Thursday, July 30, 2009

NKRUMAIST DECLARATION


As part of efforts to revive the now lacklustre CONVENTION PEOPLES PARTY(CPP),the left-winged party of the first President of Ghana, DR. KWAME NKRUMAH which led Ghana to independence in 1957 on the 6th of March. Some stalwarts of the party has come together to issue out a document they call the NKRUMAIST DECLARATION. Below is the full text.

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Ghana is once more at the crossroads and the options are clear. We can take the path to the entrenchment of our neo-colonial status where illiteracy, poverty and underdevelopment flourish or opt for the Nkrumaist path which leads to the building of an egalitarian society in which misery, inequality and poverty will be banished.

Today, more than 53 years after the victory of the forces of nationalism and socialism over harsh British colonial rule, the masses of Ghana continue to suffer unemployment, lack of access to health, education and housing. They are unable to feed and clothe themselves adequately. The old colonial predators now masquerading as the international community and respectable businesses have turned our people into nothing more than drawers of water and hewers of wood.

The dream of the Osagyefo at independence that the people of Ghana would be the ultimate beneficiaries of the exploitation of their natural resources has not been realized yet. The forest resources, gold, diamond, manganese, rivers and human power of Ghana continue to be exploited largely for the benefit of the ruling elite and their surrogates in the Metropolitan countries.

Over the last 30 years the national currency has been devalued by more than 30,000 percent, industries established by the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) have been auctioned off to friends and relatives of the powerful, the peoples’ access to health and education has been substantially reduced, subsidies have been withdrawn from social services and the liberalization of internal and external trade has had dire consequences on local production.

As avowed Nkrumaists we cannot give up hope because we know that our prescription for national economic rejuvenation, raising of political conscieness and full social integration is efficacious. It is possible to build a new Ghana based on the solid foundations of social justice and democracy with the correct application of Nkrumaist principles. We can and must make Ghana a prosperous modern nation leading in the struggle for the full integration of African states into a continental union government.

We note however that the current state of the Convention peoples Party (CPP) does not engender hope amongst the working people and the progressive forces. The CPP has become rusty. It has lost its internal cohesion and can no longer be seen as the vanguard of underprivileged people struggling for an equitable share of the national cake and against the blatant violations of their rights.

The rebirth of the CPP must necessarily involve a deep commitment to the principles of Nkrumaism, the re-affirmation of the politics of inclusion (unity) and the construction and strengthening of party structures at all levels of organization.

We call on all Nkrumaists wherever they may be to rally around the call for the rebirth of the party. This task can only be achieved with a leadership that is truly imbued with a clear understanding of Nkrumaism and is willing and able to make the needed sacrifices. The Trojan horses must not be given space in our midst, lest they spring surprises and destroy our organization from within. If indeed we are all Nkrumaists, then there should be no difficulty in working together to liberate our people from the clutches of poverty and underdevelopment.

The time to build the new CPP is now. We cannot afford to delay any longer. The masses are hungry and the state is decaying. We can and must struggle to end the neo-colonial destruction.

SIGNED BY PARTICIPANTS
1.Comrade K. Sintim Aboagye
2.Professor Francis Nkrumah
3.Comrade Kofi Amponsah
4.Professor K. Ayisi
5.Comrade Kwame Wiafe
6.Madam Lucy Enin
7.Dr. Gamal Nasser Adam
8.Comrade A. Owusu Gyimah
9.Comrade Kwesi Pratt, Jnr.
10.Comrade A. A. Adongo
11.Comrade Michael Nunoo
12.Dr. S. O. Asante



Friday, July 10, 2009

Obama blamed for train stoppage !

This morning a train heading towards the Kantamanto Market partly skidded off its rail tracks onto the streets@circle-Accra. As people gathered to explain the unfortunate situation, a man accused OBAMA,who's visiting Ghana later today, of the incident.



The train halted in the middle of the Obetsebi lamptey roundabout-Circle Road. Transport vehicles had to drop off their passengers to walk. People had to climb through the train to get to the other half of the road on their way to work.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Ghana Fashion Weekend ends, Ricci Osei remembered,Boris speaks Twi.






The 4day Ghana Fashion Weekend came to an end on Saturday at the Accra International Conference Centre. The event featured various designers from Africa and across the world, as well as the German-Ghanaian star of the popular drama, "Soul Food", Boris Kodjoe with his wife Nicole Ari Parker,also a co-star of the popular TV series.

