" ASANTE HAD THIS TO SAY,"AM AN AFRICA. I LIVE AS AN AFRICAN. THAT'S MY REGION. THE QUESTION OF BEING AMERICAN THAT'S THE CITIZENSHIP. I AM AMERICAN, THAT'S THE PASSPORT I CARRY." I WISH THE MOTHER AFRICA CONTINENT'S CHILDREN ... read full comment
" ASANTE HAD THIS TO SAY,"AM AN AFRICA. I LIVE AS AN AFRICAN. THAT'S MY REGION. THE QUESTION OF BEING AMERICAN THAT'S THE CITIZENSHIP. I AM AMERICAN, THAT'S THE PASSPORT I CARRY." I WISH THE MOTHER AFRICA CONTINENT'S CHILDREN WILL BE PROUD TO SAY, WE ARE AFRICANS, AND NOT THE COUNTRY THAT WE COME FROM.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear Akasi Martha Nzema,
Truly, that statement you just quoted has had a profound impact on me.
Like you said, I wish children in Africa can be proud of the continent and tell the world they are Africans.
Indeed, y ... read full comment
Dear Akasi Martha Nzema,
Truly, that statement you just quoted has had a profound impact on me.
Like you said, I wish children in Africa can be proud of the continent and tell the world they are Africans.
Indeed, your observation is a positive one, my good friend. But I think that has to come from us, the adults.
If we adults can truly feel proud of ourselves as Africans and behave as such, Africa's children won't have the excuse to say or behave otherwise.
If men like Charles Taylor, Joseph Kony, Omar Bashir, Mobuto Sese Seko, Idi Amin, Francisco Nhuema, and others could not set the proper examples for Africa's children, then, obviously, Africa's children are doomed. Therefore, we adults must do more work.
Anyway, thanks for your constructive observation.
Mr. Figure-Out 10 years ago
You made me feel proud of myself as an African-first, unlike your deified "Ewe first" Prof Kofi Awoonor, now a ' Kenyan/Ghanaian mummy'( May his soul find comfortable rest in The Lord) who thought being a Trokosi first was fu ... read full comment
You made me feel proud of myself as an African-first, unlike your deified "Ewe first" Prof Kofi Awoonor, now a ' Kenyan/Ghanaian mummy'( May his soul find comfortable rest in The Lord) who thought being a Trokosi first was funny - no patriotism.
Permit me this flattering. Kwarteng, my boy, you are a real genius in the making. Your handiworks in creative writing are so tactful, so crafty and more detailed oriented that make me wonder whether you are Korash the mathematician. Probably your stint in Masters(Operations Research) has brought you this far. KBB, " the cumulative average destroyer", wonna third year statistics lecturer, was right when he said a first degree in Pure and Applied Math is nothing but just to furnish one with a wider or Broader Degree Of Freedom Of Thinking. In fact, you have improved tremendously, distinguished yourself and stand tall in every conceivable way among your newly found Trokosi friends who boast of all wisdom in this world but have little or nothing to show except gargantuan crimes against Ghana and humanity. Please don't expose me to the Trokosis for they lounge to crucify my Kookoase arse. Funny Huh!
kojo T 10 years ago
Please don't expose me to the Trokosis for they lounge to crucify my Kookoase arse. Funny Huh. If you admire his broad mindedness , why do you stick to your narrow mind set . Who are " trokosis" if I may ask? For a university ... read full comment
Please don't expose me to the Trokosis for they lounge to crucify my Kookoase arse. Funny Huh. If you admire his broad mindedness , why do you stick to your narrow mind set . Who are " trokosis" if I may ask? For a university graduate who did maths or engineering you hould be smarter than that , Really you are a DISGRACE TO HUMAN KIND. I bet your views on females, religion, gay rights are equally narrow
Mark (UK) 10 years ago
If in this day and age you think in terms of them and us, then I am sorry, Mr Figure-Out you did not get anything from your Masters programme. To whom much is given, much is expected. I know there are those who dabble in such ... read full comment
If in this day and age you think in terms of them and us, then I am sorry, Mr Figure-Out you did not get anything from your Masters programme. To whom much is given, much is expected. I know there are those who dabble in such trivial local tribalism, but Sir, do rise above such issues and look at things in broad terms. Your friend has chosen to produce for us all Ashantis, Fantes, Ewes, Mamprusi and Nigerians. Allowing yourself to be consumed by your hatred for Ewes whom you call Trokosi is a shame.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear Brother Mark (UK),
How're you doing?
Thanks for reading the piece.
I must say that I was too tired to respond to your question related to "Do We Want Jesus Or Muhammad To Rule Ghana?"
I read Media Mogul's r ... read full comment
Dear Brother Mark (UK),
How're you doing?
Thanks for reading the piece.
I must say that I was too tired to respond to your question related to "Do We Want Jesus Or Muhammad To Rule Ghana?"
