Changing jobs

Every time in a man's life, one needs to take stock of the activities around one and see if one is walking in the direction of one's destiny and life goals. I did that recently and decided that it was high time I changed jobs to move me closer to where I want to be in life.

Therefore, I am no longer working with OVATION International, I have taken up an appointment with one of Nigeria's best trusted news magazines, TELL, in what I feel is a move towards my life's calling. Henceforth, I'll be working for TELL in the capacity of Country Correspondent (Ghana). It is a challenge I hope will take me closer to my destination.

I enjoyed my time at OVATION and really cherish the moments that I shared with colleagues, friends and my boss. It was a great experience. I look forward to greater days ahead.

Kakum National Park: Walking on a tight rope

It was literally walking on a tight rope yesterday as my friend Ayo Olojola and I visited the Kakum National Park in the Central Region of Ghana. There they have an untouched lush green tropical forest with canopy walkways high up in the trees up to 40 metres high.

Truly not for the faint hearted, we trudged on along the seven shaky canopies about ten of us in the troop led by our faithful guide Samuel Owusu. It was fun looking down from the trees but sometimes awe inspiring.

We spent about an hour and half doing the round. First was a climb up his hill to about 250 metres. It made the strongest of us short of breath. And then the walk into the trees began with Samuel elling a story or two about the medicinal uses of some of the tree barks. He reminded me of some of the quality time I spent with my Granny Abigail in the village when I was much younger.

It wasn't all about physical activity though as we made friends with some fellow trekkers like Lena and Laurie from Virginia who were on an educational trip to Ghana.

I then got me a t-shirt with my foto emblazoned on the front. It was a wow trip atleast it got my mind off the miserable performance of the Super Eagles during the Nations Cup in Ghana.

Remembering Iluyemi Obadasa: 8 Years After

It was just fifteen days after the euphoric celebrations that greeted the beginning of the new millennium when my friend Iluyemi Obadasa was brutally killed by a fellow student in Ado Ekiti. ‘Yemi had been studying for a degree in Law at the University of Ado Ekiti. He was in his second year when he died, a death most horrible that it threw the whole of the university into chaos. His passing shattered the peace of Ado that the university had to be shut for upwards of three months.

Yemi’s killers, for they were many, were led by the duo of Olumide Ogunleye and Tolu Kolawole (son of a famous furniture businessman) alongside their girlfriends, a bunch of drunk lads that were returning from a drinking splurge and had run him over with their car near a rubbish heap along the Adebayo Road close to the State Hospital that fateful night. He was seeing off a friend that had come to pay a visit that night at his Similoluwa Hall accommodation. It was while returning to his abode that the killers struck, hitting and knocking out the life in him and then making away like practiced hit-and-run drivers.

The sight of his mangled corpse on a rubbish heap in the morning aroused the anger in the student populace as they felt he had been killed by ritualists. For Iluyemi was an albino, a very popular one. He was known by a lot of people in the university community and it was not uncommon to hear people, students, lecturers and traders refer to him as “Barrister White”, an appellation to which he always responded in the affirmative in his baritone voice. In his characteristic jovial nature, he would tell them that he was organising a committee of Nigerian albinos to overthrow the government. It was a well practiced joke from when we were in secondary school and it never ceased to make us laugh.

The sudden death of Barrister White shocked the student body on that morning of January 16, 2000 and the town would not know peace again for that week. In situations like that, when tempers rise, a lot of havoc is wreaked on the property of perceived perpetrators of such acts. Many individuals and businesses therefore suffered what they knew nothing about. A very unfortunate thing but the university body all rose up to condemn the act. The state government then set up a committee to investigate the incident only to realize that the act was committed not by ritualists but by students who were too drunk to realize that they could offer help to someone who they had knocked down with their vehicle.

It was such an anti-climax. Many people cursed the society that had raised such sons of evil who wouldn’t stop to give a helping hand to someone in pain. Where was the Samaritan spirit that the good Lord had preached to us all? It was such a sad end to the life of a very promising young man. After a time of incarceration, the perpetrators of that evil act have been walking the streets of our country since as free men. But what kind of men they are with such an act on their conscience, I don’t know. I leave that to them and their creator.

But today I look back and remember the young Iluyemi that I knew. For he will always remain young in my memory. If he were alive today he will be thirty one years old. He would be a practicing lawyer for there was nothing he wanted more than to minister in the courts of justice fighting for the rights of the under privileged. It was our dream when we were at Aquinas College, Akure. We were in the notorious Arts Class which we nicknamed “House of Parliament”. Also in that class was Femi Onipede (Erebe Father, now a practicing lawyer), Kayode Eso, Seyi Ologungbara, Oludayo Bello, etc. Yemi led our class till graduation in ’96 when he scored an A in mathematics, a course we all dreaded. He was a great all round scholar. At Aquinas College he was called “Mercury” because he always carried along an umbrella to preserve his light sensitive skin. The name mercury came about as we used to say he would melt like mercury, the only metal that is liquid in a cold state, if he walked under the hot sun without his umbrella. He always laughed it off.

