THE BEAUTY OF MATHEMATICS

Beauty of Mathematics.

Thanks Jacquie for the Link...............


Pay deep attention to this message ....it is really amazing ...!!! think about it , how does it come in this way ..and why ...????? is it just a game of mathematics ..???


The Beauty of Mathematics and the Love of God! This is TOO great!

Just the math part is good enough, the end is even better.

I bet you will NOT be able to read it without sending it on to at least one other person!
J
Beauty of Mathematics!!!!!!!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?

And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Mind Boggling...

Now, take a look at this...

101%

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100% ?

What does it mean to give MORE than 100% ?

Ever wonder about those people who say they
Are giving more than 100% ?

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to

GIVE OVER 100%...

How about ACHIEVING 101%?

What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
Answer these questions:

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:

K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E

11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E

1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude
with mathematical certainty that:

While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close,
and Attitude will get you there,
It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

If you find this interesting
share it with your friends & loved ones.

Have a nice day & God bless you!!

YES WE CAN!!!

"We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around. When yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."
From Reverend Joseph Lowery's Inaugural Benediction January 2009

Oh yes, for we knoweth not what the end of a matter is, therefore we must continually be under the direction of Yahweh.

For Yet are we are awake Yet STILL in a slumber. Why? Because of what we have been told to believe.

Now and now are we witnesses to the Great Miracle and His- Story on January 20th 2009. Some of us were far away yet closer than many through the magic of a Tube or LCD.

Yeah Yeah Yeah!!! Have we now got the BRAVERY to proclaim: THIS IS OUR SEASON.

A season of endless FAITH, HOPE & CHANGE for the BETTER.

We are now ready to lead again and again.

Our enemies may be watching us, yet we fret NOT 'cause we are the GENERATION OF WARRIOR who have fought many battles and won.

Speak to us our NEGRO Brother and friend, Speak to the hearing of all the UNIVERSE.

The beauty we cherish inside of us yet very afraid to acknowledge is now exposed.

Howdy Howdy Howdy, we are now here.
Here and here have we arrived.
From the Constitution Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue we have arrived in OPULENCE & HUMILITY.

The spectacle and shades of many eyes and colors have embraced our COLORFUL nature and beauty.

Ahaaaa, we have climbed the Highest mountain and have conquered.

Speak to the wind, for it is ready and swift to transmit the sweet message of HOPE & CHANGE.

Remember, it is only the son of a TRULY FREE NEGRO that can inhabit the abode of the oppressor... Yes I said it...

For our BROTHER was born a FREE MAN not a Morgan Freeman... BUT A TRULY FREE MAN.

We receive you Our Brother and we Welcome you into the Land of the Free and of the Brave.

YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!

You may be a Hussein (PERSIAN OR ARABIC NAME), a Barack (JEWISH NAME) or an Obama (JAPANESE CITY) but who cares, You are our brother...

Welcome, Woezor, Akwaaba.

This is our season... YES WE CAN..........

RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION. THE HALLMARK OF “CUSTOMER SERVICE” AT CAIRO AIRPORT.

RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION. THE HALLMARK OF “CUSTOMER SERVICE” AT CAIRO AIRPORT.


Disclaimer:
the following article contains raw and uncensored language and emotions expressed by the author.
Author not liable for any pent up feelings generated during & after reading the article.
You may now proceed if you consent.

When the plantain dies, its saplings takes its place, when the fire dies, the ashes take its place and that is the meaning of tradition”, that is what makes us HUMAN, that is what makes us DISTINCT.”
in this vivid description and analysis given by the great African writer OLA ROTIMI we Africans have a tradition to continue the good works of our forefathers.

But my experience in Cairo, Egypt is nothing to write home to my ancestors about.
If Kwame Nkrumah and his wife Fathia Nkrumah (An Egyptian woman) and Gamel Abdul Nasser can read and hear my wailing from beyond, I want you to turn your backs. Because our work and toil of African Unity is totally wasted.

If an indigenous African, born and bred and survived on this land decides to transit through Egypt on my way to a far away land of (Mopeds) Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, have I done anything sacrilegious?

Oh hell no.... the ancestors who shed their blood for our land will say.
The ghosts of Kwame Nkrumah and Gamel Abdul Nasser will not think so.

But what happened to me on the 9th of July 2008 en route to Bangkok, Thailand to Vietnam is or was the worst nightmare a BLACK SKIN AFRICAN person like me could ever imagine happening to him or her in Africa. (The Dark Continent)
Upon arrival at 06:30 am Local time in Cairo, we were shuffled to a transit hall near gate 1 and our passports taken from us under the explanation that they were working on transit visas for us and the process will take an hour.

It was well understood, but after two hours of absolute disregard and utter silence, I approached the officials who took our passports, one of the officials said I should wait another hour.
Under my own eyes, I just saw some few Persian looking passengers and some few Caucasians gently asked to come closer to the desk and they were issued a hotel and food voucher and gently led away by another young official away from the rest of us.

I immediately asked why they were being given accommodation and not me and other passengers languishing in the messy transit hall.

One of the gentlemen said I should exercise patience for another hour.

I was so pissed off that I had to leave their presence to avoid losing my temper.
I went to the next level where I went to hide in a corner behind an electronic shop and laid my head on my backpack and fell asleep for two hours.
I woke up and realized the time was almost midday and rushed downstairs to the transit area thinking I had missed my opportunity to be checked into a hotel.
When I got to the Egyptian official he just told me, “your passport is not ready”.
Then I saw another Ghanaian young man also demanding the same answers I was, and another one joined us and we started demanding to be taken to a hotel immediately to take a shower.
When it became evident that the three of us were becoming very loud and very embarrassing to the Egyptian officials, they quickly issued a voucher for us and gave us a young Egyptian lady to lead us out of the airport terminal to catch a shuttle bus to NOVOTEL Hotel.
At this point we were three (3) guys and a young Togolese lady with her young daughter of about 4 years old.

Upon reaching NOVOTEL, we were rudely turned away because there was no vacancy.
And the bus driver who brought us to the hotel was no where to be found.
When I inquired I was told he is praying and we need to wait for a while.
In the mean time the WICKED Egyptian sun was burning us like a toast of morning bread in an electric toaster.
When we finally got back to the Egypt Air “CUSTOMER SERVICE” counter at the airport, a female employee who said she was the supervisor was trying to be brutish towards our predicament.

