Sensational Edem to Go'getem

I enjoy being a critic, i.e. to observe and study situations to offer differing or lacking perspectives to appear more intelligent than the initiator(s) but I have decided to do something different today – to take time off to sing the praise song of one of the sensational and versatile acts of our time, the VRMG’s Edem, before the eulogies starts trickling in.

Swagnificent Edem in a happy mood

I have micro blogged a couple of times on Twitter and on my Facebook page about the rapper who has refined his brand from Ayigbe Edem to Edem, but I am of the conviction that dedicating a full blog on the heels of the rapper’s ability to win the Best International Act at the just ended Black Canadian Awards in far away Canada would be timely and proper.

Edem beats the likes of Mafikizolo from South Africa, Davido, Yemi Alade and Oritse Femi, all of Nigeria and Eddy Kenzo from Uganda among other African artistes from other parts of the continent over the weekend to become the crowned King of the Black Community in Canada. 

Just like I predicted for other enduring Acts, Edem was promising with his official debut as soon as he stepped on the scene and caught up with everyone like a wildfire in a dry season and has lived up to the billing over the years by featuring both local and international acts.

The award winning rapper and singer whose recently launched album ‘Books and Rhymes’ features dope songs waxed with beautiful storylines, literary prose, watertight lyrics and good compositions deserves a special mention for his immense contribution to shaping the musical landscape of Ghana. This recognition for me should even be a notch higher considering the fact that as a poster child for VRMG, the rapper who raps mostly in Ewe, defied the odds and made a breakthrough when other rappers could barely string words together, let alone over beats.

Edem, who cannot be exactly touted as the torchbearer of the Ewe rap has however worked hard to pay his dues by putting Ewe rap on the map of both hip life and hip hop genre and has quickly risen to become the one to inspire all the aspiring Ewe rappers who are seeking to cement his legacy through the lingua.

Edem, in one of his performances feat. Gemini, a Dancehall Act

The VRMG Poster child who does Reggae, Hip Hop, Dancehall and Hip life is by far one of the most versatile artistes in Ghana with strong collaborative pieces that touches on all facets of life and a convincing force to reckon with as far as the music industry in Ghana is concerned. The funny Volta Regime Entertainer who won best album of the year, best directed video with ‘the one’ and Afro pop song of the year 2015 under review, exudes intelligence and depth if his lyrics and compositions are anything to go by. 

To this end, Edem is incontrovertibly the forte of Ewe rap music by being the first to cross country beyond Africa and the musical ambassador representing the Volta region while still making inroads into the international scene where he’s had several nominations, some of which he eventually won. He has three studio albums to his credit namely 'Volta Regime' , 'Mass Production' and 'Books and rhymes' Edem is more than a rapper and a force that will not stop until his work is done. Kudos Edem for blazing the trail and while having solace in the fact that the ghetto will rise one day.

Writer tweets @vilejah

...Of floods, fire and brimstones.

I have not been inspired to write for your reading pleasure or torture thereof in a while because the system I speak to, seem so resilient and fortified by its unrepentant folks but I am compelled on this black day in the history of Ghana to pass a few comments.

This morning while observing my usual meditation, I was inspired from the words of the Legendary Robert Nesta Marley’s “Many more will have to suffer, many more will have to die” to pen to whom it may concern that the death toll we recorded last Wednesday night into the wee hours of Thursday as a result of the torrential downpour in our nation, Ghana, may just be a precursor to what is to come. My view!

I was so livid when I managed to wake up somewhere in the countryside to the macabre images that were splashed all over, thanks to social media and I knew shit has hit the fan which made me somewhat indifferent to all the telltales that were being churned out by any social media account holder. May their souls rest in perfect peace.

I hardly know what really the cause was, but I don’t want to believe that we are an ungrateful lot who pray for the rains to come only to turn around to accurse God for the mayhem that visits with our requests. I also think what happened at Circle was avoidable but for a few greedy folks who wanted to line their pockets at the expense of the nation and rightfully so if you quantify the loss and I will outline why I feel so strongly about my conviction.

Even though our attitude as a people underlies all the factors that contribute to these bizarre happenings anytime the rain sets in, I would first attribute it to leadership crisis. Our leaders have woefully failed us by by-standing while the laws, regulations and by-laws lie fallow on their dusty shelves. They hardly enforce the law because the buck stops nowhere. No one to ascertain that the right things are done and rarely are people held accountable; our bane.

