KIDNAPPED BY ARMED ROBBERS

Nigeria paraded six arrested fake soldiers, kidnappers, and armed robbers in Abuja

One late Sunday afternoon, as soon as I had finished lunch, I took my backpack and set off to visit my cousin living at Alago-Meji, a suburb of Lagos, near Yaba, another suburb of Lagos state. A few minutes from the house, I met Mensah, a friend who lived at Oyingbo, a commercial center in Lagos..

Since both of us were heading in the same direction, we joined the same bus towards our destination. When we got down, along Okpebi road, in Ikeja, a suburb of Lagos state, as we were conversing and laughing, a white 504 Peugeot car suddenly stopped close to us.

In the car was a civilian, who was behind the steering wheel, and two armed men in military uniform sitting in the rear. The soldiers were focusing their attention on the little backpack I was holding. Presumably, they were thinking there was a large sum of money in it.

One of the soldiers descended from the car and subjected me to interrogation, asking what was in my bag. “Please, only half a loaf of bread and some books,” I replied.

“What else do you have in the bag?” The soldier pressed me with more questions. Actually, besides the bread and the books in the bag, my passport and a flight ticket were also inside because I was finally due to leave Nigeria finally to Europe the following month.

Like a flash of lightning, I was kidnapped and pushed into the car. “These are the kind of men we are looking for. You are a thief,” said one of the soldiers. I was driven off, leaving Mensah behind. Apart from Mensah, who witnessed the scene, there were a few people around who also saw when I forced into the vehicle.

Mensah stood speechless, watching me being driven off. Sandwiched in between the two soldiers at the rear, they struggled with me, trying to get hold of my bag. It wasn’t an easy task since the bag was firmly held between my knees.

There was no money in the bag. I should have given it to them to avoid any injury or possible death, but for the sake of my travelling documents, I made it a ‘do or die’ battle with them. I knew that once the bag was in their possession, I would never see my passport and the ticket again.

This had happened to many people in Lagos. Stolen passports and tickets were sold to individuals who were desperate to go to Europe. The visa requiring procedure is sometimes so difficult that many applications are rejected. In this case, stolen passports with visas, when sold, were taken to an expert, who gets the old picture removed and fixes the eager traveller’s picture in it.

When the change of picture is neatly done, it becomes very difficult for immigration officers both at home and abroad to detect. Some years back, most international airports were not equipped with devices that could detect false passports.

Hence, many of those people who bought passports are today living in Europe and America under false names and identities. But at the moment, both in Africa, Europe, and America, one can’t beat immigration with such fictitious documents. Most airports are now equipped with modern devices that can read or signal a fake passport.

When the soldiers couldn’t get the bag from me, they started hitting me repeatedly with the butts of their rifles, hoping I would let go of the bag. Meanwhile, I was screaming in agony, “I’ve been kidnapped!” But since the glasses of car remained shut, all my screams for help were in vain.

At the other end of the road where I was kidnapped, the police had mounted a barrier, checking the particulars of vehicles. The armed gang saw the police. They knew perfectly well that if they went further, they would be in trouble. The struggle alone going on behind the car could expose them.

The driver didn’t go any further. Instead, he made a U-turn, heading towards where I was previously kidnapped. They were still beating me up, but I was determined not to give the bag to them. It was like a movie, but this was real.

When the car was getting closer to where the kidnapped scene took place, I saw Mensah standing in the same place, with a few people gathered around him, as he explained to them the incident. He hasn’t seen me yet.

As soon as the car reached the exact spot where he was standing, I dived from the rear of the car to join the driver at the front seat, leaving the two soldiers behind. I got hold of the window roller and quickly rolled down the right window as fast as I could.

Then, with all my might, I screamed to call Mensah and threw the bag out of the window towards the direction where he stood. As soon as the bag landed on the ground, Mensah went for it and took to

his heels. He vanished within seconds.

When the gang saw that their plans had failed, they gave me a very severe beating and pushed me out of the moving car. I fell on the ground like a bag of rice and rolled to the opposite side to avoid the vehicles' tyres running over me.

I stood up, wiped away the dust from my body, and headed towards Mensah’s home. He was surprised to see me. In his lifetime as a young man of twenty-five, he had never witnessed any incident of that sort before. He was in trauma and looked more frightened than I, who was the victim.

For over ten minutes since my arrival, Mensah didn’t have the breath to talk to me. The sun was at its peak, and after the beating, I was feeling hot; therefore, I removed my shirt for some fresh air. It was a terrible thing to watch.

Every part of my body was covered with bruises and swellings. Could this be my worst tragedy? I asked him and smiled at Mensah. This happened in 1985, yet the marks from the beating I received from the hands of the notorious armed gang could be seen on my body today.

However, I thanked God for getting back my passport and ticket from my friend. A week after this incident, I said goodbye to Nigeria and flew to Europe. Here am I now.

https://www.amazon.com/Joel-Savage/e/B008SCTYI6/

Holland Prime Minister, Mark Rutte Shuns VIP Protocol To Use Bicycle To Work

The Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte

Cycling is the fastest mode of travel in town. On proximity journeys, the bicycle is, therefore, as fast as a car in an urban environment and even more efficient door to door, and the bike goes everywhere, which reveals all its virtues.

Even though in many African countries, including Ghana, governments are concerned about heavy traffic in the cities, when constructing roads, bicycle routes are never taken into consideration. 