Ooh heavens did I lost my temper, I yelled at her and she immediately directed us to another “CUSTOMER SERVICE” office one level below the departure lounge and we went to see the Transit Manager BASEM MAHDY who issued us another voucher to Le Passage Hotel after speaking to the Hotel and confirming there is vacancy for us.
We left the airport for the second time and went to Le Passage Hotel, and upon our arrival in a Nissan Mini Bus, a young man in a funny looking tall hat came rushing towards us before we could step at the doorstep of the Hotel and started screaming “no room, no room, go back to the airport.

Wow... wow... wow..

We all couldn't believe it....
At this point I knew this was a daylight racism and discrimination against the black color.

DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! Kwame Nkrumah I said, Damn you Kwame Nkrumah for believing that African Unity was possible...
How FALSE, and how WRONG could Nkrumah be?

Someone tell me, I'm I just being too melodramatic?

Woof....

When we got back to the airport again, and went to see Basem Mahdy, he was totally confused and taken aback himself by the hotel's decision to deny us accommodation.

Ooh then did Osman and myself went totally berserk in the office on the two managers, and we told them we are been treated this way because we were black Africans. He took a big offense to this and started yelling that I shouldn't say that.
Then I took out my Press ID cards and showed them and promised them I will write about their Racism, Discrimination and Mistreatment and make the whole world know about how rude, mean and surly they are.

All the other workers in the office at this point hurriedly left the office to avoid the embarrassment.
After 20 minutes of heated argument Basem Mahdy called a young man into the office and told us he will take us to a nicer hotel near the Pyramids as a form of compensation and it was nearly 30 minutes drive from the airport.

For heavens sake I didn't know why I believed this man in the first place.

Guess what, the 30 minutes journey took us almost 2 hours to a far away dusty and filthy area near the pyramids to a very crappy hotel whose reception was hot and humid and the front desk officers were using papers to fan themselves.

Ooh what a compensation that was... haa

My new found friends in this disaster and myself declined to stay in the hotel and hopped back unto the bus for another 1:30 minutes drive back to the “CAIRO SHITHOLE AIRPORT”
( no apologies for my language)

Upon seeing us, Basem almost broke down, and we decided we won't talk to anyone and just demanded our passports back.

While waiting, Osman and myself went to get some pizza to kill our dry hunger.
When Basem saw us, he walked towards us and told us to wait for him while he arranges VIP Lounge vouchers for us and some food.

After nine (9) awful hours of nightmare in this deserted country of Egypt, we were allowed to go upstairs to the so called VIP Lounge.
How ridiculous.. we were offered a box of fast food from “Le Passage Hotel” (How Ironic).

End of part one of the Miseries...

CHAPTER 2

Two (2) hours prior to departure we were informed that our flight to Bangkok will be delayed for another three (3 ) hours.

Ooh no...

Finally, when the voyage to Bangkok took off, it was a great relief for us all.

But guess what, my connecting flight on Vietnam Airlines to Ho Chi Minh City left because of the Egypt Air delay and I had to find my way to catch Thai Airways to Ho Chi Minh City and mine oh mine what a hustle it was.


All these while I couldn't find my luggage. When I asked, I was told Egypt Air will locate it for me later.

When I got to Ho Chi Minh City the Vietnam Airlines connecting flight to my final destination Nha Trang also left.
When I confronted the officials at the desk of Vietnam Airlines, they told me Egypt Air is liable for my missed flights and I should find myself a hotel in the city to spend the night.

Now, I knew I was in a “SHIT HOLE” because of Egypt Air.

On my return journey, I thought things will be much easier because I had sent an email to Basem Mahdy (basemmahdy@hotmail.com) informing him about my transit again and he should do his best to facilitate a smooth transit and more so to avoid the previous predicament.

We arrived from Bangkok at 5:30 am Cairo time on the 19th of July 2008 and we were shuttled again to the same transit hall.
When some of the officials saw me, they started smiling and saying my friend, my friend...
I told them, for the second time I don't expect to be mistreated.

Ooh how naive and wrong was I
.
It didn't take 20 minutes when they started the selective process of sifting through the passengers for the Persians and the Caucasians.
I didn't let them finish when I started demanding my hotel vouchers.
After 5 hours at the transit hall and with the moral support of other Ghanaians in transit from Dubai, we started demanding our hotel vouchers and I told them my previous experience and they narrated similar experiences to me.

After we have been through three (3) checkpoints on our way out, a group of custom officials just decided to stop us and do another check on our hand luggage we were carrying to the hotel.
When I asked them why another check on our bags, one of them just yelled at us in Arabic with the back of his hands towards us and said to me in horrible English, “because I am customs I can check you anytime”. (You Customs officials at Cairo Airport: Get off your nasty Arabian horse and get a life. Asshole)

When we got to Le Passage Hotel, we were directed to a secluded corner and not the main front desk.

When I saw the number of BLACK people in a queue with young and old all struggling to get a hotel room, I devised a plan and left the queue secretly and went straight to the main front desk and turned on my LAFA (Locally Acquired Foreign Accent) in this case an American accent and I told the gentleman I'm a journalist and have been specifically directed by Basem to be given special treatment because I need to email my report ASAP. In the mean time I was flashing Basem's complimentary card in front of the young man.
He quickly redirected me to a lady with the name tag MONA who gave me room number 3026.

My Magic worked and I got myself a room. Oh my Gosh...

I quickly went to get some breakfast, went to take a quick shower, and took a quick nap.
Meanwhile, on my way to my room, I saw most of my BLACK Brethren still in a queue waiting for their rooms.

When I woke up and went to the restaurant to take my lunch, the young man decided to take me outside the restaurant to go eat under the canopy and I told him I will not and I went back into the main hall and demanded a table which was available.
The reason why he decided to take me outside to eat instead of the main restaurant is a good guess for everyone.

The food was cold and tasteless anyway. I didn't eat the food but ate the fried chicken and left the rest for their pathetic ass to eat.

My biggest displeasure about this nightmare is that when my colleagues and I complained we were told we should go lodge our complaint and displeasure at the Accra office of EGYPT AIR.

Can you believe such an insult?

I will be unfair if I say all the workers at Cairo Airport were rude and racist.
There's one particular gentleman called Nasser who was EXTREMELY helpful and kind towards us. Anytime I approached him, he will talk to his colleagues in whatever language they were speaking (didn't care to know) and the next thing that happens is I see him coming back to me to give me an assurance that everything will be alright.