I read Media Mogul's reply to you. In fact, I would probably have given you the same response. I also read your response. I am happy Media Mogul gave you a satisfactory explanation.
Please forgive me for delegating Media Mogul to do my work. In fact, Media Mogul is like a co-professor.
We seem to act as though we teach similar courses in the same department.
In fact, I am going to give Media Mogul some lashings on number theory one of these days...hahahahah
Please add Nii Ashitey to the faculty. Now we add you to the faculty list. I hope you'd accept it. Prof. Nii Ashitey and Prof. Media Mogul are senior lecturers in the department.
Anyway, I have written to my good friend (who I still don't know), Mr. Figure Out, to treat everyone with respect.
I know Mr. Figure Out will listen to us. In fact, if Mr. Figure Out is the one I suspect to be, then he's a nice person. He will listen to us, I know.
Thanks.
Mark (UK) 10 years ago
Sorry for responding to you late, time difference, I suppose. I have been laughing all morning, due to the proposition/nomination to the faculty for Nii Ashitey and I. This is because it will be difficult to find a place for ... read full comment
Sorry for responding to you late, time difference, I suppose. I have been laughing all morning, due to the proposition/nomination to the faculty for Nii Ashitey and I. This is because it will be difficult to find a place for me in your highly esteemed university. See, where do you place a phobian (Amass, Arts), IPScan
(IPS, Legon - Acounting) and currently a Public Health practitioner. Impossible. Please make me an avid reader of you and Media-Mogul's contributions.
PS: Yesterday, I wanted to offer a critique on this very write-up. How would you have taken it considering the amount of work you put into it.
My critique centred on the lack of critique in your write-up. Using work published on Dr Asante's website is lazy especially when you
didn't give any 'caveat'.
Again, I finished reading the piece without knowing Dr Asante's views on Africa. Where as I do not doubt that he would be an authority on African-American matters, I am not so sure when it comes to Africa. My observation is that our brothers born in the diaspora tend to have a sugary view of all things Africa without a full appreciation of the realities of life there.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Hello friend,
That's a good observation you made out here.
In fact, one source critiquing Asante's work is Appiah's "In My Father's House."
Moreover, I have dealt with the critique of Asante's work in an ealier Gha ... read full comment
Hello friend,
That's a good observation you made out here.
In fact, one source critiquing Asante's work is Appiah's "In My Father's House."
Moreover, I have dealt with the critique of Asante's work in an ealier Ghanaweb piece "Response To My Critics-Part 1."
And I used information on his website because everything there is public knowledge.
Persons familiar with the American academy (African and African American Studies)know these things.
I have been to house and office and seen these attributes.
And Asante is not the type who romanticizes Africa. He has been to Africa many times. He has lived and worked there.
He has worked with the African Union, African leaders and scholars (both in Africa and abroad), visited African historical sites, etc. Actually, Asantes knows Africa that many Africans I have come across.
Anyway, I should have given readers a cveat. I will it make up in another article.
Thanks.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear my good brother,
Good afternoon. How are you doing?
I have been waiting for your email. When are you going to send me one?
Your keeping me in suspense is killig me.
I promise not to expose you to our good Ew ... read full comment
Dear my good brother,
Good afternoon. How are you doing?
I have been waiting for your email. When are you going to send me one?
Your keeping me in suspense is killig me.
I promise not to expose you to our good Ewe brothers and sisters. I cross my heart.
I know when I do, they would skin you alive...hahahahhaa...don't be afraid. Our Ewe brothers and sisters are harmless. Very are nice and good people!
But, please, my good brother, let's treat everyone as brothers and sisters.
I know within my heart that you love and respect our good Ewe brothers and sisters much like I do.
I love you all regardless of ethnicities.
Please listen to our good brothers Mark (UK) and Kojo T and treat everyone as you would treat me.
How are Dr. Obri and Dr. Baah? I am still waiting for your email. My regards to your family.
Please have a great weekend.
Thank you.
Mr Figure-Out 10 years ago
Korash, you know I don't hate no one, as some Americans would put it.Remember most of our friends back in the days were Trokosis. Talk of Setho, Keteku(Vinay), Kudjo Kafui of Katanga, Togonu( Togs of Kat) and Spaceman . For ... read full comment
Korash, you know I don't hate no one, as some Americans would put it.Remember most of our friends back in the days were Trokosis. Talk of Setho, Keteku(Vinay), Kudjo Kafui of Katanga, Togonu( Togs of Kat) and Spaceman . For real I don't hate the Ewes but the devil in them. Every bad thing that has happen to Ghana has a Trokosi. Talk of Coup making and Rawlings (the serial coup maker) and Kwabena Kotoka( the pioneer of coup making in Ghana) names top the list. Talk of gargantuan money swindling, and again they top the chart with Woyome on Top. And if a self proclaimed financial engineer who has no contract with the state was able to trick Ghana to pay him Some GH52,000,00 then your guess would be as good as mine as what voodoo can do for the Trokos. We'll let me get out of here before Kojo T get my ass. Anyways I drop off my number . Give me call buddy.
