3. Page 05Page 04
"The flavour of life is love. The salt of
life is also love."
Mariama Bâ, So long a letter
The Ada Experience
As blood oozed all over the floor, thick and red, moving in a steady flow towards
the office doors, everyone wondered who could have had enough motive to kill
the parish priest. He had just been transferred to the parish about 6 months
ago. Father James, the previous priest, had suddenly decided to retire and
move to the countryside. He had family there. Did he know this day would
come?
The parish was on lockdown by the Police and everyone asked to gather in the
main church hall. If you had to pee, you either had to hold it or be escorted by
a police man who didn’t mind looking at your “business” in the name of “are you
going to teach me how to do my job?”
The interrogations began and the altar boys were up first. I would suspect them
since they had 24/7 access to the priest’s office. Unfortunately, they had been
behind the church smoking weed the whole time and had stolen some com-
munion bread to calm their munchies. Inspector Gonzales found some evidence
in the form of crumbs and weed particles behind the church premises when he
checked, to clarify their story.
The nun-secretary from Ghana was up next. Her name – Sister Ama. Always
keeping to herself and saying over a 100 Hail Mary’s a day. Who wouldn’t
suspect her? It always looked like she had something to hide. Always acting
secretive and keeping to herself. After all, anyone who said the “Hail Mary” more
than 25 times a day was either psycho or was being plagued by demons. That
was motive enough. Unfortunately, she was being interrogated as a key witness.
She had been in the hallway when she saw a tall man enter the priest’s office.
She found the body of the priest 10 minutes later, lifeless, and had screamed for
help.
She tried to describe the man, but according to her, it was dark in the hallway.
She could only remember glimpses of his face. “Blue eyes”, “Green eyes”… She
wasn’t sure. All she remembers was going to get the priest with his usual after-
noon snack of cheddar cheese crackers with hot lemon tea. She turned and saw
a “mysterious” man enter the priest’s office. She ignored it and had thought to
herself it was a counseling session. She got the priest’s usual fix and entered the
office to find no man. There was only blood. Blood from the priest oozing all
over the floor. Still with his rosary in his left hand, his throat was slit. Seeing this,
the nun said about 5 Hail Mary’s then screamed for help.
And here I am, the “Mysterious man” sitting in the pews. Watching each “sus-
pect” being interrogated and waiting my turn patiently. As to why I killed the
priest, well it’s my thing. I kill for fun. I can’t always have the usual unsuspecting
woman in the alley as my victim. I must grow. Get more creative and challenge
myself.
Oh wait! It’s my turn to be interrogated… Wish me luck. Maybe my lying skills as
a woman and old looks will make this interrogation quick and easy. And to think
you thought I was a man. There, there; I told you the nun was crazy! Then again
it was dark, and I do have some manly features. No beard though. Hopefully, all
this will end and an old lady can go home and celebrate her kill! After all, I am a
hunter, aren’t I? Every woman is!
THE HUNTER
By Kwame Asante (houseofasante.wordpress.com)
4. Page 06
CAMPUS
by Junior Spio
Fulbright Scholar. What exactly does that pair of words mean? For quite a
while, I’ve been wandering about campus wondering about that. Word on
the street is, I am not the only one with that question. So if you’ve been
asking what exactly it means to be and to have a Fulbright scholar on
Ashesi’s campus, this piece, with input from Dr. Marcia Grant, is here to
sort you out.
Historical Background
Set in the period after World War II, the story of The Fulbright Program
began with the establishment of the Lend-lease program to give loans to
countries involved in the war. Upon Senator Fulbright of Arkansaw sug-
gesting that a student exchange be formed as a means by which indebted
nations could repay the US what it had received, the Fulbright Program
began to take shape. Here, students in the foreign nation would receive
stipends for the duration of their courses of study or research from the
beneficiary nation.
Over the years, a variety of Fulbright programs have been designed. These
include: The Fulbright Foreign Student Program, Fulbright U.S Scholar
Program, Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program and Fulbright Foreign Lan-
guage Teaching Assistant Program
The Crux of The Matter
“The Fulbright program is for ‘sparkly’ people; people who are interested in
new things, adventure and who want to connect.” If you fit this description,
whether you’re a student staff member or faculty member, you could be on
the Fulbright program. Simply apply. Who knows what the future holds?
Ashesi’s Connection with the Fulbright Program
With the Fulbright Specialist program intended to promote collaborations
between US scholars and professionals with their colleagues in foreign
host institutions, a number of such have been on the Ashesi campus to
strengthen Ashesi’s goals through activities like lecturing and conducting
seminars. Over the years, we’ve had Marian Horowitz (Written and Oral
Communication & Writing Center), Richard Douglas, Mary Grace Neville
and now, Clarence ‘Skip’ Ellis (World Simulation). Feel free to say hi to Skip
when you see him around!