The second factor is over-monetization of the system, such that, we have thrown our values to the dogs. By all means, do anything to make money even if it’s despicable and inhumane because it is the only way to be glorified in our society. If you are very observant, you would realize that Fuel filling stations have sprung and are springing in every nook and cranny in our settlements and even in the big cities which is not the way to go. I am of the view that we need more fuel to power the nation but I beg to differ on the proliferation of fuel stations even though I stand to be corrected. 

Growing up in my area, Chantan, near New Achimota, I had one bitter experience which makes me bemoan the powers that be. The only football park where all the community members come together to recreate was sold to ONE PERSON TO MAKE MONEY. He turned the place into a filling station, which eventually allowed the devil to set in to find jobs for those who found themselves idle. Today, some of them are languishing in jail for peddling in one drug usage or the other, petty thievery and what have you.

Thirdly, the Permit issuing authorities should bow down their heads in shame for selling every small opening in our areas of settlements to be transformed into gas and petrol filling stations which are highly inflammable. How many times are these setups going to explode too destroy lives and properties before we take drastic measures that these setups cannot be situated at places where people inhabit? Sadly, the truth is the community members cannot be careful at all times so it behooves the authorities to sit up and do something good that will outlast them for once. The laws should be enforced somehow because we do not want to wake up to these gruesome happenings. They are daunting on our national psyche and scary to say the least.

I have seen many buildings marked ‘STOP WORK, PRODUCE PERMIT BY AMA’ that have seen the light of day after a few visits to the office. What changed to warrant the approval of such buildings to be built?

Fourthly, our civic institutions must sit up to educate the people as mandated by the very powers that established them. They should educate the people that demolishing structures that are situated on waterways or on roads does not mean that they cannot live in Accra if that is what they want by all means necessary. It only means, they should relocate for the greater good of all. It only means that we are gate-keeping for the generations to come. It only means that we are poised on doing what is right. It only means that we want to commit to something greater than ourselves.

Fifthly, the government must pass a law to ban fuel filling stations to desist from allowing people to park their cars at their premises. That way, when mayhem visits against all odds, only a few casualties will be recorded which we can contain as a nation. Just as people are admonished to have a verandahs before acquiring monkeys, people buying cars should consider where to park them to avoid being adjoining explosives when fire and flood decides to inflame.

Sadly, I have been tossing the sixth point in my mind for a long time without an answer even before this tragedy erupted and I guess it’s time to be radical in our approach. To use the bottom-up approach, I would like to know what is the use of Assembly men and women in our society? When I was growing up, I recall Assembly heads organizing communal labor which brings together every member in the community every one Saturday in a month where gutters were desilted, streets and corners were swept and kept squeaky clean, so what happened? 

Truth of the matter is, Ghana has most of her priorities misplaced; in that, we have to wait for a massive sum of 200 people to die and many more displaced and livelihoods shelved, for those who lost breadwinners through the raging inferno to expend Gh¢60million, and as though that is not enough, to declare three days of productivity to mourning their departed souls. And then what?

How much more are we going to dole out to the dead should a disaster of such magnitude happen again and how many more days is the state going to declare when we could prevent all these self-afflicted catastrophes that are far-fetched from natural disasters?

It is even unfortunate when these so-called experts are arrayed on our TVs and radios to tell us what could have been done. Where were they when these politically incorrect structures were being erected all over the place and the least said about the print and the electronic media who are supposed to hold fort for the ordinary man, the better. The rhetoric is helping no one, somebody should crack the whip and rein us into line since a little force and brute can get things right. 

Writer tweets @vilejah

Fallible gods

Thanks for life, the wishful thoughts, the hour glass and so on…

Yeah! So many things to be thankful for, but can we?
Do we?
Not when we are only spurred on by the lesions

 

Admittedly, the last time was not the last time
I have come to admit that I am human and fallible
I have fallen and not able
Disabled

 

You constrict and leave me frail with fracture
A total knockoff that always misrepresents my posture
My dented frame, shaking frailly in its structure
So unwilling to go on but for the big picture

 

To unshackle myself from the haunted past
I dare concentrate on the lessons and blessings
And be thankful for the gunpowder in my hourglass
For the sun sets even in Paradise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The writer tweets @vilejah

Nigeria's Elections and Matters Arising

It’s the aftermath of Nigeria’s successful elections even though the real or imagined turmoil is yet to settle and these happenstances seem to have a daunting impression on the body politic of Ghana.  Aside economic relations that have binded the two countries together and fact that they are all west African countries, I am not able to draw any line between the unsubstantiated inferences that are flying about.

