Features
The saga of being Ewe…(Part 2)
That I was born Ewe, as others were born Asante, Akuapem, Fante, Ga-Dangbe, Nzema, Dagomba, Gonja etc etc, is no accident. It is a divine work of the Creator of the universe for the universality of humankind.
No one, therefore, is born with a divine right to be superior to another, irrespective of their race, colour or creed. If it were so, there is a question this Creator will have to answer: what kind of God or Father He is to pit one child against the other? If God Himself is divisive, then He does not deserve our attention. The epoch of racial gods has atrophied into the universal Godhood.
No one is brought into this world to be a bigot. A lack of education and enlightenment has bred insecurity in some people who vent their inadequacies on others. That way, they feel a certain relevance. They become notoriously belligerent and hate others who endeavour to be at peace with themselves and with others.
It is, therefore, preposterous for one group of people to look down on another. It was to forster national cohesion that Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah came up with the idea of boarding secondary schools so that boys and girls from different parts of the country could live and study under the same roof. It worked well in our time, but I must admit that it is not the same today.
One day in 2004 my youngest daughter, who was in one of the all-girls schools in the capital, came home with a classmate, who was Ga, on mid-term holidays. Out of the blue, my daughter asked me why other tribes hated the Ewe so much. The question gave me a giddy feeling instantly. What answer was I to give my 17-year old? But I needed to know what precipitated such a question.
In their boarding house, some of the students said their parents had warned them that when they grew up, they should not marry Ewe. What reasons did their parents give them, I asked. None whatsoever. All I could tell her was that she should ignore such unproductive chatter from ignorant parents. But I knew it was a serious issue.
What was I to do? Then the opportunity came when the school called an emergency Parent/Teacher Association meeting to solicit funds for a quick-fix of a problem. Parents came to the meeting in their numbers and the Assembly Hall was full. We donated cash as much as we could and the executives got busy with tallying the amount raised.
I sought permission from the Chairman to make a statement, which was granted. To get the attention of the Assembly, my first statement was, “Some of us need to be ashamed of being parents.” I got the attention I needed because it sent a signal that I was up to something serious. I went on, “I wish I were non-Ewe to make what I’m about to say meaningful.”
I then went straight to the point, telling them what question my daughter put to me, and in the company of a mate who was not Ewe. You could have heard a pin drop in the auditorium.. “Why poison the minds of your teenage girls with tribal bigotry, while President Kufuor is busy preaching national cohesion and unity? What kind of parents are we?”
I then asked a rhetorical question, “Assuming these poisoned daughters we breed here get involved in a vehicular accident and the first person to appear on the scene is Ewe, do you and I expect these daughters to accept help or decline because the helper is Ewe?” There was complete silence.
I went on to say that teenage minds are too fragile for such toxic brainwash. They must be allowed to grow up and make their own informed choices.”What future is there for this country with this kind of mindset if these girls grow up to take leadership positions?” I asked.
I could make out the late Minister Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, the late Cyril Acolatse of GBC and ace broadcaster, George Crabbe in the audience because I knew them personally.
After giving the parents a piece of my mind, the applause was deafening though I did not do it for the applause; I did it for Mother Ghana.
After we were done, Cyril and George were first to congratulate me on the courage to confront the issue in the manner I did. A parent who said he was Asante but hated such bigotry also came to tell me his daughters came home with same tales. He was happy I brought it up.
My daughter hooked her arm to mine like in a wedding march to see me off. The gaze on us was palpable and my pride in my daughter was on Cloud 9. But it did not end there. On her visit home the following term’s midterm, she told me that the students who revealed their parents’ attitudes were back to report that their parents berated them for discussing those things in the boarding house.
Dear reader, my true narrative above mirrors what is festering in our country at this moment. Speak Ewe in public and others are quick to tell you that no one understands ‘that’ language. Not only in public but at the workplace, on buses, airplanes and at almost every conceivable place.