Learn more about the various programs at http://www.iie.org/fulbright
A Little Bird Whispered...by Efua Akyere Graham
Page 07
CLUBS
This year’s Valentine’s Day got off to an exciting start for
Ashesi University students; with an amazing spoken word program
themed “Bed of Roses.” It showcased the creative writing and singing
abilities of some of the students on campus. True Love Waits in
collaboration with The Beat Club, initiated the program. The venue
(the lounge, Ashesi campus) was decorated with beautiful rose
petals, covering the floors and chairs, creating a more somber and
romantic mood.
The program started off with an opening prayer from the KCF
president Andrew Bempong. There were a lot exciting performances
by some well-known talents like J-Milla, Alan Neequaye, Joshua
Adjeman as well as some new acts who gave the audience goose
bumps and had them on their feet in applause. Dan started set the
ball rolling with a breath taking performance, titled “A world made of
Love.” The CrossFire group collaborated with J-Milla to enthrall the
audience with a song fused with spoken word. Their performance
thrilled the audience so much that to the dismay of unfortunate ear
drums, they were blaring their admiration for the talent that had been
displayed. Some boys also took advantage of the opportunity to pour
out their hearts to their significant others, an example being Samir’s
very romantic gesture to his girlfriend. When he hit the stage with a
poem directed to her, he didn’t only catch her attention but caught
that of the audience as well.
The program ended with Anastasia (True Love Waits) shedding
more light on the chosen memory verse; songs of Solomon chapter
2:1-3. She gave a deeper understanding in relation to God and his
church. To sum it up, Bed of Roses definitely set the mood for
Valentine’s Day; it was a much needed fascinating night of love.
BED OF ROSESby Nathania Mante
5. Page 09Page 08
CAMPUS CAMPUS
I was waiting my turn to staple a stack of papers I had just finished printing
when my dear friend (name withheld) entered the library in a flurry. Without
even a ‘Hi’ to me, she made a beeline for the lost and found box. I watched on
sadly as she rummaged frantically through the contents of the box because I
knew she’d definitely not find whatever it was she was looking for.
This incident is probably just a repetition of the encounter some, if not all of
us, have had with the seemingly useless, not to mention, terribly small lost and
found box situated in the library. I mean am I the only one who thinks it con-
tains items that nobody seems to have lost? And what even happens when,
after a week of staying in the box, items aren’t claimed? Honestly speaking, the
lost and found box is pretty much the last place I look (when I remember we
even have one) when I lose an item. It’s much like a last resort--just to confirm
that whatever it is I have lost is truly, truly gone. I daresay if it could speak, it
would probably say very morbid things.
On one of my random, purposeless visits to the library, I decided to actually
stop and open the box to see what it contained, you know, because I had noth-
ing else to do (yes, believe it or not, I was bored :/). So the first thing I noticed
was how neatly arranged the items were. There was a black abandoned-look-
ing bag in there, right at the top (and it fit so perfectly there like a puzzle
piece). It looked like it had been placed there intentionally as a means of hiding
the other abandoned things inside. Underneath it was a pair of worn head-
phones and beyond that was all darkness...Okay, it wasn’t really dark but that’s
how my mind conveniently perceived it. Now I was just rummaging through at
the time but at what point would someone else’s mind--probably someone
who was actually looking for something--perceive darkness or just give up the
search? On the one hand, she (because I am female, sue me) would probably
open the box, take a quick glance at the age old bag and resign herself to the
fact that her item was gone with the wind (or the other ‘original’ owner). On
the other hand, she’d plough in, unperturbed by the zombie bag, fueled only
by her deep need to find her cherished item. She’d dig deep, deep as the deep
blue sea and come out the utterly defeated war veteran, frazzled and even
more dissatisfied than before.
Look, now I’m sure I’m just ranting but the simple point I want to make is that
it’s high time we made the lost and found box functional, found an alternative
that actually worked (like, say a lost and found booth) or just got rid of it alto-
gether.
The Lost Boxby Janice Abalo
This is not your science lecture notebook. Don’t mistake it. We all
know water is a chemical compound made up of Hydrogen and
Oxygen, and is mostly seen in a liquid state. They tell us that this col-
ourless, odourless and tasteless liquid has health benefits, and that
we have to drink 8 glasses a day. In fact, I have an uncle who makes
it a point to drink a 500ml Voltic bottle of water before even brush-
ing his teeth every morning, and drinks no less than four large bottles
in the span of the day. (There may be people who even drink more
than that!) But that is besides the point.
