No tears for Yvonne Nelson

I must first and foremost say that this article I’m about writing is very subjective because I have not heard from the young woman, Yvonne Nelson and I don’t intend to hear her response before I say anything, so read on.

I have been away from Ghana but thanks to technology I’m following the news back in Ghana. I have been following the happenings in the political, soccer and entertainment front. I’m not interested in talking about politics or football, I will talk about entertainment and by this, I’m going to talk about actress Yvonne Nelson.

I listened to the evening news on Joyfm on Monday (29th November, 2010) and the news that Yvonne Nelson has been banned for a year by film producers struck me. Initially I wanted to shut the link so I could finish reading an article in the ‘economist magazine, but the Yvonne Nelson story was pretty much exciting.

The story says she has been suspended for a year because of indiscipline. I must first say that I don’t know her in person, except in some of the few movies I have seen her acted in(I don’t watch most of her type of movies) however, information about her that I have heard have never been positive. I know friends who eat showbiz news and have often been critical of her behaviour; she is arrogant with very much uncomplimentary showings in public.

I remember an article one of my colleagues wrote and during the caption of her photograph, we wrote that her beauty is not appropriately placed with her character.

The thing is, there are most people in this country who continue to indulge in this fantasy that Yvonne Nelson is the most prettiest thing that ever happened to womanhood in Ghana, that she is the most sexiest and that men are lucky to even become friends with her and because of this delusive ‘wig’ sitting on her head, she goes around fooling and talking down to those who have made her who she is at this time. This is not the first time I story about her has come up, like I said, because I have heard many people say she is arrogant and disrespectful.

And I want to insist that this self Importance has nothing to do with her acting qualities but this misconception that she is pretty. I wonder what kind of pretty people talk about when they mention her. What is the use of beauty without character?
In my young life I have seen some of the prettiest ladies across colours and they are as meek as anything. I have seen some of the prettiest and sexiest women in their 40s, 50s and even below who are more responsible and respectful towards people. It is important for people to sit that young woman down and let her know that her so-called beauty (which people don’t see) is nothing more than just a vapour.

The country’s movie scene had seen some of the most striking females more than three decades before she was born. I wonder how she can compare with somebody like Abi Adetse or or Dzifa Gomashie? These are women with melting looks-the mention of their names is good enough to make a man lose his brains. Yvonne Nelson doesn’t compare in anyway, that is the truth. If she thinks her arrogance is what will take her to either Hollywood or whichever place she is aiming at going, then I’m sorry to say that has well been buried long before her name comes up. I don’t know who she listens to but those of her peers who are pleading for her to be forgiven, they should tell her to respect people. If she thinks her so-called beauty alone is good enough to give her an acting role, then I’m sorry to say she will remain at the base for many centuries to come.

I’m not a big fan of Jackie Appiah but I wonder how she, Yvonne Nelson, can compare with her. Her eyes are enough to thwart any so-called beauty Yvonne Nelson may have.
Even Central University where she recently graduated from, doesn’t she see the quality of good looking ladies with character? They are those we call beautiful women not those who prance around the space with their arrogant behaviour.

A President’s legacy to the people

Jimmy Carter, one of the most revered world leaders became the 39th American president in 1977. A Democrat from the state of Georgia, Atlanta, he served only one term but went on to leave behind a legacy Americans, and especially those from Georgia, will be very proud of for a long, long time to come.

Like many other US Presidents, Jimmy Carter’s time at the White House is well documented at the appropriately named Carter Centre in Atlanta, Georgia. The centre houses many interesting personal items including photographs, books, and old passports. The centre also has a library stocked with books available to researchers, journalists, students and anyone interested in accessing the wide variety of materials available. For those interested in mental health, there is also much documented information about his wife, Rosalynn Carter’s work in bringing the issues of mental health to public prominence.

I had the privilege of driving to the centre on Sunday afternoon after lunch at Five Points, a culturally conscious suburb in a city that boasts interesting tattoo shops, a variety of restaurants and bookshops and a karaoke bar where I sang, badly, some Ghanaian highlife tunes.

The Carter centre sits on a large parcel of land a few miles away from the famous Emory University. In front of it is a water fountain and hoisted flags from a selection of countries, signifying a reflecting of the international stance of the Centre.

A documentary about Jimmy Carter’s life was coming to an end when I entered the main conference hall. I caught the tail end of the documentary and then started my tour. Everything at the centre is simple and self-explanatory, so visitors don’t need guides and can enjoy the tour at their own pace.

