leaves can be fed to animals, a meal made from the seeds can purify water and be used to produce bio fuels!

On my way home from work I always pass a little shed with a "Moringa is sold here" sign (opposite the Shell station at the end of the Tema motorway leading towards Achimota). I always used to wonder, what IS Moringa anyway? Now I know.

Pic of the moringa leaf from Trees for Life

African Wax Print Fiesta!

My love relationship with African wax print, the widely used cloth in bright colors, has just reached another level. I think I have always associated Africa with bright colors of clothing and from my very first moment in Ghana (Dec 2004), I have been on the hunt for colorful material of this kind.

I like that its most often sold in "half piece" or 6 yards at a time, I adore the colors and the wild combinations of patterns. Speaking of patterns, I love certain ones, most notably the "water well" pattern, which looks like big kind of dotted circles. I have it in several (5?) different colors.

So of course the next step was to make clothes out of it. I have two seamstresses I frequent. It is so much fun to be able to decide the style myself and most of the days here in Ghana you will see me in some kind of African garment, be it a top, a skirt or the traditional top and bottom kaba and slit.

Recently the ready wear has enetered the Ghanaian market. So recently, I have also bought a wonderful dress (and probably will add another one to it soon) at the Ghanaian designer house Kiki's Clothing. Their designer introduced me to the wax prints deluxe that on top of an elaborate and colorful print has another pattern in gold over it!

But now Boxing Kitten has arrived. Just like Kiki's clothing she is mixing patterns and colors without fear. Less is not more, more is more. And my love for African wax print has suddenly reached a whole different level.

Pic from Boxing Kittens fall collection, isn't it just beautiful?

Credit Crunch in Africa?

The last weeks as the “global” financial crisis has rolled out, I have been thinking about the impact for Ghana. What will the implication be for African countries such as the one I live in when US and Europe are experiencing a sharp decline that can only be partially slowed down by tens or even hundreds of BILLION dollars.

Will Africa’s already weak economies get hit by the financial splatter of the West?

No, I don’t think so. At least not that much. Less aid? Yeah maybe. But when it comes to dealing with a bubble...Hey, there's no bubble to deal with. Actually, there is barely any credit in the Ghanaian economy - everything is cash.

You buy a house in a cash (or more like it buy some bricks today and some pipes tomorrow), car in cash, you get paid in cash (or a check that you immediately cash after a long wait in a bank queue) and interest rates for loans read about a hefty 27-33 percent, making them a no go option for most people. Also, Ghana and bigger part of Africa south of the Sahara (with the exception for maybe South Africa) is not really a part of the so called global financial markets.

Hence, the advice is to now invest in Africa. Our strong and solvent markets are now, finally, hyped by financial advisers see for instance here and here and here.

Even the World Bank and their economist Shanta Devarajan who runs the Afropositive blog Africa Can, seems to agree with me. In Ghana, the whole crisis is rarely discussed, maybe because of the upcoming elections or maybe because people just have an instinctive feel it wont affect Ghana.

Maybe it is Africa’s turn now!

Pic: The sky is blue but not cloud free in Accra, Ghana.

View out of Ghana: Poverty

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The meaning of that concept is that we all have different glasses though which we see the world. In this post, as in all others I have ever written, I intend to write about the world I see. Here are my thoughts on poverty (spurred on by Blog Action Day).

With my sheltered and sometimes outright naive Swedish background, coming to live in Ghana has in many ways been being confronted with stories about poverty. I have come to understand the depressing effects of poverty: that there are people who are so poor they buy food and spices for today's meal only, hoping that tomorrow they will afford rice and pepper again. There are men so poor they can't afford the transport fare to go look for a job, women so poor they cannot afford to go to church (offerings and sunday clothing requires money) and families so poor they cannot afford contraceptives or an abortion even when their resources are not enough to feed the kids already at their feet.

Then again, Ghana is a relatively well off country in the region, see for instance gapminder for figures. And the person buying pepper for today, at least is buying something. The man not able to find a new job will be fed by his wife who is a successful trader in the local market. And interestingly, the poorest families rarely see children as anything else than a resource and a joy.

Poverty is in the eye of the beholder. I argue, so is glamour.

Pic taken in the Makola Market area, downtown Accra, Ghana.

Desperate Housewives in Accra

Just to make it very clear from the outset, this post does not allude to the fact that I have recently purchased season 3 of the California TV series "Desperate Housewives" from a guy outside Koala Supermarket, but rather it is pointing to difficulties of relationships.

