Rise Again....!!

I remember once telling my nephew Ato when he was barely at the age of 3 that; “Hey Ato, when you fall, you got to rise again”. I don’t know whether he understood my message or not but he smiled.

Confucius is attributed to have said “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall”; that is true and relevant in the life of the person who wants to succeed in this life and beyond.

I have watched with missed feelings when one of the greatest and richest sports men of all times, Tiger Woods fall to his career-low of 58th in the world golf rankings only for him to take back the glory of a true sports man yesterday as the number 1 golfer in the world. A gist of his fall; he started the fall from 2010 till 2011 when he got to his lowest, and started progressively from that time to being ranked among the 10 topmost golfers, then 5 and now first in the world. Lest I forget, my Senior High School buddies; Matthew, George, Carl and KP at Mfantsipim School remember him as our patron; the name of our clique using the first letters of our nicknames spelt TIGER.

We were all disappointed in what he did and due to that he paid heavily in his relationship with his wife, career and even finances; since some of his sponsors withdrew their support for him and did not see in him a role model figure.

My generation has seen men and women go to the pinnacles of success in their chosen fields, only to plateau and tip over, falling and breaking into pieces, never able to put their broken pieces together and rising again. They fall and remain there and are forgotten by the human race!

Tiger Woods is a model for self leadership to every endeavour in everybody’s life. That we all at one point in life will fall, whether in private or for the public eyes to see, but like an uncle motivating his nephew, we got to dust ourselves put our broken pieces together and rise again. We got to accept that we have messed up and apologise to those we have betrayed their trust and believe in us, we got to forgive ourselves and relying on the greatness in us that got us to the first triumph, learn new strategies to get up and soar to victory again; because that is where we belong.

This Easter, no matter how low you have fallen to, I urge you to rise up, look up, dust yourself and start again and like Tiger Woods, you will retake your place at the echelon of glory.

I always remember what Former US President Theodore Roosevelt said which was re-echoed by Former US President Richard Nixon, both in his victory speech on November 6, 1968, and in his resignation address to the nation on August 8, 1974:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat”

The Holy Bible in Micah 7:8 says:

 “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light”.

May you never fall and remain there, may you rise and soar higher that your former glory. God always gives us a reason to rise up with great human examples. Enjoy!

Passion

I started by talking
Then I grew to be quiet
But I have grown to wanna talk again
Because that is where my true greatness lies
That is what wakes me from my dream
And takes all my productive times
That is what I will do even if am not paid
That is what I can do the entire day without getting fed up and tired
That is what puts smiles on my face
That is my calling
I am born to talk
Today, I resign from all other duties
And accept every little opportunity to talk

WHEN AM GONE

When am gone, what will God and his host of angels say about me?
When am gone, what will humanity say about me?
When am gone, what will friends and critics say about my life?
When am gone, I want to be remembered for the seed I sowed in a dying life
When am gone, I want to be remembered for the souls I brought to Christ
(The greatest gift one can give humanity)
When am gone, I want to still live on in the hearts of all that came into contact with me
When am gone, I want what I did to echo in eternity
When am gone, I want all and sundry to smile and laugh
Knowing and seeing my place in GOD’s kingdom
So today, I start all over again and chart a new course
I let go of what God has forgiven me
I let go of what others have done to me
I let go of what I have done to others
All because, when am gone I want to forever live.

