Bruce Road, Jamestown British Accra - By kpaikpaanyo

My good friend Thomas Jefferson will not forgive me for continuing to use the word Accra. He is right, there is no word called Accra in the Ga language but we have moved along culturally with the integration and assimilation of people from different places. The beauty of it all is that there is a Jamestown smack in the middle of Accra that most people who live in Accra do not know.

But it was in Jamestown that we all grew up and it was in Jamestown that our navels were cut and buried and so we continue gravitating towards Jamestown. For me it is to the home of my maternal grandfather that I celebrate the Ga Homowo, but since I am so blest I am also privileged to go the house of my paternal grand uncle’s house at Krobo in Teshie.

Bruce Road is at the heart of James Town, others may claim the Bannerman Road or Hansen Road that run parallel to Bruce Road are more prominent but I beg to disagree with them and I would suggest that where more prominent would one find Adawso House, a place that has sadly been torn down. The large number of footballers cut their teeth playing ‘otipi’ at the popular C – the rather small pavement that bordered the CFAO warehouse.

We had London Market, not surprising for James Town but we also had Royal School and Royal Park that was later transformed into the infamous James Town Police Station. The Bruce Konuah, Blavo, Bannerman, Addy, Vanderpuije, Crabbe, Heward Mills, Biney, Quartey Papafio, Torto, Mould, Hutton Mills all lived on Bruce Road.

Sadly there is always a decline in fortunes of any city area, especially what becomes known as the inner city. The decline cannot be resolved by family alone, because though strong neighbourhoods are built by families, there must be a joint effort by all including government to sustain these neighbourhoods. There are many names to this game. Regeneration, Urban renewal, community development, neighbourhood restoration. The important issue here is that it must be a partnership between the government, the community and most times the private sector.

There is no point in creating new areas since in 50 or so years time they will fall into disrepair if you do nothing to maintain those areas that 50 years ago were prominent. The culture of renewal is too important to dismiss for any developing country other wise Accra will end up as one large slum.

So I hope that on saturday 8th August 2009 when the Ngleshie Alata Mantse celebrated his Homowo and flew the Union Jack over the Mantse Palace he was thinking about the renewal of Bruce Road because that is what Homowo is about; the start of a yearly process that enables us to account for what things have happened during the year and to look forward to the better things that we are intent on achieving.

As my friend from Osu put it last night at his lecture on the role of Gadangme Europe in the transformation and revival of Gadangme, he said and here I can only paraphrase

…. imagine if 5 years time there are four clinics in Kasoa, Ada, Ofankor and Chorkor, if in the next year this is followed by 4 libraries in different out posts of greater Accra and if in the next year there are four different apprentice schemes in yet four different areas and if all these are donated and maintained by the Gadangme people of Europe as a gift for the Gadangme people of Ghana. Would that not be a transformation from the usual chorus of people talking about marginalisation of the Gadangme people and beating their chests about a once great people?

Well, but for the efforts to move beyond the talking about the demise to taking action, there must be serious planning without which there can be no proper and purposeful organising and the danger of taking action as individuals is that if there is no groundswell of support and if there is no proper coordination, we will end up with incoherent projects competing against each other when they must be collaborating. The spirit of partnership based on the principle of enlightened self interest will be missing and progress will continuously be thwarted.

So how do we get Bruce Road to lead the way as they did at the turn of the last century by producing the professionals who helped to transform our country from Gold Coast into Ghana.

Those who ate Kpoikpoi yesterday must sense the start of a new period.

Noo wala, noo wala
Afi oo afi
afi naa akpe wo
kpaanyo ani na wo
woye Gbo ni woye Gbiena
wofee moomo
alonte din ko akafo woten
wosee afi wa ta shie ye omaye mli
ni afi aya ni eba nina wo

Tswa ni Omanye Aba

A Special Homowo Prayer from the Diaspora

"Nii Kanto Oberserber"

Special Homowo Prayer from the Diaspora

Awo Awo Awoooo
Agba e, Bleku tsoo
Esu esu
enam enam
Manye manye
Adiban kpotoor

On this day of Homowo, when the Ga New starts, we need to offer thanks to God that we have survived another year.
As I eat my Kpoikpoi and i will be going to the Round House on New Dover Street to partake of the feast at the special invitiation of Nii Oto Din and we shall defy the order`of the National Security Cordinator and make a public display of sprinkiing the Kpoikpoi so that the other living organisms that we cannot see with the eye will also consume some and be renewed for another year.

