Photo of the Day - Bojo Beach.

Bojo Beach, originally uploaded by Edward Barnieh.

Bojo Beach is one of the most beautiful and cleanest beaches in Ghana. It has features that no other beach in Ghana or the world can contest with.

Although not a very big beach, it is a great place to hang out with your love ones if you want to have abundance of beach life and sneak away from the busy city of Accra.

The beach is about 20km from west of Accra and its becoming a very poplar beach destination for many tourists in Ghana. This nice beach can be found on your way to Kokrobite Beach.

When in Accra, do well to visit this beach and share your experience with other. I heart Accra!

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Photo of the Day - Biggest Vuvuzela Ever!

The biggest Vuvuzela Soccer Horn in Cape Town... Let's Go Africa!

Courtesy: (REUTERS/Mark Wessels)

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Environmental Film Festival Opens in Accra.

 The Environmental Film Festival of Accra (EFFA) opened this year’s festival at the College of Physicians and Surgeons Hall in Accra, Ghana under the themes ;

"Is Ghana ready for climate change?" and "Can Ghana solve its waste crisis?" 

 To answer these questions, the festival will hold two sets of panel discussions at the British Council on 4th and  8th June. The whole event began on June 3, 2010 and will be continuing till June 10, 2010.

Series of environmental documentaries have been scheduled to be shown at the following locations; British Council of Ghana, Trashy Bags, Alliance Francais and the Goethe-Institute. As part of their open air screenings, which attract over 7,000 people last year; the organizers have decide to show 5 films at the refugee settlement in Budumburam on the outskirts of Accra.

Preceding the open air screening at the refugee camp in Budumburam, a concert headlined by Mastretta, a ten-piece chart topping Spanish band will perform together with Kings Jubilee and a few other local artistes. Since its inception in 2004, EFFA has screened over a 100 films covering wide range of issues; Sanitation, Plastic Waste Management, Environment etc. Internationally about 1000 films have been screened at different locations world-wide..

At the formal opening, Dr. Juliette Tuakli, Chairperson of EFFA, said the festival started as a small collection of friends and film enthusiasts who came together to watch films that concerns about the environment.

There was a climate change drama sketch titled "Heat Wave" presented by the Theatre Factory after the  premiere of "a long dry season" a film directed by Dr.Kwesi Owusu; co-director of the festival. This documentary looks at the impact of climate change in Ghana with a focus on women’s livelihoods. It reveals the dwindling water levels at Akosombo; site of Ghana’s hydroelectric dam, significant sea erosion at Keta and threats to the cocoa industry.

A list of Ghanaian made-documentaries which will be shown at the festival includes: "A long dry season" (10mins, Dr. Kwesi Owusu), "Agbobloshie" (9mins, Young Filmmakers Workshop), "Ghana’s Plastic Waste Menace"(14mins, Dr. Kwesi Owusu), "Greening the City" (7mins,Dr. Kwesi Owusu) "Stop the Noise" (6min,Young Filmmakers Workshop), "Electronic Waste"( 10mins, Dr. Kwesi Owusu) and "Environmental Patrol strikes again" (6min,Young Filmmakers Workshop)

Credit: Nii Aryetey Aryeh

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Google-Ghana Event in Accra, Ghana.

Google is on a road-trip across Africa. G-Nigeria Day 2010 came off at the University of Lagos from 18 - 20 February, 2010. It's the turn of Ghana this week.

Google want to meet with software developers, technology entrepreneurs and marketing professionals at the G|Ghana event..
Google Ghana is holding a two day event aimed at software developers and entrepreneurs in Ghana. The event; G|Ghana - is aimed at introducing developers to Google technology and application development tools and platforms and also demonstrating Google tools that could be useful to entrepreneurs and for innovation.

The venue for the 2-day event will be at "Ghana's ICT Hub"; Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (AITI-KACE).