Unlike Europe, cycling is a great way to get to work or a mode of transport that facilitates social ties and reduces traffic congestion.

Among Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, and Germany, the Netherlands may probably be the country that uses bicycles the most in the world. Even in the heart of Amsterdam is the Bicycle Hotel, where parking spaces are reserved for cyclists who lodge at the hotel.

Traveling by bike is great when the weather is nice, but as soon as it rains, it quickly becomes a hassle, despite that thousands of people, including famous politicians, use bicycles to work each morning. One of them is the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte.

 “I didn't cycle a lot for 10 years. But for the past two years, I’ve had my own bike again and, when the weather allows, I travel into the office that way,” he told the World Economic Forum.

Utrecht, a city in Holland, seems to understand how to mix necessity with headlines, something that Amsterdam is still figuring out. The world's largest bike parking facility, with space for 12,500 bikes, is brilliantly under construction.  

The Netherlands is known as the favourite spot for cyclists, as the city has more than 500 km of bicycle lanes, and 50% of the total commuting is done on bicycles.

To decrease air pollution responsible for climate change, heavy traffic in the cities, towns, and other high-density areas, European countries have made the construction of bicycle routes throughout the cities a priority.

Holland citizens going to work on bicycles is something common.

It has long been such a phenomenon; “The Dutch love cycling because we are a small country. We have to get from A to B, and of course, taking a car, yes, is an option, but you have congestion plus the environmental impact."

"From the old days, almost from the late 19th century, we're used to taking a bicycle, ” the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte explains.

THE POWER OF ORGANIZED CRIME AND CORRUPTION IN GHANA

The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu – how sincere and honest is this man? Photo credit: Ghana media

Organized crime and corruption constitute a criminal environment that can actively influence political and economic relations in the state. Ghana is plagued by organized crime and corruption, and the existence of the danger of corruption penetrating into the system of organized crime leads to the fact that the population ceases to trust the anti-corruption policy pursued by the Ghanaian authorities.

Corruption is a form of crime that has various manifestations and, in most cases, remains latent. Corruption is commonly defined as the use by an official of his powers and the rights granted to him for personal gain.

Organized crime is a form of crime carried out by criminal organizations, organized groups, gangs, criminal communities, and other similar illegal formations that have a hierarchical structure, material and financial base, and links with government structures based on corruption mechanisms.

In my opinion, corruption is one of the main reasons for the constant strengthening of organized crime, making it invincible. Corruption firmly saddled some employees of the bureaucratic authority ... and could quite easily facilitate the adoption of profitable decisions by the state leadership”.

Corruption in Ghana today is the most dangerous social problem affecting all major institutions of the state and society. From the point of view of criminal legislation, corruption is a system of corruption offenses related to the implementation of organizational and executive functions and expressed in the abuse of authority by officials against the legitimate interests of society or the state.

It is through bribery that organized crime attracts officials to obtain patronage from them or provoke them into illegal actions in favor of representatives of organized crime. These criminal acts determine the formation of a favorable environment for the development of various forms of crime, including organized crime, and an increase in the number of corruption crimes.

The likelihood that any illegal activity, no matter how disguised it may be, can be detected and suppressed at any time, encourages organized crime to seek ways and means to protect itself in government structures with the help of corrupt officials.

In addition to public administration, organized crime, through corruption, actively intervenes in commercial relations through commercial bribery. This type of bribery is widespread in the banking environment; with its help, organized criminal groups legalize illegally mined property and transfer significant amounts to foreign banks.

The existence of a criminal community or organization is caused by several reasons, such as criminal unity, structuredness, and the severity of the crimes committed, aimed at obtaining financial or material benefits. For organized criminal groups, it is extremely beneficial to have corrupt connections with officials. This is the optimal scheme in terms of achieving a criminal result and security.

Subjects of organized crime are interested in creating relevant positions in government bodies in order to ensure favorable conditions for their illegal activities and to avoid criminal liability; corruption, for its part, thanks to this, it is possible to use the financial, organizational, and other resources of organized criminal groups.

Criminal unity presupposes the existence of complex organizational and technical activities for the existence of a criminal community, ranging from planning criminal activities, building a hierarchical system, maintaining strict discipline, ensuring community safety, and ending with establishing links with corrupt officials. 

The structure of the criminal community contains a hierarchical structure through which interaction and protection from law enforcement agencies are created. Corruption has become a reliable means of penetration not only in the law enforcement system but also in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. 

From this, it follows that corruption in the system of Ghanaian organized crime is the necessary security mechanism that provides organized crime with protection from state and public control. A way to legalize criminal proceeds; the means of penetration into political and public life, with the help of which organized criminal formations merge with power and criminalize it, as a way to achieve the goals of the criminal activity.

The fight against organized crime and corruption prevention 

The fight against organized crime and corruption should be carried out comprehensively, but measures to counter these crimes should be developed, taking into account the characteristics of each of them. It should not be forgotten that these phenomena cannot be covered only by legislation. Legal action must be supported by the civic stance of members of society, which allows for the support of an effective fight against these crimes.

Unless the judiciary system is not corrupt, the fight against corruption and organized crime can't be achieved or successful. The effect and influence of the corrupt judiciary system in Ghana is so severe that the formulation of a general concept of the activity of law enforcement agencies aimed at suppressing organized crime and corruption doesn't work.

