The Holy Bible!

Often times and especially for the sake of intellect where people resort to crediting their sources of information for much more credibility, the Bible is shoved aside. My observation has however revealed that the ‘let’s agree to agree’ kind of approach is mostly practiced by some Christians who should know better.

This phenomenon for which the reverse holds true is very disturbing if the trend should grow in the direction it is headed. You’d however notice that the more elitist one becomes the farther they move away from God, thus religion, and inversely the more unaware one is about their environment, the more their inclination to their faith

Maybe, it being my first point of call and fact that it was what I was predisposed to has made my lopsided influence very Grande but given the choice, I still would like to associate myself with the Christian faith for want of an overwhelming and much more plausible way of getting by in this deceitful and flexuous journey called Life.

Why is the Bible not accepted as a point of reference in intellectual discourses? What about the Bible negates the intellectualism in the so-called discourses as though it is not deep and embodies a horde of mysteries? Is it the claim that, its Author(s) are unknown or fact that some of the passages do not add up? And if all the assumptions holds true, then what other alternatives do you suggest?

Maybe I really need some Church but I seriously think something does not add up and rightfully so, because till date, Universities are awarding degrees in Theology – the study of God, religions and religious beliefs – making it equally relevant as the other disciplines these Schools offer. The Bible still remains the bestseller ever and still the most published and widely read book in the world so why the downright disregard?

I am yet to hear someone being admonished to refrain from the use of scientific terms, theories and other dependent laws or the use of anodyne tales to drive their points home. In same vein,  Manuscripts, pamphlets, unpublished books and scripts written by Professors, Seasoned Writers and Orators readily serves as a source of reference and inference only if one can provide the source and it’s alright but quoting from the Bible, the Quran or whatever one believes in earns the fellow a religious tag.

Personally, I do not care if the Bible connotes the largest organized religious group in the world and has unfounded stories by unknown Authors which makes it mysterious anyway, all I know is, it rates above all printed matters by the number of people who uphold and live by its tenets. After all, majority carries the vote, so why the fuss?

Its commonplace to hear some Christians denounce publicly that they are not religious but spiritual which sharply reminds the reader of how badly the clergy has failed the Church.  They have lost the essence of their call and are now chasing Politicians. They are busily prodding Christian singles to mingle at the detriment of the whole flock and their call. How can one be spiritual if they are not religious? I mean how?

Spirituality can only be attained through religion whether one is aware or otherwise. If there is any accepted way through which you acknowledge and revere God or the lack of it thereof, then that is your religion. Religion is simply anything one devotes his or her time to; be it God, a god, sex, football and other interests.

What makes it fashionable and acceptable to quote the works of Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud or John Watson and even modern day Steve Jobs, Floyd Mayweather but can’t quote from the Apostle Paul or John the Baptist if what one is pontificating is relevant in a discourse? 

This may be probably because we do not believe they even existed let alone take their allusions with a pinch of salt and fact that we do not want to be rendered fools by the Empiricists from the side of the other, which also explains why we shelve our Bibles throughout the week only to dust and make them handy on Sunday. Yes! Because the Pastor will possibly and routinely read another story therein.

I personally believe that it’s a fallacious life for anyone who thinks the Bible is just a collection of stories, allegories, histories, eulogies, autobiographies and at most some a textbook to be used at the Church on Sundays without an iota of belief. You are either for the Bible or not, but the lackadaisical life of not holding fast onto its tenets only makes anyone a joke, indecisive and a chorus singer. 

There is something out there, so don’t get it twisted!

 

The Writer tweets @vilejah

Hogbetsotsoza for the Niners!

Hogbetsotso which literally means 'the Hogbe exodus' is the festival celebrated by the people of the Volta region in Ghana to commemorate the scheming and escape of its people from the tyrannical rule of the infamous King Agorkoli in Notsie, Togo is here again. 

The Exodus festival also known as Hogbetsotsoza is a great time for the people because it marks a significant time in their history, serves as a time for settling disputes, getting to know each other and bringing to the fore, developmental projects. 

For the people of Anlo, all roads leads to the Anlo chief city, Anloga near Keta, where most of the activities marking the Hogbetsotsoza is being held. The event which is already underway has seen procession from School Children adorned in their colorful Kente cloths and accessories on Wednesday and the reconciliation process which forms a very important aspect of the festival on Thursday. TGIF, the festival will be thrown into a state of frenzy with the arrival of illustrious sons and daughters of the land, jamming to performances from seasoned artistes from Ghana and beyond, followed by a colorful durbar of Chiefs and their subjects on Saturday amidst drumming and dancing and the crowning of the Miss Hogbe before the inter-denominational thanksgiving to thank God for yet another successful year of its people.

