How to celebrate AU Day, African Union, African Unity?

A Monday chilling at home. That's quite nice, isn't it?

The occation is African Union Day when we celebrate...yeah, what do we celebrate? The Pan-African vision of a united Africa? The African Union? And is it really something to celebrate? Read this sharp article By fellow blogger Ato Kwamina Dadzie on the subject.

Chilling at home, it suddenly dawns on me that every day is a holiday, somewhere on the planet. There is of course a website to inform us of them, see Earth Calendar. There I find out that today is not just AU-day, it is also the day for a local sugar festival in Bolivia, Carpet-day in Turkmenistan and National Tap-Dance-Day in the US.

So I might just celebrate a bit even though the vision of African unity is still just a dream.

In the pic an unrelated African celebration.

Why Is Africa Begging?

Last night, I went to the Goethe Institute in Accra to see their current exhibit open. I go to a lot of these events, being a lover of the arts, but this one was special becuase the artists were school children - well, rather youths - and hence represent the future of Ghanaian art.

There were giraffes, portraits, market scenes and animal sculptures - most notably a beautiful plaster owl made by a young man not much bigger then the owl itself.

But there was also a piece that grabbed my attention because of its clear message. Allison Elisabeth and Pele Vuncujovi had together created the African continent in papier maché - richly decorated in red, green and gold. In the middle of the continent a pair of black hands mysteriously stretch out, as if they were asking for something. As you stand back to look at the installation, you see a question mark circling the hands.

In the picture the artists by their work.

Papaya Pondering

If something has started to grow inside the paw-paw (or papaya) you are planning to eat, does it mean its expiry-date has passed?

Obama to Ghana!

Hurray! American president Obama is due to visit Ghana on the 10-11 of July, according to Ghanaian news.

When I heard, I was a bit surprised this visit comes so soon in the presidency, Bush Jr waited to his very last 6 months, for instance. But I guess it corresponds to the different foreign policy pushed by the new president. When I discussed the upcoming visit with some Ghanaian friends it was joy and laughter all around:

Yeah, that will really be a party/It will be bigger than Clinton's visit/I have never been to any event at Independence Square, but Chaley, for that one...

Pic borrowed from whitehouse.gov. Obama in Mexico earlier this week.

On Ghanaian Internet Cafés

As I returned home from dinner out (my favorite Indian!) I passed by this Internet café in Tema's Community 8.

It is nothing special, probably actually a typical Ghanaian one. After paying 1 GHC (75 cents) for two or three hours you sit on uncomfortable chairs in front of old, thick, unportable screens displaying the internet slowly, slowly with frequent freeze-situations. And power-cuts.

Still people are determined to learn about ICT, the Internet and what is out there.

What we go through just to enter the beautiful world online.



Pics taken minutes ago in my hometown.

Ghana's Wonderful Fantasy Coffins

This is how I with to leave this world. Carefully put to my last rest in hot, red chili fruit. Remembered like a fiery person.

The only country in this world where funderals are "celebrated" (more on that here) and where my wish could be executed (pun not intended) is my hot and fiery home country, Ghana. But, maybe it doesn't have to be a chili, I can also choose a Coke Bottle, a Sardin Jar or a larger-than-life (I can't help myself!) mobile phone.

More on Ghana's exquisite sculpture coffins, sometime called fantasy coffins, here, here , here and here (the last from the National Museum of Funeral History, the second last from DeathOnline.net!) I can also really recommend this coffee table book on the topic.

Tourist in Ghana

The canoe safari was a success. Flocks of birds flew amongst the lush vegetation lining the shore, and a group of seven hippos floated and bellowed in the river.

We should have stopped there.

The quote above is from this excellent short guide to Ghana by Marlene Smith I found in the latest issue of International Travel News. I enjoyed the truthful description of the friendly and sometimes un-cooperative Ghana.

To me, the most useful part was the description of the wildlife viewing opportunites up north, including Mole national Park (elephants, baboons and birds) and Black Volta (hippos) since I intend to go there myself later this year. However, there were also good reviews of hotels and lodges and advice on interesting cultural sites to visit.


Pic: Elephant in Mole National park borrowed from projects-abroad.dk

Kojo Antwi and Accomodation in Ghana

Yesterday, we meet up with our landlord for a discussion along the lines I laid out the other day in this post. The discussion gets a bit heated and we differ on if the current dollar-rate has changed the price structure in Ghana - we know for sure our wages have not climbed with the dollar!

