I’M GLAD YOU WERE MY DAD

    

JONNY

Life beyond university was moving on well; at least I was enjoying the 77 steps to my place of posting, my numerous church activities and dreaming of sharing my graduation photos with my family, until Sunday evening of October 6, when death gave me a hard knock on my head, waking me up from my day dream.

Ouch! It still hurts because I am yet to recover from the pain that comes with losing a father.

And so with this poem I wrote about three father’s days ago, not knowing I was writing a tribute to him, I would like to express how special my dad, the late Mr. William Kwame Wasaa Donkor is to me.

                                 

~I’m GLAD you're my DAD~

 I know my dad may never read this

But whether he does or not, it is still his

For all the love words you told my mum,

And all the love songs you had to hum,

For all the lovely gifts you had to buy too

Until finally she said 'I do',

I'm glad

You’re my dad.

For all the strength you lost in making me,

For all the styles though I didn't see,

And for all the silly errands you had to go

All because pregnant mum said so,

I'm glad

You're my dad.

For all the prayers you said till 27th august dawn,

For all the stress till I was finally born,

For all the baby sitting you did whenever mum was away

And all the lullabies you sang to make me play,

I'm glad

You're my dad

For the trouble you went through when I got burnt on my chest,

And the countless times you took me to the clinic for eye test,

For the lenses and frames you continuously bought

And I carelessly broke while I slept or fought,

I'm glad

You're my dad

For each spank, for each slap, for each blow,

For each knock, for each lash I saw you throw,

I hated you but now I’ve grown and I know

That they were only to help me grow

A day will come that I will be called daddy too

And I’ll do my best to be lauded like you

My ears went close to my sweetheart's tummy today

And I’m sure I heard each of my future twins say;

I'M GLAD

YOU'RE MY DAD

{written in June 2011}

 I wake up each morning hoping to hear him knock on my door, reminding me of morning devotion. I enter the living room in the afternoon hoping to find a white bearded man asleep in the sofa with both the TV and radio on; I intentionally fall asleep at the living room in the evening waiting to feel his hand waking me up to go to my own bed.

 As I prepare to physically part with him on Saturday December 14, I know he will still be up there watching over his little boy.

I miss my dad, yes I do but I guess his maker misses him more.

GOOD SAMARITANS DO EXIST!

From Drew.

Every now and then we fall on our friends and family to help us get through the difficulties of life. We may rely on them for financial help, education, health and/or other essential areas of life.

I used to think people only help the people they know. The person may be a high school friend, or even that guy in the neighborhood you may never have spoken with, yet helping such a person would seems much better, simply because of the fact that you are familiar with the person to some extent.

When I went to Takoradi for my National Service, I was struck with much surprise in a mesmerizing way, by how the people, whom I have never met before, were enthusiastic to helping me find a place to stay or perch for a night.

The people I met there were really kind and very welcoming. I was drawn to tears at a point when somebody offered me his three bedroom house for free! Nobody was staying in the house, so he wanted me to stay there for at least two weeks while I look for my own place (he was helping me find a place).

I never had to move to the three bed room apartment because an old friend of mine got me another place. Once again my host did not know me.

I am surprised by all these because I was wondering how I could invite a total stranger to my dad’s house in Accra to sleep over. My contemplation was not about whether my dad would allow it or not. It was more about whether I would opt to do that favor in the first place.

I want to believe that I am a kind person but I do not think I could do what those people in Takoradi did. I think one needs a certain divine inspiration of some sort to be able to be that kind.

They have inspired me to help people more. I realized I don’t have to always be in my comfort zone before I can help someone in need. They opened up their homes for me and they demanded nothing from me, nothing, except of course, to be a good person just so they don’t regret showing an act of kindness to a total stranger.

Prior to my National Service I had given up on the idea of helping people because some people (most of whom are members of my extended family) I had helped had disappointed and disgraced me in the end which sometimes made me curse myself for helping them.

I have a different perception for people now. I have got a renewed Do-Good-Spirit. It doesn’t matter whether or not I know the person who needs my help all I can do is help when I’m approached.

This will be one of many positive things that I can attribute to my national service with Graphic Communications Group Limited.

Thank you to Mr. Agyekum, Cyrus, Ralph, Micheal and my own aunt; Aunty Efuah and her family for their warm welcome to the oil city of Ghana!