Finally, the celebration every year marks the burning desire of the Anlos to remember, celebrate and re-affirm their identity as Ewes and re-enact the historic character of the journey through explicit expression of their culture.

The Anlo state is made up of 36 states with Anloga as their Chief City. They can be located in the southern part of the Volta region in Ghana with most of the towns lying along the Gulf of Guinea. Their economic activities mostly includes fishing, farming and a well-developed Kente weaving industry and until recently retailing of already made goods.

Below are some of the pictures and video footage from Anloga

 

Little Warriors chanting and dancing to war songs

School children depicting the exodus from Notsie

  

 

School girls portraying the rich culture of the Anlos

Warriors in their regalia chanting war songs

The festival also known as festival of exodus is a great time for the people because it marks a great time in their history and also serves as a time for settling disputes and also getting to know each other. There is a general cleaning in town which starts from the estuary of the Volta Region to the Mono River in Benin.

The Anlo state is made up of 36 states with Anloga as their Chief City. The Anlos can be located in the southern part of the Volta region in Ghana with most of the towns lying along the Gulf of Guinea. Their economic activities mostly includes fishing, farming and a well-developed Kente weaving industry and until recently retailing of already made goods.

This year’s festival is the second in succession after about 13years strife among the Royal Clans after the demise of their Awoamefia Togbui Adeladza II. This situation halted developments in all the state as there was no Awoamefia to push for developmental agendas until the traditional Council and the people of the Anlo State loosened up to iron out their differences for the Paramount Chief, the Awoamefia Togbui Sri III to be installed and hence the re-enactment of the festival.

However, the month long festival which is supposed to be the 50^th celebration of the Hogbe was launched at the British Council in Accra under the kingship of Togbui Sri III, the Awoamefia of the Anlos has reached its peak as its illustrious sons and daughters from around the world are returning home to witness their culture on display. 

- See more at: http://alfredkpodo.blogspot.com/2012/10/hogbetsotso-za.html#sthash.vrs0YgFd.dpuf

colorful display of culture by these School Children

A group of drummers being pulled on truck during the Procession 

A section of the some elders with Awoamefia (inset) at the Community Shrine

A cross section of the shrine where the reconciliation was held

The Awoamefia's Spokesperson and the 2ic of the Anlo Overlord, Togbui Boni addressing the reconcilers

A Sub-Chief addressing the gathering at the Shrine

Some elders preparing the herbs that will be brewed for the reconciliation ceremony

Clad in white on your left is Nyigblanua, the Chief Priest of the Anlo Traditional Area

The festival also known as festival of exodus is a great time for the people because it marks a great time in their history and also serves as a time for settling disputes and also getting to know each other. There is a general cleaning in town which starts from the estuary of the Volta Region to the Mono River in Benin.

The Anlo state is made up of 36 states with Anloga as their Chief City. The Anlos can be located in the southern part of the Volta region in Ghana with most of the towns lying along the Gulf of Guinea. Their economic activities mostly includes fishing, farming and a well-developed Kente weaving industry and until recently retailing of already made goods.

This year’s festival is the second in succession after about 13years strife among the Royal Clans after the demise of their Awoamefia Togbui Adeladza II. This situation halted developments in all the state as there was no Awoamefia to push for developmental agendas until the traditional Council and the people of the Anlo State loosened up to iron out their differences for the Paramount Chief, the Awoamefia Togbui Sri III to be installed and hence the re-enactment of the festival.

However, the month long festival which is supposed to be the 50^th celebration of the Hogbe was launched at the British Council in Accra under the kingship of Togbui Sri III, the Awoamefia of the Anlos has reached its peak as its illustrious sons and daughters from around the world are returning home to witness their culture on display. 

- See more at: http://alfredkpodo.blogspot.com/2012/10/hogbetsotso-za.html#sthash.vrs0YgFd.dpuf

Togbui Sri III, The Awoamefia of the Anlo State clad in his ceremonial dress with a symbolic staff at the Shrine

Keep looking up for more graphical information

The blogger tweets @vilejah

The festival also known as festival of exodus is a great time for the people because it marks a great time in their history and also serves as a time for settling disputes and also getting to know each other. There is a general cleaning in town which starts from the estuary of the Volta Region to the Mono River in Benin.

The Anlo state is made up of 36 states with Anloga as their Chief City. The Anlos can be located in the southern part of the Volta region in Ghana with most of the towns lying along the Gulf of Guinea. Their economic activities mostly includes fishing, farming and a well-developed Kente weaving industry and until recently retailing of already made goods.