Adwaman-Adultery

Inspiration from Apologist Ravi Zacharias’ message: Is Jesus the only way
After Abraham (the father of faith) had gone against God and obeyed his wife rather than God, a son came out of that relationship with Hagar by name Ishmael. Years later God’s promise was fulfilled and Sarah bore Abraham a son by name Isaac. Some will call it adultery, in my language it is called “adwaman”- which comes from two words adwa (anything that divides) and man (a nation). In other words “adwaman” literally means anything that divides a nation.
About 5000 years ago, God told Abraham to offer his only son. The Muslims believe and say it was Ishmael, the Christians believe it was Isaac. Let’s come to a compromise, let’s not make any inference and assume it was Abraham’s son without turning to the left or right. When Abraham was about to kill his son, God told him to stop and provided a sheep in the stead of Abraham’s son for the sacrifice. He promised Abraham that He will provide His own Son for the sacrifice to appease Himself. Abraham called Him Jehovah Jireh (The Lord my Provider).
True to His word, 2000 years ago, Jehovah Jireh provided His own sacrifice by offering us Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son. This time around He did not stop His Only Son from dying, but made Him who had no sin to atone and stand in the gap to take away the sin of the world.
Until we (both Christians and Muslims) accept and take Jesus as the true sacrifice of God, we will continue to offer our sons and daughters on the battle fields of this world for land, power and pride.
As we celebrate the greatest gift of God to Humanity, let us be mindful of this, that we cannot go about offering our own sacrifices for our redemption. The greatest gift we can give God and humanity this Christmas is to give ourselves and heart (Romans 12:1).
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

WHAT IN YOUR ESTIMATED VIEW AND IN YOUR OPINION IS THE WESTERN REGIONAL CHIEFS’ DEMAND FOR 10% REVENUE FROM THE OIL AND GAS.

Good morning to you all. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the organizers for inviting us for such a programme. It is always a good opportunity to brainstorm and learn and I believe it is one of the greatest value every youth should yearn for; Personal growth and development.

Mr. Chairman, Lawyer Edwira, The Western Regional Youth Coordinator, The Metro Youth Coordinator, Impartial Judges, accurate time keeper, fellow speakers, ladies and gentlemen. Is it far fetched for a region so much endowed with enormous wealth to request 10% of the total revenue generated from the oil proceeds from her exploiters; in this case the government of the Republic of Ghana?

Is it too much to solicit for 10% of the total revenue when our region has been gang raped of her priceless gifts in the past and forward going? And now with the oil and gas being sucked like vampires?

Mr. Chairman, I believe it was not presumptuous or preposterous when the custodians of the traditions, natural resources and the wealth of the region, unanimously enquired that 10% from their own resources being drained with disdain from their shores be given back to the region.

It is believed the founding father, emancipator of our dear nation, the son of this rich region and the first father of the Republic of Ghana presumed that due to the wealth and natural resources endowed with this region, it would develop by itself. Conversely, the region did not grow proportionally to the increasing wealth of its exploiters (in this case expatriates companies). The only lesson we can learn from this is that when it comes to development and growth there should be a conscientious effort from government and the leadership of the western region! Development and growth are never spontaneous, development and growth is planned, executed, verified and improved upon for continuous improvements. Western region’s development can only be spearheaded by her indigenes! It looks to me that Ghana’s independence was not felt in the Western Region; not at all!!Because we are still grappling to escape from the doldrums of abject poverty and its rippling effects.

I strongly believe that Ghana has not developed into an economic power mainly due to the neglect of the Western Region. Wealth from the region has been consolidated into the national kitty and doled out to regions whose contribution is nothing compared to the monies expended on their developmental agendas to the bane of the Western regions development. If other regions are deemed poor and therefore provided with the wealth to accelerate in its development, then I believe with no iota of doubt that the Western Region merits something better or same treatment.
In November 2010, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Finance and Energy according to the Ghana Government website recommended to Government to formulate a policy that will target the accelerated development of the Western Region. Why will the Joint committee make such a profound recommendation? This is mainly because according to the Joint Committee the Region has suffered underdevelopment over the years and it is necessary that Government takes pragmatic steps to ensure development in the area. Why can’t we have WRADA (Western Regional Accelerated Development Authority) to be manned by westerners to spearhead their own developmental agenda within the ambit of the law?