Agoo atamei ke awomei
Tswa, tswa, tswa, omanye aba
Agoo niimei nenemei ke naamei
Tswa tswa omanye aba
Nmene ashi me, nmene ashi hɔ
Niimɛi a hɔ, naamɛi a hɔ

Bo mawu asaase yaa afia
Ataa naa nyomgbo
Ni obɔ ngwie ke shikpoon
Tsei ke tei
Gongii ke fai
Ke ni bii koklomei
ni obo gbomei adesai

Tse ofe, Ni ogbeo ni ayeo
Wontse bo ni oba domo nmene afi ni woyei ne mli
Wɔntse bo ni oshi wɔ ŋmaa, ni oshi wɔ loo

Fasee Kwale ke Krobo Odua
Nye fee he eko, ni ebashwele ye mei ahie
Nye ba yei odase nmene

Dantu, bo okanɛɔ ni bei shɛɔ ni wɔ gbaa ko
Bahe dan ne eko onu

Nii Sakumo Klote
Onyanku afre, Ofite osaa
Na nmene baa saa ohawo
Nmene Akee Ga eku shi egbekosi
Orko ama nkran
Nii ni hawɔ bɔfoi ni wɔkɛ yaa ta
Awuna ba wɔ ye kunii, Ashante ba wɔ ye kunii
Nkrumah ba, wɔ ni wa ha e ye kuni
Mills eba ni wɔ noo ni wɔ wa lɛ ni eye kunii
No he wo baa hu taa oha Gadangme fee

Naa Korle aboyoo, aboyoo
Naa Korle yoofoyoo
Naa moomo naa
Naa ni jor ni ahe
Na bajor shi ohawo

Nai e nai
Nai e nai
Nai e nai
Ogbeedada, Odooma, meiwura, shitse
Kingbi king, Amralo bi amralo
Ope amugi ope ntro
Osatsoko asa nyanyara
Tse nai bahe dan ne oko onu

Kedze Obuto akpla keyagbei Langma
Kedze Langma keyashi ada Shwilao
Kedze Yilo gon ayiten keya gbee Ada
Kedze wouyo keyaa kooyi
Wontse nyefee ni yebaa
Mi gbekebibio ke mi naa fufo sa,
Mi Nyen ni male nyefee
Si ke ntse ekome e, etse nyefee blublu
Atsee moko ashii moko
Nyefee nyebaa koni nyeba jor shi
Ni nyehaa Bleku aka, ni nu ashwee shi
Ni shi ajor, ni mle akwen
Ni wona eko woye
Ni nshɔ afu ni nshɔ gbɔ abasra wɔ
Ni ke wodze bu, wodze ye nuno
Ni ke woye ni wonu
Wo kodjii ano ajo wo

Be dze no shi, wo Gadangme bi ni woyoo mansee
Wokee daa afi le esani wo gbako ni woke kai nibii ne eteeno ye woshihile mli, Be ke wotse nye bie ene noo dzi wo sane e

Naa Thames hemo dan ne eko onu
Wonbi djomo wo eha wo Manye Elizabeth ke ehefatalor
Won bi dzormo woha Gordon Brown
Wonbi wala ke djomo womli ha
Wo president Mills, ni ekura wo man dzogbaan ehawo
Wɔn bi dzomo wɔ ha wo ha wɔ High commissioner

Nii Ga Abiasuma bokete afadi
won bi wala woha bo

Na aprodo woba he nohewo le
won bi ni nye bafo wohe akrabatsa
ni nye kpaa adiden
ni oshra ateke wo

