Latest Essays

Mr. Tei loved to whip children. At least, that was the reputation he had earned on the primary school block when I arrived in 1986. Only ‘Brah’ Sammy came in at a close second with a love for attaching cane to tender Class 3 flesh. It was rumored that both men would arrive on school […]

When you are preparing to bring a child into this world for the first time, there is no shortage of advice doled out to new parents. “Don’t hold the baby too much, or she’ll get spoiled!”“Baby won’t sleep? Let her cry it out through the night. Crying never killed no baby.”“Put the baby on her […]

Aya, my sweet and surly second born, turned 16 this month. It’s difficult to believe considering that I just enrolled her in pre-school a few days ago. Nevertheless that’s what the calendar says: My baby is officially in the first phases of young adulthood. Her first decision as a young adult, you ask? “I want […]

Ping!!I glanced down at my phone and saw a new message alert. It was my brother! I was beyond excited. Last night I was already floating on a high from the success of our family photo shoot and NOW the ancestors had blessed me with the gift of contact with my brother whom I hadn’t […]

A man places his phone on selfie mode and begins to record. The lens is angled from the floor up, so that we are able to see his feet advancing towards a child cowering in the corner. Both come into view. The man is hunched over, his face contorted in fury. Without warning, he picks […]

The good people at Ottar Magazine invited me to write an article about desire earlier this year. This article appears in Swedish, but if you’re not up on your Nordic languages, I’ve got the English version for you here. @bougiefeminist, this post is just for you! Lust is a powerful psychological force as old as […]

I set my beverage down with a gentle thud and smiled generously, grateful to be surrounded by the laughter and reverie of friends I hadn’t seen in years…some in over 20. Kwae Terrace, a swanky rooftop spot in Accra, offered all of the elements required for a memorable mini class reunion: Tropical drinks infused with […]

Perspective: A few weeks ago, I took my family for a weekend getaway cabin stay in a coastal community called Brenton-On-Sea. The tiny enclave drips with opulence, generally, but not in such a way that is gaudy or ostentatious. It whispers old, confident money. New money screeches and yelps to make itself heard by any […]

Instagram is owned by Facebook, so it’s impossible to say with certainty what algorithm the company used to determine just why a 44 year old African woman living in South Africa might be interested in watching someone scrub filth from woven wool and scrape it into a hidden gutter off screen. Whatever the rationale, it […]

My Boy turns 13 this Spring and just as he did during the toddler phase, he is hitting every single benchmark and milestone by the book. He’s moody, ill-tempered, keeps a filthy bedroom and only takes instructions from his father. I have been content to leave parenting of The Boy to my husband; because quite […]

They say fashion and trends recycle themselves every 20 years, so I suppose it should come as no surprise that the Mommy Wars – a dark and desolate time during the early days of social media – have reared its ugly head.  In the early 2000s when platforms like Facebook and Blogger were at their […]

I have recently discovered South African craft gin and it has quickly become my go-to drink.  As an African, Christian and granddaughter of whom I have been told were two raging alcoholics, I wouldn’t say I have a “difficult” relationship with spirits and brew, but I would admit that it’s complicated.  First, I don’t believe […]

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is […]

This story continues from Part 1 “I am Captain McGinty. I will be responsible for your arrival to your various checkpoints within the Federation of Industrialized Nations – should you survive the journey. These two men are my associates: Mr. Wong and Mr. Jenkins. They and their team will oversee your comfort.” Captain McGinty, a […]

My mother was a founding member of AAAG (the African-American Association of Ghana) in the late 80s/early 90s. They were the group responsible for bringing and hosting several African-American celebrities and influencers -before the term was coined- in Accra. Many of the members were entrepreneurs, thinkers and leaders in their own right, and as such […]

You’ve heard of the Law of Attraction, right? It’s the idea that both we and our thoughts are made of pure energy and that like energies will attract each other. So if you’re ill, for instance, you can attract healing energies to your body if you focus your intention on wellness. Or if you desire […]

2021 was an incredible year.  Now, I am willing to concede that any block of time sparkles – blindingly – in comparison to the hellscape that was 2020, however in real and quantifiable terms I can confidently say that this year was one of the most amazing of my life.  Let’s acknowledge the givens: There […]

The rules of Thunderdome are easy: Two men enter, one man leaves.  This is what it’s felt like living with my son for the past 18 months – like I’m locked in a cage fight with an adversary bent on bending me to his will or causing my destruction if I refuse to break. All […]

Ahhhh, the Yuletide. Do you know why they call this the “most wonderful time of the year”? Okay, truth be told there isn’t one specific reason, but for folk like me the Chritsmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa portion of the year brings so much joy for one simple reason: It’s changeless, stable and in many cases solid in its […]

This morning I got a call from my son’s homeroom teacher. She told me she had a bit of bad news to share. My thoughts immediately went to the worst possible scenario. Was my son dead??? And how did it happen?!? Why else would she be calling me at 8:20am, when I had just dropped […]

I am not the most meticulous person, but I do believe in the power and efficiency of lists. Most mornings I create a to-so list for the day and relish the rush of crossing off action items throughout the day. Extra thrill points if I’m able to accomplish these items on their designated hour. Two […]