I will stand up to anyone who tries to look down on another because of their ethnicity. Why would a Ga look down on an Asante, an Ewe on a Fante or a Bono on a Grushie, the tribe of my maternal great-grandmother? This must not be allowed. At times I am minded to ask if it’s the other people we hate or their language or both? Personally, I am not enamoured of the Brits and the French, but I love and speak both their languages.
I love Ghana to bits. It is the only country I call my own and take pride in calling myself Ghanaian. Let no one tell me differently. And I believe all of us must feel the same way. We are said to be the most welcoming country our side of earth, yet that hardly manifests in the way we relate among ourselves. What ashame!
I must be as proud as an Ewe as you must be as an Akan, Ga-Dangbe, Nzema, Dagomba, Kusasi, Wala. But collectively, let us all join hands in being proud Ghanaians. My friends are surprised I do not support any football club in Ghana but can stay awake to watch matches involving all our national teams in international tournaments. Nothing freaks me more than watching our female teams at play.
Lest I forget: I couldn’t be more proud when my youngest daughter called me one day and said, “Dad, a full-blooded Asante guy wants me for a wife.” I responded that if she wanted him, she had my blessing. They are a happy couple over 10 years on.
Some Akan female friends tell me to recommend young Ewe men for their daughters, and their reason is simple: since Akan inherit maternally and Ewe are patrilineal, their offspring would inherit both ways. If this can breed national unity and cohesion, why not?
Writer’s email address:
akofa45@yahoo.com
By Dr Akofa K. Segbefia
Features
Who knows tomorrow?
Recently a friend posted a sad news on his Facebook page, announcing the death of a school mate who had passed away, suddenly. The report had it that he was on his way to the airport to take a flight to Ghana.
I am sure this man had already informed the wife or a friend or a work colleague at work that he was returning home but he was not to return as a human being but as a dead body.
Such is life and so we need to be circumspect in how we go about things in life. The Bible reminds us that we are like grass which at one point in time looks elegant and the next moment becomes withered according to Psalm 90:5 and 6. It is for this reason that we need to guard our hearts with the word of God so that we shall be motivated to do the right thing, at all times.
This will enable us live on this planet, free from all sorts of troubles in our personal lives, even if we ignore the question of Heaven and Hell. Living a disciplined life delivers us from any kind of trouble as the Bible declares in Galatians 5:23 that against such there is no law.
The uncertainty surrounding our lives on earth is the more reason why people should commit their lives into the hands of the one who created it, in the first place unless you believe that the world created itself and that it appeared from nowhere.
Otherwise, the logical thing to do is to recognize the authority of the creator and surrender to his Lordship. Heaven is real and Hell is real, so for us who know the truth and have received Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, the onus lies on us to encourage our relations who have not believed and received Jesus into their lives, to do so.
We are a couple of days from another Easter Resurrection celebration and an opportunity to reflect on our lives in relation to the significance of Easter. In the Bible, the only occasion Jesus, Saviour of the world commands us to celebrate is his death and resurrection.
He never commanded his followers to celebrate his birth but like everything else, we chose to ignore Jesus’s instructions and decided to do what pleases us, just like our forefather and mother in the Garden of Eden.
Let us deliberately choose to do things differently as Christians this Easter, so we can really benefit from all the blessings that the celebration of the death and birth of Jesus, has on offer. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is definitely insanity.
I choose to be different this Easter and I am believing God for a newness of life so God’s glory would be revealed in me to draw the unsaved to him. It is only when people especially the unsaved, see the character of Christ in us, that they can be convinced about the authenticity of Jesus, as Saviour of the world, who can bring transformation in their lives too.
This is what would motivate them to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ. Let us make this Easter a memorable one that will be cherished for a long time. It is also a period for reconciliation and it would be great if in the spirit of Easter, we would try to reach out to those who have wronged us or have a grudge against us.
This would demonstrate that we have indeed accepted Jesus and that our religious posture is not a sham. May the good Lord grant us the grace to love our neighbours as ourselves, demonstrating the love of God in the process.
