TROPHIES FADE, FOOT PRINTS LAST

Everyone seems to want a trophy or a pat in the back nowadays for everything they do. I believe that’s part of what is wrong with the world. Why should you expect some kind of reward for what you are supposed to do? Why should you expect some medal for carrying out your responsibility? Gratitude and appreciation are quite pleasant and necessary. However, these should not necessarily be our motivation towards our responsibilities.

 When a parent starts purposefully expecting some reward for catering for their own kids, or a student expecting some pay for passing their exams, or a teacher expecting a trophy for passing on their knowledge, then that is in itself their reward. When you do what is right and just, and expect praises in return then in all you have failed. How different is such behavior from that of a politician. The give and take mentality is what this is all about. The attitude of calculating how much has to return to you after you do what you have to do is what runs the world today. Can we just love, care and support people because it is our duty and responsibility to do so? Can we work as hard as we can, not for the pat on the back but the difference we can make? Most parents who constantly remind their children they are doing them a favor, are at risk of raising rebels or estranged kids. Those who selflessly devote themselves to care and love their kids; raise adults who not only do the same, but look back with genuine appreciation for the people who put them first. When we start feeling we are doing people favors by loving them or being fair to them, then we have questions to ask ourselves.

A nurse at the hospital will be rude to patients, because she thinks her being there is already a favor. A politician who is suddenly honest expects praises. A rebellious kid who turns honest wants to get a ball. A good doctor wants to be treated like a god. The cycle goes on and on. Everyone is on some kind of eye service and expecting some form of praise or glory. When the praises and medals do not come, all the good work suddenly disappears. Africa is going through a face of growth; yes people will stand in the way of progress. Yes the government might be resistant to the progressive ideas you bring. Yes no one might give you a red feather for the work you do. However, the TRUE AFRICANS who know their responsibility to their home won’t give up easily. Yes no one may seem to see or notice your work, or put you up for an award. If you love your home, then it is you DUTY to improve and push it forward. Someday, when trophies rot and medals are lost, someone will look at the undeletable foot prints on this land; then they will ask, “Whose foot print was that?”Such lives forever. You see what we do for ourselves, will die with us, but what we will do for others will live forever.

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MAYE SE MO PEN (I WAS ONCE LIKE YOU)

I came across this song in twi three years ago. For some reason I liked the song even though I had no idea what the words meant. For a while I searched for the translation and finally I got it. Quite a great and legendary song by OJ…the song is titled Maye se mo pen

Akwadaa ho daakye a na n’ane agye (When a child perceives the future, he is happy)

 Opanyin twa n’ane a na ne werε aho (When an elderly thinks of the past, he becomes sad) M’awerεho sεm paa na meri ka yi (I share with you what brings me great grief)

Me ntam kεseε me bƆ so yi (I share with you a story I would rather not tell)

Me mmrantebrε mo m’antie afutuo (When I was young, I heeded no one’s good advice)

εnnε me na me nie o (Now, look at me today)

Mmranteε ne mmabawa a mo tie me yi (Young men and women listening to me now)

Anka ma yε sε mo da o (I was once like you)

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh Anka ma yε sε mo pεn (I was once like you)

Suku yi m’awofwƆ de me kƆ bi (My parents put me in school)

Nanso ‘kƆda bƆni sεm nti manyeri me ho ensua adeε (But I played the truant and rebel; I did not study hard)

WƆ ye m’ade kwan so (I was sent out of school as a result)

 Mayε adikan bε di akyere (I have become first from the bottom)

M’afwƆ nyinaa ayε yie agya me (All my colleagues are better off than me now)

Nti ma monfa mo adesua yi nne agorƆ (So, please don’t take your studies lightly)

Ma monfa mo adesua yi nne agorƆ koraa (Don’t take your studies lightly)

Chorus: Anka εmerε bε tumi asan n’akye a (If I could turn back the hands of time)

Anka sa mfomso a me yε yε yi, Nka me nyε biem (I wouldn’t repeat the mistakes I made) (Repeat)

 Verse 2: Ma yε sε mo pεn (I was once like you)

Sika ne ahwƆfε na me wƆ bi o (I had riches and good looks)

 Me de sika yi nyinaa wƆ ma nom (But I failed to invest any of my wealth)

Me de m’ahwƆden nyinaa nso ma mma (I wasted all my youthfulness on women)

 DwamanfoƆ ansamofoƆ me nsa mma mo (I was an indiscriminate womanizer)

εnnε mpo deε aban gye me two yi (Today, I have lost my manliness)

Mafere me mmεma yε mo Ma san mpo akƆ fa yadeε (I have even contracted diseases)

Ma yε sε mo pεn (I was once like you)

Me sii so na me nim nsa wi paa (When I was young, I could drink a lot)

Me wii nsaa ma no twa me foto (I drank so much, I epitomized a drunkard)

Nsa ama ma trofe o (I have no good looks to boast of anymore)

εnnε me sƆ adeε mo a na me nsa εpopu (Today, my hands shake whenever I grip things) 
AhwƆden no nni hƆ biom (All my strength is now gone)

 Na sε afei na wo sua nsanom a, (So if you are learning to drink liquor)

Nka mε tu wo fo sε gyae nnε yiaa (I will advise you to stop)

(Chorus) Verse 3: Ma yε sε mo pεn (I was once like you)

Me kƆ abrokyere no na me swa o (I travelled abroad at a very tender age)

 Nanso krobeaaniagyeε nti (But because I lacked focus)

Ma nnya agyapade biaa wƆ fie o (I have no property to boast of back home)

Nnε m’anyeni ado me mpanyinfie so (Today, I’m in my old age)

Abrokyere tena afonu me o (I’m tired of living abroad)

Na nso me ntumi nkƆ menkyi biem (But I can’t return home)