According to the g|Ghana homepage;

Day 1: June 3rd, 2010 will focus on pushing the boundaries of web applications using Google developer technologies. Google engineers and web development leaders will lead you through one full day of in-depth sessions on the latest Google technologies and hands-on codelabs. The day will also be about bringing brilliant developers together to share their own ideas. There will be plenty of time to meet other developers, discuss ideas and share what you've been working on.

Day 2: June 4th, 2010 will be full of Google product demonstrations for small or medium sized businesses to help spur innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. We will discuss how to create content using online tools, how to market them and how to monetize. Furthermore we will discuss several tools to better manage your business. Finally, we will host a VC panel to who will share their expertise in funds and launching technology ventures.

Also, Laptops are not necessary but it sure will be very ideal to carry one for LIVE blogging & tweeting. Lunch will also be provided free of charge.

I'm leaving for Accra tonight from Takoradi to be able to attend Day 2 of G|Ghana. Hope to see you there if possible...!

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Ghana Black Stars Going Forward or Backward?

Image via Wikipedia

 After yesterday's 4-1 thrashing of the Ghana Black Stars by the The Flying Dutchmen from the Netherlands; I'm more than convinced that, the Stars need to sit up, be focused and face the realities of their next friendly before the tournament starts.

I can boldly say; the Dutch side were disciplined and affirmed coach Marwijk’s belief that he already knows his starting eleven. This should give Coach Milovan Rajevac a chance to re-think on his starting eleven and eliminate all those who don't qualify to start. I was very surprised, Portmouth's Kevin-Prince Boateng wasn't featured in yesterdays game? 

As much as I like football [soccer] and also a die-hard Chelsea FC fan, I wouldn’t say I do support the Ghana Black Stars that much. Yes, don’t be surprised this is coming from a patriotic citizen like me. Even though their performance at the Africa Cup of Nations in January was a bit OK, I still can’t bank my hopes on them at the World Cup in South Africa from next week…

The current squad without, Michael Essien, Stephen Adams, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Haminu Dramani, Bernard Kumordzi and Laryea Kingston makes Team Ghana not a sure choice for my support in the competition. I believe Coach Milo have reasons for his choice of players, no matter what.

Ghana have been drawn in Group D and will face Australia, Germany and Serbia with their first group stage match against Serbia in Pretoria on June 13, 2010.  The 23 players the gaffer has named is very cool. Not”cool” as in the best squad we could have assembled, but”cool” as in it being the best out of a bad situation ....More

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African Soccer Stars "Revealed"......

I came across this picture of Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba (left) and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (right)—two of football's biggest (and arguably best) stars online a couple of days ago—proudly representing the 2010 World Cup, "the planet's biggest sports event" on the June cover of Vanity Fair Magazine.

Inside the pages of the magazine, you will find more football stars including Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o and Ghana’s Sulley Muntari.

In a revealing look at the significance of the World Cup (excuse the pun, but they are wearing flags and little else), Vanity Fair attempts to relate football to its American audience explaining,

"In America, these men might not enjoy the same name recognition as the stars of the N.F.L.—that game that we call football—but for most of the planet, they are more than just showstoppers. They are gods."

For more information, visit www.VanityFair.com and if you're interested in learning more about and following the World Cup from the vantage point that only Vanity Fair can give you, check out Fair Play, a football blog created by the magazine.

Photo Credit : [Annie Leibovitz For Vanity Fair]

Reezon’s "I Am The Reezon" Out Now...

Ghanaian born Rapper/Musician/Social Media Entrepreneur based in Chicago; Richard Sowah aka Reezon is out with his debut LP “I Am The Reezon”.