When someone calls on you for help, all you need to do is to try and help. You may not be able to achieve the desired results in the end, what is most important is that you at least tried.

PS: Please make sure you are not awarded one of these.

Have you been on the receiving end of some amazing act of kindness? Tell us about it!

10:45

 Okay guys who has ever spent the night wandering the korle-bu teaching hospital?

Hmmm...Well i did, and i came out with valuable experience.
Here is a gist…

• When you do make sure you are absolutely obligated to be  there. 
•        Please make sure  you have the best mosquito repellant with you.The
     mosquitoes swarm all around.   
•   Kindly endeavour to be patient because some 'fianga-fianga' nurse will be extremely rude to you
• Be assured you won`t spend the night in your relations' or acquaintances' ward  especially if they are of the opposite sex.
   
•      Finally, come prepared for life altering moments and scenes i.e. if there is ever any  suitable preparation   for those moments.

Now, let  me tell you how i can be sure of this advice and what's been happening
in my life since my last post.
 Three weeks prior to the 29th of August,2013 the date of  the famous Supreme Court verdict date, I happened to be at the
korle bu teaching hospital on account  of my Grandmother.Her condition was bad
so my aunt and mum took turns, staying with her on twenty-four hour
basis.This meant they needed an errand boy,to be collecting drugs ,laboratory test
results etc.
Yes you guessed right it was good young me.A GIJ graduate
waiting on the National Service Secretariat to post him either to some
obscure village somewhere in Ghana or some big company in Accra.As it turned out, i was most qualified and obligated
in my whole  extended family to spend the nights
wandering the korle Bu Hospital both day and night.
 On nights like these, i found out that the security personnel at the
Hospital were mostly very friendly people who were eager to chat
anytime.However, they are  all immune to mosquito
bites or at least the mosquitoes just missed their presence.It wasn`t so
with me,the mosquitoes attacked me mercilessly. Thus,I had to carry a mosquito repellant with me,applying it to
every part of my body and yet the insects' whining sounds still made the nights
terrible.
On other nights,my mother would call me to come help with adjusting the old
lady's  bed and other stuff.Usually when I did, I met nice young nurses who
were willing to cooperate with us.Nevertheless, on one of those nights  i
met a nurse there and being my gentle self i greeted and told her was to
help lift the old lady.She didn't even look up to see me nor did she utter
a word so i entered the ward.After a few minutes she harshly and loudly
kicked me  out ,stating that guys were not allowed in there.Okay that i can
understand but the fact that my grandma needed special care which they were
not ready to give, was annoying.I left without uttering a word in reply.

 One more thing i observed was that the hospital
is disturbingly peaceful at night, apart from the occasional hallucinative moans and
scary cries of some suffering patients. It happened that i was
prepared to enjoy the peacefulness of one night roaming about, when my
elder sister who was taking care of grandma on this night called me to help
out.This unusually rude nurse pushed
me out .I could only catch a glimpse of grandma’s blank staring back at me.If only i knew those moments would be among her last  i would have
defied the nurse and stayed.I returned to perch somewhere leaving my sister there.

After a few moments,my sister came running up  the stairs shouting grandma is not
breathing! grandma is not breathing! I rushed past her into the ward and
amidst my sister's loud wailing i could bearly make out what the young
doctor said but it sounded something like "I'm sorry but your grandmum
passed away".I turned to see my grandmum oxygen mask off, looking peaceful and
yet it broke my heart..... at that same moment my phone's light came on for
which reason i'll never know and the time said 10:45..A life changing moment it
was.
 Two months after 29th August 2013,am short of one more loved one to share
each milestone i reach with.I realise that death till its done with, will
continue to  pluck our loved ones away one by one, that is if we don't go
first.Then later, we probably find that we are left with no one to share the so called success
with.So maybe, we should all hold on to our loved ones tight, not to be so focused on
our dream chase that we neglect them.
Guys now,do you remember  that obscure village I mentioned earlier? Well the National service postings
came out weeks ago and OH YES BOLGA HERE I COME!......stay tuned more to com come.

77 STEPS TO GNA

FROM JONNY

The Ghana National Service Scheme (NSS) released postings for the 2013/2014 national service year a few weeks back. As usual, the news was received with diverse reactions; disappointment, happiness alike. 

