I'M ALREADY TAKEN,YOU SPOKE UP TOO LATE...

I’M ALREADY TAKEN

Great friends have we been since childhood.

Classmates have we been since Primary 2.

You lifted me up whenever I was down.

You stood by me when I really needed support.

Together we went up,

Together we descended.

We were never far apart.

In my mornings you were present.

During my afternoons you were around for lunch.

We enjoyed each other’s company through the evenings

Till we ran short of words.

My message inbox is flooded with your messages.

A ‘Good morning’ message from you was never absent.

At midday, I was sure to receive ‘How has your day been?’ from you,

And at night, ‘Sweet dreams….a 1000 mosquito bites....xoxo’.

We supported Manchester United together

And had mad fun when other EPL teams lost.

 The feeling was exciting!

You were the one who patiently taught me bike-riding.

You aided me in my driving lessons,

And even introduced me to country music.

 The genre of music that I’m currently addicted to.

You’ve become part of me.

You’re virtually a family member

Because your own mother even asks of your whereabouts from me.

We’ve been through thick & thin together.

Together we’ve swam through fire & ice.

We’ve experienced the ‘wows’ & ‘ouchs’ side by side.

Oooh, what a feeling!

It’s been over 7 years since we both turned 18

And I’m amazed you’ve now found your voice & guts

To propose to me after all these years.

It would have been awesome to simply ‘yes’ to your proposal

But I’m really,really sorry, my dear.

Hmmmm…..

It breaks my heart to tell you this

But I think you need to know,

That I’m already taken

You spoke up too late….

HELLO,HELLO CUBA, 177 DOCTORS PLEASE

HELLO, HELLO CUBA,

177 DOCTORS PLEASE

Strike, strike & mass resignation.

This is the saltless meal my doctors are serving me

At a time when election is just a whisker away.

Personally, I have no problem with that

Coz I usually seek medical attention abroad.

It is the ordinary Ghanaian voters that suffer.

They need to be alive to re-elect me in the general elections.

That is a must!

I am doing everything possible to get the doctors back to work.

I have branded their strike as ‘illegal & doesn’t make sense’.

My ministers have threatened them in various ways.

My parrot & often clueless party communicators with sharp teeth

Have lambasted & insulted them openly on daily basis.

Others have even leaked confidential documents on social media,

All in an attempt to incite Ghanaian against the doctors,

And make them appear insensitive & heartless.

I believe the doctors deserve favourable conditions of service.

I know ordinary Ghanaians are suffering & dying

As a result of the strike.

I know doctors sacrifice on daily basis to serve this country.

I know some of my presidential staffers are not as qualified

As the doctors are

Yet receive outrageous salaries & work under luxurious conditions.

I know these doctors provide very,very essential services

But,

 I also need to gain massive political points from the whole situation.

I would have loved to quickly negotiate

And resolve this needlessly protracted standoff

But come on, I need to appear tough & rough.

I need to play hard ball with the doctors.

I can’t swallow my pride and give in to their demands

Because my opponents will use it against me during their campaigns.

Ghanaians are suffering, I know.

Ghanaian voters are dying, that’s a worry.

The taxpayers deserve better, I’m aware

But I can’t kowtow to these local doctors’ demands.

It isn’t in the budget

Just like the millions of dollars airlifted to the Blackstars in Brazil.

The party’s interest must reign over the national interest.

I’ll not agree to the demands of these local doctors.

They can do their worst!

I’ll recall retired doctors

And import Spanish-speaking doctors to take over from them.

P.A., Get me the phone

‘Hello,hello, is that Cuba?

This is Ghana

177 non-English-speaking doctors please’.

WANT ATTENTION? THEN DEMONSTRATE OR STRIKE!!!

WANT ATTENTION?

THEN DEMONSTRATE OR STRIKE!

Oooooh workers on government payroll!

I wonder what more you want from me.

I get puzzled & begin to wonder.

What again do you expect from me?

Health workers, judicial service staff

Teachers & all civil servants.

You complain about every single thing.

Yesterday, it was about salary adjustment.

Today, it is working condition.

Tomorrow, it will surely be about salary arrears.

How do you expect me to keep up with your demands?

Just tell me.

2016 is an election year.

And from the look of events,

You people intend tarnishing my candidature.

That will surely not happen.

There are enough funds in place for election 2016.

There is more than enough in place for campaigns.

We’ve even borrowed enough to purchase luxury four-wheel drives

For party & state officials.

But for your entitlements & demands,

I’m sorry to inform you there aren't enough funds for payment.

You’ll need to do more to get paid.

I’ve increased taxes on goods & services.

It’s uncomfortable but you’ll have to endure.

I’ve placed additional taxes on key products like crude oil

And even expanded the tax net to generate more funds.

All these have fattened the government’s purse

But always bear in mind

That the party always comes before the country.

I wish I could pay all workers their entitlements

After comforting my party faithfuls

But unfortunately the remaining funds can do virtually nothing.

If you really want to get paid after toiling for this dear nation

Then your voices must be heard.