Wontse nye ni nye ha woshwelea
Ni notsumo fee ni wotsoɔ
Eya no odzogbaan
Ni woya obo ni woba obo
Ni wo kpaa ni wo glaa abaa dzwele wo hi
Ni wo tako dzuro akpa abu wo hie
wontse nye ni nyehawo wala ke nmaa
ni ke wo ko shelen etso poun oha
wontse nye ni nyehaa woshwele a
ke wo bii ke wo hoi

naa ni ni woba nye nee
moko musuu akako le
moko yitso akgbale
woba obon woya obon
ni ke wonya
teko aka twsa moko e
tsoko aka tswa moko e
naa ake gadangme bii
ke atwsa akpee
wono bemli fei

ni ke sulo ko damo heko ni eke wo ka shwele
ni ekee woka naa nmaa
ani ke wo dzoo, wo dzoo le lo
ani ke wo dzoo wo dzoo le lo
ye ha wo waa eyi ko
hooooooooooooo
tswa omanye abla wo

And for all those friends and foes
this is our day of celebration and making peace with each other

Noo wala Noo Wala
Afi oh afi
Afi Naa akpe wo
Kpaanyo anina wo
Woye Gbo ni woye Gbiena
Wofee moomo
Alonte din ko aka fo woten
Ni wose afi wota shi neke noo
Tswa Omanye aba

British Jamestown Accra

The old Harbour at Jamestown, Accra buzzing
with activity

Remember PEEKAY? Still stuck on your souls

Yeeeees PEEkay, PEEkay

A WEEKEND WITH THE OBAMAS

This weekend became a very important one in my life. Besides getting over the inconvenience of being stuck in traffic all morning on Saturday hence missing my tennis game. But I think President Barack Obama's visit made it all forgetable and forgivable; something I never did for George Bush last year. I had had my take on this visit from last wednesday after theorising about the links between Ghana and the American Civil Rights Movement. Suprisingly no one dared listen to me, but rather constantly asking about what gifts did Santa come bearing. Have we as Africans lost our dignity to the point of forgetting our traditional ways of welcome accorded to important people? I hope we have not. President Barack Obama truly came and told us off besides praising us and the people who should have taken more heed were the politicians in whose hands extreme and absolute power rests. At the end they were climbing all over each other having forgotten the recently delivered message to shake the brother's hand. I was truly priviledged to listen to him on all the platforms accorded and not ashamed as an African man to admit the tears that welled in my eyes all weekend listening and watching reruns of this very historic moment. to be continued...

The challenge of democracy – Can Obama deliver on his promise to Africa?