Why can't 30% at least of the workers be like this man Nasser?

Aboard the flight to Accra, I asked the flight attendant for a blanket and she told me emphatically there was no blanket on board.
But when I got up to check the upper compartments myself, I found blankets carefully tucked in a corner of one of the cabinets and I took one myself.

HOW PATHETIC?

Are we being considered less human than these Egyptians or are we just being BOLDLY insulted?

I think EGYPT AIR and the officials at CAIRO “ SHIT HOLE AIRPORT” don't deserve to be operating in Ghana and for that matter be considered as a genuine airline to operate anywhere in the world.
From my own experience and from the anecdotes from other passengers, it is evident that, Egypt Air deliberately concocted a scheme to deny and abuse passengers from black Africa especially Ghana and Nigeria and also not inform the passengers about their benefits during transit in Cairo.

What I observed is that most Ghanaians transiting didn't even know they are entitled to accommodation and food while in transit.

How sad can we be?
Do we have consumer protection agencies or advocates in Ghana to help us out?

I think Egypt Air is a SHIT HOLE AIRLINE
EGYPT AIR is a RACIST AIRLINE
EGYPT AIR IS A JUNK AIRLINE

They don't deserve to operate in my country.
If the toils and sacrifices of our founding father OSAGYEFO KWAME NKRUMAH could be denigrated like this, how much more evidence do we need to ground this foolish airline.

My questions to you Chairman and CEO of Egypt Air are;

• DO YOU HAVE ANY FUCKING CLUE ABOUT HOW YOUR WORKERS TREAT PASSENGERS AT THE TRANSIT HALL?


• DO YOU HAVE ANY FUCKING CLUE ABOUT HOW RACIST YOUR STAFF TREAT BLACK PASSENGERS?

• 3. DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE THE NEGRO PASSENGERS MAKE FOR YOU?

If you are able to answer these questions, then you can swallow your shame and get a life worth living in that “shithole” you call an airport.

Have a miserable life.


Caring Customer.

william bedzrah
ACCRA- GHANA.

wbedzrah@gmail.com

Ipse dixit

It is somewhat refreshing to say the least when I’m comfortable and feeling a little bit grand about the year 2008 so far...
Hold on..
I have to apologize for my unnecessary long absence from this blog.
It wasn't deliberate. Yet considerate of me to pause for a while because of many comments and calls i got in reference to my postings.
I didn't know i was that important after all.
Hell yeah.
Ghana is fantastic right now.
From CAN 2008 through the UNCTAD conference, Miss Universe Ghana, Ghana Music Awards Festival, Marcel Desailly Soiree, Laureus Sports event and many many others.
Anytime i think about the nagging days about Ghana i feel pathetic...
Lol.
Anyway, I thank you all for your criticism and commendation especially Kerry.
Fantastic I should say is what I say to the physical transformation of Accra.
I have great pals that keep me grooving all week long.
Oh what a time is it to be in Ghana.
My previous questions and torrents I unleashed on Ghana were or are totally ridiculous.
Forgive my wavering mind.
Sometimes you have to see the worst in a situation before you can appreciate the beauty that is hidden in the mess.
Thant's what my Country Ghana seem to be.

You got to make it happen for yourself.

Cheer up my exiled buddies, is about time you come home now.

Adios

GHANA 2008

What a classic feeling of dejavu a day after the official close of CAN 2008.
I felt as if it was the morning after we lost to Brazil @ the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

The assessment of the tournament now begins.
I met a whole bunch of people especially the foreign press corps and i must say their work ethics challenged my thought process.
How diligent and affable they are towards their work... They make the Ghanaian journalists looked like AMATEURS.

Clem Leech & Greg Lalas are fantastic.

I think it was the Marcel Desailly event that brought much fun during the tourney.
It was an OK event but great people showed up.

Diner with Stephanie Benson and Rodney last week @ Fiesta Royal was fantastic.

On Thursday, the fun came to a screeching halt when Cameroon defeated Ghana in the Semi- Finals to the shock of all Ghanaians.

The next day driving around the city, i noticed the absence of the usual street vendors peddling Ghana flags and other related souvenirs.

I thought Ghanaians took the defeat too hard and it became evident that the whole country became very boring.
Interest in the 3rd position game was lost.

But to say the least i think the Ghanaian team did well compared to Egypt 2006 where they were kicked out very early.

I decided not to go to the stadium for the final match between Egypt and Cameroon and i stayed home and watched local TV coverage with BBC World service Live Commentary.

The commentators were fantastic i must say.
Brilliant job they did and i congratulate the BBC team.

When all hope is gone, all you have to do is turn on a sad song..........
But in our case, we must sing a song of joy.

I must also begin to search for reviews about the LOC's job.

Now that all seems to calm down, I'm back to the intrepid life of a Ghanaian journalist. Traversing the length and breath of the country seeking dirt and juicy stories to quench my thirst.
Or what i need to quench my thirst is a Honey Pie.

FALSE TEACHINGS

I write this in response to so called pseudo good luck email sent around the world in the name of bonding, unity, success and all other gibberish they propound.
Please read through it carefully and read the truth in response to these false teachings.
Yahshua said: I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. JOHN 14:6
These false teachings were sent around the world by ANTHONY ROBBINS ORGANIZATION.
Here we go now with my responses.
REMEMBER! MY RESPONSES
ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully. (FALSE)
God did not say you should love your neighbour more than yourself.
[Mat 19:19 Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. ]]

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other. (FALSE)
Does that mean any woman I love talking to like my sisters, I should marry?

[Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.]

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want. (FALSE)
Believe every word of the Lord and thou shall be saved. Walk in all His ways and thy days shall be prolonged.
[Deu 5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.]

FOUR. When you say, 'I love you ,' mean it. (FALSE)
When I say to an idol I love you, should I mean it?

[Deu 10:12 [….. and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,]

FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye. (FALSE)
Looking into the eye of someone to say I’m sorry doesn’t mean anything at all. But true repentance comes from within.

[2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.]


SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married. (False). The Bible did not say that. Marriage is even not a prerequisite to salvation.

[Luk 20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: ]

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight. (FALSE)
When I see a demon should I believe at first sight and love it? It ‘s only God’s Love at first sight THAT saved us.

[1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. ]

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dream. People who don't have dreams don't have much.(FALSE)
You have the right to laugh at the devil’s dream. For none of the devil’s dream can manifest against you a child of God so go on and laugh at the devil because through a dream our saviour was conceived and born to save us.