You’ll have to shout louder

Irrespective of your qualification or position.

Whether you’re a doctor, nurse, security official or teacher

You’ll have to shout louder to be paid.

I care less about your contribution to the economy

Neither do I care about the crucial nature of your services.

My ‘dead goat syndrome’ hasn’t been cured yet

Because the doctors to do that are currently on strike.

If you pretend to work,

I’ll also pretend to pay.

So if you want to get your entitlement as a government worker

Then you have just two options.....

Demonstrate or strike!!!

HOLY,HOLY,HOLY YET FILTHY!, FILTHY!!, FILTHY!!!

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY

YET FILTHY!, FILTHY!!, FILTHY!!!

A religious nation we claim to be.

Christians, Muslims, Traditionalists & more.

Each believes in a Supreme Being above

Who is pure in spirit,

Detests sin,

And loves to see His followers live in harmony.

Why Ghana hasn’t replaced Mecca & Israel

As a prime destination for pilgrims is a wonder to me.

Christians are taught

‘The way, the truth & light’ of the Father through Jesus.

Islam preaches peace.

The Traditionalists encourage harmonious living

With the gods & mankind.

Churches are mushrooming in every single corner,

With services being held every single day.

Muslims gather to pray five times per day.

Traditionalists spend precious time

Sacrificing day and night,

All in the name of religion.

But what is the essence of all these religious engagements

When our individual lives are not affected positively?

Of what substance is religion

When our communities & nation keep sinking in all fields?

‘Cleanliness is next to godliness’ we claim.

Why then do we keep drowning this nation in trash each day?

No wonder God appears far from us.

Our nation is filthy!

Our religions preach peace

Yet we start ethnic conflicts over ordinary meat.

Our religions teach truth & honesty

Yet white-colour robberies & corruption are our daily bread.

Bribery & blatant thievery from politicians have become the norm.

The same political heads that violently win power

Are the same that attend churches,shrines & mosques

To thank their God for the victory.

Amazing!

These same politicians & civil servants who financially haemorrhage

The state during weekdays

Are the same that pay tithes & offerings on those proceeds on Sundays.

The same worker that plays truancy at work during weekdays

Is the same that embarks on 40 days fasting & prayers

 For promotion & increment in salaries at work.

That man who sleeps around with women

Is the same that prays to marry a virgin one day.

We always appear religious

But are far from being spiritual.

If just 1% of us practice what our various religions preach

This country would have been a paradise for us all.

We delight in religion as humans.

We love the doctrines & formalities associated them.

We appear religious at all times

But within our heart of hearts

We’re filthy!,filthy!,filthy!

STILL WANT TO BE GHANAIAN? THEN SORRY, YOU CAN'T BE POOR!

STILL WANT TO BE GHANAIAN?

THEN SORRY, YOU CAN’T BE POOR!

Dear occupiers of this great country.

You’ve been in this country for so long a time.

Some of you even had their placenta buried here

Yet you don’t really want to behave as citizens.

You’ve been voting for ages.

You’ve paid your taxes regularly.

You possess National Identification cards

And even passports of the land.

Yet, you still aren’t Ghanaians enough.

If you really want to be Ghanaian

Then you must ‘pay before complain’.

Forget about my campaign promises to make your lives comfortable.

Ignore the fact that your taxes are being misapplied.

Just take your mind off the financial wastages of my appointees.

Just pay before complain.

Third-party insurance premium will be hiked ridiculously.

Don’t complain

Because your complaints will surely fall on rocky ears.

Just pay.

Water & electricity supplies will never be regular.

Yet tariffs will be reviewed upwards at the least opportunity.

Don’t bother to complain

Just pay

Fuel prices will never be stable.

They’ll be galloping every fortnight

Like horses on heat.

I will remove all subsidies but maintain the excessive taxes.

Do not waste your saliva complaining

Just pay.

The cedi will rapidly depreciate against the dollar

Like shea butter under the Navrongo sun.

No need to complain.

Just pay

Port charges will be increased uncharitably.

Just pay

You can complain later.

Public hospital charges will be increased illogically

Without parliamentary approval.

Don’t bother yourself complaining.

Just pay else you’ll die alone.

I don’t even seek medical attention in this country anyway.

VAT & other taxes will be increased irrationally.

New taxes will also be slapped on feeding bottles,

Baby foods, chewing sticks, skipping ropes & condoms.

Don’t even waste your breath complaining.

Just pay

Salaries will however increase annually at a limping tortoise’s pace.

This country owes billions

But we’re still contracting more loans for abstract projects.

Those debts need to be repaid.

They’re not mine to pay

They’re yours to service.

Whether you complain or not

You must & you will pay.

This is a blessed nation

Not a United Nations’ camp for refugees & the homeless.

This isn’t Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana

Where the interest of the populace came first.

This is prepaid Ghana

Where individual & political party interests reign supreme.

If you insist on being Ghanaian

Then I’m very sorry to let you know

That you have no right to be poor.