Presently, some people are still registering with the various NSS offices while others are yet to locate their place of posting on the map of Ghana. I wish them all the best.

As for yours truly, I have registered and have even reported to my place of posting. In fact, this piece was written about and at my place of posting.

The very first time I set foot at Ghana News Agency (GNA),Cape Coast was in 2009. I had just started work as an agent for SIC-Life (yes, I’ve worked there and still do; maybe my next post should be about that). 

I had gone there with a letter seeking permission to sell the SIC life policies to the staff. There was just one person there; a young lady who was certainly bored because she was playing with a rubber band.

 After climbing the 77 stairs (I recently counted) to the fourth floor of the former ministries building, where the office is located, on two occasions and never meeting the manager, I gave up and nearly swore I was never returning to that office again.

Two years came to pass; I got admission into Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), the long vacation for internship came and I chose ATL FM; a University of Cape Coast based radio station. It is affiliated to JOY FM; one of the best radio stations in Ghana.

The day I sent my introductory letter, I was given a hearty welcome that made me feel I was already a part of them, all because their marketing manager was also called Jonathan Donkor. That feeling unfortunately was short-lived as I was told the next day that there was no vacancy.

I was eager and ready to work so I went to Eagle FM, YES FM and Graphic Communications group limited; all in Cape Coast but their responses were negative. 

Then at a choir delegates’ rally at Twifo Praso, I met an alumnus of GIJ. He had done his internship at GNA- Cape Coast and advised that I send a letter there. He sounded convincing so I decided to give it a try despite my initial encounter.

I climbed the 77 stairs again the next day, submitted my letter and to my utmost amazement, I was asked to report to work the next day.

 As the days went by the perception I had due to my initial encounter changed as I realized that the work was on the field but not at the office hence the empty office I met a few years back.

I went places, met dignitaries and saw my stories online and in the newspaper even though it did not bear my name. The feeling was good especially the day Radio Ghana used my story as a leading news item.

I ascended and descended the 77 stairs for almost two months and when the time came for me to return to school, I did not want to leave because I was learning a lot about the job. But I had no choice than to leave.

I will always be grateful to Mrs. Alice Tettey, Mrs. Justina Paaga, the delightful Ms. Delight Dela Biney and all the staff and service personnel who mentored me.

It feels good to be back for national service. It feels good to be climbing the 77 stairs again. I no longer see it as an occupational hazard, rather a constant reminder that a journey of 10,000 miles begins with a step.

I cannot predict the future; whether I will stay here after service or leave but wherever I may work as a communicator, I will always be guided by the motto of GNA; speed, accuracy and objectivity.

And every difficult task or trial that comes my way, I will see and climb it like the 77 stairs to GNA.

ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY

From Drew

Responsibility is one word people dread to hear. It is also something that shows how mature someone is. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect; these are the words of Eleanor Roosevelt. This quote to me, explains the reason why people hate or love the word; responsibility.

The very day I wrote my last paper to complete my first part of tertiary education, I got an internship with a software company to learn about the practical aspect of the career that is ahead of me. (I must say that I have been convinced by someone important to me to choose this career path, but that is not to say that I don’t like the career, I mean who wouldn't want to be a corporate communication tycoon someday).

I had to quit my internship because of delays in my project work after a week of starting work. I will tell you why I delayed in my project work some other day. It is an entire story on its own. Hopefully, by then I will be laughing about it.

Since the day I had the internship, I knew from the word go that my career is my responsibility, my father’s, was to get me an education which he has done. I am now responsible for the success or otherwise of my career.

This got into my head so much that I thought the only responsibility I had in life was my career. Everything else happening around me was not my responsibility but that of others.

For instance, I thought I wasn't responsible to cook though I was the only one who stays at home, neither was I responsible for cleaning the house since a it is a woman’s job, yet my house is infested by men; my mum lives and work at Cape Coast, while I live with my dad and brother at Accra. To me, everything I do in that house is like a charity, I’m donating my time and service to.

This whole responsibility thing really hit me in full force when my dad started an extension on our house. I was handling the project money and everybody but me, goes to work, so technically I am the foreman or the contractor of the project. Yet I convinced myself that it was not my responsibility to supervise the work. The only responsibility I felt I had with this project was the financial aspect. Knowing my dad, I know I better render proper accounting to him, especially when the money is finished and there are still lots of work to do.