Those who have lost their loved ones and Easter brings sad memories, may the good Lord comfort and strengthen you. God bless.
.NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’
Features
Cosmetic deformities
COSMETIC deformities refer to physical imperfections or abnormalities that affect an individual’s appearance, often causing emotional distress and impacting their quality of life.
These deformities can be congenital, acquired, or result from various medical conditions or treatments. This article provides an in-depth exploration of cosmetic deformities, their types, causes, effects, and treatment options.
Types of cosmetic deformities
Cosmetic deformities can affect various parts of the body, including the face, skin, hair, nails, and teeth. Some common types of cosmetic deformities include:
1. Facial deformities: Congenital or acquired abnormalities affecting the shape, structure, or appearance of the face, such as cleft lip and palate, facial paralysis, or facial asymmetry.
2. Skin deformities: Conditions affecting the skin’s texture, tone, or appearance, such as acne, scars, birthmarks, or skin discoloration.
3. Hair deformities: Abnormalities affecting the hair’s growth, texture, or appearance, such as alopecia, hirsutism, or hair loss due to medical conditions or treatments.
4. Nail deformities: Conditions affecting the shape, size, or appearance of the nails, such as nail fungus, nail psoriasis, or nail trauma.
5. Dental deformities: Abnormalities affecting the shape, size, or appearance of the teeth, such as tooth decay, tooth loss, or malocclusion.
Causes of cosmetic deformities
Cosmetic deformities can result from various factors, including:
1. Genetics: Congenital conditions or inherited traits can cause cosmetic deformities.
2. Trauma: Injuries or accidents can result in cosmetic deformities, such as scars or facial trauma.
3. Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as acne, psoriasis, or eczema, can cause cosmetic deformities.
4. Treatments and procedures: Medical treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery, can result in cosmetic deformities.
5. Aging and environmental factors: Aging, sun exposure, and environmental factors can contribute to cosmetic deformities, such as wrinkles, fine lines, or age spots.
Effects of cosmetic deformities
Cosmetic deformities can have significant emotional and psychological effects on individuals, including:
1. Low self-esteem: Cosmetic deformities can lead to feelings of insecurity, self-consciousness, and low self-esteem.
2. Social anxiety: Individuals with cosmetic deformities may experience social anxiety, avoiding social interactions or feeling embarrassed in public.
3. Emotional distress: Cosmetic deformities can cause emotional distress, including depression, anxiety, or stress.
4. Impact on quality of life: Cosmetic deformities can affect an individual’s quality of life, impacting their relationships, career, or overall well-being.
Treatment options for cosmetic deformities
Various treatment options are available to address cosmetic deformities, including:
1. Surgical procedures: Surgical procedures, such as reconstructive surgery, cosmetic surgery, or dermatological surgery, can correct or improve cosmetic deformities.
2. Non-surgical treatments: Non-surgical treatments, such as laser therapy, chemical peels, or microdermabrasion, can address cosmetic concerns, such as skin texture, tone, or appearance.
3. Medical treatments: Medical treatments, such as topical creams, oral medications, or injectable treatments, can address cosmetic concerns, such as acne, hair loss, or nail deformities.
4. Prosthetic and orthotic devices: Prosthetic and orthotic devices, such as wigs, hairpieces, or dental prosthetics, can help individuals with cosmetic deformities.
5. Counselling and therapy: Counselling and therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or psychotherapy, can help individuals cope with the emotional and psychological effects of cosmetic deformities.
Conclusion
Cosmetic deformities can have significant emotional and psychological effects on individuals, impacting their quality of life and overall well-being.
Understanding the types, causes, and effects of cosmetic deformities is crucial in addressing these concerns.
Various treatment options are available, ranging from surgical procedures to non-surgical treatments, medical treatments, prosthetic and orthotic devices, and counselling and therapy.
By seeking professional help and support, individuals with cosmetic deformities can improve their appearance, boost their self-esteem, and enhance their overall quality of life.
Reference
1. “Cosmetic Deformities” by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
