Wahala Dey

It was the annual Joy fm + Unibank (2011) Easter Soup Kitchen (16th
edition, I guess so) and I decided to visit for the first time and
witness it myself. The crowd was overwhelming, sponsors were giving
out from food to free healthcare. What truly caught my attention was
most of the people seeking assistance were women and children and came
from a particular part of the country. Saw loads carrying their
"valuables" on their heads neatly tied up in cloths. What drives them
down South, I had "no idea" but I guess each one had their
story.There was the occasional scuffles over food and snacks but I
reckoned everyone will have a "bit" of the giveaways by the numerous
kind sponsors (God bless Joy). Saw smiles, tears and amazing dancing
moves. They had some "freebies" to smile about. As the day came to an
end and they headed out, I heard thunder strike, it was about to rain,
they might have smiled a bit to soon. They just had food but shelter
?...... wahala dey

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Meeting Inspiration

The book sales day finally arrived and I headed towards East Legon
gunning to be the first customer. I had to be, the sales was been
organized by the Bedwei family. The Bedwei are a fantastic family with
some inspirational women. The motive for buying a book was paramount
but also important was the chance of meeting Farida Bedwei. Farida is
the "definition of a Miracle and also the author of a book by same
title, a definate must read. Farida got cerebral palsy when she was
10years old and was home schooled by her wonderful mum who quit her
job to fully take care of her until she was 12, Farida has excelled
academically and has risen to become one of the top software
engineers in Ghana. Armed with my camera and money in my wallet. I
arrived at my destination and was welcomed by Ayesha Bedwei Farida's
senior sister who showed me around happily the listed books available.
1000's of titles to pick from and one will be spoiled for choice.
After my selection, it was time to shoot a wonderful and inspirational
family, the Bedwei's

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loved & loathed

Not always has a photographers job been a niceone. We have been
smiled at, spat on and threatened with seizure of our camera's. I
remembered been whacked by an Ex-President boyguard in the head at
Anomabu in Ghana for getting too close and barely two weeks ago
threathned with arrest for filming on a school's refuse dump with my
pal Fui. However for the passion I still strive on and so does loads
of my colleagues. We all have our stories, A few of my loved and
loathed.

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Ghana Ahoufe

Not "too long" ago, a woman going to have her hair done needed not be
too worried about money for relaxers, shampoo and conditioners. All
that was needed was "shrichi ahuma" . Shrichi ahuma is a 91.44m
ceiling fan thread made in China. The natural hair is well gathered
and neatly tied up in columns by the thread. Times have indeed
changed. I have been told. Change I do welcome but guess i am getting
too old with all these "human" hair and "contemporary" hair do. The
all "natural" Ghanaian "ahoufe", dearly missed.

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Kodak Moment

The weekend off did not really start on time, I drove off to Pick my
Volta “Guugle” brother Guud Kelly and Theo with my able assistant
King George we hit the road. We got to Tsito and saw a smiling face
weaving some wonderful straw hats and wearing a fanciful one, I had
to stop. Guud was made known of my intentions of photographing this
craftsman who I realized was standing supported by a pair of clutches.
When I offered to buy his unfinished hat, he obliged. I further asked
Guud to seek his permission so I could photograph him in his hat; he
said yes and gave a smile that Kodak will be envious off. The weekend
off has started on a good note

Our Daily Bread

It was high noon and the sun was at its harshest. "Bad" time of day to
do outdoor photography? Maybe, maybe not, with my trusted assistant
with me, we headed towards the scrap market in Accra. This
"manufacturing" plant of scraps for the aluminium industry did not
have a "bad" time for working, In the heat, Baba Musa and his boys had
set a huge fire to burn of the rubber and other combustables which
hold any metal in them. With dexterity Baba Musa uses a rake to turn
over the fire and pull out the ones with the rubber melted off and his
"boys " squirt water on it to cool them off .They were happy to
tell me the process and "hell" they go through to have their
"heaven-sent" money. He had no one to blame for working in such a
harsh enviroment. When I asked him why no gloves or face mask to
protect himself, with a warm smile he said "God is the ultimate
protector". The final scrap buyer with merchant scale will determine
how much "heaven" Baba will have for his labour in the scorching sun
and the burning inferno. Welcome to  Agbogbloshie.

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The mouth filter

An okyeame or "linguist" in English, but an okyeame is much more than
a linguist. Communication with the King or with chiefs and fetish
priests will go through an okyeame. The Okyeame is deemed wise and
often uses proverbs to put across the message of the King. It is
believed if there is ever a "bad" message spoken by the king, the
Okyeame becomes the filter that refines the message and puts it across
the Kings audience in acceptable way. Always characterized by their
staffs which has totems of the King or clan which they represent.
Okyeame, the modern day P.R.O