You must pay!

DANCE WITH MY FATHER (to the prodigal fathers out there)

DANCE WITH MY FATHER

We dreamt of a father who kissed his children goodnight

But woke up to the realization that

Our father barely stays home at night.

We pictured a father who took his children to school each day

But came to reality & realized our father leaves home before 5am.

Money indeed runs a home

And work generates that money.

But I wish those two would never come between us.

Of what use is money

When the home is unstable?

Of what essence are gifts

When love has grown cold?

Of what significance are lavish holidays abroad

When fatherly love has faded?

Of what need is a kingsize bed

When sleep is hard to come by?

We have a mother who wakes us up each day.

What we need now is a father who’ll kiss us goodnight.

You complained bitterly of your father, our grandfather

Who was never there for you.

Why are you making us see our grandfather in our father?

Where did we go wrong as children?

Where have we faulted as your family?

We want to grow with you, our father.

We want to hear you pray at the dinner table each day.

We want to laugh with you behind the TV screen every weekend.

We're desperate for our teachers to know we have a father.

We've grieved enough with our mother.

All we want from this day onward is to dance with our father.

THORNS FOR THE LIVING,ROSES FOR THE DEAD

THORNS FOR THE LIVING,

ROSES FOR THE DEAD

From dust we came

And to dust we shall return.

But between the first & last dusts,

There is life.

There is life which ought to be lived.

There is life which ought to be protected.

There is life which ought to be cherished,

And a precious life which ought to be fulfilling.

Life is for the living.

Life is for the breathing.

Life is for the homeless, whom you see each night,

Sleeping in the open at the mercy of the weather.

Life is for the unemployed,

Who hustles each day & night

Just to deposit a morsel of bread into his stomach.

Life is for the political fanatic,

Who fights tooth & nail to get his politician to power

At the peril of his life

Yet, gets ignored immediately his politician assumes office.

Life is for the taxpayer,

Whose loved ones drown in floods,

And whose properties perish whenever it rains,

Just because someone in authority shamelessly neglected his duties.

 If the life of man is priceless,

Let us exhibit that while he has breath.

Son,

 If you believe your mother deserves flowers,

Offer her flowers while she has breath to smell them.

Not when she’s 6 feet down & has no breath to appreciate them.

Man,

If you feel your woman deserves the best,

Take her shopping while her eyes could appreciate

The gold & silver-crusted ornaments & fabulous apparels.

Not when she’s been laid in state with her eyes shut.

Pastor,

If you think your congregation deserves to be in heaven,

Preach to them the uncomfortable but soul-saving

Words of salvation while they could hear.

Not when they’re sweating in caskets at their burial services.

Mr. Politician Head,

If you really see your people as human beings with dignity

Other than mere voting puppets,

Then improve their conditions & make life worth living for them.

Do not wait for them to gruesomely perish in avoidable disasters

Before declaring days of national mourning in their honour.

Honour them while they are alive.

They’re humans with priceless lives just like yours.

Man ought to live life in dignity & to the fullest.

Let’s pay more attention to the living.

Let’s stop feeding the living with thorns,

While we pamper the dead with fresh roses.

Life is for the living.

Let’s help our fellow men live it!

WHERE LIES OUR THINKING CAP?

WHERE LIES OUR THINKING CAP?

#ACCRA FLOODS

She used to be Ghana our Motherland.

Now, she has become Ghana our Sorryland.

We’ve descended from a nation of plenty

To a people of pity.

The rainy season should have been a season of joy to us

Yet, it turns out to be that of grief and sorrow.

Each season,

Year in,year out,

Our city gets flooded by the most minimal of rains.

Just 30 minutes of drizzle is enough to submerge this city of ours.

Floods kill our loved ones each rainy season.

It destroys our properties every single year

Yet, we never seem to learn from our pains.

We tend to forget our sorrows

The very moment the sun starts to shine.

If a government official who should be fighting

For the people’s welfare rather turns around to tell them that

‘Even Houston, Texas in America gets flooded’

Then it’s obvious our leadership can’t help us.

The bearded mayor of the city seems clueless to the city’s plights.

The other authorities in power appear not to bother at all.

The best they usually do is to visit the areas

Destroyed by floods & offer empty assurances to victims.

They’ll return the following year to offer another set of assurances.

They only need us for elections & nothing more!

We ought to reason up!

Why do we build on waterways

When we’re aware that’ll surely enhance flooding?

Why do we continue to dump plastic waste into open drains

When we’re aware the drains will get choked in the end?

In 21^st century Accra,

Why do we even proceed to construct open drains in the first place?

Why do we persist in erecting structures at unauthorized locations

When we’re aware of its dire impact to the entire city?

It’s in our power as a people to avert needless disasters.

It rests in our bosom to ward off needless destruction of our properties.

We have the ability to control the annual floods that afflict us.

Why are we rather allowing the floods to control us?

Why should we allow the rain which ought to be a blessing

To rather bring us grief & sorrow every single year?

Where lies our thinking cap???