This year’s festival is the second in succession after about 13years strife among the Royal Clans after the demise of their Awoamefia Togbui Adeladza II. This situation halted developments in all the state as there was no Awoamefia to push for developmental agendas until the traditional Council and the people of the Anlo State loosened up to iron out their differences for the Paramount Chief, the Awoamefia Togbui Sri III to be installed and hence the re-enactment of the festival.

However, the month long festival which is supposed to be the 50^th celebration of the Hogbe was launched at the British Council in Accra under the kingship of Togbui Sri III, the Awoamefia of the Anlos has reached its peak as its illustrious sons and daughters from around the world are returning home to witness their culture on display. 

- See more at: http://alfredkpodo.blogspot.com/2012/10/hogbetsotso-za.html#sthash.vrs0YgFd.dpuf

The festival also known as festival of exodus is a great time for the people because it marks a great time in their history and also serves as a time for settling disputes and also getting to know each other. There is a general cleaning in town which starts from the estuary of the Volta Region to the Mono River in Benin.

The Anlo state is made up of 36 states with Anloga as their Chief City. The Anlos can be located in the southern part of the Volta region in Ghana with most of the towns lying along the Gulf of Guinea. Their economic activities mostly includes fishing, farming and a well-developed Kente weaving industry and until recently retailing of already made goods.

This year’s festival is the second in succession after about 13years strife among the Royal Clans after the demise of their Awoamefia Togbui Adeladza II. This situation halted developments in all the state as there was no Awoamefia to push for developmental agendas until the traditional Council and the people of the Anlo State loosened up to iron out their differences for the Paramount Chief, the Awoamefia Togbui Sri III to be installed and hence the re-enactment of the festival.

However, the month long festival which is supposed to be the 50^th celebration of the Hogbe was launched at the British Council in Accra under the kingship of Togbui Sri III, the Awoamefia of the Anlos has reached its peak as its illustrious sons and daughters from around the world are returning home to witness their culture on display. 

- See more at: http://alfredkpodo.blogspot.com/2012/10/hogbetsotso-za.html#sthash.vrs0YgFd.dpuf

To be a man should be easy!

It’s not easy to be a man is a cliché I have been made to internalize since childhood but going forward, I have come to realize that it was one of the many ways the men have employed to stay ahead of the women pack. At least it used to be true in the past but I think times have changed and it has ceased to apply.

In times past, women were housewives or helped out with family businesses and were mostly

excused because of their biological make up. Women take time off to breed babies, take time off during menstrual periods since most are characterized by sicknesses. They also take time off to take care of the house which in itself is a full time job; bathing two or more children at least twice a day, bathing and taking care of themselves to still look attractive and youthful for the men, do all the family laundry, make sure there is always food, patch every torn garment there is, make sure their men are sexually satisfied every time their libido requires to be attended to, keep the house clean and orderly and the list is endless.

In view of the foregoing it could also be argued that providence for the house exclusively became a man’s job. A man makes sure even against all odds that his family is well fed, they have a roof that wont leak which also dodouble as a chimney, a place to sleep, has to ensure that there is enough food for the household and solely responsible for their protection against any harm. The man is compelled to be the hero of the family, to take good decisions whose benefits will inure to the family’s benefit and the list again is exhaustive.

Fast forwarded to now and nothing has really changed except a subtle agitation in the women folk to really have a feel of what manhood feels like – acting and feeling like men, thus usurping most of their roles. Even though it smacks of pulling leverage, most women are now working in one form or the other to contribute in the upkeep of the house or to at least fend for themselves which used to be the preserve of the men. Most women are now educated and appreciably intelligent and are helping their husbands/men build empires.

And in spite of some limitations in their famed “what men can do, women can do better” mantra, which some of them like to brandish at every instance, it can be argued out that women work like their male counterparts and are exposed to every danger like everyone else. Their tendency to be damned by irresponsible men who are not men enough to take care of their own children and the crudeness they are exposed to when ruthless men rape them has even made them more endangered than the mythic Dinosaurs.

Aside the natural forces women have to face on every day basis, they also face discrimination in all forms. It is a known fact that women are harassed, intimidated and exploited for sex at work places and even at Churches. They are also beaten, abused, assaulted and subjected to all kinds of ordeal by men. It is also notable how the womenfolk are relegated to the back of the burner except for the new breed who would not allow these gender cards to be played in their faces – the Feminists.