Ade Sawyerr © London July 2009
On Friday 10th July 2009 and Saturday 11th July 2009, the whole world had its eyes trained on Ghana. Everyone wanted to hear what this son of Africa who had become leader of the whole world was going to say to help solve some of the chronic problems facing the continent.
Obama exceeded all my expectations and gave a speech that only he could give; he had an excellent grasp of the issues and it was clear that although he was critical of our African leaders, there was an implied promise that he would help to make things better. He also excelled in trying to go beyond the leaders to talk to the youth.
This was clearly a speech that had been written for the leaders as well as for the masses but in the event, we are told that weather conditions did not permit him to address the masses, though some believe that it was more for security considerations; so he had to ask the leaders to take the message to the youth. I was disappointed in the choice of the venue. I had expected that what I still call the Black Star Square should have been used so that there would have been more opportunity for the youth to hear him speak. The lighting was poor and the video feed was atrocious, Ghana could have spent a little bit more money to have got that right. This was an occasion when we should have been truly in the spotlight so to speak, but we failed.
This is the same country that could spend money to buy 250 cars to celebrate 50th anniversary of our independence and yet could not invest in getting the whole world to listen to the clear message of promise from Obama.
There was also little publicity in the western world about the trip. The Ghana government should have made some song and dance about the choice of Ghana and profited directly by signalling to all in the world that as Obama put it….”the 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well.” I had expected that the government of Ghana, the Ministry of Trade and Tourism and the Ministry of Information and the Ghanaian Missions abroad would have advertised the trip widely to provide more interest. I hope that Ghana can still profit from the visit since I certainly know that Obama and America intend to benefit directly.
For America, this was an exercise to show to the world the new order, a new benign way of leading the multi-polar world through alliances and pacts with the Russian, their old adversary in the Cold War that did a lot of collateral damage to Africa, and economic leadership by standing together with the G8 nations to make the world a better place economically.
But America intends to benefit from this trip in other ways, particularly in the area of security and the leaders in Africa need to decide whether America has changed from its old bad ways of fomenting discord on the continent in pursuit of its interests.
We have to critically analyse this new moment of promise to determine for ourselves, as we are encouraged by Obama to do, the issues that serve our interests better. Can we trust America on all this?
The western press was not disappointed because there was a lot in Obama’s message that enabled them to write about the doom and gloom of Africa. The headlines ran ‘Obama admonishes African Leaders’ Africans must help themselves’ ‘colonial past need not be a barrier’. So the news reported was not about the major progress that had been made in Africa and the promise of the moment, it was not about Obama rewarding Ghana for its deepening and maturing democracy, but it was about all the negative issues that Obama sought to dispel in this new engagement with the continent. This new engagement with the continent that will not be shaped by America telling us what we must that do – this did us a lot of harm in the past – but by being allowed to develop our own brand of democracy that will be consistent with our culture and with our heritage.
Obama informed us that he expects Africa to do better, and in each of the four themes that he chose to speak on, democracy, opportunity, disease and conflict he recognised it was not entirely our fault but there it time to move on the build on what we have.
I agree with all that Obama said. I agree that development is directly linked to good governance and there are no excuses for the way our leaders have let down their nation. This is what Obama said on the theme of democracy; it rings true everywhere and resonates with all.
"First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments. As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: governments that respect the will of their own people are more prosperous, more stable and more successful than governments that do not. This is about more than holding elections; it's also about what happens between them. Repression takes many forms, and too many nations are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top, or the head of the port authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end"
Can we trust Obama and America on this? Will they accept the will of the people of Gaza for voting in Hamas, will they accept that the current Iranian government really listened to the will of the people in one of the few countries in the Middle East that even allows its people to vote at elections? Will it intervene in Honduras to restore the deposed President?
African governments have a lot to learn from the experience of Ghana. It was the same country that showed so much promise at independence only to have America and Britain intervene and usher in a raft of military dictators. The CIA and MI5 actually interfered so that we would be ruled by military dictators.
Obama should have acknowledged that without the CIA inspired military coup d’état in Ghana, our democracy would have been deepened and we may have been better developed now!
So the challenge of democracy in my opinion is also about how western governments learn not to dictate that we must follow one brand of democracy and only one brand and that they must dictate which brand suits us best. In 1966, Ghana paid a price for being caught up in the Cold War, not very different from the bond of 1844 that partitioned Africa.
We hope that with the promise of democracy Obama would protect us from the malicious interference from western powers. Because behind every coup d’état that we have had in Africa there has been a western influence, support or even direct involvement and in most cases it is because the west does not agree with the terms of democracy in that country.
So Africa will keep the promise of democracy and we hope that Obama will also assure us that the west will keep its grubby hands away from Africa.
But can the West keep their promise? I doubt it! WHY! Because in the same speech that Obama put the responsibility for upholding democracy on Africans themselves, he talked about a much maligned, and rightly so, policy of joining Africa in helping to promote the security of America. This is what Obama said ….
“America has a responsibility to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there is genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems – they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response. That is why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy, technical assistance, and logistical support, and will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa and the world.”