NON-ALIGNED 10 years ago
Thank you Francis, continue with the good work of educating the enslaved minds.........That is if they would swith from their myopic 'NPP and NDC' rubbish.
YOUR QUOTE: "In fact, Asante’s lifetime achievement has centered ... read full comment
Thank you Francis, continue with the good work of educating the enslaved minds.........That is if they would swith from their myopic 'NPP and NDC' rubbish.
YOUR QUOTE: "In fact, Asante’s lifetime achievement has centered on making sure African voice and personality have equal representation with others in the marketplace of ideas. Yet while White America pretends he and his transformative work don’t exist, others have taken on the challenge, as the White American sociologist, James W. Loewen."
It's always good to know that the likes of James W. Loewen and many more others see the through the light of truth and make an EFFORT, just as many of our TRUE AFRICAN brothers and sisters have and are still doing......
Like yourself. Keep it up!
That is what I expect the stooges like our John Mahama, K4, JJ and co. should have done and be doing...............
instead of posing around in front of a 'CNN LOGO' like a 'Johnny just come' and then turn around with speeches talking about - 'African cultural values to be promoted'?????
I rest my case but, would like to add that GHANAIANS should rid themselves of the two most USELESS parties the nation has ever experienced.
Keep up the good work!
GOD BLESS GHANA!
AFRICAN FOREVER!
kojo T 10 years ago
If they have thse faults , we put them there and they reflect us. If whites do not want to hear baout African achievements what about some tribalists who will shout down daniel Pryce if he were to write about his Ewes history ... read full comment
If they have thse faults , we put them there and they reflect us. If whites do not want to hear baout African achievements what about some tribalists who will shout down daniel Pryce if he were to write about his Ewes history and achievements or any one about Kofi awoonor. Why are we intolerant of Kpakpo Allotey when he says he cannot see why ga should not be taught in schools in Accra . After all " when in Rome you do what the Romans do" If we cannot learn to tolerate each other and our diversity how do we expect whites who have labelled us " primitive" to tolerate us?
NON-ALIGNED 10 years ago
I get your point but, we do not need to live our lives pleasing whites, blues or whoever!
We need to create our own paths and destiny and all those you've mentioned needs to be celebrated.
That vis why I keep saying tha ... read full comment
I get your point but, we do not need to live our lives pleasing whites, blues or whoever!
We need to create our own paths and destiny and all those you've mentioned needs to be celebrated.
That vis why I keep saying that OUR EDUCATION system needs to be overhauled. Speaking English and being good at it is not education..........
We seem to lay so much emphasis on how good we sound or write English and ignore who we really are and what we can achieve by being ourselves. However, TRIBALSIM has to stop and the only way to do so is to appreciate and learn each others lingos in our schools first!
GOD BLESS GHANA!
AFRICAN FOREVER!
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear NON-ALIGNED,
How are you doing?
I was expecting to see you when Part l was posted.
I did't find your authoritative and wise voice there.
Anyway, as always, you're on course with your opinions.
There are ... read full comment
Dear NON-ALIGNED,
How are you doing?
I was expecting to see you when Part l was posted.
I did't find your authoritative and wise voice there.
Anyway, as always, you're on course with your opinions.
There are a lot we need to learn to make our people, country, and contitent better. Thanks for your insights.
However, I could not stop laughing when I read this:
"instead of posing around in front of a 'CNN LOGO' like a 'Johnny just come' and then turn around with speeches talking about - 'African cultural values to be promoted'?????"
That says it all.
Have a great weekned.
Thanks.
Media Mogul 10 years ago
Many of my questions were already answered in yesterday's discussion.
I think you have established the case for Asante beyond any reasonable doubt and one will do well to get acquainted with his work. You have already giv ... read full comment
Many of my questions were already answered in yesterday's discussion.
I think you have established the case for Asante beyond any reasonable doubt and one will do well to get acquainted with his work. You have already given me some leads. But, from your numbers theory (lol), I think the man has written more than I can ever hope to finish reading... But one must start from somewhere.
This identity thing is very important but also a bit controversial. Asante identifies himself thoroughly with his African roots. Kwame Appiah, try as he may, may not have done so to the same extent. But the guy has a British mum, was thoroughly educated in the West (even if he were in Ghana it would be western oriented), how much of his African identity should he claim and how much of his British/European? The guy is not an American like Asante and Gates. He is in the US because the country offers him better opportunities than the UK or Ghana (the same reasons why you are there too). Don't you think it will be a little bit problematic for him to just identify himself as African and discard his European roots? Ok, I think you mean something like he should say it as it is - the academic truth (his methodology), and not pander to the whims of his white patrons...
Just some curiosity here: how come you, of a science/maths background, have become so interested in things Afrocentric?
Thanks for all the info.