According to the above mentioned website, in the same month of 2011, the Deputy Minister for Information, Honorable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa attested to the fact that the region’s contribution to the national economy is based on the existence of key industries such as cocoa, mining, natural rubber and until recently oil and gas. The Deputy Minister observed that the area/region has not seen enough infrastructural development that befits a region whose contribution to Ghana’s GDP is almost 55%. This is more than half of the total GDP of Ghana!! Do you know that? It is the truth, and the truth will always stand!! This assertion was reiterated by the Western regional Minister (Hon. Evans Aidoo), that though the region is endowed with lots of natural resources and therefore holds the key to the economic breakthrough and emancipation of the country, it lacks behind in terms of socio-economic infrastructure. He said that regrettably, the endowment of the western region is in sharp contrast to the level of development. Most roads in the region are immotorable preventing industrious farmers’ produce to be carted to the ports for exports and the market areas. What prevents Government from providing the region with N1 type of roads across the length and breadth of the region? This is where we need it most!!

The regional hospital is less equipped to man major emergencies. Every district in the region should be able to afford a well established and resourced hospital to take care of the health of the indigenes. Your health is you wealth and even that is gradually being taken away from us.

Even though the region is endowed with most senior high schools, how many of their graduates qualify for the tertiary institutions. At the Universities for instance, an individual scarcely comes across a fellow westerner. Scholarships need to be established at all districts to support needy students across the entire region. If there is free education in the North, what has and is preventing successive Government from replicating it in the western region where the wealth is coming from?

It is a collective truth from both political divides (NPP & NDC) that the region has been duped for a very long time. The Western Regional Chiefs’ request I believe has prompted the two main parties which have ruled Ghana approximately 60% of the time and counting, to stand in their tracks, shudder and ponder over the unfair treatment meted to the region in its development and socio-economic emancipation.

The region apart from cocoa, mining, natural rubber, oil and gas is blessed with beautiful beaches which can be development into tourist and recreational sites. There are replicas of all the pride of the other regions in our blessed region. Talk of the Paga crocodiles and I can tell you about the Akatekyi Crocodile Pond. Name the Castles and Forts in the central and greater Accra regions and I can mention more than 7 forts in the region. These all can be developed and brought to the status to compete variably with international tourist sites. Ankasa Nature Reserve, one of the reserves in the world with the rarest species of trees and animals can be raised to the most sought-after nature reserve in the world. This can be achieved with the 10% request by the Western Regional Chiefs from the oil proceeds.

Government in her insatiable quest to satisfy the request of the Western Regional Chiefs has again not tackled the main issue which is the bane to the development of the region. The focus of Government now is limited to infrastructural developments paying little or no attention at all to the Human Capital Development. How can you build the hardware of a system/structure when the software to run the system/structure has not been catered for? The 10% revenue requested by the Western Regional Chiefs will contribute to identifying, uplifting and growing of the Human capital in the region. Jobs created through let’s say the recently acquired 3 billion dollar Chinese Loan will still go to the people outside the boundaries of the region if the indigenes are not trained and equipped. Currently, most companies including where I work is managed by expatriates and people from mainly the Greater Accra region specifically, Accra. It is no accident that these people take their wealth to their home regions and invests them in projects which invariably inure to the benefit of their people. Where your heart is, there your treasure will be also!!! Let us circumspectly ask ourselves whether we can boast of 20% of the total workforce at the Jubilee fields being indigenes of the Western Region? If yes, what percentage is part of management; because that is where all the monies are expended when it comes to paying salaries. The Pareto Rule (80/20 rule) is always at work when it comes to salaries!!

Aristotle once said that anybody at all can get angry, that’s easy, but to be angry with the right person, to the right degree at the right time for the right purpose and in the right way is not easy.

Today, we the westerners are angry at our underdevelopment to the extent that we want to forever crucify it on the altar of socio-economic development for the emancipation from the claws of penury.

Let us all add our voices no matter how small it might be to the fading echoes of our Chiefs’ in support of the 10% revenue accrued from the oil proceeds for developmental agendas, both human and infrastructure for the speedier accelerated recovery and development of our region. Thank you and God bless our homeland (the western region) and the Republic of Ghana. Thank you.