Like the abundance of resources in the soil, Ghana has many educational proverbs with moral lessons. One of such is: No one drinks medicine on behalf of a sick person. Activities for the implementation of legal economic activities, to form a system of principles for combating corruption and organized crime, based on transparency, can't be done by any country other than ourselves.

Everyone, including the Ghanaian authorities, the media, and the citizens, must create a structure of social and spiritual values aimed at condemning manifestations of corruption in the country. Please, think of the comfort and the benefits of the next generation, including the children, and build a better Ghana.

WHY R KELLY FLIES TO A WRONG PLACE?

Singer R. Kelly wants to be released after health issues

R. Kelly has been one of my favorite musicians since the nineties, when I first heard of his inspirational song called ‘I Believe I Can Fly.’ 

“If I can see it, then I can do it. If I just believe it, there's nothing to it. I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky. I think about it every night and day, spread my wings and fly away,” - Sings Kelly.

Without legal documents to live in Europe, the lyrics of this great song, which was released on November 26, 1996, played a significant role in my life to believe that one day I would have my papers. Here I am today.

Sometimes, it’s hard to understand why someone you like, life has to end up in that way; however, what we need to understand is, whatever one sows, the same he shall reap. This is enough to serve as a warning to us to be careful in whatever we do, especially to harm others.

The incredibly successful singer, as well as a professional basketball player, is involved in many trials of sexual harassment of minors, from which he has always managed to get out without significant consequences. 

One of the victims decided to tell how Kelly seduced her and had sex with her when she was only 16 years old. She claims that the musician created around him a cult comparable to the commune of Charles Manson.

What has happened to Robert Kelly? As a successful musician with great tunes such as ‘The Storm Is Over, Gotham City, etc, he created songs for Michael Jackson as well and managed to become one of the world’s best R and B singers, combining soulful melodies.

R. Kelly helped 14-year-old R and singer Aaliyah to begin her career and record her first album. Later, it turned out that the minor singer and her mentor and producer had an affair, and they allegedly got married when Aaliyah was only 15. Both Aaliyah and R Kelly denied this, while the media declared the marriage illegal.

Kelly claimed that he loved Aaliyah just like any other person, and they had a close relationship while working on the album. In 2001, Aaliyah was already working with Timbaland when she died in a plane crash on August 25, with a video crew on board a small Cessna passenger plane.  

Similar stories about R Kelly’s relationships with minors appeared in the media throughout his career.

In 2002, a Chicago-based journalist had at her disposal a video in which a man who looked like Kelly urinated on a minor girl and had sex with her. The journalist handed the tape to the police; the singer claimed that he was not the one in the video, but the case came to court six years later. 

R. Kelly was accused of making child pornography and was threatened with up to 15 years in prison, but the jury decided to acquit the singer; in their opinion, the musician’s guilt was not proved one hundred percent. 

This was largely because the girl’s identity was not identified from the video, neither she nor her family went to court, and indirect evidence from acquaintances of the jury was not enough. 

In the past several years, numerous people have accused R. Kelly of running a sex cult where he holds women against their will. 

This testimony gave credence to the allegations that Kelly entertained young girls in the form of personal worship. The singer has been denied bail since he was accused, and his trial is expected to begin this year.

Lady Gaga, who collaborated with R. Kelly in one of his songs, 'Do What U Want,' has already apologized for collaborating with a sexual predator. In Illinois, aggravated sexual charges carry a harsh prison sentence; thus, if convicted, R. Kelly may be behind bars for 20 to 30 years.

THE IRRESISTIBLE TUNES OF REGGAE STAR BERES HAMMOND

Beres Hammond on stage

Writing is a passion that involves creativity, but it’s not tougher than choosing the right subject that readers may like. Readers don’t tell writers what they want; therefore, it’s sometimes difficult to know the minds of readers and the articles they might be interested in. 

This is one of the reasons I like to spread my tentacles on every subject. Who knows? There are certain groups or classes of people who may be interested.

Like Africa, full of fresh, sweet coconut trees with tasty juice, Jamaica is full of great artists, some reggae fans may not even know about them. Freddie McGregor, Frankie Paul, Cocoa Tee, Jacob Miller, Barrington Levy, Alton Ellis, etc.

Today, I will introduce one of Jamaica’s great artists who stormed both the Jamaican and the British charts with unprecedented hits. His great tunes will pull you to the dancing floor even if you are not ready to dance, yet only a few know who Beres Hammond is.

Born Hugh Beresford Hammond in 1953, Beres is considered the lover’s rock singer par excellence in Jamaica and around the world. He became the singer of the band Zap Pow in 1975. His youth influences were American soul artists, such as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding.

But it was more Peter Tosh, Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, and The Heptones, his reggae idols, that pushed him to persevere in this style of music. He had to wait until 1976 to release his first album, Soul Reggae, on the label Aquarius, his first great success, in the wake of the single One Step Ahead, which held the first place on the charts for fourteen weeks!

Despite this, he did not record any more albums for the next few years and only focused on producing singles. He will quit Zap Pow in 1979.

Five years after his first album, Joe Gibbs produced his second, Just A Man. Unfortunately, things undoubtedly did not go well between the artist and the producer. He steps back for one year, after which he released his new album for Willie Lindo.

After creating his own group, Tuesday’s Children, he founded his own record label, Harmony House. It is on the latter that he’ll produce new singles, of which What One Dance Can Do will be his greatest success.

He left Jamaica in 1987 after being attacked at home to relocate to New York for three years. But the decisive encounter in Beres Hammond’s career was undoubtedly with Donovan Germain, the Penthouse record label boss. 