Back then we wanted to be like the Gani Fawehinmis of this world. Yemi and I had both been admitted into Ado Ekiti first to study Political Science and Philosophy respectively. But we wanted something better. We would write another JAMB examination and he would be admitted to study Law while I left to study English at Ile Ife.

During my one year sojourn at Ado, I shared so much with him. I stayed with him at Similoluwa Hall as I didn’t get a place of my own. We shared everything we had and we were closer than brothers. My leaving for Ile Ife did not affect our friendship as we met during the holidays in Akure, still as close as ever. The last time I saw him was on the 2nd of January, 2000 when I went to his house to inform him of my impending departure for Ife the next day. We had enjoyed a swell time during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

We had organized a party of friends at my house the evening of December 31, 1999 as my mother had traveled to Lagos. At our jolly friends’ meet, Iluyemi had introduced a young lady to our group as the woman to whom he was getting engaged. Such was his tenacity of purpose at doing things his own way. When he made up his mind it was hard to make him change it. If not for his death, I’m sure he would have had children by now. He had his life well planned.

Such are the blissful memories that I remember of my friend eight years later. Even though I had found it strange to learn of his passing, I look back now and remember the great times we shared. He was a wonderful man who would have made a lot of difference in his generation if his candle had not melted too early. I miss his wisdom and wit, his large heart and his laughter. He had his moods as well. He was not perfect but he was a good man. Sometimes I wish we could turn back the time and make him not embark on that trip that fateful night. But all that has happened has made us wiser.

Yemi left behind a great family. His dad worked in the police. He was the second of six sons. He left behind a lot of friends who remember him today. Rest in peace my friend.

A Day at Cape Coast Beach

By Ololade Adewuyi

(first published by Graphic Showbiz, Accra, Ghana 13 Dec, 2007)




Fisherman Eugene and colleagues pull fish from the sea in Cape Coast. Photo by Ololade Adewuyi


A quiet old town with small winding streets, Cape Coast lies on the Gulf of Guinea, about two hundred kilometres from Accra. It is dotted by a large number of hills which the residents have found as a good abode for their homes. A first time visitor to Cape Coast will be astounded by the many beautiful homes set on the hills.

The town has traditionally been a fishing community due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. It also served as home for the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade with the many castles situated along its coastline being reminders of slavery’s cruel past. The most famous of them, the Cape Coast Castle, has become a World Heritage Site and a tourist attraction for many who throng its eerie slave cells daily.

But the town’s fishing community still thrives even to this day. Fishermen can be found at all times of the day dragging in nets filled with fish along the white sandy beaches of the town. Like egrets to grazing cattle, one can always find the pervading presence of fish mongers eagerly awaiting the next hoard of fish so they can go selling in the markets.

Cape Coast’s major market is located near the centre of town at a place called the London Bridge. It is so called because of the pride of place it held among the people during the colonial rule of the British. Near the London Bridge is the town’s symbol of a crab called Koto Kraba. It is to this market that all the fish, shrimps and crabs go to be sold to the town’s sea food restaurants and connoisseurs.

But the fish does come at a heavy price to its catchers. The fishermen spend more than twelve hours daily on the sea before making any considerable catch.

Fisherman John Dadzie, 36, spends all day on the sea setting his nets while his colleagues try to pull in the fish from the sea. He works six days a week and rests only on Tuesdays, a day considered a taboo by the Fante to go on the high seas. So he mends his nets. It is a folklore which has been made popular through a stage play titled The Lost Fishermen by Ghana’s foremost artist, the late Saka Acquaye. It tells of a group of men who set out for the high seas on a Tuesday and the trouble that befalls them.

Another fisherman who simply gave his name as Eugene is part of the group that pulls in the fish from the sea. He tells of how the fish have become rare to find these days, hence, the length of time spent at the shore. So when the fish don’t come to the shore they go after them.

“The fish no dey come so we take long here”, he told me matter of fact.

The men have to set their nets as early as 5 O’clock in the morning and wouldn’t be getting any fish until well past midday. It is a frustrating cycle for these men who have several dependants. Not least for the fish sellers who have to wait much longer than before for the fish to arrive.

Abigail Thompson, 22, is a seamstress but she comes out to help her mother buy fish from the men at the shore.

“Now we stay longer before we can sell at the market. The fish are scarce”, she complains.

When the fish is finally pulled in, a flurry of activity engulfs the beach. The many women who have been waiting to get their consignment and the more than two dozen men who have been pulling the nets all day all heave a sigh of relief. So too are the sea gulls that have been hovering all day to pounce on hapless fish through the broken parts of the nets. Everyone is happy to see the fish arrive on shore.