My point is, our country is hot! Water makes up about 60% of our
body weight but the nature of the temperatures in our country--not
to mention the way we are even using our mental faculties in Ashesi
lecture halls everyday--makes our body use up water very fast. Water
loss occurs through sweating, urine and even breathing. And the
water loss is even worse in warmer climates (told ya) and high alti-
tudes (our beautiful school is on a hill). Quite simply put, you do not
want to be dehydrated. Drink a reasonable amount of water every
day. And now we’re on the topic of dehydration, we love our beauti-
ful skins and want them to continue looking good every day. Right,
ladies? Since we don’t want dry and wrinkled skin, the solution is
simple. Let’s drink water.
So please, don’t discriminate against water and tell her that she has
no taste and colour; that she stands no chance against the sodas and
the soft drinks. Please.
by Sylvia Mona-Lisa Engmann
H O2
6. Page 11Page 10
by Junior Spio
world today find themselves engrossed in a profession birthed
by their engagement in activities outside class? For years I put
on my radio every morning delighted to hear the voice of Kojo
Oppong Nkrumah stream through the air waves, nevertheless,
but for his involvement in extra- curricula’s while in UCC where
he studied Business Communication, believe it or not, many
Ghanaians would have been deprived of the pleasure of staying
informed and entertained each morning as they made their way
to work.
I’ve heard people make the argument that they can make a
mark right in the confines of the lecture hall by maybe attaining
a GPA of 4.0 at the end of their four year stay. That may be true,
but in such a case would you qualify as someone who has
attained holistic education? In fact, I believe that certain experi-
Make a mark. Each academic year,
that three worded statement
seems to be etched in the mind of
the vast majority of freshmen after
their first week in Ashesi. Like
many other three worded state-
ments such as ‘I love you’ and ‘Take
your stand’, the ease with which it
is said cleverly hides the extent of
perseverance, endurance and hard
work needed to live up to it.
Taking the decision to make an
effort towards ensuring that you
don’t inhabit the role of a church
mouse throughout your four year
university lifespan is but the start-
ing point of a long yet worthwhile
journey. The more arduous task is
in figuring out how. In a bid to put
yourself out there and engage in
extra-curricular activities, you can’t
neglect the fact that the activities
you engage in take up time. Time
not just for seemingly trivial yet
highly essential things like sleeping
and eating, but time which would
have otherwise been spent behind
your books. If there’s one thing one
of my favorite members of staff has
driven into my head, it is that we
are all in school primarily to study.
Therefore taking that out of the
equation kind of defeats the main
purpose of your being in school,
doesn’t it? Can we however turn
our attention away from the fact
that many people in our corporate
CAMPUS
EXTRA CURRICULAR VS. EXTRA CREDIT
by Efia Serwa
ences gained during our involvement
in activities outside class tend to
help us in making more valuable con-
tributions in class. I stand to be cor-
rected but from the rumors I hear
from the working world, employers
now look beyond the grades. They
want you to give them a reason to
hire you other than the fact that
you’ve got the brains. So what is it
going to be? What is going to set you
apart from the pool of hundreds that
maybe as smart as you? Especially
on the Ashesi campus, make no mis-
take, there is something for every-
body.
Thinking about it, I could probably
write my thesis on this issue. There
are so many questions that can be
raised and varied versions of answers
that can be given. In the end howev-
er, it comes down to striking a bal-
ance according to your peculiar per-
sona doesn’t it? Someone may
decide to keep his GPA high enough
to stay in school whiles he tries his
hands at every other thing under the
sun or pursues a particular passion
like photography, music, sports, the
list goes on. Another may decide not
to compromise on getting that 4.0
but may choose to dabble in other
things once in a while to add a little
bit more flavor to his C.V. In the game
of extra-curricular vs. extra-credit
the only determinant of who wins is
tomorrow.
7. Page 13Page 12
SPORTS
By Joshua Adom Adjeman
You’ve probably heard and seen them replicate scenes from the movie 300 on the court on very random nights;
screaming at the top of their lungs through rain, shine or darkness. You’ve probably seen them dominate and
destroy visiting school teams with a flurry of skill, power and finesse. With twelve players gathered from the
currently suspended basketball league and beyond, the team characterizes qualities similar to the core values of
Ashesi University College: hard work and sheer will to represent the school in the best way possible, win or not. It
is also a team founded on trust, and when you see them wallop teams by double-figure margins, that’s simply
evidence of their confidence in each other to perform before every game. Here are a couple of things you need to
know about your basketball team, courtesy of The Ink.
- Estalynn Achiampong. Behind every successful man, there’s a woman. Scratch that. Behind Ashesi’s successful
basketball team, there’s Estalynn. Her interest in basketball is matched with her knowledge of the sport, and
besides being the team’s calming agent (that has earned her the title ‘Team Nana’), she throws in a few tactical
insights from time to time mid-game. The team cannot see a better atmosphere outside of her, and her presence
brings vim to the side.