After weeks of constant complaining from my dad that the workers aren't doing the right thing, I got the sense that he was disappointed in the contractor of the project; me! Yet, I did not see the reason why I should be held responsible for the mistakes of these grown professional men who have been doing this job for more than five years. Mainly because, I knew, I have never done any form of construction before except for the ones we did in Mathematics and Pre-Technical Skills class.

 I later realized how I have failed to show up as a contractor.  Here I was, after being forced to quit my internship and now looking forward to starting  my National Service in a company where I can learn and practice as a Public Relations Officer,  I have completely blew away the opportunity of learning how to execute a project successfully.

 I realized I could have used this as my internship, though it is not exactly communications related but I know that as a corporate affairs manager of company I have to know how to execute a project well.  A Public Relations Personnel should be able to manage both human and material resources to properly execute a project; it however, demands efficiency among your staff, an attribute that was clearly absent in my construction staff.

I failed to turn our house extension into the best ever working-from-home-internship.

But one thing I have learnt from this project is not to focus too much on the negatives, besides my boss (my dad) did not fire me partly because he is stuck with me as his only intern which is a good thing for me because I can make up for my short falls (the project is still ongoing).

Besides I currently have a firsthand experience on how to fail as a project manager so at least I have fair knowledge of how not to fail as a project manager.

In the end I’m doing my internship, I don’t wear a tie and a jacket and go into a fancy building, instead, I work from home and I’m learning about project management and execution. I can now get these old masons and carpenters to work to my specification. I have realized my dad rarely passes bad comments any more.

My career is on course and I’m responsible for it.

THE LAST INTRODUCTION

 And so i am the unintroduced one among us three, thus the tittle,but
hey you know what they
say always save the best for the last.( I pray the other guys skip over
this, when reading).

Okay about me, i`m Lemuel Michael Nana  Akyien Nortey.Well if  you are
wondering why i have two English names, mum gave  me Michael and 

Dad,
Lemuel,call me which you want, i`ll answer.The Nana Akyien shows my dad`s
Fante roots even though he has a Ga name.

Was born 22years ago, September 23, in Eastern London, (never  mind i don't have the
accent),I've lived in Ghana since i was four; I have traded it all for
Kenkey and Auntie Mercy's waakye at GIJ.

My family is a large one,apart from the dad and the mom, i have six
siblings, i mean four brothers and two sisters[know what you are
thinking, i`ll tell my dad he is a great man ].Fortunately, i have
always lived with my family,even though most of them are now elsewhere.
At least,with my dad old now, i get to be the man in the house.

Starting in the year 1997AD tiil present I’ve attended  about  some six
schools.I attended nursery school at Jack& Jill Day care,then had my basic
school education at St. Anthony’s Preparatory School and Grace Preparatory
School.Later on I had the most life changing High school education at the
Accra Academy.While there I offered courses such as
Literature,Geography,Economics mathematics.I mention them all because they
all impacted my on my life different values.

Prior to my time at Accra Academy(Bleoo), I was at sea as to  what I
wanted to do for a living.Nevertheless I had always been an avid reader,and
quite brilliant at school.So my Literature teacher’s be-a-writer sermons  at
Bleoo, made an impression on me.Thus I write poetry to this very day.Well
the writer part of me pinches me everyday to forget it all and just publish
my first anthology of poems,well guess what Jah willing that will happen in
December.

High school came and went, then a year later, l  enrolled at the Ghana
Institute of Journalism, to offer a Diploma in Communication Studies.Partly
because I later want to pursue a degree in Public Relations.


The Ghana Institute of Journalism has such a close knit campus, its as
if everybody knows everybody.However,the legendary  2013 diploma
class, was more close knit.That was my class and there i met these two
other brilliant guys,Jonathan and Andrew who birthed this idea.

  Amidst all the drama and whole experience at GIJ, we still carried
our dreams with us.Myself to become a PR professional and
writer,Andrew to work at Harpo studios, and Jonny to achieve
perfection on on the mic, scissors and pen. Now we want to share with
you every bit of our dream chase, in the hope that we inspire and
entertain you our with our real life experiences

Dear reader, my name is Lemuel and i feature in this unstaged reality show.