We could all hear muttering in the house……the only part of his speech that did not go down well with his listeners. Obama reverted to type. The America concerned with its own security whose interests are above all other nations and to think that this proposal was coming from the same person who during his campaign emphasised that terrorism had been imported to Iraq because the Americans went there in the first place. Will this not import terrorism to Africa?
The same Obama who has charged us with a responsibility is suggesting now that they want an African Command in Africa but not as a foothold? What do they want an African command in Africa for?
President Obama should be reminded that, there was a time that an African High Command was proposed but was scuppered by the Americans. He must be reminded that at the start of the Congo crisis Ghana raised an army to help resolve the conflict, but the Americas scuppered it. He should be reminded that when Nkrumah proposed an Africa High Command to solve regional problems, it was America that turned round to suggest that Nkrumah had raised the army to fight against his neighbours and not to keep peace. If Ghanaians as he rightly pointed out in the speech are out in Bosnia, Lebanon and all sorts of places in the world keeping peace, why do we need Americans to come and do it on our continent? This bit is not palatable and America should rethink the neo imperialist move into Africa. Because everywhere the Americans go turns in a terrorist trap and we do not want that part of America on our continent.
Obama went on to remind us of the promise of democracy that needs to be won. This is what Obama said…..
“And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: “It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice.”
Now, that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you”
We can only win back that triumph not through arms and African Command, we can only win that through democracy and Obama should help in the achievement of that global democracy that was stunted when Ghana and Africa were caught up in the Cold War. It is about African Unity. It is about support to deal with the ills of colonisation and neo-colonisation in a more productive way.
It is about helping us forge institutions across the whole continent that will help transform our individual countries, it is about building infrastructure in governance that can be replicated in each state in Africa, it about helping us forge economic unions that will be able to bargain on a stronger footing to reject that bit of bad aid this is sometimes forced on our leaders because individually they are in a weak bargaining position whereas if the negotiated as a block they will be stronger and more strategic.
Obama has talked a good talk, he has provided a lot of useful advice to us, we believe that he is sincere, we believe that he will help, but we ask that he allows us to continue with our brand of democracy, he must keep the military out because like the military everywhere, they initially go in to protect and they end up brutalising the people as has happened in Ireland, in Iraq and will continue to happen.
I would suggest to President Obama that however he tries to sell the African Command it will still reek with imperialism!
President Obama, you stopped short of preaching to us, we liked all we heard and will make our leaders more accountable in this march of democracy, but we are asking that you support us with this African union project that was conceived long before the African Command became necessary. We are asking you to provide support for the African Union.
If you seriously want to help us with our democracy then you must help us with forging our African Union since you already know that the best solutions for the problems in Africa must come from Africans.
Then we can assure you that with the promise of this moment in Ghana, the young of Africa will rise up to the challenge of democracy. We assure you that just like all the good things on this earth has come from Africa, just as MLK drew his inspiration from this independent Ghana, our young will draw their inspiration from this moment when a son of Africa returned to the soil as the President of America.
Ade Sawyerr is in partner Equinox Consulting, a management consultancy that provides consultancy, training and research that focuses on formulating strategies for black and ethnic minority, disadvantaged and socially excluded communities. He also comments on political, economic and social, and development issues. He can be contacted by email on jwasawyerr@gmail.com or through http://www.equinoxconsulting.net/

You can take the boy away from the Hearts Phobia but you cannot take the phobia out of the boy

http://www.ssmf.co.uk/index.asp;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Matthews;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/654500.stm
You can take the boy away from the Hearts Phobia but you cannot take the phobia out of the boy. A once famous 'cliche' often quoted and never forgotten when the need arises. What you might thinking now is why a white footballer kitted in Accra Hearts of Oak colours in the 1950's looking like he is getting ready to play. I was given this photograph by Mr James Barnor (Photographer- Ever Young Studios, Jamestown). Sir Stanley Matthews was his name and he was in Ghana as a sporting ambassador, and was taken around by no other person than the late Mr A.K. Konuah sportsman (Hockey), educationist and my grandfather (Will show you pictures of that in another posting). Sir Stan was a flying winger in his day better remembered to have been the oldest person to play for England at the ripe old age of 40. So yes he featured in a few exhibition matches for Accra Heartsof Oak. (Perhaps someone with a more accurate story might want to correct or clarify this peice of information).

The other gentleman, ie the goalkeeper is called Lamptey-Mills and is supposed to be the founder of the what is now known as the Great Lamptey Schools. Also another great who needs celebrating for his contributions to our society after his footballing career.

This story is to be continued...

Ever Young at 80 – Mr James Aflah Barnor

By Ade Sawyerr, London

As a young boy growing up in James Town (British Accra), there was a particular route that I took to church every Sunday with my older brother and sisters. From Bruce Road we would take a left turn at Commodore Street into St. Edmund’s Street, past Mantse Agbona and into the High street and then past the famous James Fort, the Ussher Fort and then the Old Kingsway Store till we arrived at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity.