Brother 10 years ago
What this man is doing is to awaking our minds to be careful with the easy way of learning as if we cannot establish any facts ourselves. From economics to finance to biology, we study as if what the European has written is f ... read full comment
What this man is doing is to awaking our minds to be careful with the easy way of learning as if we cannot establish any facts ourselves. From economics to finance to biology, we study as if what the European has written is final. we question nothing and rubish our own. We even think that without the white we cannot deal with our problems. Elder brother, keep hammering. It shall get through. Just observe the number of commenets then u realise the youth does not seem to be interested. Am sad for that
kojo T 10 years ago
It is a pity but shows our level of thinking . Francis obviously thinks about ISSUES as he may be termed " ag reat mind" . But alas most of us are still at the small mind level where we can only talk about people. Cheap gossi ... read full comment
It is a pity but shows our level of thinking . Francis obviously thinks about ISSUES as he may be termed " ag reat mind" . But alas most of us are still at the small mind level where we can only talk about people. Cheap gossip
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear Brother and Kojo T,
How are you both doing?
Brother, your statement on this forum is one of the major reasons I write. I am happy you have noticed that.
I want us to think beyond what we receive from the West. Y ... read full comment
Dear Brother and Kojo T,
How are you both doing?
Brother, your statement on this forum is one of the major reasons I write. I am happy you have noticed that.
I want us to think beyond what we receive from the West. Your observation is clear on that. Good.
Also, our good brother here, Kojo T, has also identified one other reason, which covers the parallels between "racism" and "tribalism."
We need to eliminate or minimize "tribalism" in our societies. We can't move forward when it tears us apart.
We need to begin to love ourselves, each other, so that we can, finally, work together to improve our minds, country, and continent.
Unity and psychological de-colonization are two of the many things we need to work on in order to move forward as a people.
And as Kojo T also noted, we need to allow the languages: Ga, Twi, Ga-Adangbe, Dagomba, Ewe, Mamprusi, Nzema, etc., the respect they all deserve in Ghana.
After all, we are all Ghanaians and Africans. No language is better or more developed than the other.
I thank the two of you for your insights.
Have a great weekend.
Kwesi Bronya 10 years ago
I have read the posting 3 times but I do not understand it. How does this impact on Ghana or am I missing the point?
I have read the posting 3 times but I do not understand it. How does this impact on Ghana or am I missing the point?
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear Media Mogul,
Good morning from here? Please how are you doing?
Let me begin: I agree with you on everything you have said about the predicament Dr. Kwame Anthony Appiah faces as regards his identity. Therefore, I s ... read full comment
Dear Media Mogul,
Good morning from here? Please how are you doing?
Let me begin: I agree with you on everything you have said about the predicament Dr. Kwame Anthony Appiah faces as regards his identity. Therefore, I shan't say much.
However, my only reservation has to do with how Appiah's split identity somewhat "negatively" affects his scholarship on Africa.
In fact, if he can overcome that, then, I guess,we can't have much of a critique on his work. In fact, we can't have much of a problem with him.
It's quite interesting to also note that many of us (you and several others excluded, please; I don't have anyone specifically in mind; it's a general statement) read the works of writers without taking into consideration how their ethnicities, political ideologies, religious affiliations, cultures, race, educational level, Western or Afrocentric education, etc., affect their thinking.
Dr. Asante has some good essays on this very question which I hope you will google and read "Where is the White Professor Located," "Afro-Germans and the Problems of Cultural Location," "A Quick Reading of Rhetorical Jingoism: Anthony Appiah and his Fallacies," and "Against Race by Paul Gilroy."
Paul Gilroy is British, as you may have known. He taught briefly at Harvard, and is a close friend of Gates. Anyway, these essays are controversial but informative. I hope you enjoy them.
These factors I mentioned above are very important, you know. And despite my position on Appiah, I personally like him. He has done many positive things in his life as well as for Africa.
Moreover, you and I know that his book, Cosmopolitanism, for instance, is a classic. It's a book I will recommend everyone to read.
When I have time, I shall do a summary and post it on Ghanaweb. I still have to go through the forest of my library to locate the book. Let's leave Appiah.
Now your last question: How I became interested in Afrocentric scholarship.
First, I am an avid reader. I have said this several times.
Second, mathematics at KNUST was structered such that the student who took mathematics didn't have to take any courses from the humanities/liberal arts. Pure or raw mathematics. Simple.
Therefore, I decided to do a lot of reading on the side so that I didn't fall behind my mates in the humanities/liberal arts.
In fact, in secondary school I did extremely well in the humanities/liberal arts, coming out as the best student in French and as one of the best in literature.
But my uncles didn't want me to go the way of the humanities/liberal arts and forced me into the sciences/mathematics.
Yet I still continued to read voraciously and ended up building one of the largest private libraries in Dansoman Estate, Sahara, among my friends.
I began to help some of my friends (Legon, KNUST, Cape Vas)in the humanities/liberal arts write their thesis and even to help proofread them. I also gave them bibiographies for their thesis.