[Mat 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. ]

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely. (FALSE)
It’s not worth dying for anything of this world because Christ came to die for us because God loved us. Any passion you have in life must be towards doing God’s will.


TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling. (FALSE)
The battle we fight belongs to the Lord.

[Exo 14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.]

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives. (FALSE) Does it mean you can judge the people on other terms except by their relatives? The Word of God says :
[ Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. ]

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly. (FALSE)
Not all humans are created the same. Some are likely to be hyper and make a lot of sense and some may even be very slow but full of junk. Therefore the right answer to this is:
[Pro 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.]

THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?' (FALSE)
Answering a question with a question rather shows disrespect and may lead to strife.
[Pro 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.]

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk. (TRUE)
[Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ]


FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze. (TRUE) Only let positive things come out from your mouth.

[Psa 145:21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.]


SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson ! (FALSE) When you loose, go to God in prayer and He will direct your path to recovery of your lost fortune)
[1Ki 20:25 And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.]

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and responsibility for all your actions. (RELATIVE)

[(Rom 6:16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ]

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.( FALSE) when great friendship is at the expense of your life, you must let it go.

[Pro 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: ]

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. (FALSE)

The Bible tells us to repent. When you try by your own efforts to correct your mistakes in life, you will never move forward. Repent and move on. It’s for repentance that Christ came and not for correction.
[Mar 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. ]

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice. (FALSE)
It’s pretencious and deceptive when you are in a bad mood or angry about someone and pretend on the phone you are happy about that person is considered deceptive and evil. Let your true feelings be known.

[Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.]


TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.

[Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.]



Now, here's the FUN part!

There is no THREAT by saying you should forward it to a lot of people to experience a miracle in your life.
If you want to spread it around, do so in believing that you are spreading the message of God and NOT in expectation of a miracle.
Believe me; your life is already a miracle because God chose you to be created in His image and likeness.
Believe in the Lord Yahshua (Jesus Christ) and give your life to Him.

©William Wilhelm Bedzrah
wbedzrah@gmail.com

ANDERSON COOPER 360

I woke up up 3 am GMT today November 14 2007 and turn on my TV to watch ANDERSON COOPER 360 on CNN.

I was stunned to hear the analysis of Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. Oz on the issue of "PRAYER & HEALING"

Fascinating enough these two great intellectuals of our time from different scientific backgrounds admitted the evidence of effectual prayer and its evidence of working to heal the sick.

Deepak Chopra spoke on the topic in refering to energies around the human being and Dr. Oz believed Prayer gives a sense of communal sanity and reassurance that make a sick person feel more loved and accepted and eventually makes him/her whole.

Is beyond scientific analysis when you talk about PRAYER.

It's about your personal conviction and acceptance that there is a greater power than yourself.

When the first caller on the show narrated his personal experience with prayer and healing after praying (Psalms 51:10) "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me".

It seems as if i was woken up by God to watch the show because i had so much trauma about people having fights about whether Prayer is relevant in a scientific world of today.
My friend Nana Otu yesterday challenged the quest by the Governor of the State of Georgia,Purdue advocating for the residents of his state to pray for rain to avert a the serious drought.
Nana Otu thought it was irrelevant for a State Governor to ask for prayer instead of being proactive and realistic about solving the issue at hand.

Maybe Governor Purdue believes in prayer and has seen miracles born through prayer therefore his wish that all residents join him.

Watching Anderson Cooper really brought me back to the same question of whether i need to bother myself about the isue of prayer when someone challenges my thoughts.

Deepa Chopra in one of his examples during the program couldn't boldly claim there is heaven but rather said wherever people go when they die...

I thought that was funny because probably he is in denial or just wanted to be politcally correct.

Whichever reason he may have it's not relevant to an individual's personal belief.

Maybe there should be more than a discussion on TV to really prove the effectivenesss of Prayer.

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

compendium! stoically! sullenly: what do these words mean?

In circumstances of prosperity and happiness, we must never forget that it is God who plants a hedge about us, blesses our work and increases our substance. It is good to realize that whatever be the malignity of our foes, there is always the Divine restraint, and we are not tempted beyond what we are able to bear. It is not enough to endure our griefs sullenly or stoically. It should be our aim not only to hold fast to our integrity, but to trust God. There is a clue to the mystery of human life, which comes to the man who differentiates between the Real and the Unreal; the Seen and the Unseen. (F.B. Meyer)

STOICAL: patient and uncomplaining: showing admirable patience and endurance in the face of adversity without complaining or getting upset.


SULLENLY: hostilely silent: showing bad temper or hostility by a refusal to talk, behave sociably, or cooperate cheerfully.

COMPENDIUM: short comprehensive account: a comprehensive but brief account of a subject, especially in book form.

Interesting choice of vocabulary to describe the facts of life by F.B. Meyer.

Maybe, i must learn to be STOIC from henceforth...

If i want to forget my past and to move forward, i must learn to be STOICAL. PERIOD.

Pastiche! or Pulchritude!

Well thought of and well rehearsed is what i wish i could be.

Liberal in my Thoughts! My Philosophical musings on this blog sometimes portray wrong impressions about my feelings about Ghana.

The truth is that, my emotions right now is like a ratatouille:
Eclectic, Mixed, "Messed UP" Congested and sometimes down "dirty".

Forgive me if i sound that way because emotions, feelings and anguish stem from varied experiences in life.


Back to my roots; BANG

I watched Prof. Agyeman Dadu Akosa on TV last night preaching about Ghanaian politics... OK its frightening for me to admit this. BUT, I think I'll vote for this dude if he happens to be on the ballot paper.

H e was so passionate and spoke words of wisdom and actually was able to tabulate what Ghana must do to progress.
Food, Cloth, Shelter, Health & Education. SIMPLE!

Analyze and assess what African govts are doing and you realize we are missing the point.

Why can't these govts do the basics before talking about all these economic gibberish on Radio and TV about Macro economic growth of the country whilst the average Ghanaian is broke in the pockets?

Consider their talk nonsense!

I'm not the man i used to be,
I'm not my shy self,
I'm not my Boastful self
I'm not my hateful self
BUT
I am Me
I am Humble
I am concentrated
I am Consecrated
I am Refined
I am Resolute
I am Strong
I am Powerful
I am Rich
I am Beautiful
I am Myself...