I started at the beginning, with pictures of his birth on the farm in Plains, where his family famously cultivated peanuts. Grouped with these pictures were his birth certificate, his first school chair, photographs of his family and many other personal items. Everything was grouped in a way that made it easy for anyone to comprehend the details.

Another section has the items he used at the White House; chairs, table, cups for his early morning breakfast, pens, telephone facility and news briefs. All of these were arranged very nicely and gave an insight into the private moments of the world leader. To add to the authenticity, a radio in the background broadcasted some of his memorable speeches during his presidency. I closed my eyes and could visualize him in the room with me, talking.

Homage is made to all the country’s presidents, past and present. There are photographs and details about the centres dedicated to those presidents. The centre dedicated to Bill Clinton is in Little Rock, Arkansas, there is a centre dedicated to the both President Bushes – senior and Junior – in Taxes, and no doubt, very soon there will be a centre dedicated to Barack Obama.
The Carter Centre hosts published works of both Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn. Some of the books included the memoir: KEEPING FAITH: Memoirs of a President, a 5,000 pager, which captures important meetings during his time as president.

“He used that wealth of information in writing this book, which recounts his experiences as president of the United States. Coming to office with high hopes and large ambitions, Carter found himself thwarted as he attempted to make his mark as president.”

The book captures arguably his darkest period as president following the 1979 invasion of the US embassy in Tehran, which resulted in the hostage taking of diplomats who suffered 444 days in captivity. It was one of the lowest points of his presidency. Walking down the streets of Georgia, I spoke with many people about Jimmy Carter in relation to the Tehran hostage situation. All were quick to say it was that very event that cost him the presidency. During my tour of the Carter Centre, Jimmy Carter, in one of the many video footages which for part of the material available to visitors, acknowledges what the people on the street had said.

Though the centre receives funding from other sources, Jimmy Carter relies on proceedings from the book for his personal upkeep. He receives no pension from the American government, only the meager handshake he was given when he left office after serving one term. This situation is no different from any other President who has served the American people. This contrasts sharply with the political environment of my country, Ghana.

In Ghana, the two living ex-Ghanaian presidents (Rawlings and Kufour), both retired from office-after eight years-with ridiculously gluttonous packages. Granted, Rawlings served eleven years as a military leader before contesting and winning democratic. That notwithstanding, neither he nor Kufour have ever considered or suggested that centres be built in their names so their periods in office could be documented and shared with the public.

Leaving a legacy has never been important to them. Leaving documentation and paraphernalia that would be important to researcher, journalists, scholars, students and the public about the work of a president is not important to them. What they are concerned with is how many cars, houses, and fat bonuses they can further squeeze out the Ghanaians who they spectacularly pushed deeper into the poverty cycle during their tenures as presidents.

On a daily basis, we read news items about the two ex-presidents bitterly complaining about not been properly taken care of by the state. Aides of former President Rawlings never missed the opportunity to lambast the current administration about leaving Mr. Rawlings homeless, after his house was burnt down. Not wanting to be left out, the Kufuor’s camp continually complain that he hasn’t been paid his monthly emoluments. They claim the man is going hungry. The claims of these two would be laughable if they were not so pathetic, especially, coming from people who held the highest office of the land.

David Oscar must end the crap on Viasat1

Whoever advised David Oscar to quit his daytime job so he could take up comedy as a career had done him a great disservice. It would have been better if he had advised him to throw himself into the ocean. It would have been better for him to have been shot in the groin than walk about so he could get the energy to host that t crap of a show called, Laugh A Minute on Viasat 1. He is simply pathetic on the show.

It has been more than a month since the show started airing and I can confidently say the feedback became has been extremely disastrous: Take that crap off air to save him from further embarrassment; I hear a voice say to the owners of the station. The show is the ugliest thing I have ever come across in my life, at least since I started watching comedy show as a kid and now an adult. There is nothing funny about either David Oscar himself or the content he provides on each day.

I was one of those to have seen the first episode of the show. I happened to have bumped into the show at an eatery at Osu. The show had barely travelled the halfway mark when I told friends I was sipping drinks with that it was not fit as junk.

Watching the show is like sticking a sharp knife to your own throat; it stinks, to even be charitable to him. The unfortunate thing is that almost every episode gets worse by the day. On the 17th of November, 2010 I was out with my friends at a drink joint when they started the show. Almost everyone especially the ladies chuckled.