But during my secondary school days, I had a maternal uncle who was a headmaster at O'Reilly Secondary School and then later at Bolgatanga Secondary School.
He bought me novels by African authors when I was on vacation. Before school reopened, he would appear from nowhere, sit me down and query me on the books: definition of words, storyline, etc. That opened my eyes to a lot of things.
Then when I was in the univerity I had one of the most life-changing discussions with a junior of mine, then in Planning Department. He told me about his father, a lawyer, who studied in America in the 60s.
The father lived in Harlem and knew Malcolm X, etc. He told me about the Civil Rights era, racism, etc.
The profundest discussion we had was about Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop, a Senegalese, in fact, one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century.
Yet most Ghanaian students (my mates) had not heard of Diop, let alone read him. But his father, my friend's, heard about and read him in America. That came as a surprise to me. Plus, Diop's books, however I tried, I could virtually not find one anywhere to read or buy.
Why was an African scholar, the equal of Einstein and several others, more popular in the West than in Africa? Neither my friend nor I could answer the question.
So when I came to America and began working the first thing I did after my first paycheck was to go to Harlem, New York, to get Diop's books.
The first I got was Diop's "African Origin of Civilizations: Myth or Reality." This book blew my mind.
The next few weeks I boutght and read all his books then in English translation. Diop is profound and very difficult to read.
He is what I will call a polymath, a renaissance scholar. He was a physicist, sociologist, Egyptologist, mathematician, linguist, anthropologist, archaelogist, etc.
Then one day I went to Harlem and saw books by Dr. Molefi Kete Asante. Initially, I thought he was a Ghanaian. In fact, that notion alone drove to buy his books.
I bought one of his book "Kemet, Afrocentricity, and Knoweldge." That was it. These books, Asante's and Diop's, changed everything I knew about the world. I began reading everything Asante has written.
I would later come to know that Dr. Asante himself had been influenced heavily by Diop. Indeed, he had personally met Diop in Senegal as a young man and Diop had made a great impression on him.
Asante describes his life-changing encounter with Diop and Diop's work in his award-winning book "Cheikh Anta Diop: An Intellectual Portrait," which I reviewed for Asante on amazon.com (See amazon.com for the review).
As an aside, I have also done a review for Milton Allimadi's "The Heart of Darkness: How White Writers Created the Racist Image of Africa."
Allimadi is Ugandan and one of the respected investgative journalists in America. He owns his own newspaper The Black Star News, New York, Wall Street.
The American comedian, Bill Cosby, gave him the seed money to found the paper. He's a graduate of Columbia Univeristy's School of Journalism. And he's one of the fiercest critics of President Yoweri Museveni.
Now back to your question: Diop's ideas gave him, Asante, what he needed to develop the theory of Afrocentricity (of course, as Nii Ashitey rightly noted, Kwame Nkrumah also influenced him as far as Afrocentricity is concerned).
Then I began to make the effort to seek out Asante in person. I saw him on Television and the man's mind blew me away every time I listened to him.
I finally met him during Kwame Nkrumah's centennial annivesary in Harlem.
The first statement I made to him was this: "Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, you are the last person I want to see before I die. I am happy to see finally." That surprised and humbled him. We have since become very close. Sometimes he calls me his son. Other times he calls me "my kid brother."
Yrt I didn't see West, Gates, and Appiah at Nkrumah's anniversary. I asked him why. He told me that Gates and Appiah were not the kinds of people you'd see at such gatherings to honor black figures like Nkrumah. That statement schocked me. I later understood why.
The rest is history. I have been to Asante's house on a few occasions. We have eaten at his house, shared stories, etc. We have even shared deep personal stories together.
This man is so kind and humble that he drove miles to my house, picked me up and drove me to his house to eat and have fun. Then he would drive me back to my house, sometimes in the morning, as early as 1 or 2 am. He opened his house to African immigrants. What a man!
Media Mogul, I have quite a collection in America as well. Both my libraries, Ghana's and America's, cover every conceivable piece of knowledge.
The point of it all is that writing and reading are things I do for pleasure. Nothing on the planet gives me psychological satisfaction than reading and writing.
As for the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics, those are topics for the future.
I hope I have adequtely answered your questions.
Have a great weekend (you and Nii Ashitey).
You can still send me further questions if you have any.
Nii Ashitey has been doing a great job giving readers good summaries of my work. I am truly grateful.
And I thank you, Media Mogul, for your constructive critiques.