I am and you too can be what the Almighty say we can be....

Shut up and move forward...

The ant will not wait for the Bee to come feed it...

Africa Must wake up to feed herself...

Like an old poem i read in High school,
"Awake Mother Africa Awake"

I

O yes you folks might think i am very biased..
When the lights were going off like the blinking eye of a Mockingbird i nagged and lamented about it...

OK...

I must now confess that the light has been on uninterrupted since Friday August 3rd 2007 till this moment as i write this...

You want me to say CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT?

HELL NO............

Their negligence caused the power outages so when they seem to give us some respite, they don't deserve any pat on the shoulders..

What i think they deserve is the power puff on their rear end to wake UP from their lazy arrogant snore...

Oh Yes i said it...

GO FIGURE...

I have been silly and unimaginably horrified and disillusioned lately because hard work never seem to pay off in Ghana...


Why me? I always ask the Lord.....

Why this uncertainty?

The ONLY CERTAINTY i have now is that i am going to school and i enjoy it.


Apart from that,,, The less said or imagined the merrier.


What the "F" is the matter with SOME Pastors lately in Ghana?

They are always preoccupied by their self pity or self arrogance.
They assume they only deserve the best things in life or they are the only ones that go through "hell" to acquire the anointing..


Let me say that of a truth that i agree with Pastor Chris Oyakhilome that no one works to attain the anointing of God.
Rather it's God's Grace that we are all alive and each and every born again has God's anointing.

These Ghanaian Pastors should stop boasting of their anointing and focus on helping the needy and poor in the church.

SHUT UP PASTORS and HELP .


Am i going to far?

If you happen to see and know what i see and experience you will understand my rage...

OK

Who cares about my thoughts anyway?
If you care then comment @ the bottom of this post.

I'm writing to myself to let the bubbles of anger be poured out towards the flame for it to be evaporated....


I breath a sigh of relief now..

hmmm...

Now i need a cup of STARBUCKS KWOFEE...

I can hear someone reading this saying: "in your dreams William"

Heavens NO...

In reality i speak my mind..

In DREAMS i win over my lust

In physical do i triumph over my challenges

Hey Hey Hey
I am Myself...

adios..

Just What I feel like writing.......

O for a thousand songs to sing to my soul...
For i have wailed and mourned for the arrival of my heart's desire.

May i say now, of a truth that it is this day that makes my soul weary and wrenched?..

For only Yahweh knows why i have to be this resolute in spite of many calamities.

Dang!!!

I hate to admit it that when D told me they have been reading my blog, i felt a little bit quizzical and nervous @ the same time.

Why?

Because she just GOOGLED my name and the blog popped up....

This damn internet will expose you anywhere and anytime my friends.


Anyway, to come to my usual eclectic gibberish of my temporal insanity in Ghana,

I think Nigerians are the best writers in Africa. PERIOD.

What can the insolent and gullible mind of the so called western described African accomplish in a lifetime?

That was the question asked...

My answer to this stupid question is this:

Whether we are called insolent or nonsensically voracious negroes or not, Yahweh's purpose for Africa shall be fulfilled.


I'm I not tired of this struggle for survival?
Yes I am.

BUT when i chance upon another person's issues, i consider my precious self very very BLESSED.

The word "LUCKY" is not in my dictionary...
Blessed and Highly Favored is what i believe and confess and not being damn Lucky.

What is LUCK?
I seriously need an experiential definition for the word LUCK...

At least I know I am free.
Man suffers through life and dies
Then what's the purpose of us living?



Indifference is the worst disease than death itself.

The Philosophy of Patch Adams is:

If YOU treat a person YOU always win.
BUT when YOU treat a disease YOU always win or loose.

You can keep me from being me.

BUT You can’t control my spirit.

I’m a thorn that will not go away.

Excessive happiness wins over hatred.

I’ve pain to release

I’ve got faith to believe.

Comfort the weary soul...
Smile Upon the heavy Heart
For Faith in You is what holds my fragmented soul
Faith in You is what COOLS My burning heart.

Oh Lord
I am frail yet Resolute,
I am Resolute Yet Compassionate
I am Compassionate yet Headstrong
Headstrong yet Willing to hear from you my Father.

Upon the Hills of Mercy i wail and howl to hear your words to comfort me.

I am Me,
Unashamed
Unshaken
Unmoved
Progressive and also in transition.

"When Your Father Dies"

"When your father dies, he takes with him some part of you and leaves behind some part of him in you".

These were the words of Ken Saro- Wiwa Jnr. on Aljazeera TV Program "WITNESS".


I find it very intriguing.

In comparison to what Yahshua said that He has taken away ALL our sins on the CROSS OF CALVARY.

Before Yahshua ascended to Heaven, he said He will not leave us alone but the Father will send the Holy Spirit to be our comforter.

Very Very profound to think about how Omipotent Yahweh is.

He knew our sins way way... before we were born. Thus the Provision of Yahshua to become our "SIN EATER".

Thank God for Christ.

The TRUTH therefore is, God is merciful and will always be an eternally merciful Father unto a sinner like me .

Praise His name forever.

Life Oh Life!!!

The above photo is by courtesy of http://www.cs.pitt.edu/~mehmud/index.html

Come nearer to my bosom my Near and Dear Coy Mistress
For thy distance is a bridge between Romeo and Juliet

You are like a mirage to me when your blurred vision is all i see.

How can a true Love be so far away when the desires of the heart is moi?

Yea! I can see clearly now that thy beauty is what blinds me from seeing your well enough.

Oh how majestic is thy smile upon my Soul.

I'm I allowed to say your mine and only mine?

Could your beauty be reserved for only me?

Tell me! my beautiful Coy Damsel.

Art thou the love God promised me or just the hallucination of my tired mind?

Awake William Awake.

Thy day of Holy Matrimony knocks on your Platinum plated shutters.

My pretty Coy Damsel cannot continue to be called a Mistress.

Her beauty and Love for me must now be acknowledged by all...

I'm i Lucky or Blessed.

I think I'm highly favored by Yahweh.

Shout and say it loud for there's a knock on the door for my awakening.

Arise and Soar William for the Lord God has given you Favor and Grace to Overcome all battles.

The Lord has delivered my foes into my hands.
I crush them and i extol the name of the Most High.

Free I am free I'm Free.

Police rescue chained 'runaway' bride in Ghana.