- Doubling as coach and the first five’s Small Forward is the unmistakable Francis Lamptey. There really isn’t much
to be said about the lad; his play speaks for himself. Absolute gem of a player.
And if you didn’t know the positions of the other similarly brilliant members of the first five, here they are:
- Point Guard: Nana Yaw Akonnor - Shooting Guard: Jemaa
- Power Forward: John Oteng-Nyame - Center: Nana Kwame Danso
To the basketball team and their lovely Nana, we say ride on. And we encourage the ASC Sports Committee to
invest time and resources into ensuring we are constantly entertained by the brilliant basketball this team
provides.
WHERE SWEAT MEETS SWAG: YOUR BASKETBALL TEAM IN REVIEW
8. Page 15Page 14
ASC NEWS
The Alternative Experience
by Edwin Dzobo
You might be wondering what The Alternative Experience is. Or you just
might not. Nonetheless it should be pretty obvious what this is about by
the end. That's only if you get through to the end. I mean, what could
possibly happen? You could get sucked into a vortex that transports you
to an alternate universe, get stomped by some gigantic ant, same way
we do them, or even get bored by the time you reach the middle. Pick
your poison.
On another note, there's a lot of music out there. (See what I did there?
No? Oh but...). Good music too. Good, alternative music lots of us aren't
listening to. See the problem with you lot is you people are too mainstr...
I'll just call you Music Muggles! So I'll be recommending five not-real-
ly-mainstream songs I think you should hear before you go deaf, die, or
something of the sort. If you're a Music Muggle please see yourself out
before I turn you into a frog or something. So in no particular order:
1. 'Never Look Back' by Graffiti6. One of my favourite songs ever
from the London-based band. Their sound is a mix of groovy alternative
rock, blues and a bit of soul. 'Never Look Back' captures this perfectly.
2. 'Round We Go' by Hawk House. Hip-Hop heads, this one's yours.
Another group from London, Hawk House is a trio of two young guys and
a girl who present us with a mix of neo-soul, jazz and hip-hop to give a
mellow, relaxing sound. This is something for your car stereo on a
Sunday afternoon cruise.
3. 'The World, It Softly Lulls' by Tawk Tomahawk. This song is not just
another jam. It is THE JAM! It's the perfect spread for every type of
bread. Wait...what was I talking about again? Ah, yes. The song...but
chale, you've got to listen to this people. Unless of course
you're a Music Muggle, then it'll just sound like rubbish to you.
Amazing piece of jazz, man.
4. '2 Rocking Chairs' by Jon Bellion. An eclectic mix is
what this song is. You can't quite place it a category as I've
done with the previous songs. This most likely is because Jon
Bellion, who happens to be the producer of the song, has had
a plethora of music influences, chale. He's a box of ideas.
Pretty neat song. Definitely something you guys out there
can play for that lady you've...I've said enough. On to the next
one.
5. 'Burden of Love' by Kae Sun. Jam for days, and days,
and days, and days, and days...okay, I think you get the point.
One of my favourite tunes from the Canada-based Ghanaian
artist Kae Sun. He sings of a cargo he carries, which is the
"burden of love" over some beautiful guitar picks. Sweet
song.
So there, you have it. Not exactly my top five songs, but I
think you should hear them nonetheless. And yes, I intention-
ally left out links to these songs. Lots of us are too comforta-
ble where we are. Go. Be adventurous. Find new music. Listen
till your ears bleed. On y va!
9. Page 17Page 16
INTERVIEW
what
youshouldknowabout
JESSICA BOIFIO.
If you’ve never taken the time to get to know the feisty, wickedly smart beauty who ever
so aptly dyed her hair a spicy red, it’s time you do so. It’s our pleasure to introduce you
to Jessica Naa Ahiney “Red Hair, Don’t Care” Boifio.
How would you describe yourself?
I’m crazy, ambitious, a talker, open-minded, awesome! I like to be on the side of unpop-
ular opinions, just for the hell of it. Most of the time, it’s my opinion. Other times, it’s just
because people are boring
Tell us about your family.
It’s a crazy family. My parents have issues *giggles*…my siblings and I are not too close
but then everyone does the bare minimum; we get along. It’s a very open, liberal family.
My mummy is the type of person who would make you sit in a trotro if there’s one avail-
able to where you’re heading. My dad is more liberal, I love my daddy.*smiles*
What is your biggest pet peeve?
*Launches straight into fast speech* When people bite their fingernails or pick their
nose and try to shake me afterwards. I’ve seen you pick your nose and you’re coming to
shake me...you don’t understand the gravity of the issue, it’s very annoying!