As a newlywed twentysomething expat, I have started to see disturbing trends among my friends in similar life situations here in Accra. Wasn't this time - after long years in the University library, impossible loves and zero money, but before kids and a daily routines so boring and wellknown we could also do them backwards - wasn't it supposed to be the time of our lives?

Obviously not. When two minds come to live under the same roof there seems to be more than a little adjustment to be done.

Some replay the same fights over and over again with their spouses (money, you-said-I-said, cleaning and laundry etc.). Some like to spend at least one night a week by themselves while I at times recent my husband for often coming home late from work. Others again can't seem to unite about how to furnish their home or if to watch Champions' League or Strictly Come Dancing (or instead make an early night).

Then we have all the cultural shocks: husbands who want their clothes ironed, you to attend funerals of people you have never met, or eat a bowl of fufu for dinner - every day! They are matched with wives who want to pay half the bill, feel odd about having to instruct a housegirl instead of starting a laundry cycle in the machine or spend a average Ghanaian monthly wage on foreign groceries each week!

Additionally, it can be noted that Ghanaian men seem to have little interest in taking out any parental leave (ok, there is no parental leave for men in Ghana, but at least my Swedish side feels that this somehow should be at the very least a priority for timing of the yearly leave). They also seem to be weary about parttaking in the birthing of a child with half their genes.

Some of us young spouses talk vividly about how important it is to work, not predominantly to make money, but to aviod becoming just a housewife - implying that our identities could be gone in no time. However, I don't think that is the problem. Our personalities, I think, are going nowhere. The problem is rather to be able to hold your tounge the hundredeth time you make a small sacrifice for the person you love knowing he is doing the same.

Obama Mania in Ghana

"Have you seen the debate?"

In Ghana, the campaign is on. I heard from a friend you can't buy billboard space in this country until after elections. But what election are we talking about again?

The debate in question was not between Akufo-Addo and Mills but instead between McCain and Obama. Discussions on the upcoming American presidential election is as vibrant here as the domestic. Of course the American election affects the entire world and I am positive that Obama with his Kenyan heritage is creating a buzz in all of Africa, therefore also in Ghana. Another explanation is that Ghana has it's eye to the world to a much larger extent than other nation states, say France or the US. We learn about all news from the outside world. And debate it too.

But back to the elections. I have seen street vendors selling a (pirated?) copy of Obama's biography, at a function last week a young man was sporting a T-shirt with this text "Obama is my homeboy" and yesterday when going to work, this driver showed her support for Obama (see pic).

What election are we talking about again?

Pop'Africana is Pan'Africana?

Stumbled upon (whilst out walking on facebook) the new initiative Pop'Africana, an art/style mag created by some creative minds, amongst others the Editor Oroma who's blog you can read here.

It seems like this is the time for patriotic initiatives and pan-africaism. Here in Ghana we see a lot of similar initiatives that I have written about before with magazine Canoe, T-shirt companies quoting Africans, websites with African names and content as well as flags everywhere, Ghanaian, Nigerian...Is this a trend or am I imagining it?

The interesting pic stolen from above mentioned mag.

Kajsa at Work

So these days, I do go to work. My friends have asked me what it is I really do. Well, mostly I sit in front of a computer screen, but when I don't it looks like this.  
 
 
 

Pictures from this past weekend's WAPI festival in Accra.

Photo: Razak Mardorgyz Abubakar

Fetish Priest Online

I met someone the other day who said that it seemed Ghanaians don't really use the Internet. Of course a lot of people don't have access to the net, but at the same time a surprisingly large body of people regularly frequent Internet cafes, was my feeling. However, I think I have found the perfect example of that Internet IS being used by Ghanaians. So proudly presenting a very exciting and well made website for the Fetish Priest Kwaku Bonsam.

The site has pictures, contact information and writings about Kwaku himself. In the long list of services Kwaku offers you can find treatment against proverty, barrenness and to obtain Visas to go abroad (!).

In an interview for a newspaper he was asked how he received his powers. Kwaku tells the story of how he helps a sick man he found lying on the street to the hospital. As a thank you the man gave Kwaku his address and asked him to come visit.

I followed the address and it took me to the North, way after Navrongo.

I finally got to him at a village and after a brief stay, he gave me something and said what he was giving me would send my name very far and no one can bring me to shame in my entire lifetime and that my children would inherit the blessings of what he was giving me.

At that time I did not know what it was and I was a little disappointed because I thought he was going to give me some money for the help I gave him; rather he gave me a deity.