Oh how sudden can the innocent be plucked from their innocence into victimization..
How cruel and demonic can the Black African culture get?
Should we wait on the world to change?
I beg to howl a big NO NO NO NO!
We cannot wait for the world to change.
We must fight for the change of these cruel culturally demonic practices to cease.

When innocence and struggle for survival will be insuficient for freedom, how safe are we then?
I thought Poverty and Innocence will make you free in your own world as they say.
BUT now it is clear that the struggle to survive as a Kayayo by the Innocent lady is irrelevant to her abductors.
May heaven forgive us all.
As for this issue, i think Chief Justice GEORGINA WOODS MUST do something about this.
In a broad daylight abductions and murders in Ghana, what next shall we see or hear, to know that DANGER is near.

In the words of the late OLA ROTIMI, " When the owl leaves its nest at noon, danger is near"
When these cruelties happen in such a civilized age, DANGER IS NEAR.

Who shall fight for the innocent and the poor?
Who shall we answer to for the wrongs of the society?
Whose report shall we believe?
The report of the RICH AND POWERFUL or the report of the INNOCENT AND VULNERABLE?

Speak your mind and make it clear for when the innocent is destroyed what can the Nation boast off?
Hold not your anger from the torturers and let them not see the innocent again as their prey for we all must say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
I cannot wait on the world to change but I must be part of the Change.

Money, Pastors’ Wives and Church Members causes for Church Break-ups.

Money, Pastors’ Wives and Church Members causes for Church Break-ups.

Many church successions and breakups occur as a result of greed for money, pressure from pastors’ wives and pressure from church members.

Rev. John B. Ghatey Head of department of Theology and Missions at the Central University College declared this unreserved declaration on Saturday July 14th 2007 at the launch of a new book “Succession within the charismatic churches, the causes and the possible solutions” written by Rev. Thom Adesina in Accra.

Rev. Ghatey was very charismatic about his disappointment about indiscipline and greed which has overtaken many pastors in the country.
He reiterated that, there could be amicable and genuine separation of pastors in a ministry who have different gifts and calling but disagrees with pure bitterness and greed splitting up great churches.

“It is a big shame when we label God’s voice as the reason for the breakup”. Rev. Ghartey said.

In response to this assertion, Rev. Ghartey said it is identity crisis that is causing most pastors to break away from their mother churches and not the “VOICE OF GOD”.


The book launch which was well attended by distinguished Pastors and business executives was to draw the attention of the charismatic community in Ghana concerning the increasing rate of church breakups which is detrimental to the body of Christ.

The author of the book Rev. Thom Adesina who said it took him three years of intensive qualitative research to come up with concrete data to authenticate his theories.

Speaking to the media, Rev. Adesina said there is no definite solution to the problem of church conflicts; however, there can be ways to minimize the epidemic.

He labels the problem as a cankerworm that must be dealt with wisdom and prayer.
Rev Adesina said, “Calling needs to be timed”.

The book will be on the Ghanaian market from July 16, 2007.

Lordy Lord! Help the Weary Soul

Oh how liberating life could be when you finish your academic exams...
Now, I'm done with the academic year and feels so liberating not to study tonight.

I am free! I am Free!!

Come to think of liberty and freedom, who the heavens do these Ghanaian politicians think they are?

They claim to care about the people and yet neglect the cry of the masses over their inefficient running of the country.

These politicians are very arrogant and naive to say the least.

On other issue, the Ghanaian society and the communities are laden with contradictions and contrast that is overwhelming to diagnose.

You have the Trassaco, Manet, Regimmanuels as the prestigious communities and yet on the way to these residential enclaves, the roads are TERRIBLY AWFUL and they expect the government to repair these roads for them to drive their Jaguars, Chryslers, Hummers, Range Rovers, Cadillacs, Lexus' on.

How insulting this is to the poor Ghanaian selling Rice and beans on the Spintex Road or the local Hausa Kooko seller or the roasted plantain seller dotted along the routes to these enclaves.


I question the Ghanaian assumptions of Development through Democracy.

Maybe i may be all that wrong about African politicians and their so called patriotism.

They can't even fight their own fight..

We have Bob Geldof , Bono and Jeffrey Sachs Pleading for African debt cancellation.


oooooooh

I'm exhausted somehow but need to continue this battle of the mind soul and spirit to overcome the lustful desires of this mortal body.

HELP ME.. LORD HELP MY SOUL.

How Sad I'm I getting?

I just began my end of sophomore year exams and i seem to contemplate whether i will have to continue @ the same college next year....

it sounds cheesy but i'm really not happy about the academic performance of the lecturers and the students..
Teaching and learning facilities and conducive atmosphere are "zilch".

I got a C instead of an A in Political Science last semester because the damn Lecturer "J.J. Rousseu" forgot to record my Mid Semester marks...

When i confronted him, he told me it is too late to rectify since he no longer lecturers at my college..
What an insult to my hard work.

I'm I beginning to hate this Country?.....

Out of 72 hours from Saturday to Monday, we had only 24hrs of electricity..

How disastrous can a country become @ this stage of 21st century development?

Mediocrity is celebrated and Corruption has become the latest fashion trend..

The VISION & MISSION OF KWAME NKRUMAH is about to be destroyed by these inconsiderate loud mouth and bulldog politicians in Ghana today.

I detest their arrogance and bold stupidity & Stupor..

How dirty their souls are towards the progress of Mother Ghana..

Do we have to WAIT and see whether the Situation will change like the "proverbial Ghanaian snail walking?

Or maybe start doing something "RADICAL"

Especially @ the onset of my exams i was deprived of the basic need of electricity.

You Old frail and dirty souled Politicians of Ghana, You better wake up from your arrogant, pompous and Stupid sleep because the "FLOOD" of Anger and Pain of the people is about to DROWN YOUR DIRTY SOULS.

Maybe I'm too critical of Ghana...

i better say no more yet..

I'll come back to this topic...

Farewell to all that: Tranquility was never on the agenda

The Late Fathia Nkrumah
This article is by Gamal Nkrumah.....

It was not meant to be a marriage made in heaven. It was a political union between Mediterranean-oriented North Africa and the rest of the continent, often pejoratively termed sub-Saharan or Black Africa. Yet Fathia Nkrumah's life story is a modern fable representative of a certain era. For fleeting moments in the late '50s and early '60s, it captured the public imagination throughout Africa. The young Egyptian woman who left her country to marry the most illustrious African anti-colonial leader of his time was inevitably invested with iconic qualities.