Our landlord however defends his dollar rent (which of course is his perogative, only who can pay what he asks?) and keep referring to that we can call "Mr Antwi" who will back his claims.

I can for my life not understand why we should call the famous Ghanaian popmusician Kojo Antwi for opinions on accomodation prices, but let it pass as I dont want to irritate our landlord further.

Only this morning, when my husband had recieved a call from the real estate agent who two years ago brokered this house to us, I understand that he was the "Mr Antwi" intended. Not the popsinger.

Sometimes knowledge make us more stupid.

Pic: A cartoon of named singer borroed from his website.

Africa Report x 2

Today, I came across two interesting Africa Reports that I wante to share with you.

AR#1. The African Commission's Final Report.

The African Commission , set up by the Danish government last year, is a high level group wanting to bring light to Africa's opportunities and add new strategies to the development cooperation. I wonder if Dembisa Moyo that I wrote about last week thinks they succeeded.

Anyways, the group of really distinguished Africans and others includes Nigerias former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who I wrote about here and the Commission presents its recipy for development as follows: (this is the quick version, the 90-page report can be downloaded in pdf here).

1. The creation of an African Guarantee Fund in partnership with the African Development Bank aimed mobilizing loans for three billion USD and reducing the cost of access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, SME’s. Africa’s SME’s provide 80 percent of output and jobs in Africa;

2. Ensuring access to energy at the local level by launching a new initiative in partnership with the EU and the African Development Bank. More than three-quarters of Africans lack access to electricity – a major constraint to economic development, doing business and standards of living;

3. Improving the business climate and Africa’s competitive edge by making sure that the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report covers all African countries. More than that, the Commission will work with a range of Africa-based entities to ensure that the findings of this benchmarking process is followed-up by the development of detailed policy responses and concrete reforms;

4. Unleashing the power of African entrepreneurship, both in start-up and existing enterprises, by providing advisory services and access to finance in order to allow young people to translate their good ideas into practical plans. The initiative will be implemented in partnership with the ILO and Youth Employment Network (a partnership between the UN, ILO and World Bank). It is expected that this initiative alone will create 40,000 new jobs and 20,000 new businesses;

5. Supporting higher education and research. Specifically, the initiative will increase the quantity and quality of artisans through apprenticeships, especially in the rural areas. Also, it will link tertiary research and business practices especially to expanding agricultural output.

I like how the Commission acknowledges the lack of electricity and how that is a basic problem in Africa (see what I wrote on it here). Also education is key, of course for development and currently the future for the African academy looks rather bleak. Just as in the north, links with research and businesses need to be improved. So, far I agree.

However, I am more sceptical towards yet another fund, the African Guarantee fund - I think many times it is information and reporting that is scarce - not a complete lack of money. And then sometimes I think the people in those high level meetings overstate the influence of their instruments. I mean, can the "World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report" really improve the business climate in Africa?

What do you think?

AR#2 Magazine The Africa Report.

I picked up a copy of this mag I haven't seen before. I am a huge fan of news magazines like Focus on Africa and The Economist and today I found one that can compete.

In this mag, I liked the topics and the rich ways of describing current issues in Africa. I have studied it now for about 45 minutes, but is nowhere near done. I like that type of publication density.

The current issue of The Africa Report gave a very illuminating report of Mills' first 100 days in power and came with an interesting economic report-booklet of Cote D'Ivoire.

I guess that makes it three Africa reports today...

In the top pic Africa's future on the beach in Kromantse, Central Region, Ghana.

African Literature in the Making: Harmattan Rain

Yesterday, I found some information on facebook about a book by a Ghanaian writer, Ayesha Harruna Attah that came out a few months ago. Her book is called Harmattan Rain, an interesting choice of title that suggests conflicts, since harmattan is the dry season which normally no not include any rains. You can read an exerpt at the Publish Your Story blog (that amongst others feature Ghanablogging's own Maameous among their friends) here.

I take a great interest in Ghanaian and West African literature, simply because I want to learn about life in Ghana - and what better way to learn than from books?

About the book from the author herself:

A few years before Ghana's independence, Lizzie-Achiaa's lover disappears. Intent on finding him, she runs away from home. Akua Afriyie, Lizzie-Achiaa's first daughter, strikes out on her own as a single parent in a country rocked by successive coups. Her daughter Sugri grows up overprotected. She leaves home for university in New York, where she learns that sometimes one can have too much freedom. Eventually, the secrets parents keep from their children catch up with them.