Whereas, men are preferred than their female counterparts when it comes to employment, they are also faced with a glass ceiling that does not allow them to really climb the career ladder or rise to higher positions in their various endeavors - and while they are still being tagged as weak, panic-stricken, impatient in some cases, their mortality rate still stands higher than that of their male counterparts but I am yet to really hear them coin anything like being a woman is herculean or a curse.

So my question which has become the thrust of this write-up is, if women go through all of these things just to be accepted as women of good standing, why then would their male counterparts be shouting from the rooftops with Chinese megaphones reminding everybody how difficult it is to be a man? Is it to court the sympathy of the womenfolk who already have a lot on their plates?

In the face of all these oddities, methinks being a man is the easiest. I also think being a man should comparatively be easier because while at it, they don’t have to periodically bleed amidst agonizing pains in the middle of a meeting. Men also have an array of jobs to choose from that is why until now, when a woman ventures into a male dominated field, their profession is preceded by their gender such as Female Driver, Female Carpenter, Female Electrician, Female Boss et al.

Finally, I think it is time for the men to look at the positive sides of their gender and count themselves blessed by not pathetically clinging on to the cliché “to be a man is not easy” because I maintain that being a man should be easy by all means necessary at least while society is still patriarchal.

 writer tweets @vilejah

Sexing with the Christian

when is it right to have sex, especially for the married couples who are making so much or too little sex break their marriages? 

Should you give in to your spouse’s demands for sex just because the bible has decreed that the body you wield is not yours, but that of your significant other?

How can we salvage the perversion and its related pornography making rounds in the house of the Lord?

Society has undergone an acute change depending on your knowledge or lack of it. People are being encouraged to be vocal and to possibly lay bare every thought that passes through their minds all in the name of expressing one's fundamental human rights - irrespective of whether it makes sense or not. Just say it by all means...

It has even become a serious situation in our modern dispensation where women engage in more lucrative and sophisticated ventures than their male counterparts who have become emotional - a feat they have achieved above their forebears who did all the menial work and nothing much. Either these forebears did not really use their creative faculties that much or were not allowed by the men to use them or both. There could even be more contributive factors but that will be treated under a different subject matter at a different time.

Even though these changes can be grouped into the positives and negatives, they are ghastly weighing down the law and order and even the trends of old. This change irrespective of what one believes in has influenced society and by extension, our lives.

Be it a Christian, an atheist, a Buddhist and the other millions of religions that abound, human beings are endowed with varying degrees of energy and physique which directly bears on how much we can put in and even take out. For instance, when emotions blind two different people at the extreme ends of the gender parameter to come together as a man and a woman, coupled with desires to match, then your guess would be as good as mine.

 

As much as there is no gainsaying why a man and a woman would want to relate intimately, it is also imperative to note that two different people cannot always be ready for sex at the same time, which makes it difficult for couples to sustain a relationship in many cases. And it is rightfully so because the degrees of the difference in timing and its related tardiness becomes a surety that erodes the very foundation of the union. Simply, it breeds mistrust issues.

It is however interesting to know that, aside energy, desire, experiences, age, culture, expectations, availability, reciprocity and accessibility which influences how much we are willing to have sex, work issues have also waded in to confound the already labouring situation. This means, there is the probability that one of the couple is always almost tired or disinterested in sex which breeds apathy out of the constant rejection or inability to give or be ready, even when it matters most.

You would then realize that the Inability of one of them to respond "how deep?" when asked to dig, becomes the Achilles heels of the union. 

As a matter of fact, The Bible has failed to prescribe how sex should be practiced and all the other nuances regarding it, but has explicitly stated that sex is for procreation and shall remain the preserve of the married but it appears the unmarried Christians are having it too. There is even the likelihood that they are having it more than the married couples because of their zest, energy and mostly their purpose, which is the pleasure they derive from engaging in it.

For a Christian, it must be very difficult being caught between your penchants and God's directives even though they have from time immemorial proven how well versed they are in selective pragmatism - doing only what pleases them and relegating the ones they can’t do to the back. 

Why is Christendom looking on for their very foundation (future leaders) to crumble? Have they given up on the fight to ensure that every chosen one upholds the tenets of the Christian faith? Has Christendom being swallowed up by the world out there or they don’t even believe the gospel anymore? Something tells me, they are putting God to test to ascertain if he is really the true forgiving God he claims to be.

Thanks to the power of technology, sex is now commonplace like a flicker of fire in a mud hut razing down nations of which the Christendom is a minute part, so how are they going to survive this inferno when the opposite is what they are expected to do? 

Sometimes, it appears the Christian is the most ignoramus and most confused person to ever walk the face of the earth but that would be under-estimating their presence and what can become of them.

To be continued…

The Writer tweets @vilejah