What co-curricular activities are you involved in?
M.U.N, Toastmasters (when it’s active), Free Thinkers, Arab Money President, thank you
thank you!*waves*
Speaking of Arab Money, how do you feel about them coming in 4th in the APL?
I think my team has issues. I’m upset that we came in fourth. I think we could do better,
honestly. I’m frustrated. When we win, we win; when we lose, we do the whole pep talk
thing. We’ve done that too many times. It’s sad; it’s pathetic
What motivated you to run for ASC Presidency?
My decision to run for ASC president was because I had a certain vision. I felt like my
school could be a certain way and it wasn’t living up to what it could become so that is
why I ran
Can you talk about how it was like running against two guys for ASC president?
Running against two guys wasn’t really in my head; I really could care less about it
because I knew I was very capable of doing it. But I actually got people coming up to
me to say, “Oh you’re good, you can do the job but you’re a girl so I won’t vote for you.
I want a guy to lead me”. They said it to my face and that made me more aware of the
gender thing. I knew misogyny was always there but I had never experienced it
firsthand. It meant that I had to up my game and prove to people that I could do it. It
was tough
How did you recover from not winning the elections?
For two days, I was just sitting there thinking. I could either be sad about it and decide
that I did not want to be a part of whatever was happening or I could be happy that I
had at least put my message out there. I had amazing people who shared my vision
supporting me. I bounce back very easily; things don’t get me down for too long
How has your Ashesi experience been like so far?
It’s been annoying, it’s been fun. There have been times when it has been challenging
and times when I’ve felt unchallenged. After you get used to how things work, it’s like
“yeah, whatever...chale we can do this with our eyes closed”. There’s been a time when
I went out with my friends the night before an exam to party. We didn’t fail. In fact, we
by Asiedua Akoto
10. Page 19Page 18
INTERVIEW
did really well. All round, it’s been alright. Ashesi has basically kind of buttressed
what I’ve known about myself: I am a strong personality
You spoke about going for a party the night before an exam. How do you strike a
balance between your academic and social life?
Not to blow my own horn but it’s a bit easy for me when it comes to academics. I am
the kind of person who would sit in class and pay attention. I can’t sit for a long time,
so I just pick vital things, write down a few points and I’m done. All I need to do for
exams is flip through my notes. I make sure that my intellectual stuff and my fun stuff
blend. My roommates are crazy, they keep me going
What has been your lowest moment in Ashesi?
It was when some guy in this school decided that he was God and sat me down for
an hour to tell me to fit into the box that society has created for me. I hated it. [short
guessing game takes place] No...no names
What is the one thing you would change about yourself if you could?
Can I lie and say nothing? *laughs* I think it’s too easy for me to detach myself from
people and from things. It has affected my relationships with my friends and some-
times, my family. If there was one thing I could tweak, it would be to be more in tune
with my emotional side
Do you have a boyfriend?
*laughs* Many! I don’t have an official boyfriend. I’m seeing someone but there are
many others. *giggles*
Describe a’ Jessica outfit’ on a regular day.
I dress up based on my mood, really. On a regular day, a Jessica outfit *short pause*
is something short. It’s something that would turn heads; something that people
would look at and be like ‘ei how do you wear this to school?!’ It’s not complete with-
out my hair and just recently, we started a lipstick revolution so you’ll see me with
either red or purple lipstick. Maame introduced me to lipstick. Whatever I wear is to
just make a statement about my mood
Why did you dye your hair red?
Because I can
What colour describes your personality?
Blue. I love blue. But I like red as well
Everyone has that one song they can relate to on a personal basis, what’s yours?
*starts singing and dancing* My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard and they
like, it’s better than yours!
What is your least favorite feature on your body?
A lot of people hate my legs because it’s hairy but I’m not shaving my legs for
anything or for anybody. My breasts get too much attention *chuckles*. I wouldn’t
change anything.
What is your favorite movie of all time?
The Help. Maybe, Great Debaters. I like historical stuff.
Is there anything you would like to say?
So a lot of people think I’m a cougar. Look. I like to groom people. Take it like this, I’m
not going to let some other girl come and break your heart. Let Jessica take care of
you. [laughs]
You know how this goes, spontaneous
answers, your first thoughts only. Older or
younger guy?
Older…younger! I dunno BOTH! Younger,
older. Older!
Looks or money?
*does a short drumroll* Money
Hottest guy in the school?
I think Patrick Awuah is the hottest guy in
this place *shrugs*
Must have item?
Money
This is the story of three Ashesi students. They all live
in Dansoman. However, they are not aware of each
other's plan to go home on Friday. They will each call a
taxi and pay about 60 cedis from Ashesi to Dansoman.