Thanks.
mother'schild 10 years ago
Francis, ou articles have been inspiring. Its articles like this we should encourage on the web. please create a blog. we need a revolution. A revolution of the mind otherwise we will have the well meaning leaders who will l ... read full comment
Francis, ou articles have been inspiring. Its articles like this we should encourage on the web. please create a blog. we need a revolution. A revolution of the mind otherwise we will have the well meaning leaders who will lead us no where because they lack an African vision
mother'schild 10 years ago
There is a forthcoming book by a ghanaian chief that I have been privy to. I think we should all prepare for very serious discussions and most of all ACTION. Once you accept yourself as an African and live in that consciousne ... read full comment
There is a forthcoming book by a ghanaian chief that I have been privy to. I think we should all prepare for very serious discussions and most of all ACTION. Once you accept yourself as an African and live in that consciousness the rest becomes easy because your actions become an expression of who you
Nii Ashitey 10 years ago
Ghana has been a citadel of intense academic activities by scholars of African descent.From Dr Du Bois, Marcus Garvey right down to Molefi Asante because of Dr Nkrumah.Though Molefi is An American by birth he saw himself firs ... read full comment
Ghana has been a citadel of intense academic activities by scholars of African descent.From Dr Du Bois, Marcus Garvey right down to Molefi Asante because of Dr Nkrumah.Though Molefi is An American by birth he saw himself first as an African before anything else and has devoted a lot of energy to that effect. In 1995 he was made a traditional Chief in Ghana Nana Okru Asante Peasah, Kyidomhene of Tafo, Akyem,to emphasize his African roots and his fixation to African Identity, culture and scholarship.
Afrocentrism was on the lips of scholars like Dr Nkrumah but it was Molefi Asante who gave it its intellectual meaning and authority.His methodology and enquiry was rooted in The African context in a vehement way which compelled the change of attitudes to Afrocentric academic programs and deserve his congratulations for a job well done.
Through the movement of Afrocentrism spearheaded by Molefi Asante and other African-American scholars,they managed to prove that, despite what most people would like to believe, ancient Africa had her own civilizations, languages, cultures, and history long before the arrival of the first Europeans to the continent.Molefi deserves all his accolades for fighting the African course the rest is up to us.
Left Critic 10 years ago
Francis, precisely how does "In My Father's House" denigrate Africa?
Francis, precisely how does "In My Father's House" denigrate Africa?
Left Critic 10 years ago
Francis, I just read your article on "In My Father's House". It is not, I'm sorry to say, an analysis of the book but simply a vilification of Appiah.
Francis, I just read your article on "In My Father's House". It is not, I'm sorry to say, an analysis of the book but simply a vilification of Appiah.
Wake up people 10 years ago
Do you realize somebody is playing games with our intelligence? Go back to the thread to this article...to the writers and respondents:
- Mr. Figure-Out
- Non-aligned
- Media Mogul
- Brother
- Mothers child.
Does the ... read full comment
Do you realize somebody is playing games with our intelligence? Go back to the thread to this article...to the writers and respondents:
- Mr. Figure-Out
- Non-aligned
- Media Mogul
- Brother
- Mothers child.
Does the theme and the message sound the same to you? Same writer may be?
Do you realize there is always a 'Media Mogul' response each time Francis posts an article with a back and forth congratulations and clarifications flying across the airwaves? What does that tell you? That maybe we have been had?
Hmmmmm! Simon says...But stop cracking your brain: let's just take a lesson from Mr. Figure-Out himself...:"go Figure-out."
Wake up People 10 years ago
Do you realize somebody is playing games with our intelligence? Go back to the thread to this article...to the writers and respondents:
- Mr. Figure-Out
- Non-aligned
- Media Mogul
- Brother
- Mothers child.
Does ... read full comment
Do you realize somebody is playing games with our intelligence? Go back to the thread to this article...to the writers and respondents:
- Mr. Figure-Out
- Non-aligned
- Media Mogul
- Brother
- Mothers child.
Does the theme and the message sound the same to you? Same writer may be?
Do you realize there is always a 'Media Mogul' response each time Francis posts an article with a back and forth congratulations and clarifications flying across the airwaves? What does that tell you? That maybe we have been had?
Hmmmmm! Simon says...But stop cracking your brain: let's just take a lesson from Mr. Figure-Out himself...:"go Figure-out."
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Hello,
No one is playing with anybody's intelligence. You should stop playing with our intelligence.
When I initially began writing on Ghanaweb, about three months ago, one reader, probably Nyansasem, associated me wit ... read full comment
Hello,
No one is playing with anybody's intelligence. You should stop playing with our intelligence.
When I initially began writing on Ghanaweb, about three months ago, one reader, probably Nyansasem, associated me with Dr. Michael Bokor.
He/she said I was Dr. Bokor. The next moment someone is going to allege that I am you, Wake up People. Now no one says I am Dr. Bokor anymore.
Mr. or Mrs. Wake up People, I don't have the luxury of time to be doing that. I use my time to reaserch and to write. I have other responsibilities as well.
I have become close to Nii Ashitey and Media Mogul because they kept commenting on my pieces in the past and that endeared me to them.
I have since become friends with CY-Andy-K, Media Mogul, Koko T, Nii Ashitey, Non-Aligned, Dr. Bokor.