What was especially fascinating about this book, if I got it crrectly, was that it was concieved at an African literature center, where a few talanted students are invited each year for a nine month (!) sejour that - if all works out - ends with a book. The center is called Per Ankh as situated in Dakar, Senegal.

There is so much talent in Africa that go unharvested. I think initiatives like Per Ankh could be one way of changing that. What do you think?

Cover pic borrowed from the author.

2 Bed Room House To Rent in Greater Accra?

The house we have been living in for two years has been serving us well. We have a nice garden, it is safe and quite big. Moskitoes, dust and loud, early services from nearby churches I don't think anybody can escape...

However, now the rent for the next two years is now up (in Ghana you pay in bulk for two or three years) and our landlord insists in charging us in USD. Unfortunately, the dollar has lately appriciated enormously against the Ghanaian Currency and what was 1:1 two years ago is today 1:1,45. Yikes!

So, we need to downscale and find something smaller. And cheaper.

A 2 bed room house for rent in Greater Accra anyone?

Malaria in Ghana or Bengt You Could've Called Me

I was just reading one of my favorite columnists in Sweden, Bengt Ohlsson. He starts as he often does, to comment on some quite ridiculous trait of the Swedes (this time the extreme dependency on the mobile phone). But then he surprisingly continues with a story about Ghana. He writes:

Men jag vill ändå påstå följande: jag trodde att jag visste vad vanmakt var. Det var innan jag stod på en grusig Medborgar­plats i februarimörkret och min exfru ringde och sa att hon hade pratat med vår son och att han trodde att han hade fått malaria.
Det hade han nu inte. Det spelade ingen roll. Eftersom han var i Ghana hade jag inte ens haft en teoretisk möjlighet att dundra ombord på ett plan och åka dit, eftersom Ghana kräver visum och grejer och gula febern och dessutom har de inte ens någon ambassad i Sverige.

In my translation:

I thought I knew what powerlessness was, that was before I stood on a gravel covered Medborgarplats in the February darkness and my ex-wife called and said that she had spoken to our son and that she thought he had caught malaria.
It turned out he hadn't. It didn't matter. Since he was in Ghana I wouldn't even have had a theoretical possibility to rush aboard a plane and go there, since Ghana demands Visa and things and Yellow Fever and don't even have an embassy in Sweden.

Wait now. Malaria rarely kills, especially not people with funds to get treatment. But yeah, I also freaked out when my siblings caught malaria in Ghana last year. We rushed them to hospital and in just 24 hours they were feeling better. However many Ghanaians cannot afford treatment as highlighted by Swedish Medecins Sans Frontiers in their malaria campaign here.

And not even a theoretical possibility to go? What about the daily flights from Copenhagen, London and Amsterdam? Visa on arrival? Calling the Ghanaian Embassy in Denmark to help out? What about just emailing me or any other Swede in Ghana and ask us to check on your son?

I get the column was about how little you can do on the other end of a satellite phone call, but judgements like these without any facts supporting them do little for building on a truthful image of Africa. In 2006, 8565 Scandinavians ( and about half a million international tourists in total) came to Ghana and many more are discovering Ghana every year and I am pretty sure most of them survived (the only reason I am not saying all is due to dangerous traffic).

Those kids on the beach on the pic above are the ones who risk their life when contracting malaria.

Dead Aid Debate II: Interview with Moyo

Radio journalist Dave Lucas sent me this link to an interview with Dembisa Moyo in where she gets to explain her argument. She is well-spoken and lays out her arguments clearly. A man from Nigeria also voices his critique against the book and interestingly also talks about how to reverse the brain-drain out of Africa which I have touched on in these posts. Moyo then replies to the critique.

The interview is a 12 minutes I recommend to everyone interested in the aid-debate.

Dead Aid Debate

Surfed into Guernica Magazine ( a wonderful web based magazine on art and politics!) and saw this interview with writer and economist Dembisa Moyo.

Moyo has recently written a book, "Dead Aid". Her agument is that aid dependence is doing more to hurt than to help Africa. And that aid is being sustained not because there is evidence of progress, but because of the 500 000 people who work in the "aid industry".

At the same time African governments are not taxing their people and hence people also expect little of them. Opaquness rather than transparancy, corruption rather than efficiencly describes governance in Africa.

Some people, like her teacher at Oxford and Harvard
Paul Collier, feel she is mostly correct and that her wishes of slashed aid will come true because of the current economic downturn.