That is 180 cedis in total. This scenario is quite common
in Ashesi. Whether you are going home, to Accra mall
or to an event in Accra, there are usually other people
also going there but you don’t know about them.
Carpool is here to help you find those people. Whether
you have a ride or not, you can easily find other people
who are going in the same direction or to the same
place and save some money.
Carpool as the name suggests is a carpooling applica-
tion I've been developing for some time now. I identi-
fied a problem and thought I could solve it using tech-
nology. I wanted to write ‘useful code’. Do something
outside of coursework and acquire more experience. It
has been an amazing learning experience so far. I
would actually encourage more students to do this.
You solve a problem (or at least try) and you also learn
during the process.
HOT SEAT
Carpool
You can check out the beta version of Carpool at
ashesicarpool.herokuapp.com. Feel free to send me
feedback and ask for features.
Kessir, 2014 CS
Software Developer.
I want Carpool to be a big thing on campus and I want it to survive long after I graduate.
I can’t achieve this alone, I need more hands on deck. I need people from all majors. You
are good at marketing? You think you can make a product successful? Or you are good at
Java and you are eager to learn more. You would probably be a good addition to the
team, consider joining.
11. Page 20
GOOPelt stood to his feet and with his left hand, repositioned his glasses to the
tip of his nose. After several deep breaths, he began,
“Dr. Gibbs, I… its horrible. I…” he choked.
“Take your time, Dr. Nashton.”
“I’m afraid the level of destruction is catastrophic. We might be looking at
a major outbreak in a matter of hours,” he finally let out.
“But the bacterium cannot stand these weather conditions! I believe that is
the reason we were posted here?” she questioned.
“I know that. But my presumptions have led me to believe that our intrud-
ers may have long taken a warm weather vacation.”
He pulled out a small travel information booklet from the stack of papers
he was still clutching onto with his right hand. Anita Gibbs grabbed the
piece of paper, perusing through it like a famished wildcat.
“Where? Where? Where are they going?” she asked impatiently.
Pelt turned the booklet over and placed his index finger on a word circled
in red ink.
“Ghana.”
---------------
We just sat there and stared. Him, at me. Me, at anything but him.
STORY
by Joshua Adom Adjeman
Photographyby:PhotographyClub
LatifahLamptey’17
Page 21
The ceiling fan that croaked above us,
swirling musty air around the dully lit
room. The makeshift coat hanger
which was quite simply a nail driven
into the wooden door shut behind
him. The solitary light bulb that
swayed dangerously above the fan. I
cringed in despair as a blade all but
scraped the bottom of the bulb. Then
I stared at the gun holstered on the
side of his standard issue cotton trou-
sers. I hate guns.
“You like guns? Eh?” he yelled at me
nasally.
“No sir.”
“That’s how you did it eh??” he yelled
some more.
“But there are no gunshot wounds on
the body! What kraa is this?”
“Keep quiet!” He placed his right hand
on his gun and I shut up.
My focus returned to the potential
death trap swaying above us. I
followed each blade, cringing every
time one came close to smashing into
the light bulb. After a while, the cring-
ing stopped and I just followed each
blade. Soon, I was lost in thought; like
the circular motion of the blades had
thrown me into a semi-conscious
trance.
After the sick obroni had died in my
arms, I felt it would be the citizenly
thing to do to take the body to the
police station and report a mysterious
death. There was nothing citizenly
about the response. I got arrested as
prime suspect for murder and the
chief of police had taken to throwing
questions at me for the past hour,
hoping to get me to crack and con-
fess to all the gruesome things he
was certain I had done to the poor
white man.
“Herh!”
Ah yes. I’m still in this room. I stared
back at the rotund chief of police,
square in the eyes this time. He
leaned in closer to my face. For
effect, I guess.
Banku. Tilapia, definitely. Okro
soup or pepper? I couldn’t tell. But
his breath stunk.
“I will get you, you this small boy.
I’m watching you. Let’s go.”
And with that, he tugged me off my
chair and waddled towards the
door. I followed, like a hound would
his master. Once I stepped out of
the little shack that was the local
police station, I took in a deep
breath with a newfound sense of
freedom.
Ahhh. Sweet sea air.
My stomach growled. The last I had
given the little monster were a few
yam balls downed with a bag of
pure water. I began the 20 minute
walk towards Aunty Joyce’s fast
food joint. Then I heard another
growl; much deeper, much fiercer
this time. This wasn’t my stomach. I
turned around and came
face-to-face with a bigger mon-
strosity. About 50 meters away, a
big black, evil-looking motorcycle
sped towards me.
[to be continued…]
12. Page 23Page 22
STORY
For my daughter.
She is six and I have her seated on the floor between my legs as I try to
tame her unruly curls into a braid suitable for school. She winces as I tug
and I give her a book to read. To take her mind off the pain.