Indeed, Germain produced the single Tempted To Touch, a huge success for Beres, to mark his return to his native island. The title transcended borders and did very well in New York and the UK as well. Beres was revealed as a true crooner! Since then, he has specialized in love songs, to the delight of his admirers.

The greatest Jamaican producers and labels have also been seduced by his voice: Fatis Burell, the Xterminator boss, Richard “Bello” Bell of Star Trail, and Steely & Clevie. He has released several albums for the major reggae labels VPP Records, Heartbeat, and Greensleeves, as well as his own label, Harmony House.

Conclusion

Everyone is inspired to do something great in life, but the sources of inspiration are diverse. I don’t smoke(cigarettes or weed) or drink much. I do write a lot, but listening to reggae music gives me much inspiration, which is the reason I can’t stop writing about these musicians whose music has entertained the world in many ways.

Each one of us has problems; even the rich man has a problem too, because he is worried about where to keep his treasures or dying and leaving them behind. But one important thing in life is not to let the problem suppress your life; fight to defeat it. 

I will leave you with one of Beres Hammond’s great tunes, which I love, called “They Gonna Talk.” I wish everyone a happy weekend.

Freed Jamaican Reggae Star Buju Banton Stronger Than Before

Buju Banton

He is famous and one of the best Jamaican reggae stars the world has ever produced. Mark Myrie, the Jamaican dancehall reggae star better known as Buju Banton, disappointed reggae fans worldwide when he was involved in a large-scale cocaine case, leading to his 10-year incarceration by a Florida court in the United States of America.

The court case of Buju Banton started in 2009, when the musician, on a flight from Spain to the United States, was seated next to an informant who was paid by the federal government to help gain reputable evidence that could be used in court against the future defendant.

Unsuspecting Buju Banton started conversing with the informant, and he reportedly started bragging about his heavy involvement in a large cocaine ring.  This leads to U.S. agents setting up a sting that involved the sale of 11 pounds of cocaine for $135,000.

Buju Banton was, therefore, held in Pinellas County jail until the trial started on February 14th of 2011.  The court proceedings were held at the Sam M. Gibbons courthouse, where the prosecution had both audio and video of Buju Banton conducting the cocaine trade deal.

They also had a video of Banton tasting cocaine at a different location.  This evidence led to the reggae star being sentenced to 10-plus years in prison, and the singer was expected to be deported to his native Jamaica immediately after serving his sentence.

Did the reggae world miss something special during his incarceration? When the Jamaican observer published about his release, which actually took place on December 8, 2018, Jamaica’s international airport was stormed by happy reggae fans, waiting to welcome the Grammy Award-winning artist.

Buju Banton

His album ‘Before the Dawn,’ in 2010, won the Best Reggae Album at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards.  The Jamaica Observer reported that Banton returned home over the weekend, where crowds of fans gathered at the airport to await his arrival.

His friend and manager told the paper that Banton decided not to use the regular airport exit because he did not want to be mobbed.

"He felt the crowd was too big, and Buju had already been harassed by the dozens of passengers who traveled home with him, by taking pictures and videoing him and asking questions on his way back home," Donovan Germain said.

The musician went to the studio from the airport, and is looking forward to performing early next year, he added. 

Buju Banton has really shown his toughness by putting this bitter experience behind him. He has gained his momentum and is back on the reggae scene stronger than before.

Primitive lives that undermine Africa's development

Is this culture, tradition, or illiteracy?

No one gives respect to countries in which citizens don’t have any respect for themselves or their leaders. Slavery, colonialism, apartheid, AIDS, Ebola, or whatever is not possible in the developed world, but is possible in Africa because Africans trust and give respect to the white man, while they hate themselves.

The way Africans, including Ghanaians, hate and treat themselves will always be an opportunity for the developed world to do any evil thing they wish in the African continent, because, after all, they don’t love themselves.

Last year, during a meeting, President Donald Trump referred to African countries, Haiti, and El Salvador as "shithole" nations.  The 55-nation African Union said the remarks were clearly racist, while Botswana's government called Trump's comment reprehensible and racist. Yet, many African countries, including Ghana, continue to insult themselves, followed by derogatory comments.

The question is: Why was the African continent angry with Trump if Ghanaians are calling their leaders’ names worse than the reference to Africa as a ‘shithole nation ’? Recently, I posted an article on the ModernGhana news site entitled “Two Mistakes That Have Given Nana Akufo-Addo International Recognition.” https://bit.ly/2BTjb8A

It was an article based on facts, without any insult to the president, yet there was a comment from someone who said, “This is what you can write about your president? Stupid fool, this is not gonna affect the president, but the entire nation. Destroying the president to the world is like destroying the whole nation.”

I replied to the one by saying, “This is the problem with stupid Ghanaians such as Owoahene; they can't stand the truth. You are stupid, the reason you can't even write your real name. In the first place, your president is the only person who has 110 ministers and copied American leaders’ speeches. What's wrong with my article?

Yet, that Ghanaian who wasn’t happy with what I wrote has no guts or brain to protest or comment against the insults directed at the former Ghanaian leader, John Mahama. Just read the Ghanaian papers, including ModernGhana, and you’ll be shocked to read names, insults, and derogatory comments against the ex-Ghanaian leader, yet Africans often accuse the white man of being racist.