Ma ba abε ka obi man so (I’m now stranded in strange land)

Agya ei, Agya ei, Agya ei, Agya ei Boa me, Nana Nyame boa me Agya ei Boa me, Nana Nyame boa me (Father, Father, please God, help me)

Verse 4: Onipa hu Nyame ntεm a onya ahotƆ (When one seeks God early, he finds comfort)

Me fa Yesu ntεm anka ma mmrε (If I accepted Christ early, I would not have suffered all these)

 Azaa ne lalasulala yi (This life of lies and swindling others)

WƆ kyεε me asaase ma me tƆn yε (I had gifts of land, but I sold it all)

M’antumi mpo anse fie o (I could not even build a house)

 NkrƆfo fie mo atenatuo (I used to hop from place to place, renting apartments)

Me nnya baabi nfa me ten to (Now I have no place to lay my head)

Me konkƆn obi mantwa te sε adoe (I hang in peoples’ kitchens like a monkey)

Mo ntie m’afotu sεm yi (Take a cue from this)

(Chorus) Agya ei Boa me, Nana Nyame boa me [2x] (Chorus)

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SLAVES TO GADGETS?

Image from listcrown.com

One day I sat for a lecture and as the lecture went on, I watched a couple of my mates constantly on their phone, IPods, and Laptops. It really was not a pleasant sight in my mind. I go back to occasions where I sat with friends and family and was alienated from them, because I was focused on my phone or computer. I remember when I just joined facebook. I actually spent more time there talking with people who really I did not know much about to notice I was alienating myself from real people. The big question is; are we humans becoming slaves to Gadgets?

How much time do you spend on social media, your phone, laptop or other gadgets? Is your commitment to unreal relationships on social media affecting your relationship with real people? Are you becoming an addict to your gadget? Gadgets are quite helpful and good, but how we use them can determine if they benefit or mar us.

I do remember a time when people actually talked to each other; and not to gadgets. I remember when families ate and talked together at the dinner table and not shared meals with a play station or laptop. I remember kids playing with each other outdoors; a good thing which kept them in shape and enhanced their communication and social skills. Today our children lie all day on the couch playing computer games; and we wonder why obesity is on the rise. What happened to men and women courting; the simple walks in the moonlight, a simple meal prepared from the heart; today it is long skype calls and gifts from Amazon. Think of someone with 2000friends on Facebook and no friend in real life.

It is time we think and adjust our lives so as much as we enjoy the convenience of our gadgets; we will not be slaves to them though. Make out time to talk with real people. Get of the computer and experience the beautiful world around you. Don’t wake up one day and realize you devoted more time to your gadgets than people who really cared about you.

God Bless!

Stay You!

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HOUSEMAIDS OR SLAVES IN CAMEROON

I remember this day I was getting my hair done at a hair salon. I noticed this girl of about 11yrs. She looked so skinny and haggard. She got very nervous when the mistress of the salon arrived. I watched quietly with many questions in my mind. It was a matter of time before I noticed the girl was a housemaid in the salon mistress’ house. As time went on, the mistress kept insulting her and asking her not to come close to her. Like me, the apprentices watched in silence. I could tell they all pitied the girl like I did.

The mistress then narrated how that morning she had caught this girl eating some of the fufu she had been asked to prepare. The mistress had lost her temper and beaten the girl with the stick used in stirring the fufu. My stomach churned as this large woman defended her actions. I could only imagine the night mare her housemaid lived in. This lady made her apprentices uncomfortable, but they were lucky to be free of her at the end of the day. The little girl on the other hand had nowhere else to go. I said nothing of it and so did the apprentices and everyone else who knew of this. No one knows of the future torture she had to endure.

The girl above and several other boys and girls like her share a similar or worse fate. People leave the towns to explore for illiterate parents in remote villages. They make all these false promises of good money and make way with their kids only to exploit them. Some of these children are used to settle loans. Most of these children get physically, mentally and sexually assaulted. They are turned from house maids to slaves. Their boss’ kids do nothing to help around the house and rather help get them in trouble. Their parents will never find out because they may not see their families for another six to ten years.

Miracle was brutalized by her Mistress with a wire

 There was a case in Yaounde, where this lady got this girl and made the girl work for her for years with no pay. The poor girl could not find her way home and had to stay. When her mistress was tired of her she gave her to a friend, who later gave her to someone else. When the poor girl’s parents came looking for her, they could not trace her.

According to results of a survey conducted in 2004 in the cities of Bafoussam (west), Bamenda (northwest), Douala (littoral) and Yaounde (centre), 40% of children from age 9 up to 20 are victims of child prostitution.Women and children traditionally have faced the greatest risk of trafficking and have been trafficked most often for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor.  Girls were internally trafficked from the Adamawa, North, Far North, and Northwest provinces to Douala and Yaounde to work as domestic servants, street vendors, or prostitutes.  According to a study by the International Circle for the Promotion of Creation and the Cameroon Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, of 722 young girls between 9 and 20 years old interviewed in the cities of Yaounde, Douala, Bamenda, and Bafoussam, 291 were the victims of sexual exploitation.

I am advising parents to try as best they can to be careful about the people they send their children to work for. If your child will have to help a household with chores, firstly that child should be 18yrs and above, then get a lawyer; the address of the family should be clear and the terms under which the child lives should be clear as well. They should also create room for that child to pursue education. Also organizations should be formed to recruit and link house maids and nannies to employers. These organizations can then monitor and protect these workers.

Do not blindly entrust your kids to anyone for money. Of recent many people have allowed their children smuggled into Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait for work. Are you aware of what those children are actually doing out there? Be careful and protect your children. If you know anyone who is a victim of such abuse, please be their voice before it is too late.

Love you all

God Bless!

Stay You!

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