Fathia is my mother, of course, and my memories of her life as Mrs Nkrumah are necessarily skewed. She was thrust onto centre stage -- that much I know. In many respects she was rather ill-equipped for her role, but she coped reasonably well with being in the public eye. Her official persona was more demure Diana than imperious Eva Peron, although stardom did come naturally to her. After her husband's death, she seemed to disappear; I know she has handled that quite well too.

In her day, women ambassadors were a rarity and, by virtue of the political nature of her marriage, she became an unofficial envoy of her country. She mingled with African and world leaders, playing hostess to Charles de Gaulle, Haile Sellassie, Chou En-Lai and Nikita Khruschev. She had the dubious honour of being the only Egyptian woman to dance with the Duke of Edinburgh when he accompanied Queen Elizabeth II on an official visit to Ghana in 1962. "He was very funny. He turned to me and said: 'I am certain that the crowds will only call your name.' And they did. He was right," she muses.

She understood what part she was to play when she stepped on stage, and she also learned how to come to terms with life behind the last curtain. Upon her second return to Ghana in 1975, crowds lined the streets. She engaged in easy banter with the onlookers as we strolled what was then the main market in downtown Accra, Makola. The market women presented her with brilliantly-coloured, intricately-designed wax print cloth, and they exchanged pleasantries for a while.

In the autumn of 1978, she flew to New York to receive a gold medal awarded posthumously to my father at the United Nations headquarters, during a special session of the UN committee against apartheid. "First of all, let me thank the General Assembly most sincerely for their very kind decision to pay such a singular tribute to the memory of my late husband, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah. He himself, I am sure, would have considered his contribution to the international campaign against apartheid as a duty, without looking for international approval or award. But alas, his untimely death has robbed us of his presence and encouragement," she told the assembled world leaders.

Mother was born and brought up in Zeitoun, the third daughter of a civil servant and a diminutive but iron-willed woman who raised her children single-handedly after her husband's untimely death. In many respects, Fathia was a very ordinary Egyptian girl. After completing her secondary education, she worked as a teacher in her school, Notre Dame des Apôtres. Teaching did not appeal to her, however, and she took a job in a bank. Then opportunity knocked, in the person of my father. My grandmother's firstborn had left Egypt with his English bride and, when my father proposed, she was reluctant to see another of her children marry a foreigner and quit the country. Mother explained that Nkrumah was an anti-colonial hero, like Nasser. Still, my grandmother did not relent: she refused to speak to Mother or bless the marriage.

The new bride, who had cut herself off from her family and country by marrying Nkrumah, was isolated in more ways than one. She spoke little English, while her groom spoke neither Arabic nor French. Within three months, however, her tenacity had served her well, and she was able to deliver speeches in English, Ghana's official language. Genuinely fond of her new adopted home, she rarely yearned for Egypt. She was happy to escape the suffocatingly conservative culture she grew up in and happily embraced the rich vibrancy of Ghanaian culture. She was amazed at the fierce independence of Ghanaian women. They liked her in return; the powerful "market women" who controlled the textile trade even named a traditional kente cloth design after her -- Fathia fata Nkrumah or "Fathia deserves Nkrumah."

Against her family's wishes, then, she embarked on a journey deep into the colonial Africa of the late 1950s. Only her uncle agreed to accompany her on the long journey to newly independent Ghana. For a month before the wedding, the young bride could not sleep a wink. She had been summoned by President Nasser, who asked her if she was sure that she wanted to accept Nkrumah's proposal of marriage. Marrying a head of state -- of the first African country to achieve independence from British rule, in fact -- entailed duties and responsibilities, sacrifices and potential risks. Having heard the president's warning, Fathia replied promptly: "I would like to go and marry this anti-colonial leader. I read his autobiography -- I know of his trials and tribulations, of his struggles during his student days in America and Britain, and of his spearheading the anti-colonial struggle upon his return to his homeland. I am deeply impressed." Only her family stood in the way, she informed Nasser. She had little idea of the challenges that lay ahead.

It was late December and Cairo was experiencing an exceptionally cold winter. Khartoum, the first stop on her journey, was very hot, unbearably so. She spent the night there with her uncle and the next morning headed west, stopping over in Kano and Lagos, Nigeria, before landing in Accra.

The bride-to-be reacted to the tropical climate in a decidedly unromantic way: with swollen feet and a heat rash that turned her pale skin screaming scarlet. A doctor was summoned. "What's wrong with her?" the prospective groom demanded. The doctor reassured him and the wedding went ahead. Not one to waste time, Nkrumah married Fathia the evening of her arrival in Ghana: New Year's Eve, 1957-1958.

Few were told about the marriage plans. Even Father's secretary was taken by surprise when she heard the news on the radio. The ceremony was a very simple affair, which came as a shock to an Egyptian bride who expected an ostentatious marriage ceremony befitting a head of state. It was to be the first of many such cultural shocks. A handful of ministers and my paternal grandmother, Nyaneba, were present. Grandmother, who was blind, pulled Mother's hair; after a few tugs she declared that the bride was not African even though she was assured her hair was jet black. The two women later developed a close affinity, which mother attributed to the fact that Nkrumah had very little time for either his mother or his wife.

It was an inconspicuous ceremony -- a civil marriage since my father refused religious rites. Mother and her uncle were shocked to learn that there would be no priest officiating over the marriage ceremony, no veil, no walking down the aisle, no zaffa (marriage procession), nor even the customary zagharit (ululations).

At first, many Ghanaian women did not take kindly to the idea of Kwame Nkrumah marrying a foreigner. The militant women's league of the ruling Convention People's Party was especially galled that the national hero had married a "white woman," even though Father explained to them that his bride was an African despite her fair skin.

Christianborg Castle, renamed Osu after independence, was at the time the seat of government and Nkrumah's official residence. It was also to be Mother's home for the next five years. As a child, I often caught her watching the Atlantic pound the rocky headlands upon which the castle was built. It was a forbidding place, originally built by the Danes as a slave trading fortress where thousands, perhaps millions of Africans were shackled and shipped to the Americas. Everyone knew the place was haunted with the ghosts of the slaves, and at night, the deep dungeons often echoed with screams. Even Sir Charles Arden-Clarke, the last governor-general of Ghana, confessed that there was one particular room in which he dared not sleep because whenever he did he was awakened repeatedly during the night by incessant knocking, banging of doors and groaning in the hallways. Mother, however, often spent the night there alone. Both my younger brother Sekou and myself were born in Christianborg, while my sister Samia was born in Aburi, a beautiful mountain retreat some 30km north of Accra. Mother loved the cool and refreshing mountain air there and it was her favourite escape from her official duties.