According to some observers and social commentators who mostly align with the main opposition party; the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the final results of Ghana’s General election which comes off in 2016 is just the true and exact reflection of what happened in far away Nigeria. The erroneous and oversimplified assertion which leaves no margin of error only makes one want to ask if these people are really serious about governing our ailing state that needs timely redemption.

Admittedly, Ghana is not doing well and requires a formidable opposition that can flaw the modus operandi of the ruling government and offering better alternatives thereof. An opposition that will put forward, realistic issues that will bring everybody to the table and a better campaign message that will translate into a beacon of hope to the hopeless and finally a can-do person we can all rally around to move us out of the quagmire we find ourselves in, but if people go about touting some bogus analysis that won’t fly, then I am tempted to think that the opposition is not ready to take over the reins of governance from our dead goat of a President.

For crying out loud, how can folks even come out with analysis such as, Buhari won the presidency at 72 and so is Nana Akufo Addo by next year at 72 and while Jonathan is already 58, Mahama is yet to hit 58 by next year? While they are both known to take over the reins of power from their bosses after their demise in office, the PDP and NDC of Ghana are symptomatic of the umbrella as their emblems, so by inference, APC, a Socialist party is NPP and Nana Addo, the same as Muhammadu Buhari. Additionally their respective opponents, Jonathan and Mahama have both been alleged to preside over massive corruption, mismanagement of the economy and bad governance which makes the plot Grande.

I shudder at these porous analysis because it looks like that is where the coincidence starts and ends and Nigeria’s elections outcome has got nothing on Ghana’s Presidential elections come next year. These people who think Buhari’s win is a precursor to Nana Addo’s win simply because of a handful coincidences have also forgotten that the political terrain in Nigeria and it’s demographics is far different from that of Ghana and whereas Jonathan woefully failed to contain the actions of the insurgents, Boko Haram, John Mahama has nothing to contend with except the chronic dumsor which has always bedeviled Ghana anyway.

Conversely, these impoverished thoughts have blinded the commentators to forget that the 72year old Buhari is more astute and agile than the 71year old Nana Addo and cannot really be compared to, in terms of health and zest to do the work at the Presidency. It is also noteworthy that Buhari has been a Major General in the army before and comes on as a hopeful candidate to restore peace and to quell down the rampant death, arsons and insecurity as a result of the insurgence of its people. They have also forgotten that as someone who comes from the North, he succeeded in garnering support from the Muslims who almost outnumbers other religious sects combined. And if Buhari has once been a Prime Minister through a Coup d’état, how realistic are these comparisons by comparing Nana Addo to him as though he has also executed a coup before? 

In the same vein, they have forgotten that the sterling performance of the Ex-Army General and

someone who has once being a President speaks for itself while Nana Addo is still contending his Lawyer Status or yet to convince all and sundry that he was called to the Bar? They have also forgotten that unlike Buhari, who is a Muslim, the two main contenders on our terrain are both Christians and are bound to split votes on that score. What more? Buhari has not side stepped the constitution to impose women on their constituents at the expense of their male counterparts or has not issued a caveat to the Ibos not to contest elections in the Yoruba dominated areas, thus denying aspirants and other sympathizers, their constitutional rights to enjoin in anything.

Why has age even become an issue in our political discourse if the constitution has not placed a limitation on it? Are we bereft of ideas and issues that will see us progress? And if there is anything to go by, barring other things, shouldn’t old age be synonymous to wisdom? Methinks it is time we as a people drop this age factor in our body politic to rather focus on abilities and capabilities?

We are already disappointed by the government of the day for not providing the basic necessities that will ensure better socio-economic lifestyles of its citizens but it gets a lot more painful when the opposition to check them comes on with this voodoo analysis and knee jerk reaction that does not stand the test of time. It is even more painful when all they seem to do is to be shifting goalposts and dancing in circles which will otherwise make most of the people who are bedfellows with the NDC  not hesitate to sleep in with the incumbent which will eventually give a closure to Nana Addo’s political career. 