Others like writer Madeleine Bunting thinks Moyo's liberalist views are poorly underpinned and wonders what will happen to the poorest people, like the HIV infected, if aid is terminated.

The other day I met a fellow who works with the Millenium Challenge initiative to build roads and make agriculture more efficient in Ghana. A project costing USD 547 million. Some of the projcts he described, like facilitating the supply of vegetables to Accra and the harbor in Tema, is something I have never heard the Ghanaian government(s) suggest.

Then the question is why, is it because someone else is already doing it?

The Perfect Picture : Film Review

So I have now been to see the wholly Ghanaian produced film, The Perfect Picture, I wrote about earlier here.

Shirley Frimpong-Mansu is the super-woman behind script, directions, casting and editing. And it was perfect! I went with my husband and some friends and we all had our laughs and loved the high audiovisual quality...as well as the story line. Three good friends - so good you wish you were one of them - are looking for love. One gets married in the opening scene, one is a man-eater and the last one says she will never marry. Here the intrigues start.

The film held a high tempo and included a entertaining and believable characters, references to daily life in Ghana "you make it sound like I could just go and pick up a baby at Koala!" (Koala supermarket being a popular supermarket in Accra) or "I'm not a fan of weddings, but you my friend make it worth every pesewa!" (pesewa being the Ghanaian equivalent to cent, penny or öre) and even a fun, feminist take on car chase.

The film also contained obvious product placements that were acceptable only because we have never seen Ghanaian ones before. For instance, one can only feel excitement when the three friends even went to see a film in the same cinema complex we were watching them in!

And then sex. Appearantly, the film set itself apart from all other Ghanaian productions EVER when it showed a kiss on the lips between the newlyweds in the first scene. After that, we got both scenes from different bedrooms (see the trailer above) as well as "sex-and-the-city"-kind of girlfriend talk on the topic. I think the Ghanaian audience was shocked at times (even though the scenes never really went beyond regular Hollywood steam) and at one point a woman sitting close to me in the dark exclaimed:

Oh, will we watch just kiss-kiss-kiss?

Guest Blogger: Voting Experience in South Africa

To highlight this week's election in South Africa, I have decided to let a South African citizen share a voting experience here on my blog, the text is borrowed from The Good News South Africa, an interesting initiative that I have been thinking about copying for Ghana. So this is what happened in South Africa the other day:

Early yesterday morning I took my coffee out on my balcony, and bristled against the chill. It's suddenly winter in Johannesburg; the trees are all amber, the sun is weaker and that white-blue light has found the horizon. This change in seasons caught me off guard, just like the national elections. I felt unprepared, I felt like I needed more time. As a journalist you would imagine that I'd have my ducks in a row by now; I'm well informed on party policy, events and personalities, but never has this experience been personal, and what could be more personal than deciding the future leaders of my country? So I sat, as a South African, deciding on who should get my vote.

I made a decision to walk this time. The idea came to me as the first sound bites from polling stations around the country started coming in on my radio. My polling station is seven kilometres from my home, so I put on my best walking shoes, placed my Yankees cap on my head, filled a bottle of water, pocketed my iPod and started trapping.

For two hours I wandered through the leafy streets of Johannesburg, greeted friendly folk and stopped to have a cigarette with a newspaper vendor; this is the only place in the world that I want to be right now. There is no vibe like this anywhere else, of that I'm certain.

Instead of thinking about who, I spent most of the frosty morning interrogating the reasons why I should vote. I appreciated that I had a right to vote, but I also had a right not to vote. What I saw was that underpinning my rights, is a responsibility. I am responsible for the leaders I choose, and I have a responsibility to be a participant in this democracy that was so hard fought for and won.

I queued for an hour and twenty minutes to cast my ballot, and as I left the polling station, my mark made, I turned back toward home thinking on the future of my motherland, and my part to play in it.

The election was, as expected won by the ANC, however, not with the same huge marginal as last time.

Picture from a trip I made to the beautiful South Africa in 2005.

Socialist Sweden part 2 incl. IKEA and ABBA

In this next episode, a socialdemocratic MP (also a former minister) is asked to apologize for the socialism he has been a part of creating. IKEA, ABBA and some surprised Swedish blondes also are used to explain the awful word s-o-c-i-a-l-i-s-m.It doesnt go too well...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
The Stockholm Syndrome Pt. 2
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Yngvild, don't believe in everything you hear on The DailyShow.