‘This guy is miserable on set, one lady retorted. Another who said David Oscar, the presenter, is a friend could not even hide her embarrassment. She said she had advised him to quit the show to save him from further disgrace from the public. On that particular show, he brought a placard on stage with the inscription ‘Tsofi or Turkey tail is good for boys and girls.’ Whoever advised him to include that with the intent of getting the audience to crack their ribs got it all wrong.

He received endless insults and more chuckles from almost anyone who entered the premises. His actions on stage could best be described as putting a tortoise in the same track with a horse for a race. The answer is best kept than answered.

Yes we Gyan’

My criticisms of Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan is well known to everyone. I’m one of the least supporters of him. He is the luckiest striker this country has ever had especially when one compares him to that of Tony Yeboah or Prince Polley, all former national stars. They were heavy weights upfront especially Tony Yeboah.

His feet knew the goal post more than any striker in my life time. Asamoah Gyan does not come anywhere close to him and I stand by that. I literally roasted him after Ghana exited the World Cup at the quarter final stage, thanks to his rush to miss kick a penalty which could have taken the country to a historic semi final berth. I spent days cursing him on my facebook page. Like most Ghanaians, I thought he let us down by that judgment. I tore him apart with such viciousness that a friends began pleading for me to cease fire.

He has a love and hate relationship with football fans and for a striker who is wasteful upfront, he has equally stood up to the plate when all looked bleak. His exploits at Angola 2010 back in January was one of such. There are many instances to put to as both his bright and dark moments with football fans. However, what matters the most at the moment is his recent performance for his English club, Sunderland.

The man has become the star attraction for the BLACK CATS, since joining them after the World Cup. He arrived in England with huge expectation on his shoulders. The English Premier league is one of the hottest in the world. It has an unattractive following across the world, including Ghana.

The media are as vicious as the fine quality of the league. So most of us were worried about how they will receive Gyan especially when one considered that he scored less than 10 goals for his club, Stade Rennes in France prior to cross over to England.

But after some breath-taking league games and goal scoring moments everyone, including myself, are eating our humble pies. He has, without a shred of doubt, forced most of us to applaud him. He has scored in every league game he has since played for Sunderland and if the equalizer against Tottenham Hotspurs in London was something special, then the game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was glorious.

He spearheaded the attack of the Black Cats and they clawed their way into the hearts of Chelsea by thumping them 3 goals. It was an unbeliever spectacle. Sunderland beating Chelsea at the bridge? It’s a rather sick joke prior to the game. But the gospel truth is that Chelsea were reduced to rubbles by the cats.

Gyan had said before the game that he was going to beat Chelsea but most people thought it was the usual joke. Chelsea had not lost any game at home since last year’s February and if any club is to beat them, it should not be Sunderland. They were wrong. Gyan and his colleagues headed out of London with all smiles on their team bus, thanks to goals from Onuoha, Gyan and Ghanaian born British Danny Welbeck.

Gyan has been nominated for this year’s BBC African Footballer of the Year award and I just voted for him. I’m really campaign for him to win and I pray he wins, to cap a great year for 2010

Did J.A. Kufour sample any bottom?

Dishonorable Member of Parliament for Asokwa in the Ashanti Region, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, obviously has an oral cavity that leaks. He talks by-heart and for somebody who makes laws for sane people and expects them to abide by it, that is a worrying trend. His recent comments about the former mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Patricia Appiagyei show how cheap he can be. He says the woman used her buttocks to secure the job as KMA, which he once occupied. He comes across as a dirty and filthy speaker, whose contributions to issues have been horrendous. He told a radio station in Kumasi that if Ms Appiagyei thinks she can, once again, use her ‘bottom’ to unseat him so she takes over his seat, then she must be joking.

“'She thinks she succeeded me as a Metro Chief Executive, and because of that, she can unseat me as an MP. Let me tell her, she can use her bottom to secure the mayor position, but as an MP, it is about elections,'

The political loose cannon has since apologise but I’m a bit surprise about how his own MPs have deliberately turned a blind eye to his reckless comments. He should be hauled before their so-called ‘appointment committee’ for him to answer for his unguarded comments, and provide answers as to who and who benefitted from the ‘bottom’ services. They are quick to issue threats about inviting people to appear before that useless ‘appointments committee’ for the innocuous write up about them and, yet, are unable to bring their own member to book for his ‘by-heart’ comments.