Why did you leave out Nii Ashitey? He's also been a good friend on Ghanaweb. In fact, he has commented on many of my write-ups here on Ghanaweb. And how about Kojo T? Why did you leave him out? And CY-Andy-K?
Who's Brother, Motherschild? Is it because the critiques of the people you mentioned are constructive? Why did you not include those who always insult me?
I use the little time I have to write and do other things. I don't look psuedonyms like others. There's no one I am afraid of.
There is one person I think I know. And that's Mr. Figure Out. He may be my course or hall mate at KNUST.
There's another person on Ghanaweb who also knows me personally. He's Tekonline.org.
He, too, I think, may have been my course or hall mate at KNUST. I have given both my email addresses to these two but none has written me so far.
And I may have lived with him, Mr. Figure Out, in Massachusetts. I am even suspecting that Tekonline.org and Mr. Figure Out may possibly be the same person. I still don't know. The rest are good friends I met here on Ghanaweb.
Please rather than dabble in unfounded conspiracies, why not contribute constructively to this essay or write one for us to read?
Are you uncormfortable that I have good friends on Ghanaweb? Please, friend, next time, add those who always instult me to the list!
Use the IP addresses. Use the writings styles.
I can't be a million people simultaneously.
Don't give others the opportunity to say I am you, Wake up People.
Please no one is heavily sleeping as you are presently doing. Let's know when you wake up from your slumber.
Au revoir!
Wake up people. 10 years ago
What are you doing tracking people's IP addresses for? If you never thought we had a Mr. Snowden among us...now you have it. ESPIONAGE.
What are you doing tracking people's IP addresses for? If you never thought we had a Mr. Snowden among us...now you have it. ESPIONAGE.
Media Mogul 10 years ago
How can Francis be posting from the US and Europe at the same time? Or perhaps he thinks up things and sends them to a friend in Europe who posts under Media Mogul. Huh?
C'mmon, Wake up People, YOU need to wake up! Stop th ... read full comment
How can Francis be posting from the US and Europe at the same time? Or perhaps he thinks up things and sends them to a friend in Europe who posts under Media Mogul. Huh?
C'mmon, Wake up People, YOU need to wake up! Stop the baseless conspiracy theory. I got to know of Francis only through his articles here some three months ago. I have been on ghanaweb for years, indeed, since its inception some 20 years ago.
You can know someone "well" through what he writes here. I've been reading Francis here and I think what he writes here is more fruitful than all the political and ethnic nonsense we see here on a daily basis.
I have been critical of Francis' writing style here on ghanaweb and have urged him to keep his pieces short, not write multi-part articles and not use too many big words. You think he's doing that to himself?
Even the writing styles are different. I don't know of Brother, and Mother's Child and don't follow Mr Figure-Out and Non-aligned much.
Stop the accusations, please.
Mr Figure-Out 10 years ago
I think Kwarteng's writing style is confusing the guy. I can figure out he think the way he thinks because of the " we " that Kwarteng use to personify himself, and especially as his write ups is attributed to him and himsel ... read full comment
I think Kwarteng's writing style is confusing the guy. I can figure out he think the way he thinks because of the " we " that Kwarteng use to personify himself, and especially as his write ups is attributed to him and himself only- no co-author.
1. Marcus Garvey
2. Kwame Nkrumah
3. W. E. Du Bois
4. Malcolm X
5. George Padmore
6. Sekou Toure
7. Amilcar Cabral
8. Thomas Sankara
9. Jomo Kenyatta
10. Prof. A. Mazrui
Sorry I left out these great sons of Africa.
THE GREAT ABOLITIONIST AND FOUNDER OF UGCC.
YOU LEFT OUT THE TRIBAL BIGOT OKOAMPA.
" ASANTE HAD THIS TO SAY,"AM AN AFRICA. I LIVE AS AN AFRICAN. THAT'S MY REGION. THE QUESTION OF BEING AMERICAN THAT'S THE CITIZENSHIP. I AM AMERICAN, THAT'S THE PASSPORT I CARRY." I WISH THE MOTHER AFRICA CONTINENT'S CHILDREN ...
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Dear Akasi Martha Nzema,
Truly, that statement you just quoted has had a profound impact on me.
Like you said, I wish children in Africa can be proud of the continent and tell the world they are Africans.
Indeed, y ...
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You made me feel proud of myself as an African-first, unlike your deified "Ewe first" Prof Kofi Awoonor, now a ' Kenyan/Ghanaian mummy'( May his soul find comfortable rest in The Lord) who thought being a Trokosi first was fu ...
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Please don't expose me to the Trokosis for they lounge to crucify my Kookoase arse. Funny Huh. If you admire his broad mindedness , why do you stick to your narrow mind set . Who are " trokosis" if I may ask? For a university ...
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If in this day and age you think in terms of them and us, then I am sorry, Mr Figure-Out you did not get anything from your Masters programme. To whom much is given, much is expected. I know there are those who dabble in such ...
