Labone, 1989 “Do you want to go to Prince’s house?” My breath caught in my throat on that crisp, rainy season day. I felt my eyes involuntarily fly open and morph into a pair brown half-dollars. “Oh yes! Please! Can we go now?” “Yes. Ask your Mummy of we can go for a walk, […]
It’s finally come. August 29th, 2013. The day many Ghanaians have waited for to come and pass. At long last, the Supreme Court of Ghana is going to deliver its verdict on the 2012 presidential election results – a verdict that is expected to mean absolutely nothing, according to pundits like Murtala Mohammed – because […]
“Honey, what’s for dinner tonight?” “I didn’t know if you wanted tilapia for beef, so I told Constance to prepare both.” “You’re so attentive. I’m lucky I married you. Hey! Did you hear about what happened at the Osu Children’s Home?” “You mean that Anas report? Yes! It was shocking!” “We should try to do […]
Last week, Ghana celebrated its 56th year of independent rule from Britain. Reactions on social media were varied, but there was one dominant theme: disappointment. The usual hand wringing over the lack of basic utilities (like a dependable supply of water and electricity) and public amenities (like roads and safe, affordable transportation) were at the […]
The Obolobo Show: A (fictional) reality show focused on women of a certain size who have to navigate life in Ghana while simultaneously being called all manner of pejoratives and being offered useless advice, remedies and commentary on their ‘obolonity’. I have found myself as unwilling cast member of this show. I was feeling really […]
My BFFFL, Nana Darkoa has asked me to participate in The Next Big Thing. As for this woman di333, she likes these things too much. The exercise has all the qualities of an online version of pilolo (in my humble opinion), but it’s really an opportunity for writers in the blogsphere to tell readers what […]
As I said before, I have made the conscious decision to only see the good side of Ghana, as much as I can. I suddenly have the urge to take a break from detailing the beach chronicles to express a range of emotions that have gripped my belly this morning, chief of those being one: […]
Folly. What kind of foolish name is that to give your resort? Msteeewwww… Our time at Axim Beach Hotel (ABH) soon came to an end. Three nights had passed before we knew it. We had an amazing sendoff the night before. Nana’s birthday was a blast. I did some fire bending by the bonfire and […]
I have a problem with the way some of our municipalities are named in Ghana. They are a constant reminder of the oppressive colonial regime that Ghana found itself under for centuries, and in some sadistic way still takes pride in. The most offensive of these is McCarthy Hill, which is a west of the […]
After we left Fort St Anthony, we asked around town for directions to Nzulezo and Prince’s Town. It turns out they were in opposite directions. The care taker of the Fort suggested we go to Nzulezo instead. It would be much closer, he said. Mariel decided that he was wrong. The guide book AND the […]
Our first night at dinner was decidedly delectable. Nana had arranged for all our meals to be a buffet with items of our choosing. I can’t remember what I ate, but it was good. Nana casually mentioned that Jonas had left careful instructions with the staff about our meals and our care, after she had […]
The signs for Axim Beach Hotel pointed us in the direction of a bumpy dirt road which Nana navigated with skill. Out of nowhere, a pair of columns fashioned in the architectural style peculiar to the North greeted us. I was impressed, but Nana was disappointed in the new structure, which was in the process […]
I suppose I should start from the beginning of the trip so that you don’t get the impression that Ghana is all dead bodies in the road and deceit at the airport. I’m in the country to celebrate my BFFFL’s birthday. We both turn 35 this year. She has organized a lovely 3 day weekend […]
I woke up early on Friday morning before the sun came up. It was January 4th. My husband was still fast asleep when I finally slung my handbag over my shoulder. “When will you come back?” he asked groggily. “Maybe around four o’clock on Saturday evening,” I replied. “Certainly before dinner, so that I can […]
Imagine you have a cotton ball in your hand. Now take the cotton ball and divide it into 8 equal parts. Do you have an image in your mind? Good. Keep it. We’re going to revisit it later. Before we deplaned, the angry male flight attendant sprayed the hull with insecticide per WHO regulations. It […]