SHAME ON YOU!!! BRITISH COUNCIL ACCRA

It is the appropriate time for me to boldly accept the old proverb of my great literary Hero OLA ROTIMI when he said in his play "KURUNMI" that
"WHEN ELEPHANTS ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED IN THE THOUSANDS, HOW COULD ONE NOTICE THE DEATH OF A HOUSE RAT?"

Anyone from the British council in Accra, Ghana should dare to answer me....
Was it just an appalling display of stupidity, ignorance, or spitefulness on Friday November 2 2007 @ the British Council in Accra or JUST a clean cut FRAUD?

As advertised,(if even they did) it was the night to select three TOP FASHION DESIGNERS and ACCESSORIES DESIGNERS for LONDON FASHION WEEK (1st Prize), SOUTH AFRICAN FASHION WEEK (2nd Prize) & NIGERIA FASHION WEEK (3rd Prize) under the title flagship called
"INTERNATIONAL YOUNG FASHION ENTREPRENEUR CATWALK PRESENTATION"
(Dumb name)

Mediocrity was at its best from the onset of this particular show where publicity was very very minimal to say the least.


The second sign of mediocrity depicted by the organizers was the location:
The backyard of the British council in Accra where a thin red carpet was crisscrossed as a runway on a pavement.(Is this where you select a designer to represent the whole nation?)

The grandest (if the word even exists) catastrophe of all was the panel of judges which comprised of Multichioce GH. PR Manager Anne Sackey, Paa John (Events Manager or something irrelevant like that), Ivana a "Fashion Designer" amongst others.

These folks have no freaking clue about what fashion entrepreneurship really is about because of their choice of the three top winners.

However, the Host MC of the night, Kofi Otchere Darko was fantastic as usual.He
handled the mess of the British Council to save them from further shame.

1st position NANA ASIHENE,
2nd Position OBJ (Accessories designer) and
3rd position went to another mediocre jewelry designer.

What is my "beef" you may ask?

My capital "BEEF" is that, when British council decides or decided to organize and select entrepreneurs to represent a whole country like my motherland Ghana, i believe it is an enormous task and obligation to be very analytical and very fair to publicize the event appropriately so as to garner maximum support for all participants nationwide.
In doing so, the show could claim it has or had National support for the eventual winners who will hold high the flag of Ghana.

In this case the British council FAILED MISERABLY.

Another case of my "BEEF" is the ISSUE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND AUTHENTICITY.
According to the profiles of the seven finalists, it was very obvious that the two most industrious and authentic designers were "KWESI NTI" and "ROYAL DENNIS" who every “fashionista” in Ghana can vouch for.

Interesting enough these two great designers of our contemporary generation were totally sidelined by these ignorant judges.

The Red Carpet placed on the pavement as a runway had no respect whatsoever as was evident when guests were crisscrossing the red carpet whilst there were models also on the other end of the red carpet.
Not once, but four times i counted one particular woman who had no shame nor decency, walked across the carpet. This woman's friends also crossed once each and also a young lady who was serving drinks also crossed several times.

Can't the British Council of Ghana afford to put up an elevated runway just for this show at least?
Oo hoo....

To this I say a BIG SHAME ON YOU ALL.

When "elephants" like "KWESI NTI" and "ROYAL DENNIS" are being slaughtered in our own hands and in our own country, how could we motivate the house rats (up & coming designers) to move into the forest?

ANSWER ME... BRITISH COUNCIL OF GHANA.

Can these selected designers be able to represent Ghana well on the International circus?

Do they have the capacity to contain commercial merchandizing?

I doubt.

However disappointing the show was, there was vindication for one of the two favorites; ROYAL DENNIS.
The next day at the MISS MALAIKA pageant he showcased his great handiworks on the bodies of the 10 final beauty contestants.

It was a sight to watch how a gifted talent and very humble gentleman put so much hard work and dedication to the crafting or gorgeous clothes and yet some have ignorant few have the guts to insult his creativity.

If i was the Director of the British council in Accra, I would have been really ashamed and disappointed by the organizers and the judges of the International Young Fashion Entrepreneur Catwalk show.

Go to hell i say to those judges.

Kudos to the hardworking young designers of Ghana and Kudos to Kwesi Nti and Royal Dennis in particular who stayed true to their integrity?

Sometimes it must take the courage of a Buffalo to overcome the hungry Serengeti lion.

Maybe when wrong people are in charge of great ideas abuse is inevitable. I really don't know what to say more but feel disappointed.
In a case like this.

I pause here with much contempt for the judges in particular and the organizers in general.

SHAME ON YOU ALL