She is ten. Boys are mean and pull her hair. I am her best friend and her
other best friend lives in Rio. They write long letters with pink gel pens and
decorate them with a million stickers.
She is sitting on my bed trying on jewelry. At fourteen, boys are interesting
and the books and movies have taught her everything she needs to know
about life. I am still her best friend but I sense that is changing.
She slams the door shut on her way out. She says she hates me and will
never talk to me again. I sigh gently. She used to be my best friend. She has
a boyfriend. He wears black all the time and holds her hand. I pray at night
that it is all he holds. She is sixteen.
She is crying into my arms. I tell her heartbreak won't kill her. That it will
make her stronger. Teach her more about life. About herself. That it is good
to cry. She says she will never love again. I smile as I remember where my
heart was at eighteen.
She has a fierce love for God. I am jealous of it sometimes and other times
I am just so happy it hurts my cheeks. She reads all the time and she sends
me funny voice notes at odd times of the day. She has a friend she wants
me to meet. She tells me I will like him. I remind her that she promised me
she will never love again. She laughs. She remembers. She is twenty-three.
She is the most beautiful woman in the world today. I am so proud. In the
church, I whisper a prayer of thanks to God for the gift of my baby. She
smiles at me as he walks her down the aisle. There are tears in her eyes. "I
love you" is what I whisper to her when I hug her outside. She hugs me
back tightly. I will miss her so much. Twenty-five is too young.
She calls me at 3 am. I am going to be a grandmother. I feel so old. She is
excited. She can't stop giggling. I put the phone on the table and go back
to bed. Through the veil of sleep I can hear them at the other end of the
phone. Making plans.
I pray for her every night. I pray that she is strong. I ask God to keep her
safe. To help her be more than I could ever be. I talk to her all the time. She
is no longer my baby.
I pray for her all the time.
She will always be my baby.
She gives me a card on her fiftieth birthday. In it there is an old photo-
graph: I am sitting on a chair on the front porch. She is on the floor
between my legs. There is a book lying open in front of her. She is
half-turned, looking up at me. I have a comb in my right hand. I am looking
down at her.
We are laughing.
Rowie
talkshopwithrowie.wordpress.com
13. Page 25Page 24
BUSINESS
With a number of food enterprises popping up all over campus, The Ink
scoured the grounds looking for something unique to the local and western
meals offered. Cups and Cones is a small business that started recently and
offers Ice Cream. Nothing exclusive about Ice Cream, is there? After all,
Akornor and Essentials sell Fan Ice for 80 pesewas a pop. So guilty pleasure
at a cheap price? Check.
But Abena Asante and Elikem Hottor have a completely different approach
to how ice cream is served. With creative names and toppings, Cup and
Cones sell more than Ice cream, they sell an experience. With three basic
flavours (strawberry, vanilla and chocolate), they offer three toppings that,
quite frankly, are an explosion of fun in your mouth. The toppings are
· Coconut Craze (Desiccated Coconut and chocolate chunks)
· Fruity Sticks (Kitkat and Fruit)
· Wafer Marvel (Wafers and Mocha Dust)
And they have plans to increase the number of toppings as they become a
campus success. The best part is that every customer gets to take part in
the creation of toppings and that topping will be named after the person
that created them. So Guilty pleasure? Check. Incomparable experience?
Check. Personalized toppings? Check. Worth a try? Undeniably.
Establishing Cups and Cones was not an effortless task. It was the unques-
tionable drive and enthusiasm Elikem and Abena have for their business
that ensured its success. According to them, they had difficulties getting a
location for storage and putting the finances together to set up, as they
had originally hoped to start August last year.
These entrepreneurs’ passion extends beyond just making profit, after all
every cedi made gets reinvested in the business to satisfy the demands of
the customers they hold dear.
“Even though we just started we get quite a few offers….we hope our
business expands beyond just the campus and we can actually continue
the business after we graduate. We especially would love to sell in nursery
schools.”
And for those of you interested in becoming investors in Cups and Cones,
Abena and Elikem have stressed that they are looking for investors that
share their passion.
“We want investors to take part in the decisions of the flavours as well. We
are more interested in meeting demands and satisfying our customers
than we are on making profit.”
Elikem and Abena are entrepreneurs building their business model around
their customers. It sounds like a recipe for success. No pun intended of
course ;).
by Akosua Dei-Anang
t
14. T
Page 27Page 26
RANT
FIX IT BABY, FIX IT!Every budding woman derives great pleasure from discovering that with
every week that passes, she is growing more confident. Truth be told, this
could stem from many sources; our lady is getting to know herself better and
so is in better control of her emotions and feelings. Moreover, the joy of know-
ing that moving on in years induces a positive pressure to look and feel good,
prompts ladies to step up their game. This is all good! Why? Because every
lady deserves to be loved. Caution, though! When it comes to you and love,
my precious lady, no other person can love you enough, except yourself.