Socialist Sweden

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
The Stockholm Syndrome
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Ok, now I owe two blog posts in a row to my friend Sarah, you need to have your own blog so I can link to you!

Here is anyways a hilarious clip describing my horrible HORRIBLE home country - the socialist nightmare (for the US), I give you Sweden.

Return to Ghana

Bronx Princess Trailer from Yoni Brook on Vimeo.


So, I have been back in Ghana for a few days and already experienced horrible traffic, ants crawling on me in my bed and power black-out(s) - as well as a lovely high-life concert, seeing friends and eating a lot of sweet-tasting tropical fruit(s).

Sometimes, especially when outside of Ghana, it is difficult to believe that I acctually do live here. It is hard to explain how life in Ghana is like, it is hard to remember what the heat feels like, what it means to be a foreigner here, how much one can miss foods and items just because they are not available. How wonderful it is to greet your wide-smiling neighbor.

I got a tip today about a documentary film, The Bronx Princess, about a girl in the US who goes to see her father The Chief in Ghana over the summer after graduation. The trailers available (I posted both above) look really promising, I wish I could see it (lucky people in Sweden can see the whole documentary here).

Without even knowing what the documentary is like, I am guessing it will be hard for the Bronx Princess to choose where to live when her summer comes to an end and how to explain her time in Ghana to people who havent been here yet.

ps. I love the music sung by Akua Taylor in the trailers. Ghana's next international star?

I'm Back!

Here's some photograpic evidence of that I am now back in Ghana.

Pic taken yesterday on our terrace, wildly growing garden in back. Husband had prepared a good fish stew with boiled plantain. I had put on my beautiful print dress and pulled out a plastic chair.

So, yeah, I'm back in Ghana and I'm back on the blog.

Water Problems in Ghana

Sitting here in efficient Sweden and reading about the things that grinds on my blogger friends' nerves, like water shortages. How can a country like Ghana, with so much water fail to provide its citizens with this important service?

When my husband and I moved into our first home in Ghana's harbor city Tema, one of the first things we bought were buckets to store water in for the days when the tap doesn't flow. Later I have come to understand that that is most days for those who live in Accra. How the capital can be worse equipped than other cities is another question for the leaders of the green country I now call home.

As it is now, entrepreneurs charge poor people large shares of their daily earnings for small bucket fulls of water. It should be the Government's highest priority to solve this problem, to make sure clean and safe water is provided to all.

Accra's serious water problems have been reported again and again, but nothing seems to change. Abena writes that there has been no water for a week. I don't want to think about what can happen when the distribution fails for more than a week...

In the pic, an empty swimming pool.

Best Time to Visit Ghana

Sorry for my absence, I am traveling and have not forgotten about my blog, just been too busy to post. Plus, I am having technical problems with photos that I hope to solve very soon. I want to share my pics with you!

Anyways, while traveling in Sweden I am spreading the word about Ghana. I think I have talked four friends into coming to visit, and maybe sown a seed in a few more minds...

Swedish people want to know what it is like in Ghana (hot and different), what the food is like (spicy and yummy) and when the best time is to visit (any time, our seasons are not that pronounced).

Two more weeks here and I am enjoying being able to take long walks in the crisp climate, talk about Swedish stuff with my lovely Swedish friends and visiting my big family. And of course volunteering for the Ghanaian tourism board.

Ghanaian Comedian in Sweden

Kodjo Akolor is a rising star in Sweden, this year on radio and as a presenter in a popular TV-program. Performing in Swedish and "African English", I really enjoyed his politically themed stand-up you can view above, making fun of African elections, Nelson Mandela(!) and Swedish problems that needs to experience Africa

"I have a job, money, food and an apartment...and it is so extremely difficult"!

Remember where you heard about him first!

Ghana High Quality Film Production!

I am truly looking forward to see the film The Perfect Picture, premiering on Friday here in Accra. Correction: Premiers 3rd of April 2009.

The movie features the famous Ghanaian comedian KSM and some other faces also look vaguely familiar.

From the trailer, which you can see here, it looks like a high quality movie (!) recorded here in Ghana by Sparrow Productions (also the organizers of Miss Ghana). And it will apparantly be showing henceforth (correction: 17th of April 2009) in the new Silverbird cinema in the Accra mall (which I wrote about here).

I am surprised and happy, since I thought the film industry in Ghana had permanently settled for Nollywood-quality and distribution, which even though it can be interesting lacks the "fantasy element" of good, expensively-produced cinema. Also, the Nollywood movies - though enourmously popular - tend to paint a stereotyped picture of Africa, in my opinion. A film like this can paint that other picture of Africa that I am interested in. What do you think?