In other words, we have gone past these armchair kinds of Politics, so the Politics in a bid to coming clean and taking the people serious should refrain from all these gimmicks and compose verifiable messages that Ghanaians can identify with, because the comparisons and differences in the two candidates who seems worlds apart can go on unend. And while these similarities are being bandied around, have we also thought about the aspirations of Ghanaians which may not necessarily be like that of the Nigerians?

Going forward, can we agree to play with the thorns on the roses and tell ourselves that the child’s play is enough?

writer tweets @vilejah  

Life...

Life...

where you are giving;
or being given
just to make things even

strife...

times you hit the road and everything's steep
make a detour home to bed but can't sleep
tick-tock and nothing is worth the keep

Rife...

Tills all day only to find empty, your fills
chagrined and livid 'cos you can't pay the bills
then you stride away from it all hoping for auto-fills;
 
providence!

The writer tweets @vilejah

The Rising sphinx

With his itchy and picky fingers to touch the right spots, wandering eyes to illuminate every pore of the hairy brown and spotless skin and lecherous mind to ravish the poor and excited dame who lay on his high density mattress waiting to be devoured, the world can go take a hike in the Himalayas, a certain Asiedu can wear a corset and the economy of Ghana can crumble into shambles and he doesn’t care.

It was their first time and they have both looked forward to a time like this.  A beginning of a time that will transcend time itself; and a lingering memory thereof. Time, so right like the Republicans, mood on point like a nipple and psyche, so hyped and sustained to last as many bouts as they are willing to go. 

If there was anything called love at first sight, theirs would be one of the prototypes. The aura around them, so entrusting that no word has yet been scrutinized nor subjected to an iota of doubt. Suffice it to say, there were no trust issues. Love, so strong and binding like an adhesive, erases all forms of abuse and hardships when one falls in one. All he is preoccupied with is how to make her happy – maybe, just make himself happy.

He inched closer and breathed down her neck, exuding a warmth they will later talk about when this budding hot and sizzling ménage a deux is done and over with. It was time to give this whole tease a closure. A time to please.

With a renewed desire, he traces her lobes with a couple of fingers, down her nape to the region of her turgid and filled breasts. He cups the handful mound into his sizeable hand and slowly tightens his grip until it did not make any more sense just because he could. Just because he had to, so he can be sure it was really happening. He did because he wanted to find out the boundaries of his limitations; how far he could explore on before she asks him to stop or even asks him to intensify his antics and her feelings thereof.

He props up and slips his other hand up her thighs into the silky fabric of the lady and goes straight to her triangle in-between which sends a tingling sensation through her. She further entrusts herself into his bosom for more of his magical touches. Contrary to the awkwardness she thought, she finds herself enjoying the moment, the intense desire, his touches and fact that she feels fulfilled. To hell with those who say life is not good.

For him, it is yet another moment to revise his stance on the womenfolk. Somebody is about to rate women yet again and he is cocksure of his feelings. He was sure it was love at work. He did not even want to think that it was the cloud nine factors. His ego won’t allow him to think in that vein even though the thought brought shame to his face indicating a flash of truth. The bolting rush was so negating that his surety just went limp in an instant, probably in the same manner it arose. 

He went blank and with a sudden uncontrollable contraction of his muscles, he squeezed the breasts tighter which sent a painful spasm through her. She feels her body rip apart, opens her eyes and dies emotionally from the look she saw on his face and fact that his essential limb has suddenly gone limp.

Big deal? 

Yeah! They say it casts a daunting feeling on the psyche of women – gives them an impression of undesirableness but this couldn’t be same. He loves her and she knows that. And whoever says sustaining a hard on for a lady is the only way they can feel loved anyway. He was only fighting his own devils. He was seeing things – reel of images that are so vivid as though he was reliving them. All his escapades playing on a giant screen before his eyes; in his mind, maybe.

He was even engulfed more with the realization that his feelings for her won’t endure. He knew that too well because this is how he felt towards Bomba, Annabel, Stella, Flora, Dzifa and all the other ones before her. For once, he thought his feelings for her were different and real but it was a lie; a façade. 

Would he ever love?

*raps on the door*

The rap was so loud, untimely and intruding that it made him cringe.

Is it death himself at the door?