But the joy is short lived when it is apparent that the catch is little and the men have to throw back the eel caught into the sea. The sea has been milked dry of its most impressive assets in this part of the world.

“West Side” is Music’s “Best Side”

West Side connection- P Square perform with Kweku T at Joy FM's Night with Stars. Photo by Ololade Adewuyi


By Ololade Adewuyi
(first published by Graphic Showbiz, Ghana on 6th Decemeber, 2007)


As he looked into the eager crowd, Paul Okoye, one half of the duo popularly known as P Square held the microphone to his mouth and told the audience in no mean words; “When I say West side, you say the best side, okay?”. Feeling he needed to make them realize the import of his words, he went on to regale them of some famous performers who had emerged from his new found idea of the West side, the west coast of Africa.

And as he mentioned the names of musical icons like Reggie Rockstone, 2 Face, Fela, Osibisa, Samini, VIP among many others, one could see the crowd light up with the excitement of knowing that all these people were West African products. Hence, when he next said “West side”, the capacity audience at Joy FM’s Night with Stars all screamed “the best side” in an attempt to pull down the roof of Accra’s International Conference Centre on that night of December 1.

It was a sentiment that melted the heart of the crowd as Nigeria’s P Square turned up the heat during their second ever performance in Ghana, home to a considerable number of their worldwide fan base. Their brand of Afro hip hop laced with Pidgin English has become quite popular since they released their first album Get Squared a few years back with the hit tracks Busy Body and Temptation becoming an anthem among young and old alike. Their rising profile has seen their latest album with the single Do me already selling upwards of two million copies since its release three weeks ago (according to artistes’ figures).

The almost identical twins, Peter and Paul, interestingly could not only sing but they had great choreographed dance steps as well. Armed with good looks and a great dance routine, they have wormed their way into hearts and homes with their quality music videos which are done by their brother, Jude who also doubles as manager. Talk about keeping all the money in the family!

The duo P Square is another addition to the incredible growth of West African music in recent years. They are adding their voice to a line up of music greats that have emerged from this side of Africa since after political independence in the middle of the last century. Though not claiming to be a music scholar, West Africa surely has produced some of the most profound musicians ever to come out of Africa. Names like Fela, Baba Mal, King Sunny Ade, Osibisa, E.T Mensah, Youssou Ndour, Angelique Kidjo, Prince Nico Mbarga, Lagbaja, Ismael Lo, Magic System, Femi, Daddy Lumba and so many others have become household names no matter the language divide all over the world.

In West Africa, music is a common ingredient of everyday life. It is the soul of our societies. No event is performed without the sound of music and drums accompanying it. From the ritual music of secret societies to the more popular rhythms of commercial singers, our music has evolved through time. Call it what you will, high life, soukous, juju, afro beat, hip life, afro hip hop, music has served in no mean way to keep our society sane.

From the home grown talents of Samini, 2 Face, D Banj, Tic Tac, KK Fosu, King Nee, P Square, Obrafour, etc to the Diasporan blends of Seal, Sade, BB Brew, Tunde Bayewu, Akon, Chamillionaire, Lemar, etc, it is obvious that West Africa is the home of quality singers, musicians and performers. Hence, it buttresses the point of branding West Africa as West Side if only one can remove that inner feeling of the realization that the phrase has been a part of the bigger American hip hop movement which is widely known for its gangster struggle for supremacy with the East Coast of the USA. A struggle which often turned violent and resulted in the untimely deaths of rappers Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace a.k.a Biggie Smalls.

West Africa has got a lot going for it in music at the moment with a lot of young people embracing the art and business of music production if only to see their videos shown on continental music channels MTV Base and Channel O as well as new entrants Soundcity. Superstardom beckons on so many with promises of good money no wonder the vibrant nature of the industry at the moment with artistes now making CD sales into the millions. But above all, good quality will stand out the best from the also ran, therefore, West Africa must continue to blaze the trail on the African continent with its unique musical traditions.

One looks forward to seeing greater collaborations between artistes of different countries of the sub region in the near future. Collaborations are one way of bringing cultures and singers closer to a wider audience. It was good to see P Square perform with Kweku T, Ghana’s representative at the recently concluded Big Brother Africa. It is the West Side connection already in progress.

A drop of greatness in every man

A drop of greatness in every man? Photo courtesy Mcsheely.com

Every once in a while, a television commercial (TVC) grows to achieve cult status among audiences with several people looking forward to watching it. If it happens to be in the form of a musical, one will see several people sing along its tune. One of the most recent TVCs that has achieved that esteemed status and has caught on everyone’s imagination is the Guinness Stout ad, Guinness Greatness.