Between sober marriage ceremonies and haunted houses, then Fathia was fast absorbing the different aspects of West African culture. On the other hand, she immediately took to Ghanaian food. Kontomre, or spinach and smoked fish stew; yam cakes; fried plantains; and her all-time favourites kenke (a fermented maize dish traditionally eaten with fried fish, chili, onion and tomatoes) and the rich red palm oil stews of fish, crab, prawn and snail. But she also taught the cooks at the Castle how to prepare Egyptian dishes. Father nicknamed her "rabbit," because she always insisted on green salad as a side dish, which most Ghanaians of his generation thought rather odd.

Much of Mother's experience in Ghana first lay behind the castle walls, and later within the confines of the presidential palace, Flagstaff House. At Christianborg, peacocks roamed freely and the beautiful blue birds' piercing cries filled the air. The lawns were meticulously kept, and the driveway lined with ornamental palms. Bougainvillea splashed brilliant shades of vermilion and crimson against the white walls. Still, presidential life was far from idyllic. The daily routine was frequently punctuated with nerve-wracking assassination attempts. Mother was always poised and calm in such situations. In August 1962, Father, who was away in northern Ghana, had a hand grenade hurled at him at close range. It missed him, but killed a small girl who was offering him a bouquet of flowers. Father had to be hospitalised for two weeks for his deep shrapnel wounds. For weeks we watched with trepidation as, still recuperating, he would come out of his office every afternoon and cross the battlements into the residential part of the castle. In 1964, one of the guards at Flagstaff House attacked my father as he returned from office. The assailant was overpowered after killing a bodyguard, Salifu Dagarti. My father's white suit was blood-stained and we children were frantic with fear. I still remember the looks exchanged between my parents -- no words were uttered, though. Mother ushered us into our bedrooms and left us to attend to my father. Incidents such as these left an indelible mark on the family.

Another shock now awaited us, one that would change the course of our lives and Father's, for he would never set foot in the land of his birth again. He was away on a special mediation mission that took him to China on his way to Hanoi. We stayed in Ghana where, on 24 February 1966, we were awakened at dawn by the din of artillery fire and explosions. Mother's first instinct was to tell us, in a firm voice, not to be afraid. The roaring of the unfed lions in Accra's zoo, a short distance from Flagstaff House, terrified us. Mother had the presence of mind to telephone the Egyptian embassy in Accra and ask the ambassador to contact Nasser. She had barely put the phone down when the lines were cut. A few minutes after Cairo was contacted, Nasser dispatched a plane to take us to Egypt, and safety. The gun battle for the control of Flagstaff House between the mutinous army and the presidential guards was intensifying. The presidential guards only surrendered when the coup leaders threatened to blow up Flagstaff House. Everyone, Grandmother Nyaneba included, was quickly evacuated and the hostile forces trooped in, ransacking the premises. Mother took a few personal belongings, which were promptly confiscated at a roadside checkpoint. She seemed fearless, berating the soldiers and reproaching them for their ingratitude. Even family photographs, letters and souvenirs were taken away, however.

En route to the airport, today still named after coup leader Colonel E T Kotoka, we stopped at the Egyptian embassy. Mother had to borrow a coat from the ambassador's wife, and jackets for my siblings and me. Next we were taken to Police Headquarters for interrogation. At gun point, we were ordered out of the car and told to sit on the ground in a clearing in the bush. Mother was outraged. The tense moments as the troops radioed for instructions dragged on. Eventually we were allowed to proceed to the airport.

A new chapter in Fathia's life was about to begin. After six years of raising her three children virtually single-handedly, she learned of father's death on 28 April 1972. We hastily travelled to Guinea (where he had taken up residence after the 1966 coup) via Paris and Dakar. Mother was not prepared for the sight of the emaciated body laid out in the coffin. Images of her husband's painful last days (Father died of cancer) were to haunt her for the next decade. For months on end she would lie in bed, unable to eat or sleep, withering away. As children, we could not understand that she was deeply depressed.

First, however, she gave a dignified performance -- the last of her career -- befitting Nkrumah's widow. A state funeral was staged for my father on 14 May, to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Sekou Toure's Democratic Party of Guinea. It was a Sunday. Nkrumah's coffin was laid temporarily in the Camayenne Mausoleum, where Guinea's national heroes were buried.

President Ahmed Sekou Toure, after whom my brother Sekou was named, officiated. For two long days at the Palais du Peuple in Conakry, mourners from all over Guinea, South African anti-Apartheid activists and freedom fighters, and representatives of African and foreign governments paid tribute to Kwame Nkrumah. Fidel Castro and Amilcar Cabral spoke touchingly of Nkrumah's vision and accomplishments.

Father's remains were exhumed and returned to Ghana on 7 July 1972, over two months after his death. An Air Guinea aircraft landed in Accra with Nkrumah's coffin and widow aboard. After a brief stopover, the sad party travelled to Nkrumah's burial in Nkroful, his birthplace in western Ghana. Grandmother Nyaneba, then well into her 90s, waited patiently for her son. Mother stood by her side. Grandmother was determined to remain alive to witness Nkrumah's triumphant return to Ghana. Only after her hand was placed on his coffin did the old woman at last accept that he was dead. Grandmother was to pass away seven years later in my mother's arms, aged 102.

Today, Mother lives a sheltered life in Maadi. She is serene -- an astounding trait given the trauma she has experienced. Far removed now from the ebb and flow of African politics, she views the past with a healthy detachment.

It was an emotional moment, though, when Mother and I visited Ghana in 1997 to attend the celebrations held to mark 40 years of independence. We visited the marble mausoleum in Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, built in his honour by the Chinese. We stood before a statue of Nkrumah inscribed with the CCP slogan, Forward Ever. The statue stands on the spot where he declared independence on 6 March 1957. A group of schoolgirls and their teachers were also touring the mausoleum that day. They insisted on taking a photograph with Mother. Once again, it was clear that, even for children born long after my father's death, affection for his widow came naturally. Mother was overcome with emotion and broke down. I tried to comfort her, but I, too, was overwhelmed. And I knew that, after all, Fathia could face this alone.

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/499/profile.htm