According to history, civilization began in Africa, but sometimes, I doubt if this history carries any truth because Africa is the most backward, heavily demented, superstitious, and illiterate continent, without any progress, yet not ready to change their ways and outrageous characters. Hypocrisy, corruption, nepotism, tribalism, and hatred are what Africa stands for.

When it comes to hypocrisy, I can say with confidence that about 65% of Ghanaians are pure hypocrites. Many don’t read before passing comments. I shared my experience in an article captioned “Why Travelling To Ghana Scares Me To Death,’ after losing 10,000 euros I invested in Ghana due to a fraudulent chief who sold the land for me.

The article didn’t generate many comments on ‘ModernGhana,’ but it got 55 comments on ‘GhanaWeb.’ After going through the comments, I was shocked to read what some Ghanaians wrote. Under some of my articles, some people have used my name—Joel Savage, like the commenter—even though I hardly visit Ghanaweb. Why do many Ghanaians behave in that way?

To find the truth behind AIDS and Ebola as biological weapons, I travelled to see one of Holland’s best scientists, former Professor Johan Van Dongen, and then later went to Germany to see Dr. Wolff Geisler, who has also written books about AIDS, Ebola, and other man-made diseases.

The two in medical professions don’t know each other, yet the documents they gave me all point fingers at the US government for creating the biological weapons AIDS and Ebola to depopulate the rapidly growing population of Africa, destabilize our economy, and take control over Africa’s rich resources.

Yet, when I started publishing the truth behind Aids and Ebola on the ModernGhana news site, many people, including Ghanaians, attacked and insulted me. What kind of hypocrisy is that, and how do Africans expect Africa to grow if they maintain such ugly attitudes?

Foreign diplomats, including Americans, continue to surround Africa, taking pictures with African leaders with beautiful smiles. Do African leaders think foreign powers like them because they are Black or African? It’s because of what they desperately need in Africa, the rich resources; they show that false smile and love to African leaders.

They say Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome originated in Africa. Has any intelligent African leader asked the US government, "Why haven't thousands of African-Americans been to Africa before after slavery?" Therefore, why has the disease AIDS drastically affected both original Africans and African-Americans in the same manner?  

How do we expect Africa to move forward if the continent is under leaders interested in the money the US government gives them to cover up every crime committed, rather than the welfare and health of its citizens? Yesterday was AIDS, today is Ebola, and who knows what comes tomorrow?

The Execution Of Those Accused Of Corruption By Rawlings Is Meaningless

Late Akwasi Amankwaa Afrifa and Ignatius Kutu Acheampong


Certain things justify the means or purpose, the moment they are achieved, but after some time, the rebirth of the same situation or when history repeats itself in the worst manner, it reveals the waste of precious time, accompanied by hate. 

This is the case of John Jerry Rawlings. In 1976, Rawlings envisaged that corruption had overflowed its banks in Ghana under successive Ghanaian leaders; therefore, he needed to do something about it to save Ghana and bring happiness to the Ghanaians. 
,
 In what he termed a 'House Cleaning Exercise,' as many as eight army officers, including three heads of state, were accused of corruption and when found guilty, they were executed. 

Rawlings suddenly became a hero in the eyes of millions of Ghanaians, but how does he feel now to see Ghana today, worse than the period he accused those Ghanaian leaders of corruption and had them executed? 


Rawlings, who claims he wants to eradicate corruption, said, "The executed officers were jumbo-sized armed robbers whose execution left the world smelling sweeter. Is Ghana smelling sweeter now, Mr. Rawlings? 

May I ask Rawlings what name he would give to the present Ghanaian leaders running the state affairs that have plundered Ghana and riddled the state coffers with bullets of corruption more than those he accused of corruption and executed?

You ruled Ghana for almost 20 years. Can you put your hands on the Holy Bible and swear that during your tenure, you never engaged in any sort of corruption? 

If there is going to be another military person in Ghana today, with the same mentality as Rawlings of 1979, I don't think any Ghanaian leader from your time till now will be spared.

This is the reason today, I am telling you that the execution of those people you accused of corruption is meaningless and a spill of precious blood because nothing significant was achieved compared to what we are witnessing in Ghana at the moment.

WHY NIGHT DRIVING IN GHANA IS OFTEN DANGEROUS

All roads and highways in Europe have lights to make night driving very easy

Many drivers believe that it is easier to drive in the night since the density of traffic is very low, enabling one to drive fast and calm but there are a lot of factors which create difficulties during night driving. This is one of the reasons there are many road accidents in Ghana.

Apart from bad roads, many vehicles on Ghanaian roads are not road worthy and the lack of proper road maintenance poses a threat to the lives of thousands of motorists, using Ghanaian roads.

Related topic: How Safe It Is To Ride A Bicycle In Ghana?

https://www.modernghana.com/news/875357/how-safe-it-is-to-ride-a-bicycle-in-ghana.html

In Ghana, the driving license unit in Accra, is the only recognized institution that conducts thorough examination on vehicles, for example, the lights, indicators, headlights and backlights, before the roadworthy certificate is issued but  one of the most important things, which is the adjustment of  headlights to the right level is not an important issue.

Many European drivers fail a vehicle examination or control test because of poor adjustment of headlights. Since the headlights are not adjusted to the right level, it creates difficulties for motorists. Badly adjusted headlight shines directly into the eyes of the oncoming traffic, causing partial blindness which often leads to a number of road accidents in Ghana.