“I Am The Reezon”launched online on May 1st, 2010 and is available on Rych Ent, CDBaby, iTunes, Amazon and most online stores…

The 16 track album features Dem Boyz, Syne, Kursa & Agie...
1. Intro
2. Reezon
3. Drinks On Me
4. Sika (feat. Kursa)
5. Skit - Talking To JayQ
6. The Struggle
7. Hands Up
8. Good Year
9. Make Way (feat. Syne)
10. Yaa Asantewa (feat. Tennette)
11. Commort 4 Derrr
12. Kudin Outro
13. Get The Steppin (feat. Agie)
14. Somu Gye (feat. Dem Boyz)
15. Korruption
16. Scratch

I Am The Reezon ... is a delicate marriage between the two worlds that have birthed and nurtured Reezon, Ghana and the US. Though strongly influenced by American hip hop, he finds subtle ways of bringing through the African in him. Support Ghana's own Reezon. Get a copy and spread the word.

Book Review :: Paul Sika : At the Heart of Me

An Ivorian photomaking friend of mine, Paul Sika who I happened to meet at Maker Fair Africa in Accra last August, 2009 came out with his novel titled; “Paul Sika - at the Heart of Me...” which is out on sale now. I haven’t had the chance to read this inspiring novel yet but I happen to come across a review from one of the first buyers; Sci-Cultura. As you all know, I believe in data sharing a lot, so here we go…

"at the Heart of Me" Author - Paul Sika

Paul Sika, easily the hottest artist out of the African continent right now, has today launched his new photobook, “At the Heart of Me –> See his website and check out the trailer.

The befittingly self-proclaimed “Andy Warhol’s grandson” refuses to fit in a box (he negates that there is such a thing as a box) and this is reflected in his newly published photobook; where his inimitable vibrant images are presented, juxtaposed with prose that tells stories behind the people, locations and moments that played a part in creating his images, as well as stories of Paul Sika, the mortal, as he expresses his thoughts, his dreams, his encounters, his questions and his philosophies and sometimes how they relate to global on goings.

It is laudable that Sika explicitly refrains from explaining the stream of consciousness that informs and inspires the sets that he creates for his photo shoots and the subsequent photomaking* that births his trademark colorful explosions of intense theatrical art depicting urban African life as it has, to my knowledge, never been portrayed. He allows the onlooker the freedom to plunge in and decipher the meaning from wheresoever’s their soul takes him/her. Sika’s style may be likened to that of Dave Lachapelle but with this collection, he reinforces the mark that he’s created that left me thinking he isn’t like Dave Lachapelle, he is like Paul Sika.

It is hard to miss Sika’s naming of names – names that are brands – which admittedly I initially (mis)interpreted as the revelation of a desire to be recognized, iconographised and aptly positioned on the popular culture pedestal in their midst. But as I continued to turn the pages, it occurred to me that perhaps Sika names these names as an acknowledgment to the inspiration he draws from them. After all, this is At the Heart of Me that shares his desires, his heart. His inner heart’s desires.

At the Heart of Me is not one to be devoured hurriedly or without consideration. After all he is offering a glimpse into the core of him (as I understood the title), which deserves in the very least steadfast attention. It is to be leisurely savoured, gradually absorbing the 36 images and prose, one at a time. That the narrative doesn’t follow the predefined storyline sequence – beginning, middle and end – is a positive as one may leisurely dip in and out of his works randomly, perhaps revisiting them and seeing something new, or again yet differently, or both, or… It is your unique journey.

Put your lateral-thinking cap on (Sika is an avid connector) and get into the word play and rhymes that he weaves, revealing a poet (who knew?) as he challenges concepts and actions.

My personal take from Sika: the seemingly confident and unwavering creative exploration of passions and ideas is about getting into the flow. This includes flowing with life to where it may take you, which may sometimes mean not getting what you want. But that in itself could take you to an even more exciting place.

If there was a box, Sika wouldn’t fit into one anyhow.

*photomaking is a term Sika has coined for his ‘single-frame films’.

**********

You still want more, right?

See a recent interview of Sika with CNN Inside Africa’s Isha Sesay, in response to recommendations via social media sites like Twitter. There is also a write-up on CNN Inside Africa, with a sideshow to whet your appetite for the book.

Credit : Sci-Culturist