I remember how upset they were when the Africa Watch magazine published an article which ranked most of them for their poor performance. The rather true story did not go down with most of them and out of stupidity; they decided to summon the publisher of the report. Thank God he did not come. Such self importance.

Per appointment into such a political office, the appointment of Ms. Appiagyei was done by former President John Kufour so Kofi Jumah’s statement therefore means the former president ‘banked’ the woman before offering her the position.
This is really interesting especially when the former president has come under barrages of attacks from the public for his strong interest in women.

There was even a joke about his alleged romance a female television presenter in this country and how after taking off her cloth the lady, out of anxiety took a gentle look at him. Mr. Kufour was reported to have told the lady in the Akan language; are u surprise is me the sitting president who is undressing you, huh? I have several times heard other jokes in that same direction. Therefore if Kofi Jumah’s comment gives credence to that rumour, then it means most of those pretty ladies in several positions had to ease their clothe for the ‘big man’ to sample their joyous places in sleeping arrangements before taking their appointment letters.

Only time will tell.

Ms. Mo’s sex diary.

Who doesn’t like the smell of sex stories? We all do! Especially when elements making up the story are not only hot and spicy but send the entire nation running after straws, are still unclear, we still persist in getting the whole pie. And so for a woman in her late 20s to get the whole of Ghana talking about sex, robber and free speech must be unique.

She must have the brains of great writers such as Günter Grass, Stephen King or Toni Morrison or Maya Angelou, ---and to tell able to tell such a compelling story that even elements within both the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party will, without a surprise, throw mud at each other, Ms. Mo must obviously be an award winning writer.

The unfortunate thing however is that the content of her diary, though spiced with bouts of sex, remains unclear. Nobody knows exactly what the content of her diary truly is, not even those on the bus. Except for the driver and other passengers who had said that, indeed, the bus came under fire but the driver was smart enough to whisk them away, the content of her diary remains unclear. Even the lawyers defending her are not certain the actual details as contained in the diary.

I heard the driver myself on Metro TV’s “Good Evening Ghana” programme on Tuesday, 2 November 2010, repeating the exact things I had read elsewhere of him. He was alleged to have sexed five women continuously until he lost consciousness and had to be resuscitated by the robbers to continue his job. There was also the account that an old woman was sexed by an energetic youngman to the extent that she was thanking him for a ‘good job’ done.

Then there was also the account that a man traveling with his 14 year old daughter was subjected to complete humiliation when he was asked by the robbers to sex his own daughter. I must confess my spirit sank into despair when I heard that particular chilling account. But it is now emerging all these reports were completely made up by Amina for whatever reasons best known to her.

Not so much of Ms. Mo’s account but the sudden desperation on the side of politicians to make capital out of the mess she has invited onto herself makes me sick. What the heck are they trying to prove? So far I have heard unreasonable commentaries from officials of both the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party give their own account as to how the incident appears.

The NDC’s chap in Cape Coast called Allotey Jacobs, who talks as if he’s fanning a dead elephant in a deep forest, claimed the account put out by Amina was at the behest of elements in the opposition NPP to discredit the government.

It was a rather irresponsible comment which to the best of my knowledge should be ignored-but I was wrong. NPP’s party Chairman Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, one of former president’s Kufour’s boys who spent time in office grabbing properties with both hands and feet, launched a tirade on Jacobs, describing his comment as balderdash.

Subsequent to that, I have heard elements within the pro NPP Alliance for Accountable Governance group slammed the police communication director, Kwesi Ofori, as being inconsistent with his own accounts of events. I thought that was the height of stupidity and insincerity. The NPP left power barely two years ago and it was the same policeman who was running around defending the government.

When the parcels of cocaine mysteriously disappeared from the police headquarters during the reign of the NPP, it was this same policeman who was all over the place defending the service and government. Even when it was clear that the former IGP had been cited as being friends with one of the then baron, Issa Abbas, Kwesi Ofori went out on his own way to defend him and the government.

It is unfortunate but when you hear people in the caliber of the AFAG’s and their like minds talk, you wonder if there is any hope for this country.

I also heard another element say what is happening is stifling free speech. This is obviously a stupid statement to make. It is clear they’re chasing up this Amina story purely for political gains, they don’t mean well for the youngwoman.

Her mess is their gain.