Kwamina Sagu Ekremet (Sekondi Young Peoples Guild) at the Takoradi SSNIT Conference Hall

The National Character

Apart from the tension that comes with our elections, which should not be the case though, I love the Ghanaian elections. They reveal our truest characters. Every morning I wake up to be greeted and bombarded by lots of inspiring, motivational and Scriptural messages on my social media (especially Facebook) wall. It is only in the election we get to know the depth of our Christianity or Religious believes. We preach virtue and practice vice. We defend our political parties with disdain and as Biblical Paul asserts "they worship the creature more than the Creator". We dilute the truth. We insult our Christian and Religious brothers and sisters because they have different views. We quote the Scriptures to satiate our whims and caprice. We flaunt God. We refuse peace and clad ourselves with armours for war. We refuse God's gift of an answered prayer. We curse our Motherland. We wish evil for the next 4 years for our nation oblivious that words are spirits. We fight battles which are not ours to fight. Have you ever shuddered to ponder and think about what our words have done to our dear Motherland? Have we asked ourselves why we lost an election? Have we asked ourselves why our opponents do not want to concede? Have we asked ourselves if what we are doing today will warrant a better future for posterity? Have we asked ourselves What Would Jesus Do (WWJD) in the same situation? Have we asked ourselves whether it is the will of God? Have we asked ourselves whether we should let go for God to give us a better tomorrow? Like the Israelites, whenever men and women are released from their Egypt, they would always have to face their wilderness. It might take 14 days to traverse the wilderness and embrace our promised land, but due to our actions and inactions, it might take 40 years or forever. I strongly believe we are in our wilderness, the Promised Land is in the horizon, but I strongly believe this generation has all it takes to get to the Promised Land. We are almost there. Don't let us mar it. They make it seem as if it is farfetched, but I know it is just around the corner and we will get there. All it takes is character and competence. In the coming years, the future generation will come knocking at our door with the possibility of one of these questions. Why did you not let go when you could have to retain our peace or they will ask what did you do for us to sustain our enviable peace? I look forward to answering the latter question that we collectively resolved to let go and push our shoulders to the task and heed to the clarion call to sacrifice for posterity. May we tolerate one another. May we not see each other as tribes but as Ghanaians. May we vote for leaders with the heart of God, character and competence. I was born for a time like this and I will make sure that what I do today, this hour, this moment echoes in eternity. I thank God for the fact that my generation has known peace and my humble prayer is that He will continue to grant us peace and cause us to introspectively assess ourselves and crave to be better Sons and Daughters to Him.

My Wish for Kwame & Peggy

The Bible says that he who finds a wife finds a good thing and has favour with God. Today my dear brother you have more favour in store for you in the presence of God than ever before. God says I should tell you that, you can redraw from the favour account at any time and He is ever ready to surprise you bountifully and replenish your account with more favour.

Right from boyhood to date, I have revered and respected Kwame. You can see that with all my choices! But today, I respect him the more for his focus, principles and commitment. I know this union will bring so many blessings to our name and posterity. Thank you our dearest Peggy for accepting to go on this sacred journey with our brother. God bless you two!

Big brother Kwame stands for character, but underneath this character are eternal values which are preserved for only the great in the sight of God. Over the years I have stayed with him as a little brother, I have observed these 3 values: commitment to God, family (and now Peggy, you are family!) and his career and I know you will also attest to that. Come between any of these and he will not be soft with you!

Today my wish for you as you traverse this journey is that, May children’s love for fairy tales and happy endings grow because your marriage and love will grow with age like the vintage wine and stand the test of time.

May the youth learn the reward that comes with chastity, purity and godliness and forsake riotous and promiscuous life and cleave to God and eternal values.

May the young adults who are ripe for marriage covet and yearn for marriage in the world where marriage is losing its savour, sacredness and sanctity.

May those who want to desecrate the Institution of Marriage by loving their own kind repent and crave for how and what God defines as marriage.

May those who have chalked successes in marriage envisage another success in the horizon and adorn you with the accolades of marriage.

If the sun or the moon should tumble and fall or the mountains should crumble into the sea, don’t be afraid, don’t ever cry or shed a tear, for as long as you stand with and by each other and with God through the tempestuous tides of life, you will be fine.

God bless you and keep you and may all the blessings that God has institutionalise for marriage come to you and overtake you and may your children’s children call you blessed and always give praise to God for this union.

I love you guys!!