A powerful beam of light blinds the driver, both oncoming and in front of the vehicle. This means that for a while the driver will find difficulty in seeing the road and if the motorist is inexperienced, he can easily drive to the wrong side of the road or can lead to a head-on collision. 

Related topic: Make Ghana Roads Safe With Belgium Road Safety Plan

https://www.modernghana.com/news/873939/make-ghana-roads-safe-with-belgium-road-safety-plan.html

In Africa, including Ghana, since the maintaining of road safety to European or modern standards involves financial matter; no government is willing to invest money into such costly projects. The result is deaths on our roads today in Ghana.

According to ModernGhana news article which appeared in yesterday’s edition, Ghana spends up to $230 million every year treating injuries and traffic fatalities and the situation is worse, since there is fewer than 80 orthopedics in the country, limiting access to emergency treatment.

If that's true then Ghanaian government must consider building safer roads in Ghana.

Lights on highways make night travelling easy and comfortable

Driving in Ghana in the night or travelling in the night is very dangerous due to the fact that one cannot see far and foresee changes in situations. When a vehicle, such a tipper truck or timber trailers break down in the middle of the road in the night it's very difficult to see it. Such situations often cause serious road accidents.

Street projects without lights is a bad job, therefore, the Ghanaian government should take road safety very seriously to reduce the number of road accidents in the night.

Related topic: So You Think You Know How To Drive?

https://www.modernghana.com/news/855726/so-you-think-you-know-how-to-drive.html

THE ROOTS OF POVERTY IN RESOURCES RICH AFRICA

Slavery is a human genocide

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Africa, especially the region located in the south of the Sahara, is the poorest region of the planet. At the end of 1993, 11 African countries were among the 15 poorest countries. Although this can not be said about North Africa because of oil. 

The poverty of the African continent is exacerbated by a population explosion. Since the continent is unstable, many think Africa is unattractive for capital investments. Despite the vast resources, there is poverty in Africa, and the poor are totally dependent on agriculture.

Although there are a lot of modern reasons for such a lag in development, however, the roots of the problem go back to the distant past, when Europeans who believed that they were superior and more civilized, needed people with different skin color to work for them.

From the middle of the 15th century, slave markets and the sale of African slaves began. They were used as domestic servants, and a great percentage was used in agricultural fields. 

After the Europeans destroyed the indigenous population of the New World, slaves from Africa were exported to America. Only a hundred years from the 1680s, through the 1780s, from Angola to the Spanish colonies of the West Indies took about a million people.

During the slave trade, peculiar slave routes arose. From Europe to Africa, merchants carried firearms, cold arms, alcoholic beverages, copper, iron products, dishes, and glass baubles. 

There, they exchanged these cheap things for the lives of African slaves, which were delivered to the American colonies. In turn, in the New World, black slaves were exchanged for colonial goods highly valued in Europe, such as tobacco, sugar, cotton, etc. 

This brought huge profits to European traders, especially the English ones. Many cities, such as Manchester, London, Liverpool, Bristol, Nantes and Rouen, Dutch Amsterdam, and many others, owe their well-being to the slave trade.

It was only after the European powers divided the whole of Africa among themselves that their governments began a determined struggle against the slave trade. The colonialists did not regard black people as humans and treated them worse than animals. 

In Africa itself, the slaves were very cheap, and their influx to the markets of the New World led to the fact that their prices were rather low; therefore, the 'living goods' traders, striving for the highest profits, tried not to spend money on the slaves. 

In shackles, they were carried in a cramped ship, and the only possible way for them to survive was to sit. Swimming from the coast of Africa across the Atlantic took several weeks, so often slaves died on the way. 

According to some scientists, for every black African brought to the American colonies, there were about 8 people killed during the voyage or during the transition to the coast, and roughly in total,

Africa had lost over 100 million people in the slave trade. 

The slave trade hindered the development of the African continent, hindered the development of agriculture, and prevented the creation of African states. 

According to historians, the slave trade was one of the reasons why the majority of the African population still lives in abject poverty. 

Surprisingly, Africa is still not free. Since slavery and colonization are no longer possible, Africa is now being targeted with strange diseases from 'heaven' yet created by man, not God. 

CAN A MAN LOVE ONE WOMAN IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE?

Francisca Savage

Many experts and doctors claim that any man is polygamous by nature. This means that they absolutely cannot remain faithful to one woman but be tempted to love another woman or cheat on their wife because, as human beings, it’s really hard to resist temptation sometimes.

If that’s true, why are there marriages that have lasted from the very first day till death separates them? In fact, there are thousands of faithful men in their entire lives who loved only one woman.

January 1, 2018, marked 24 years of our wedding anniversary. On that day, I promised to go forward without looking back, prepared to face the rigors of marriage and settle as a responsible man.

Before then, finding or choosing the right woman to be my future partner was like a nightmare, taking into consideration the number of people getting a divorce every day after tying the knot.

It’s very common to see hundreds of couples at wedding ceremonies, particularly on Sundays, making vows and promises to love each other and bringing an entire room to tears. 

After the wedding or traditional marriage, they start a big celebration together with family and friends, and the couple is full of hopes and dreams, but like the fading sun, many marriages fail to last.

Marriages are now characterized by many problems, to the extent that many fear marrying. As a matter of fact, marriage is a journey not only full of happiness but also pain, tragedies, misery, sadness, and uncertainty.

Even though there are hundreds of articles online and books on how to be a successful couple to enjoy a happy marriage, many marriages still end up in separation or divorce.