There were three photographic studios along the route; “Ever Young” studio on St. Emund’s Street and the Deo Gratis studio just off the High street; and just before you get to the Ussher Fort there was Mr, Darku’s studio on the left (you have to look for it before you notice that small studio!). I refer to these photographic studios because when you are in your Sunday best that is when you are likely to have your photographs taken.

I had completely forgotten about the “Ever young” studio till I came into this country because as I graduated from satin tunic shirts and shorts, through short suits, and then to full suits, I sort of remembered the many more photographs that my parents had demanded that we take during the important ‘events’ when we really dressed for church were mostly at Deo Gratis Studios. I have however recently understood why this was so and why I was more in tune with Deo Gratia than with “Ever Young”. I must say however that over the past 10 years this has changed considerably and the reason for that change is that I have had the privilege of meeting the proprietor of “Ever Young” and doubly honoured to consider him as a friend.
Mr James Aflah Barnor – ‘Ever Young”; turned 80 on Saturday 6th June 2009 and I was one of the privileged people who attended his exhibition at the Paul Robeson Theatre in the Treaty Centre at Hounslow though there were several other more important personalities who attended this exhibition.

The first photographic exhibition that he had organised that I attended was graced by the then High Commissioner to the Court of St James, His Excellency Isaac Osei – that was in 2004, the next one that I attended was 2 years ago that was hosted by the Black Cultural Archives in conjunction with Ghana@50, and was opened by Dame Jocelyn Barrow.

But this celebration topped it all with the husband and wife team of Ann Keen MP for Brentford and Isleworth and Alan Keen MP for Feltham and Heston who were there to join Mr Barnor for the celebration of his birthday. Ann kindly opened the exhibition after a brief tribute to the work of Mr Barnor. But there were several others from the world of arts and culture at the event. Steven Blaine the Director of Arts Forum in Hounslow, Steve Flynn, Rachel Pepper from the Acton Arts Forum, Renee and Senate from Autograph, who printed some new photos for the exhibition and have been working with Mr Barnor to digitise his work that spans over 50 years and cuts across several continents. Kelly Forster was there to represent the Black Cultural archives.

There were also some important personalities from the Ghanaian community: Numo Nortse Amartey, Nii Oto Din, Nii Ashalle Asuku, Nii Nortei Omaboe, Mr Joseph Meyer, Mr and Mrs Seddoh, whose photograph taken in 1954 as a young lady was part of the exhibition, Miss Wendy Addae, and Mr Alex Amartefio, who came all the way from Ireland.

Mr Barnor at 80 wanted all to know that there were different dimensions to him; he is first and foremost a family man and his children Fred and Yvonne inspired and assisted by Mary Abbey (a cousin) had put on the birthday party in his honour. He was also a photographer and he wanted his photographs on display; but he was also a cultural drumming and dancing organiser and it was in that capacity of his popularising his cultural troupe, Feehi that I had come into contact with him.

At this event “Dance Carib” an African-Caribbean troupe really stormed the theatre; they were outstanding. They entertained us all for over one hour non stop.

But there was also another aspect of Mr Barnor on display. In the middle of the party and out of the blue, in walked a group of over 20 Indian people in their suits and Saris with a trolley packed with Indian food. They had also come to participate in all celebrations and as his friend and brother they did make him proud especially when he decided that he must change from his white ‘joromi’; shirt to don on an Indian attire before he could cut the cake. And oh the cake – yes there was a traditional birthday cake as always but there was on display a sculptured “nkatie-cake” – well sculptured as in depicting fruits arranged as in still art drawings.

Well I have not talked about the pictures for the exhibition or about the other aspects of Mr Barnor because there are too numerous for the rather young old man whose preferred medium of communication is Facebook, Google chat and Skype all more media connections dispelling the lie that older people are psychologically fearful of new technology. I am sure that he is already on Twitter telling us all what he had for breakfast in the mornings.

Mr Barnor was born in 1929 and lived in James Town British Accra and at 19 years plus moved to what is known as the Otukpia area in Adabraka. He attended Bishop Boys School where he was influenced by one of his teachers ‘Joy’ Archampong and thus his interests in cultural activities – he led the school band then and taught in the infant school for a bit until he started his apprenticeship under the famous and renown portrait photographer,
Mr. J. P.Darku Dodoo.