The advert which says that drinkers of Guinness Stout have greatness inside of them opens with the reverent monologue from an elderly man, “My friend Udeme is a great man…”

The aim of every advert campaign is to grab the attention of its target audience and make them want to take action by purchasing such a product or taking a step in the case of a public service ad. Credit must be given to the creators of the Guinness Greatness concept for succeeding in capturing the attention of TV audiences with this campaign.

Unlike the Michael Power Action campaign that seeks to show the action in the drinker, which I personally believe comes after a drinking binge when you see a drunk’s antics as he makes his way home, the Greatness ad has more than a message for Guinness drinkers. Its pay off line “there is a drop of greatness in every man” is a classic idea.

Truth well told, that is the idea behind the marketing communications industry. They try to tell you, in your face, the qualities of their product. But the creators of Greatness went a step further by bringing out one sentiment that is present in every human, the idea that every human craves for something greater than themselves.

It is a fact that everybody on earth has been created distinct from every other person. Not even identical twins are the same; they possess differences in their anatomy and thought patterns. But as much as possible, every man or woman if prompted would tell you that they perceive they are on this earth to fulfill a destiny which they alone can attain.

This mission if pursued and not aborted is what will lead to greatness. This, Guinness has explored to create a successful campaign that has caught on everyone’s imagination. But then one might ask, must one drink Guinness to achieve greatness?

I don’t think so. There is a drop of greatness in every man means that there is substance in everyone that could lead to the achievement of great things in life. Like one of the parables of Jesus, the one about talents, it is obvious that there is something in you and you only need to look deep within yourself to find that special place you ought to fill in this world.

By finding one’s destiny, one stops being an occupier of space and starts being a giver of life. And like the Udeme the character in the ad, one’s sojourn on earth would be one in which many people will benefit from. Greatness comes from within and only an individual can find that for themselves.

Therefore, one’s task should be about discovering their strengths and applying them in a way that in their absence someone can say, my friend Nana is a great man. That is the mark of greatness.

Of Death and Hope

Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Nothing in the world really prepares one for the sudden loss of a close friend. It was heart breaking news for us in the office last week when we learnt about the sudden passing of our friend and colleague, Edem Edward Cudjoe. It was a rude shock when the news broke in the office on Wednesday, 8th August. He was just twenty six years old.

Edem was with us in the office on Monday and we all mostly had a great time. He was studying at one of the IT schools in town and was working with us as an intern in our graphics department. He was one very hard working lad who always had the eagerness to learn new things.

Edem’s passing has brought home the sad reality of the fickleness of human life. He had not reported to the office on Tuesday citing stomach trouble. We, well I personally, felt it was just one of those days when a worker reported ill because he needed some extra rest. It was even said that he had been up and doing on Wednesday morning before suddenly giving up the ghost as he prepared to come to the office. It is sad how such an agile young man would just pass away with all the great potentials imbued in him.

I still can’t make sense of it. Words are not enough to describe how I feel at this moment. I remember the last time I saw him on Monday when he was about leaving for the day, he had asked for my pages to lay but I had told him that I was yet to finish. He had enthusiastically replied that he would be expecting them the next day so as to plan the pages. I didn’t know it was going to be the last time we would ever talk to one another. Because he never returned!

Rumuors would filter into the office on Wednesday morning claiming Edem had died. But it was hard to confirm because we called his number and nobody would pick it. I even sent him a text message asking him to drag his behind to the office as we had work to do. It was all jokingly couched thinking that he was playing pranks. But who would play pranks about dying?

We should have known then that there was something amiss. For when someone finally answered his ringing mobile phone, it was confirmed that he had actually passed on. It was said that he had not suffered any pains on the morning of Wednesday. His family said he was as fit as a fiddle and had not complained of the previous day’s pains. It was greater shock to them because they saw him hail and hearty that morning.

The young Edem Cudjoe I knew loved life. He was so much in love with hip hop music that one could instantly feel the vibe around him. He always wore t-shirts and baggie trousers, the epitome of any hip hop aficionado. He was so full of life that anyone who came around him picked up on it.

Well, life is a journey which we make alone. After one is born, we instantly begin our journey over life’s uneven terrain. Sometimes we fall, and then we rise. As long as there is breath in our nostrils we can move on and try again. But all ceases when there is no more breath. By then we face our creator for that final music.

Life is such a beauty even with all its troubles. How many people have tried the dying option just because things are tough? The majority of us always hope for better things at the end of the dark tunnel. It’s because of the way we have been made. Our anatomy is such that hope is the greatest characteristic of the human race. To give up hope is to be a living dead. For we who are still alive have hope of a greater future. But we need to make up our minds to live a life worthy of our stay on earth.

My heart felt condolences go to the Cudjoe family. We share in their great loss. Young men are not meant to die. They are the hope of our nation. But as Edem leaves us to become a part of the Ancestry, I hope he has on his cloth end a coin to pay Kutsiami the benevolent ferryman as he makes his way home.