Saturday's final event showcased professional catwalk models from Exopa Modeling Agency in exquisite designs and apparels of Kofi Ansah,Ricci Osei, Aphadi, Jandel, Allan David, Bazem'Se,and Amadou Diop. Other international designers also include Eloi Sessou, Patrick Asso, Dady de maximo,Parfait Behen,Ousmane Doumbia and many more.

Hiplife music genre originator Reggie Rockstone, out-doored the last designer collection of his late father Ricci Osei.

"These were the last collection of my dad that were never released before he passed away,I feel so proud for this honour"
,

says Rockstone, receiving a resounding applause and a standing ovation in tribute to the man who was well-known for "patch jeans" across Europe.

In a rare showing, Ricci Osei's collection hit the run way by famous hiplife musicians and rappers to a rapturous applause and excitement seeing Tinny, Samini, peer pressure duo Kwaku T and D-Black and Kwaw Kese.

Interestingly, soccer stars were not left out of the show, Black Stars and Chelsea FC midfielder Michael Essien, Togolese international and Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, and Tony Baffour ,former Black stars defender, took turns to grace the catwalk amidst cheers from fans for the final lapse of the show which was well patronized.



In his closing remarks, Boris Kodjoe, was full of praise for the designers and Ghana,

"i want to thank all the designers for such a great job, the talent here is incredible and we want to share it with the world, we've being talking to the vice president and they will continue to support us ".

Unexpectedly Boris Kodjoe delivered an innocuous line in the widely spoken Twi language to the surprise of everybody, sending the ladies to scream.

"On behalf of my wife and myself, i want to thank Ghana, medo mu paa" (i love you so much).



Described as the revolutionary behind Ghana's Fashion Industry, Director of Ghana Fashion Weekend, Ibrahim Sima also expressed his satisfaction and pride over the success of the event which could be compared to international standards in Rome and Italy.

He said," look at it now, we've done it, people never thought this could be so successful, but here we are, it's just like what we have being seeing on t.v from Europe and elsewhere".

Ghana Fashion Weekend is a French Embassy initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Rocky Dawuni & the revelation project


Rocky Dawuni is one of Africa’s most popular musicians and his legendary performances have brought global fame and acclaim.

Rocky is now set to bring his groovalicious live reggae to the opening of L.A.’s Grand Performances’ season at California Plaza with two free downtown performances at 12 Noon and 8pm - on Friday July 10, 2009 with an outrageous 11 piece band with very special guests sitting in!!

July 10th marks Rocky’s first appearance in the U.S. since his smash visit to the Balispirit Festival and Hard Rock Hotel Bali in Indonesia and he will head to Europe to tour Germany, Austria and France immediately following the Grand Performances’ shows.

Rocky just finished his 5th studio recording titled “Hymns for the Rebel Soul” which is currently set for release in late 2009. The album’s lead track, “Download the Revolution,” has already been licensed by video game giant EA for their FIFA 2010 video game.

Dawuni also has two tracks on the Top 20 “Playing for Change: Songs Around the World” compilation, including a cover of “War” by Bob Marley which also features Bono and an international cast of musicians.



When not playing on some of the world’s largest festival stages, Rocky is involved with UNICEF, Product (RED), The Carter Center and The Global Fund and other pro-active humanitarian, social and environmental organizations- in his belief and commitment to create positive and sustainable change. Converse (RED) just released his custom designed shoe - dubbed “Wheels of Change” - as part of the Converse “1Hundred Series” with proceeds supporting the UN Global Funds effort to provide antiretroviral medication for people suffering from HIV / AIDS in Africa.

Don’t miss this amazing live performance by Ghana’s shining star, Rocky Dawuni!!



Rocky Dawuni & The Revelation Project
Friday, July 10 2009
12pm & 8pm

FREE!! ALL AGES!

Grand Performances
California Plaza
300-350 S. Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213.687.2159
www.grandperformances.org
www.kcrw.com
www.rockydawuni.com
www.myspace.com/rockydawunimusic
www.twitter.com/rockydawuni

*Directions: FROM THE HARBOR FREEWAY (110) NORTH OR SOUTHBOUND Exit Fourth street, staying on the left. Turn left onto Olive Street. The California Plaza parking facility is on the left.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Talents shine @ Bless the Mic- arts and music festival


When Emcees Africa came to town last week to look for a freestyle rapper to represent Ghana in South Africa later this year, many folks who were at the contest went wild against the final choice. Others also thought it was a poor showing by talents who came out to exhibit their on-the-spot skills in stringing rhyming words.