The question is: Why do some marriages last forever and others disintegrate? There are many reasons leading to the break-up of marriages, but most reasons are not spending enough time together with your partner, cheating, allowing bitterness and resentment to overrule the heart, being hard to forgive, and financial issues.

Making vows is very easy, but the results of some bitter separations and divorces could be disastrous. Some breakups of marriages have led partners to mental institutions, and others, after a long time, still find it difficult to come to terms with what had happened to them.

If children are involved, some are badly affected depending on how old they are.  Unfortunately, many couples do not recognize the Holy Bible as one of the best books that could guide marriage to success and happiness.

Gen 49:4, Mal 2:14, Matt 23:30, Deut 24:5, Mark 12:23, etc., all speak about marriages. When I got married on January 1, 1994, I realized that wealth doesn’t guarantee a happy marriage, but faithfulness, respect, fulfilling your commitments, and equally sharing responsibilities do.

I have enjoyed a happy marriage for over two decades, knowing that there is more happiness ahead of me, because I have a good wife who loves and respects me, while I give back the same love and respect to her.

On many occasions when my wife is busy at work and at home, I usually ask her what she would like me to cook. By the time she returns, the food is ready for her and the children.

Mr. and Mrs. Francisca / Joel Savage

Taking such responsibilities strengthens marriage. I have heard many times men saying, “I’m not stupid enough to let my woman know how much I earn.” That’s a very big mistake; one of the strongest foundations of marriage is transparency.

When you are a married man, don’t hide anything from your wife. Your wife is the one who can manage your finances very well if there is trust and mutual understanding.

Many times, I forget that I have even given her money to keep for me until she reminds me. ‘A woman is like a beautiful flower in the middle of the garden, and the man is the fence around her.’ That’s a Ghanaian proverb, I think so.

Be ready to say to your wife, “I am sorry,” any time you make a mistake. If you find it hard to apologize to your wife, there will always be a misunderstanding.

Give your wife the respect, love, and protection she needs, and surely you will also be a happy man. We are blessed with three sons, and from every angle, I can't see what is strong enough to separate us from death.

WHY VISIT JAMAICA IN YOUR LIFE TIME

The lead singer of reggae group Culture, Joseph Hill

Many people call Jamaica a paradise on earth, the diamond in the sea, and heaven in the Caribbean. There is magic in Jamaica, but listening to the great reggae tunes isn’t enough until you visit this great country in the Caribbean, which has attracted millions of tourists worldwide.

The mere mention of Jamaica brings to mind great reggae artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Joseph Hill (Culture), Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Decker, and other artists, but there is more in Jamaica that makes it unique than the sweet coconut-water reggae.

Jamaica is part of the Greater Antilles and is the third-largest island located south of Cuba and west of Haiti. The island boasts of beautiful, exotic nature, vibrant, distinctive, magnificent mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, and miles of first-class beaches.

The natural beauty of Jamaica attracts travellers from all over the world. The most visited places of the island include the Blue Mountains, where one of the most popular and top quality coffees in the world comes from, and Dunn's River Waterfalls.

In the northwest of the island, there is a huge resort area of Montego Bay, where half of the best hotels in Jamaica are located, including Half Moon Resort, where Queen Elizabeth II stayed, and Round Hill Hotel and Villas. 

It is understandable why the island boasts of beautiful, exotic natural beaches, places untouched by humans, good infrastructure, and beautiful locations, such as Font Hill Nature Reserve, Cockpit Country, a limestone platform with many caves and valleys. 

Montego Bay is famous for its magnificent beaches, old mansions, and plantations, as well as many attractions of historic and entertaining attractions. Tourists enjoy their visit by rafting along the rivers Marta Brae, Black River, taking a tour of the Blue Mountains, or play golf on the best fields of the island.

Negril is one of the most environmentally friendly resort areas in the world. It is located in the west of the island, revealing its natural beauty of the seven-mile sandy beach of Kaliko Jack, Bladi Bay, 18 reefs and islands in Bubi Bay, Yas waterfall, Joseph caves, Anansi Park, and picturesque fishing villages.

It's intriguing to know that Jamaicans also call inconsistent or untrue stories 'Ananse stories.'

The resort of Ocho Rios in the north of the island is famous for its chic tropical vegetation, as well as the 180-meter-high Dunn River Falls, fruit and coffee plantations, and the viewing platform of Murphy Hill with a height of 670 meters. 

The famous Blue Lagoon, where the filming of the same name (The Blue Lagoon) took place, can be visited in the north-east of the island, in Port Antonio, and in the south-east of the country. It is worth visiting the Spanish town, the former capital and one of the main attractions of the island. 

Diving in Jamaica gives the chance to see the diverse and mysterious underwater world. The waters of Negril have great visibility with a rich variety of fish, turtles, eels, and dolphins. At a depth of 19 m reveals the so-called Throne Room is revealed, a cave filled with yellow sponges. 

On the territory of Jamaica, there are 10 excellent golf courses, because Jamaicans love this sport very much. In Kingston, the capital, you can also enjoy the sight of historic, beautiful buildings, paintings, and products inspired by Rastafarians.

Amazingly, today, Jamaica is no longer known as the reggae kingdom, but also an athletics country, thanks to good athletes, such as Melene Ottey, Asafa Powell Usain Bolt, etc.

Joel Savage's interview with Joseph Hill

 MY FULL INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH HILL

Joel: I have to call you, Sir Joseph Hill. Let’s rally round Jehovah’s throne. I have a few questions to ask you today.