He set up his own “Ever young” studio in 1949 and in 1950 was employed as the first press photographer of the Daily Graphic. He was also the official photographer with Drum Magazine, Africa’s leading magazine during of that period.
In 1959 he left Ghana to study photography at the Medway College of Art, Rochester in Kent and taught there for a while after his course before landing a job at the Centre for Educational Television Overseas in St. John’s Wood, London. He subsequently worked for an advertising agency Campbell Drayton.
But Apart from all these, Mr. Barnor’s number one pride is his long association with the Colour Processing Laboratory in Edenbridge , Kent where he became proficient in colour photography, and where he was recommended to gain a place at the Agfa- Gevaert Advanced schools in Germany and Belgium, to prepare him for his return to Ghana.

He retuned to Ghana and in 1970 helped to establish the very first Colour developing and printing laboratory in Accra, Ghana.
Mr. Barnor later took other jobs while in Ghana including 5 years as the Post Photographer for the American Embassy, (US. Information Services).
He also spent 5 years working directly with the Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Committee in the Castle, Osu in Ghana.

Mr Barnor has lived in London since the latter part of 1994 participating fully in the cultural life of his local area. It is remarkable that he has forged links with several organisations still in pursuit of his passion for photography and black-cultural awareness. He has extended his skills into the world of digital photography learning how to use the computer as the main tool for manipulating images and he has acquired a functional knowledge of Photoshop, the main programme for doing this.
He had been active in the promotion of cultural drumming and dance groups and has seen most of the young people he nurtured in Ghana move over to this country to provide training in schools and colleges in cultural drumming and dancing.

He has made contact with people of different heritages and is as comfortable amongst Caribbean people as he is amongst Asians and white people. He is very popular amongst most people and his flat has since become a Mecca for several people who have visited to see his vast archive of rare photographs.
He tells me that he has been able to make many new friends as a result of his continued interest in all the arts and the fact the he is courted by so many people and is now finally getting the recognition he deserves as one of the foremost custodians of our heritage is something to be marvelled at.
In his speech at the event he touched on one of his ambitions which is get the senior citizens in the Hounslow area to bring their old photographs together as a basis for another exhibition next year. This sentiment mirrors his wish that an Association of Photographers should be formed in Ghana to trace and harness the work of great photographers that have gone before him and to build a veritable archive of the changing culture of the country through the eyes of photographers.

Mr Barnor remains a good friend to my family; he unearthed a priceless picture of my father and mother at independence and another with my late sister presenting the bouquet to the duchess of Kent at Accra on Ghana’s Independence Day, March 1957. His pictures of Nkrumah during the 50’s Ghana are a treasure as shown in this recollection from him:
http://www.bcaheritage.org.uk/ghanajubilee/Pages/Archive.html

He continues to send me pictures of Ghanaian personalities through email to our family shared computer, to the extent that my son has named him ‘A picture for you’

I too join all the numerous well wishers in adding my own message of congratulations to Mr Barnor and take this opportunity to include this poem that was written by my late father to celebrate his own 80th birthday several years ago.

AN ODE ON MY 80TH BIRTHDAY
Today, God has blessed to be
My happy day of birth,
And what do I render him
For all these wonderful years of eighty?
For his redeeming grace,
For his care and protection of me,
For the blessings he has showered on me,
For giving me knowledge of his might and power,
For a father and mother who nurtured me,
For relatives and friends good and honest who cherish me,
For a loving consort selfless in her devotion,
For children born in the fear of God,
For a standing in the world that gladdens the heart,
For a smile that keeps shining on my face
Through prosperity and adversity,
And for making me know that thou
Art God Almighty worthy to be worshipped and praised,
And for thy son Jesus Christ to show me
An example of living life,
For all these manifest benefits and others
I render profound thanks to thee O God,
And give praise to thy most Holy Name
On this my eightieth birthday anniversary
JADES 1911-1995

Ade Sawyerr ©London June 2009
jwasawyerr@gmail.com