As much as he would love to act dumb to the raps on the door, he also needed some respite, coupled with the fact that loud music was playing from the room, indicating that someone was inside, so, he quickly wore his boxer shorts which he pulled from the pile of clothes on the bed, musters courage and answers to the unending raps on the door.

“Who dat?” He asked like the boss as he fidgets with the door only to find out it was a man and a woman clutching bags in the hollow of their shoulders.

“Excuse me Sir, do you have some time to talk about Jesus Christ. We are from the Kingdom hall of the Jehovah’s Witness”

 The writer tweets @vilejah

Journey of a determined lost soul...

Broken dreams

Thwarted intentions

Rationed passions

Myopic visions

Closed Circles

Spiraled cycles

Riveting journeys

Weary Warriors

Orgasmic ascents

Hollow victories

Bleary eyes

Hazy sights

Blurred lines

Crowded Spaces

Veiled faces

Headless bodies

Blighted Stars

Dim Supernovas

Misplaced priorities

Diffused perceptions

Trickles Magicians

Pious Demons

Lost Vanguards

Sleepless nights

Disjointed limbs

Spotless Imprints

Yeah, everything is not written in font

Because most are stuck up in our thoughts

So take my eyes and dot my Is

A listening heart and crossed Tees

Verily, things are not what they seem

Very reason I shall employ my sixth sense.



Writer tweets @vilejah 

Churches in the Wild...

Thou saith that “for where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst” but can we go a tad further to scrutinize the passage by trying to conceptualize the wherever therein?

I am convinced beyond doubt that God with an Omni presence is everywhere even if the people thereof are gathered in the name of evil but does it imply that He will still be amidst two or three people who are rooted in His name in the middle of a certain Champs Sports Bar in Accra on a Friday night when the whole of Accra have decided to go there for a getaway? Wow!

And I almost thought good and evil could not dwell at one place…

I know God protects his people wherever they find themselves but just how did Churches resolve to convert Classrooms into places of worship? How did we as a Society allow these latter day sects to fest among us? And did you also know that they are the number one culprits for noise pollution in the City?

Pray do tell if it’s not a worrying sight to see a six classroom block, each occupied by a different Church, screaming on top of their voices through the low quality PA systems they use as though there are laurels at stake for the best noise pollutant? I bet you haven’t noticed that most Schools in the City and recently a budding trend in the villages have become places of worship by day and invariably a place of worship at night?

How do they even do it? Wait, I can hazard a guess. Firstly, the Pastor with a group of people will go and consult the Headmaster alone or together with the Board that they want to start worshiping in their facility to align with God’s directive of winning souls for Him to which the Headmaster being a religious person will assent to either by veto power or in consultation with other stakeholders. Next thing, ground rules are set with some money exchanging hands and a promise to keep by both parties.

Then comes a day of worship where you will see a group of believers coming to the school ahead of time, frantically pacing about, waiting for the extra classes that have run into the evening to finally come to an end for whatever they were worth for their Classrooms to be occupied. To worship. And when the bell goes for closing, you are sure to see these Church members practically shoving and parking the desks to one side of the classroom even before the kids leave. Some sweeping and picking up litters, others decorating the Teacher’s table with fine lace and a flowered vase and a collection box placed between the Clergy and the Congregation to continually remind everyone of how good it is to give…

What in God’s name will make about 15 or 20 people decide to establish a church as though it’s a venture? What are they teaching that is not been taught at bigger Churches; mostly from where they break off? Just visualize a Classroom and tell me how many Church members can actually squeeze in if not just a handful of Congregants? 

Methinks Church premises should exude an atmosphere of serenity, quietude and that saintly presence that draws you in and brings chagrin to the fore especially for a reckless sinner like me - that is why this sudden transformation of a classroom into a holy place within a twinkle of an eye does not cut it for me. Blame my conservatism, but I also do not believe we need too many Churches. We need some decorum in the house of the Lord because it looks like these zealots are becoming more Catholic than the Pope. 

As much as there is freedom of Association where people are entitled to their respective choices, I think society still owes it a duty to save some of these wandering souls just the way the government has taken it upon itself to save and protect smokers from the throes of wee(d) which hitherto used to be one of their right and delight.

And Just a quick question. Will there be a conflict of interest should a teacher decides to organize an extra classes for the pupils on a Sunday morning which also happens to be the Church’s Harvest?

Writer tweets @vilejah