Joseph: You are welcome. (Then he smiled)

Joel: It was in the seventies, I heard of Culture. Can you please tell what has inspired you to be in this hard music industry for all these years?

Joseph: It’s Jah (referring to God) that gives me the strength. Always feel that there is something to watch out for. For myself, I love to play for the people. They are also part of my inspiration. These are what have inspired me throughout these years.

Joel: You have been singing all your life about corruption, oppression, war, poverty, discrimination, crime, and so on. Were you a victim of such things in any circumstances?

Joseph: There are people I saw in comparison to various countries. Yes! yes!! Yes!!! I have seen people die, and not a word of justice has been said. Think of a person’s life. It is priceless. The last grief I had. There was this woman in Afghanistan, separated from the land. They treated her so badly that she and her child were eating grass.” G R A S S- grass”.(Joseph moved with sorrow, spelling the word grass)

Joel: Your lyrics and beats in every song of Culture touch and move everyone on the road of trials and tribulations. Where do you get such wonderful rhythms and lyrics from?

Joseph: The big man who rules the earth. He is the governor. (He laughed)

Joel: You were in Sierra Leone when the war was at its peak, with the brutal fighting activities of the rebels. Did your visit create any impact or bring a change to the suffering masses?

Joseph: Yes, my visit brought a change. When the people saw me, they didn’t know what to say. They just cried and cried. You know the rebels told the government that “You should be glad that Joseph is here. If he weren’t here this place would be destroyed within 24 hours. Imagine. I just came back from there a few weeks ago.”

Joel: I learned that at the capital, Freetown, at the guest house you lodged, there is a tree nearby, and every morning a bird came to sing, and out of the song of the bird, you composed a song from it.

Joseph: Yes, it's true.

Joel: I ask the same question of any reggae artist I interview. Reggae music is loved by everyone. But why is it that the music is given less attention?

Joseph: Because the truth is God’s friend. But not a lot of people are friends of the truth.

Joel: You have been following the Palestinians and Israeli conflict for a very long time and have even visited the Gaza Strip. Who do you think is the stumbling block to this peace everyone is seeking?

Joseph: Greed, greed, greed. Because there is enough to satisfy every man’s need but never enough to satisfy no man’s greed. So greed is the stumbling block.

Joel: In one of your songs, you played a song against Yasser Arafat, as the stumbling block.

Joseph: He made himself like that. He has to change his ways, and the other man would change his ways. There is something called “Repentance”. When repentance meets their hearts, we shall have a beautiful world.

Joel: You successfully came out last year with the remarkable “world peace” album. What message do you still have in mind for your numerous fans worldwide?

Joseph: You know, people should respect one another. To be used, abused, refused, and our hearts trampled by fea and living in doubt, thinking we are living on top of the world. No, we shouldn’t live that way. We have to seek happiness, love, mutual respect, joy,, and justice of God around us, and peace would find its rightful place.

Joel: Thank you very much for this interview, Sir Joseph Hill.

Joseph: Thanks be to Jah

Read other interviews of Anthony B, Andrew Tosh, U-Roy, Prince Malachi, Alton Ellis, Gregory Isaacs, Junior Murvin, Julian Marley, ASWAD, Femi Kuti, Seun Kuti, Tutu Puoane, and many others in ‘The Passion of Reggae and African Music. 

 Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Joel-Savage/e/B008SCTYI6/

WHY DOES CHINA BREED BLACK CHICKENS?

China adds black chicken to the menu.

Regarding food, the Chinese are known to eat almost everything edible on earth, including snake, frog, dog, reptiles, fried pupas, etc. However, the Chinese have added another special breed of chicken to their menu, an unusual breed of domestic bird with black bones and even black internal organs.

The breed called Chinese silky has very soft, fluffy feathers, and inside it differs from other chickens in the sense that it has a skin of a bluish-black shade, dark meat, as well as black bones. 

In the West, Chinese silky chickens are bred as a rule for decorative purposes, but in China and some other eastern countries, their meat is considered a delicacy and is not available to everyone.

The breed has been known since the 7th century, and it is believed that eating these chickens, known in China as gu chi, 'chicken with black bones,' has a beneficial effect on human health. 

For example, Chinese women traditionally eat Chinese silky chickens after childbirth to restore energy. In addition, the Chinese say that black chicken dishes have a positive effect on the blood, lungs, and stomach.

As a rule, so that the meat of gu Ji fully manifests its unique properties, it is used to make broth with the addition of ginseng, dried wolfberry, and Chinese dates, and such hens are rarely fried.

In 2011, geneticists discovered that the unusual color of the meat and internal organs of these birds, a phenomenon called fibromelanosis, is associated with the mutation of the endothelin-3 gene, which is responsible for the development of pigment, producing cells, which causes an excessive amount of blackening not only of the skin but also of the bones and internal organs.

However, scientists have confirmed that there are unique healing properties in Chinese silky meat. There is an increased level of carnosine, a peptide, in the chicken, which is sold as a food additive. 

People take carnosine to grow mass muscle, slow aging, diabetes, and even autism, and studies have shown that black chicken meat is one of the richest natural sources of this compound. Would you try it when in China?

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the oldest treatment systems in the world; its history dates back over three thousand years, and many of the treatment principles used by Chinese medicine recognized as effective are being actively introduced into the practice of Western doctors.