Just like for the play "Romantic Nonsense" I saw recently by Nii Commey, the topic of the film is the love lives of the "getting-married-generation" people about to turn 30, having to make some important desicions and getting to know the difficulties of first year married life.

Chale, I don't know why, but that seems interesting to me!

Pic from the official website from the movie.

Independence Day: A view out of Ghana

Mango for yellow, canteloupe for green, papaya for red. A star fruit for the star. Happy 52nd birthday Ghana!

This is a communal post for ghanablogging.com

Ghana Map Online

The disappointment of Google Maps (top pic) and others to cover the Afrian continent has been unaddressed for some time, but now there is Africa on Map (second pic). I have played around with it and it seems to have mapped Accra quite well, there is the possibility of getting (not fully accurate) directions and opportunity to list real estate.

Interesting indeed. Since information, about basically everything is scarce here, I belive good online maps could be of good use. Currently, directions are given in the style of "adjacent to..." or "opposite of..." using land marks rather than road names which makes the threshold of understanding directions quite high. For starters being able to easily print/email maps of locations would make it much, much easier to drive around town and find clubs, stores and friends' houses!


In the maps above I have asked for Kotoka Airport in Accra.

Book of the Month: Reading the Ceiling

I came across an interesting-looking book in the Silverbird Bookstore in the Accra mall last week and now that I have finished it, I can wholeheartedly recommend it.

The book "Reading the Celiling" is written by the Gambian author Dayo Foster. It is Foster's first novel, and it is an excellent first attempt, producing a lovely main character in reasoning young woman Ayodele and other believable characters like her strict mother, warm Auntie K, annoying Moira, desirable Yuan and kind priest Foday Sillah.

Her description of everyday life in West Africa is also spot on with descriptions of beach outings complete with ice-chests and bbq, a daunty rented two-room house, an altruistic choice of career in Mali and the profitable Mercedes business in the Gambia.

But it is not an "African novel" per se, it is a successful literary examination of choices we ahvein life which made me revisit some of the choices I have made thinking about their possible alternatives.

I enjoy books which take you to another world in which you look around and find the familiar faces and locations as described in the book. Crafting that kind of "real" world in a novel is likely very difficult since just a choice of a few words, saying too much or too little can distort the picture in my head.

The first few pages about Ayodele's choice that will come to determine her life can be read here, in a website constructed for the book. The site also has more information about the young author and some extras for us who have read her book already. I say, join the club!

Vagina Monologues in Ghana

Just like Nana Darkoa, I went to see the Ghanaian producation of Eve Ensler's play the Vagina Monologues yesterday. It is playing thios week at the Efua Sutherland Theathre at the campus of University of Ghana in the outskirts of Accra.

The famous play is basically iintroducing us to the vagina, beacuse what do we know about it? Many women have not seen their own vagina, much less appriciated it! It being played in Ghana is no coincidence. It is being played all over the world as bringing awareness to violence against women and the V-day movement.

It was a really good performance, we all had most fun when the V-word was said on stage in Twi, Ga, Ewe, Nzema...and I can reccomend it to everybody, especially women of all ages.

It runs Saturday 28 and Sunday 29, both days at 7.30 PM. The theatre is just close to the main entrance of the uni.

I liked it so much I am planning to go back on Sunday, and then I am taking my husband because I think he should see it too!

I'll upload pics on Monday!

Investment Opportunities in Africa

As the financial markets of the world crumble, investment opportunities in Africa are still highly profitable. In the TED talk posted above, Nigerias former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala suggests there is "a new wave on the continent" in terms of democracy, transparancy and opportunity. Sectors like energy, telecom, housing and retail are in their infancy, meaning they need investment and suitable policy, but are very likely to grow substancially.

One part of it is the new middle-class of educated Africans and their demand for goods. Some of them have lived abroad and aquired new tastes there, all of them are making money that give them room to spend. However, they need things to buy.

I have myself a few things on a list of things that I would like to purchase, but haven't seen anywhere (a bar-height table, a comfortable and affordable sofa, silver earrings) and information about where to find stuff is part of many conversations I have with others here.

With the financial crisis in the North, it is likely the so called development assistance is coming to an end. However, just as Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says in the video clip, growth in Africa is probably more dependent on solid investments leading to more jobs thus sustainable growth, than it ever was on aid.

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.