Education. Education, education, education! Every African who has been fortunate to attend school at any level knows the burden of this single word. Our parents would wantonly hurl it at us like a gauntlet in the face of any infraction, whether real or perceived. “Heh? You won’t go and sit down and learn your books […]
Whew! MOM Squad. This is the question that has been burning on my mind all weekend. I must unburden myself. In the process, I’m going to do my best not to disclose anything that might give this couple away in case they are watching this space, but let’s get into it! I got a call […]
“Before you think of adopting someone else’s child, you need to think of giving birth to your own!” – My father, 1990-something. There’s something in an African father who cannot abide the thought of his daughter raising another man’s child, I swear. Adoption. It’s a need and a passion that has lived inside of me […]
Living in the digital age is exciting, isn’t it? I imagine our predecessors in the Stone Age felt the same sense of euphoria after they discovered the many uses of fire that we now feel whenever some new technology emerges that makes our lives easier, better and more fun. “Oooh! Hey guys! Look what I […]
“Hey!!! I need help changing my clothes!!!!” Serena had taken to calling Annabelle “Hey” recently. It grated on Annabelle’s nerves to no end. What 39 year old woman responds to “hey”, particularly when the address is elicited from the mouth of a 3 year old brat? Annabelle and Anitha both glanced up at the stairs. […]
Criticism, critique, opinion, junk that folks have to say…this is the world we live in today. My friend Kwesi (his real name) says that because of technology, everyone and ANYone can publish, even if it’s not necessary that they do. News travels in nanoseconds in this century, and opinion goes even further. Opinion and its […]
Of all the things I could have forgotten to blog about, this is certainly the worst. How could I neglect to tell the MOM Squad, Random Readers and beloved Trolls that the blog is up for an award? That’s right! Mind of Malaka is a finalist at the Ghana Blogging Awards. All of my non-Ghanaian […]
There is a new web series online called ‘An African City’, and if you have any device imbued with magical internet powers and any connection to Ghana in any way, chances are you’ve heard of it. Created by Nicole Amarteifio (whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting once at a bazaar), the show styles itself […]
There are few things Marshall and I enjoy more than watching our little ones turn off the TV, unplug from the computer, putting down their hand held gaming devices, and picking up some dolls (or “real life action figures” in the boy’s case) in order to let their imaginations roam free. Under the right conditions […]
Note: My brother chose the title. Direct your ire at him. Let’s begin. This is so messed up. I’ve had my fingers on the keyboard for the last 20 minutes. I hardly know where to begin? Do I begin in 1959 when my uncle was born and tell you all about why he was named […]
A more fair title would have been ‘SOME Black Men Want to be Treated Like Pets’, but the little quantifier – some – wouldn’t’ve made you click as quickly on this link as you did, would it? Welcome to my little web. Muahahahahaaaa….!!!! I shan’t keep you long at all. This is a hard core, […]
This Sunday was unseasonably pleasant; or maybe it was seasonably pleasant. You never can tell what season we’re supposed to be in in Georgia outside of the summer months. This Sunday it was spring. On Thursday we’re going back to winter. The sunshine had put my kids in a particularly good mood, which was fortunate […]
Okay. To be fair, she didn’t really cry… but she did choke up a bit! I wonder if these celebrities know how much we mere mortals suffer for them. Examine yourself. You know what lengths you’ve gone to for a celebrity, whether it’s been making a choice between whether to eat or buy their latest […]
Ghana is 57 today. Wow. The gravity of that statement really just struck me. Fifty-seven years old as a sovereign nation… [youtube=http://youtu.be/lTTdi8AjZg8] I wonder if Kwame Nkrumah, Ebo Taylor and my sainted grandmother imagined on that glorious Independence Eve that Ghana would look as she does today fifty-seven years on. Most likely not. I shall […]
By all means, you’ve heard of Rachel Canning. You may not know her name, but you certainly know her story. She is the 18 year old high school student from New Jersey who is suing her parents for failing/refusing to pay her college tuition and weekly child support. The details come right out of a […]
Rsas
It’s a joke in the Black community: giving your child a “resume acceptable” name at birth. Failure to do so will almost ensure that he or she will end up in prison, or worse, reduced to a lifelong career in field during which the highlights consist of inquiring if a patron “wants fries with that?” […]
Are you all fired up? Good. Then we can begin. A story that is quickly eclipsing all others in Ghanaian news this week centers around three girls, a few bagful’s of panties, and human rights abuse in Ghana. The “facts” have been hard to decipher, since everyone with a smart device or PC has managed […]
Saints and the Most High: We need fewer churches in Ghana. Considering Jesus never once preached in a church (churches differ from synagogues, right?), I don’t think this is a very controversial statement. Jesus preached on mountains, by rivers, in the city square…if you – Mr. Pastor – really want to get the gospel out […]
I don’t know how you guys do it – you single parents out there. I’m not just referring to single moms. There are plenty of fathers who have been left in the sole care of their children for the same reasons women do, albeit less frequently. Perhaps you’ve suffered the pain of losing a spouse/partner […]
I mean…in way, she’s right. *shrug*