The next day I threw it away but it came back to me and that made me a little scared. I then threw it in a manhole but the manhole exploded and it came back to me again.

Then there was this time I went to witness a fetish dance and I got possessed and started to perform wonders for the first time.

Every week here in Ghana, I hear references to this spiritual world with its spiritual solutions to real problems. I find it really interesting that this traditional world has here taken the leap into the World Wide Web.

Some might say it is just business as usual, a healer who "perform wonders" for money, just with a new type of marketing. Yeah, maybe. Still, I couldn't resist the temptation of signing up for the traditional fetish mailing list. Can you?

Blogs in Ghana THE FULL LIST

Since some time back I have had a mission to draw together bloggers in Ghana. Reasons for this being a mix of sheer curiosity of the people behind the words and a vague feel of that we could maybe work together in some way.

So far my accomplice and myself have found 13 bloggers blogging out of Ghana. We have set up two fruitful meetings and the next one is planned for beginning of October. At the first bloggers meet-up, we decided to make it easier for you readers to find us, hence we now present the feeds collection Ghanablogging.com. Here you can find the most recent posts from all our blogs thanks to David.

Are you a Ghana blogger not included? Please send me an email!

Election Fever in Ghana

They are all the same!

The esteem for politicians is not all that high in Ghana. Some of the sentiments, I can relate to, maybe it is the universal gossip about the boss, but what is different here is the accusation of everyday corruption. My fellow Ghanaians blame their politicians for “chopping money” – meaning eating it as in buying big cars and offices for themselves, or giving contracts to relatives who know little about building roads/hospitals/etc. or simply spending more time outside Ghana talking than in Ghana making change.

The elections are coming up in December and the frontrunners are Nana Akufo-Addo and Professor John Atta Mills. Akufo-Addu is the flag bearer of the ruling NPP and Mills is currently in opposition with NDC.

I am planning to write one post each week about the election fever until we know who is the new president of Ghana.

Thankful in Traffic

In the quite chaotic Ghanaian traffic there are a number of things that brighten my day. These days we tend to mostly complain about the many car crashes, the traffic jams, people failing to adhere to traffic rules and regulations or the regulators of the traffic flows being outright silly.

As a counter balancing act I here will list my favorite elements of the Ghanaian traffic, you are welcome to add to it!

1. People are friendly and will let you in to any queue, no matter how slowly it moves, if you give a sign like twitching your headlights or raising your eyebrows.
2. Funny vehicles like the pearly white Mercedes with the Registration "JESUS 1" (Oh Lord, won't you buy me...), the itsy-bitsy small truck that is loaded with chocolate (Think Ompa-Lompas) or the hot pink pick-up (Barbie's car!).
3. If you make a mistake, there is room for it, because mistakes happen all the time...
4. When reversing out from a tight spot there is always someone there to direct you.
3. FAVORITE The random messages displayed in the back windows of the public transport Tro-tro's, like the one in the picture above, "THEY ACT AS LOVERS".

What do you make of that?

Im clueless. Is it an accusation? A biblical message? A warning to the public? A general statement being true in different situations?

Thinking about this I have a happier and even a bit thankful drive to work.

Important Vacation

In three short weeks I had time to meet up with a bunch of friends and family members, eat "sill" and "kräftor", take walks on the beach and talk, talk, talk in Swedish. It is extremely important to reconnect with your base as an expatriate. This I've learned from among other aliens Agneta Nilsson, founder of the SWEA. She is able to live in two worlds (LA and Sweden) by sustaining her contacts in Sweden even though she lives in the US since many years.

I feel better grounded now somehow, I know my friends still care for me even though I moved away and a further reassurance was the gut feeling that came to me already when I walked to the gate for the Accra flight last Sunday - it is clear that Ghana is my home now.

My lovely vacation is hereby over and there are a lot of things to sink my teeth into back in Ghana. Among others a slow launch of the website aponkye.com, a new go at my migration research proposal and a Ghana bloggers meet up on Thursday.

Swedish Silence

I am leaving Ghana for my native Sweden for a few weeks on Saturday. I so much need the chilly wind of Sweden, refueling of Swedish foods, singing in Swedish, sleeping in silent Swedish nights and spending time with family and friends over there.

The past week and the current is busy with work and even though I started some ambitious posts they now lay dormant awaiting an end/a crucial link/a perfect picture (the Ghana bloggers will know what I mean).

So, I think I will chose to stay silent until I return from my trip. Hopefully I will be back relaxed, slightly less tanned with many stories and a renewed ability to finish posts.