Contrary, there was an exciting show of class last Saturday when Alliance Francais hosted Bless the Mic-Arts and Music festival at their open air theatre to a lively audience of spoken word and music lovers. The event brought together unsigned artistes and performers in attempt to support local talent as well as revive the arts. Interestingly, almost all the artistes who represented at the show performed together with a live band with ease.


“We organised this event this event to give a platform to emerging and established artists to share their talents, hone their skills, and network with industry professionals” said PY Addo-B Annan, co-emcee and main organiser of the event.


Bless the Mic featured performers of spoken word, acoustic music, sax collaboration, traditional music, reggae, hip-hop and hip-life rap. The rap and reggae performers delivered smoothly with the support of the well-known 4-man live band, Sound factory, which without a fault played classic tunes with jazz effects that swept over the audience to also sing along.


The night started off with a six-minute spoken word out-pour by Yasmin with her lamentations of a Diasporan longing to see the Motherland. The Black American and Afro centric student, who is currently studying in Ghana, was accompanied with a faint live sax tune in the background under dim lights for a perfect mood and feel.

Also on the night’s bill was Motombo, another astounding and exciting spoken word artist to listen to, whose popularity seemed to be soaring among poetry enthusiasts after featuring in 20-minute NT1 Poetry series that was aired on TV Africa during the latter part of the previous year.


When it was his turn to perform, he took the audience through a captivating ode to the hip-life music genre that recognised founder, Reggie Rockstone, Nananom, Nana King, Obrafour and a host of other artistes who have contributed to the genre.


“This was my mission to a Chief’s palace to find hip-life because they said hip-life was dead”, he said.

Motombo has also performed as a guest artist on the famous music reality show tagged Mentor, on TV3.

The petite freestyle rapper and first runner up of Emcees Africa, Props, gave a good account of himself to a rapturous audience. PY Addo B Annan, CEO of MI Prime Entertainment, openly asserted Props should have won the Emcees Africa-Ghana contest, before introducing the young rapper to patrons at Alliance Francais.



PY says “only if you were at the Tantra Night club last week, everybody knew he was the one who should have won.”

Reggae and dancehall were also fully appreciated when the talented and budding reggae sensation, Stone boy collaborated with Patan, the Jamaican-speaking and eccentric rastafar-i ragga artist aided by the sound factory live band. The duo entertained everyone to their exceptional music flow amid wild stage antics and dance moves.


Traditional music was not left out of the package as opportunity was given to Gunna Music, formerly Hewale Soundz, an 8-member cultural troupe to also shine with their unique indigenous music and choreography.

some performers who also showed class at the event were, Trig-matic, rapper and YFM “Campus Level” host, Kweku T/D-Black teaming up to perform a live rendition of “move”, their latest release and D.K Osei, another distinctive Ghanaian spoken word act based in the UK.




Others also include fast and witty rapper Kochoko, acoustic poets Ras Bomba/Rhyme Soni, The Matcho Rapper, Dre, RonnyO, Skillionz, and the underground hip-hop character Illa.

Bless the Mic was started 4years ago by MI Prime Entertainment and it takes place every Thursday night at the Baze Lounge and Bar in Osu Re-Accra.

images @ Bless the Mic










Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Culture Caravan


Touring 8cities across the southern belt of Ghana, the CULTURE CARAVAN,sponsored by theFrench Embassy and Vodafone, stopped atJAMES TOWN-MANTSE AGBONAA inACCRA last sunday 3rd May,2009 after performances at Takoradi, Elmina and Kasoa.

The caravan features Hiplife legend Reggie RockstoneKwaw Kesse, King Ayisoba and pidgin rapper Wanlov Koborlor. Others also onthe tour are the traditional master drummerOkyerema Yaw Kontor and Joy Fm's DJ Black.

The Culture Caravan is a novelty which adopts traditional/hiphiplife music and acting on stage with popular songs. It's therefore not surprising that the producer this exciting event, Panji Anoff describes as a "revival of the concert party format".

   

From thursday 8th May, the Culture Caravan will be at Koforidua Jackson Park, saturday 9th-Nkawkaw Ofori Park, sunday 10th May-Obuasi Black Park.


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