Sunday, May 4, 2008

The Ashanti Man...

In Ghana, he will tell you the name of his village, which is some miles away from Kumasi. Outside Ghana, ask him about his hometown in Ghana and he will tell you he is from Kumasi and probably knows everyone that lives in Ashanti New Town. His house in Kumasi is near the house of one of Asantehene's sub chiefs.

If he is in his sixties, he is likely to have attended Adisadel College, St. Augustine's or Achimota. The generation after that went to either Prempeh College or Opoku Ware. If he could not get into OWASS and Prempeh, he would settle for Ahmadiya Kumasi Academy, Konongo Odumasi, or Osei Kyeretwie. The Ashanti man likes the schools in Ashanti. UST before Legon (except Medicine and Law). Cape Coast? Unless he did attend secondary school but went to training college.

There are things Ashanti man does not do. He does not swim, does not like wedding and the wife does not care not having one and won't call his kids by non ? Ashanti names. He does not cook or wash; the wife does both. The things he does: have about a dozen funeral cloths, goes to funeral every weekend, build or aspire to build his own house if he can afford or uncle does not have any to inherit. Even the educated ones are likely to have a farm somewhere: a cocoa farm, cassava farm or citrus plantation.

He takes care of his parents, sister's children and the extended family. Ashanti man believes in litigation. Don't cross his path, he will take you to court. He will spend his last Ghana cedi on chieftancy matters. His identity is linked to a stool in his family and he does not hesitate to tell you about it.

His political affiliation? A relative likely spent some time in Nkrumah's Nsawam detention. His family supported National Liberation Movement and United Party. He later joined Progress Party, did not like Kutu Acheampong, supported Victor Owusu's PFP. Detested PNDC and NDC and yes, is very happy NPP is in power. If he does not call President Kufuor uncle, he seems to know someone that grew up with the President.

He supports Asante Kotoko and hates Hearts of Oaks. He's even against Hearts when Hearts plays a foreign team. He does not care if Cornerstones move out of the region. He refuses to eat fufu when Kotoko loses. Kotoko means more to him than the national team. Mfum, Osei Kofi, Razak, Opoku Afriyie, and Opoku Nti are his soccer heroes. He does not care about anyone that did not play for Kotoko.

The Ashanti man who did not continue his education past secondary school has lived in Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, the US or Canada. He goes to Ghana to visit very often. He tells you how many houses he has built since he left Ghana; he visits "Atwumunumo" ? a popular hangout for fufu and bush meat.

He even brings some bush meat back from Ghana to make soup in his Bronx apartment and the soup smells all over the place. In the big cities in Europe and USA, he goes to funerals in his cloth no matter how it is. He is very proud of his culture.

Well, folks watch for the rest of the tribes in Ghana in the coming week. Got a lot to share, Time is actually not on my side but I am looking forward to writing about the Ga Man first thing when I get to the office early Monday morning... :)


Friday, May 2, 2008

Movie Pre-Screening @ Accra Mall.

In the run up to the opening of the fabolous new movie theatre @ the Accra Mall, there will be FREE weekly pre-screenings starting today, the 2nd of May 2008 and going right up till the end of June.

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you gotta butter up your popcorn and prepare to be thrilled as you are pampered with the latest movies to hit the big screen right here in Accra!
People, Accra is really getting excited.

Beginning at 16:00 in the food court every weekend for the next two months, don't miss out! be on the look out, the Accra Mall is becoming the new hang-out joint for the youth these days. Girls in their teens usually come there during the weekends to just catch a glimpse of what is going on and all.

No need to rush to town just to hang out. The Accra Mall has everything you can think of. If you living around, East Legon, Airport residential Area, Dzorwulo, Spintex Road and it environs, just -drive or -pick a cab or if possible, grab a -tro-tro to the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange and you'll be surprised at what you can do in a twinkle of an hour.. Don't forget to check out the 'Mr. Price" Outlet. They've got great stuffs for all @ very cheap prices.

Its the latest TS or Kantamanto @ the shopping mall. Its a true modernized 'bend-down-boutique". You can also get to print fotos from your phone, memory cards or even flash drives (Pen drives). Just look out for the Print shop and you will enjoy their services.

Beware of traffic and make sure, you do all you gotta do as early as possible and hurry home or you will be taken by surprise with the traffic build-up @ the shoping mall area..

So yeah there it is.

TGIF babe.. See you on the flip side.