#WeAreAllKaaka

 

This is the hashtag of the #FixTheCountry movement in the statement released by the group @ghfixthecountry, following the killing of Ibrahim Mohammed aka Kaaka. For how it resonates with me, I fully associate with it and take the liberty to use it.  

Like many in Ghana, I have also read and heard the news of the killing of Kaaka and matters following. Kaaka is reported to be a journalist, a social activist and member of the #FixTheCountry movement. He was killed under circumstances yet to be unravelled if ever and as expected, several theories are already making the rounds about the motive behind the incident. We may get to the bottom of it or yet again, we may never get beyond the news value of the moment.

For some reason, whenever I hear such reports, I think of the unfettered influx and use of drugs (you know the types), and the obvious progression from a transit to a user country. I think of the challenge of small arms and increasingly bigger arms including those from official armouries in the hands of just about anyone who wants them. I think of the general intolerance of differences encouraged by and fed on by political and self-seeking interests which is taking the place of reasonable discourse. I cringe at the unrestrained greed and extravagance of people with ‘power’ plundering the resources of the vulnerable and the public. I think of the profane misuse of the media- and I am not just talking of the vulgarism, but the sheer lawlessness and dishonesty thrown recklessly at us. I worry about the unrelenting security blunders. I think of EDUCATION or the lack thereof. I think of the growing anger and desperation of the vulnerable, marginalized and oppressed, many of whom will soon exhibit the ‘power’ they don’t think they have, if not already. Oh, and I remember a certain Mr. Osei who has been drawing attention to the mental health situation in Ghana for a while now. There’s just so much that such reports throw up! And for some reason, I think that these are connected and inextricable from the current headline, the daylight robberies, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

I may be wrong but while ‘investigations’ get along on Kaaka and all others, and I hope we catch somebody; I wonder about these matters and how perhaps #FixTheCountry is about all of these things and how that slogan is quite appropriately a call on everyone. Fix the country may very well be fix me, fix you, fix us, fix the system, fix our society…and whatever the heck we want to call it.

Something is broken - question is, who is going to fix it, and who is going to make them?

#IAmKaaka

#IAmCaleb

#IAmSuale

#IAmAnyOtherSomebodyWhoMayKillOrBeKilled

 

 

Father's Day 2021

Father's Day always brings with it some general unease- as if we were having to justify celebrating our fathers.

The commemorative atmosphere and outpouring of love around Mothers' Day are thought to far outweigh that of Fathers Day.   Fathers have been up in arms about this and so in recent years we are beginning to see various programs and social media commentary aimed at addressing the seeming imbalance. Or is it to placate the men?

Why the scales have been so skewed against the males in this matter however must be left to another day. Someone put out a sound reminder elsewhere that Fathers Day is a day to celebrate men and not to 'insult' them. Although the admonition in itself carries a load of questions, I took a cue from it. After all there are many great daddy stories to tell and here's one in my letter to fathers. 

 

Dear Fathers,

We see you and we love you

Thank you for wooing us with sweet words, pizza and all that. They add to the fat but we encourage you to continue   

Thank you for understanding that on red flag days and any other day it hits us, we can be a bit crazy,

Thank you for understanding that pregnancy, childbirth and all that follows needs your special attention, care and MONEY and that these things can't happen without you. We are grateful.

 

Thank you for claiming your children. You did not toil in vain  

Thank you for contributing to paying school fees, putting food on the table and helping with housework. They are your right. Don't let anyone take it from you.

 

Thank you for cheering us on and being happy for our progress without feeling threatened. You will always be our knights in shining armour.

 

We could go on and on and on but you'll say we talk too much. So just know that we appreciate you for being present and being the fathers you ought to be.

 

THE LOVE IS DEEP   

My Dad and I