So let’s talk about loving you (Can I get an “amen” ladies!). I want to talk
about one - and only one - aspect of the wonderful you. Your hair. Is this
important? Yes! The guys love what they see when you have an awe-inspiring
hairdo. I don’t need to remind you that other ladies equally crone over you
and you become an instant hit when you are having a great hair day. So, let’s
indulge ‘cause you can’t lie about the fact that you get a confidence boost
when you adore what you see in the mirror.
It has been weeks since you got that hairdo. You’ve enjoyed all the compli-
ments and paparazzi. But then wait…What’s that awful whiff? Where is it
coming from? I can smell it from a distance and yet I can’t put a finger on who
the gracious owner is. My senses are communicating that this seems like dirty
laundry soaked over a week, yet I can’t see any buckets to confirm my suspi-
cion. All the while I and others are suffering, you walk around smiling, happy,
till someone has the guts to tell you your hair stinks!
There may be various reasons for which you keep smelly hair. Maybe you don’t
want to incur cost for a new hairdo, or your mirror tells you your hair looks
good to last another week or two. Please! Do yourself a favor and take out
your weave or braids. The smell is your hair’s way of saying you are headed
for danger. Walking around and being engaged in many activities, your body
produces sweat, including your scalp. Your exposure to the environment
allows for dust and other elements to find shelter in your hair. After all that,
you oil your hair all in the name of moisturizing and keeping its luster. You
bath everyday, don’t you? Think about it in the same way and ask yourself
what you may be breeding in your hair which hasn’t seen shampoo and water
for close to 3 months.
No smell means we will have nasal peace. But more than that, it reflects the
fact that you are responsible enough to want the best for yourself both within
and without. That is love in action! I rest my case!
Best Regards,
BluePrintz
15. Page 23Page 22
RANT
APA’S
MILKSHAKE
I hate Valentine’s Day. I never quite
understood what was so important
about, needless to say, until I hit
adolescence – if you know what I
mean. The opposite sex. So fasci-
nating. So intriguing. So nonsensi-
cal. Hormones kicking in and doing
their stuff can be so frustrating
sometimes, and Valentine’s Day
provides some sort of release for
people, including me. Admit it, it's
fun to watch people be so loving,
and warm, and soft, and weak. Ew.
Of course, Valentine’s Day has
different meanings for different
people. And for those people who
have opinions that differ from mine
on what Valentine’s Day represents,
please look at my drawing above,
and see if I care.
I don’t.
I hit 20 last week or so – happy
birthday to me –, and I've never had
a valentine. This is where some of
you go "aww", and some of you
laugh. I hate you all equally. This
year, I contemplated sending myself
cupcakes for fun, with the whole
presentation of people coming into
class to deliver them to me. But I
didn't. I'm sure some of you did
though. Y'all are some sad...
For an uncaring person though, I
found it disturbing to find myself
caring on Valentine’s Day. And not
for humans, or a human, no, that
would be dastardly. I found myself
caring for a piece of paper, hung
across the walls of various rooms.
Every time I passed by her, she
called to me "Please don't leave me
behind. Throw me away". And every
time, I just went "awwww". It was
.... it’s better than yours!
the saddest thing ever. The Welfare
Committee really struck a cord
there.
Anyway, back to the topic of
human-to-human love, I realized
this year’s Valentine’s Day was
somewhat boring, in Ashesi at least.
Perhaps because the fresher’s wer-
en’t around for some of you to
declare your feelings… *cough*
Kunle *cough* Whitney *cough*
Read the last issue to get this refer-
ence *cough*. I mean, comparing
with last year, this year was not that
great. At all. Last year was some
serious deep ish. I was like kw3333
the entire day, and for good reason
too. Tokens of affection were in
abundance, love was in the air, and
people were shaking like they just
didn’t care. I’m kidding about the
last part. The only missing ingredi-
ent, for some, was *cough* SEX
*cough*. Or was it? Don’t ask me, I
don’t know. But with five in a room,
it’s a well-known fact that you need
some SERIOUS planning or stroke
of luck to… Wait, where is this rant
going?
Allow me to backtrack. I saw some
of you, students, stuffing your faces
with cupcakes like eating them
would force love into your systems.
If you know you were one of those
people, please chillax. It’s not a
competition. I think. All I know is, I
got more cupcakes than you. Ha!
Ha Ha! Okay I didn’t.
I’m sad now. I think I’ll just end it
here. Yeah. I’ll end it right here. The
end.
by Nii Apa Abbey