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Dear Brother Mark (UK),
How're you doing?
Thanks for reading the piece.
I must say that I was too tired to respond to your question related to "Do We Want Jesus Or Muhammad To Rule Ghana?"
I read Media Mogul's r ...
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Sorry for responding to you late, time difference, I suppose. I have been laughing all morning, due to the proposition/nomination to the faculty for Nii Ashitey and I. This is because it will be difficult to find a place for ...
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Hello friend,
That's a good observation you made out here.
In fact, one source critiquing Asante's work is Appiah's "In My Father's House."
Moreover, I have dealt with the critique of Asante's work in an ealier Gha ...
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Dear my good brother,
Good afternoon. How are you doing?
I have been waiting for your email. When are you going to send me one?
Your keeping me in suspense is killig me.
I promise not to expose you to our good Ew ...
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Korash, you know I don't hate no one, as some Americans would put it.Remember most of our friends back in the days were Trokosis. Talk of Setho, Keteku(Vinay), Kudjo Kafui of Katanga, Togonu( Togs of Kat) and Spaceman . For ...
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Thank you Francis, continue with the good work of educating the enslaved minds.........That is if they would swith from their myopic 'NPP and NDC' rubbish.
YOUR QUOTE: "In fact, Asante’s lifetime achievement has centered ...
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If they have thse faults , we put them there and they reflect us. If whites do not want to hear baout African achievements what about some tribalists who will shout down daniel Pryce if he were to write about his Ewes history ...
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I get your point but, we do not need to live our lives pleasing whites, blues or whoever!
We need to create our own paths and destiny and all those you've mentioned needs to be celebrated.
That vis why I keep saying tha ...
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Dear NON-ALIGNED,
How are you doing?
I was expecting to see you when Part l was posted.
I did't find your authoritative and wise voice there.
Anyway, as always, you're on course with your opinions.
There are ...
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Many of my questions were already answered in yesterday's discussion.
I think you have established the case for Asante beyond any reasonable doubt and one will do well to get acquainted with his work. You have already giv ...
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What this man is doing is to awaking our minds to be careful with the easy way of learning as if we cannot establish any facts ourselves. From economics to finance to biology, we study as if what the European has written is f ...
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It is a pity but shows our level of thinking . Francis obviously thinks about ISSUES as he may be termed " ag reat mind" . But alas most of us are still at the small mind level where we can only talk about people. Cheap gossi ...
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Dear Brother and Kojo T,
How are you both doing?
Brother, your statement on this forum is one of the major reasons I write. I am happy you have noticed that.
I want us to think beyond what we receive from the West. Y ...
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I have read the posting 3 times but I do not understand it. How does this impact on Ghana or am I missing the point?
Dear Media Mogul,
Good morning from here? Please how are you doing?
Let me begin: I agree with you on everything you have said about the predicament Dr. Kwame Anthony Appiah faces as regards his identity. Therefore, I s ...
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Francis, ou articles have been inspiring. Its articles like this we should encourage on the web. please create a blog. we need a revolution. A revolution of the mind otherwise we will have the well meaning leaders who will l ...
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There is a forthcoming book by a ghanaian chief that I have been privy to. I think we should all prepare for very serious discussions and most of all ACTION. Once you accept yourself as an African and live in that consciousne ...
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Ghana has been a citadel of intense academic activities by scholars of African descent.From Dr Du Bois, Marcus Garvey right down to Molefi Asante because of Dr Nkrumah.Though Molefi is An American by birth he saw himself firs ...
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Francis, precisely how does "In My Father's House" denigrate Africa?
Francis, I just read your article on "In My Father's House". It is not, I'm sorry to say, an analysis of the book but simply a vilification of Appiah.
Do you realize somebody is playing games with our intelligence? Go back to the thread to this article...to the writers and respondents:
- Mr. Figure-Out
- Non-aligned
- Media Mogul
- Brother
- Mothers child.
Does the ...
read full comment
Do you realize somebody is playing games with our intelligence? Go back to the thread to this article...to the writers and respondents:
- Mr. Figure-Out
- Non-aligned
- Media Mogul
- Brother
- Mothers child.
Does ...
read full comment
Hello,
No one is playing with anybody's intelligence. You should stop playing with our intelligence.
When I initially began writing on Ghanaweb, about three months ago, one reader, probably Nyansasem, associated me wit ...
read full comment
What are you doing tracking people's IP addresses for? If you never thought we had a Mr. Snowden among us...now you have it. ESPIONAGE.
How can Francis be posting from the US and Europe at the same time? Or perhaps he thinks up things and sends them to a friend in Europe who posts under Media Mogul. Huh?
C'mmon, Wake up People, YOU need to wake up! Stop th ...
read full comment
I think Kwarteng's writing style is confusing the guy. I can figure out he think the way he thinks because of the " we " that Kwarteng use to personify himself, and especially as his write ups is attributed to him and himsel ...
read full comment