>Obama in Africa

> Sorry for my absence here on the blog. It’s been a busy week. Anyways, no one (hopefully) hold any grudges today, not towards a lazy blogger nor towards a fellow human with a different opinion, today, the feeling is united.

America has elected a person bigger than a national politician for their next president. Barack Obama is the first African-American to be elected president of the United States, but he is so much more. A politician who speaks about hope in a way that tears people’s eyes and about change that people can believe in. It’s been a long time since politicians were met with such massive cheer, almost religious devotion anywhere in the world.

For me personally, I am of course happy a man with Caucasian and African parents (just like my future children) can become president of the world’s super power. However, I believe the aspect of bringing politics “back on track”, suggesting a politician is a role model and an inspiration is even more important.

In Africa as a whole the hopes for Obama’s presidency is high. South Africa’s President Kgalema Motlanthe said in a statement:

“Your election to this high office of the American people carries with it hope for millions of your country men and women as much as it is for millions of people of particularly of the African descent both in the continent of Africa as well as those in the diaspora.”

Kenya’s president declared tomorrow a public holiday.

Here in Ghana, the election has been the big topic for discussion of the week and several “Obama parties” were organized yesterday night (I sadly fell asleep on my couch). One more is due tonight at the Accra night club The Office. Most my Facebook friends had written something on the election as their “status”. In the office this morning we talked about the election with smiling faces.

I believe my husband summarized the joyous feeling well as he was getting ready to go to work this morning:

“Today, I’m wearing white!”

Pic from Chicago Sun and Obama’s trip to Kenya in 2006.

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>Ghana in London

> I just returned from a fantastic long weekend in London, or shall I say Little Ghana? I knew London has a big Ghanaian population, but I was unprepared for the massive scale. Many Ghanaians have settled in the southern suburb of Croyden where I my first night in UK had rice balls and groundnut soup. And it tasted just like it should! And two days later I was offered fufu!

Apart from the food, I continued the weekend with speaking Twi about as much as I do when I am here in Ghana (me ho ye paa!), swinging by the Ghanaian Restaurant Accra Nima, discussing Ghanaian politics and best beaches, listening to hip life and then also of course doing the city. Westminster, Big Ben, Tate Modern, London Eye, Tower Bridge and Covent Garden were all the backdrop to my Ghanaian weekend in London.

The lovely colorful pic borrowed from yourbestlocal.com

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>Inspiring People II

> Earlier, I have posted about people in motion, people who want something and who are in themselves an inspiration to others.

For the Swedish speaking crowd, I proudly recommend the radio program with my friend Emilie Persson. She is a truly inspiring person and uses her “hour of fame” on Swedish local radio to discuss political engagement and explore how she went from being a tired student who saw herself as a make-up artist, to someone who is an expert on fair trade, CSR and organic agricultural production and uses her knowledge to lead and engage people. She also talks about her trip to Ghana and says her three months here were exclusively positive. “If you don’t think you don’t dare to go to Africa, take a chance! Ghana is a fantastic, wonderful country!”

For the English speakers, Emilie plays some good music like Ghanaian hip-life (Ofori Amponsah), South African reggae (Lucky Dube) and American hip-hop (Erykah Badu).

In the picture, Emilie is smelling the flowers in Aburi Gardens in Ghana on a visit last year.

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>Swedish Summer in Ghana

> But you always have summer in Ghana? Temperature wise, maybe. But real summer in Ghana is totally correlated with summer in Sweden. I have some examples:

Today, I am listening to the Swedish Radio program series “Sommar” as pod radio. Every summer famous people, it can be astronauts, politicians, entertainers or an interesting entrepreneur get the chance to talk about anything they want (often themselves) and play their favorite music for 1,5 hours on national radio. Here in Ghana, I have downloaded my favorites – mostly authors – and plan to listen to them just as I did when living in Sweden.

Also, Swedish Midsummer celebrations have passed in company with Swedish friends here in Ghana. It was a wonderful event, pickled herring (sill) has never tasted so good.

This week is the annual “Politicians’ Week” in my hometown Visby, an event I love because of its wonderful meet-and-greet opportunities. Everybody in Swedish politics, media and lobbying are there. Probably right now drinking rosé wine in the sunset. All of it I can follow though news and blogs. With a glass of wine, its almost as if I am there (although over here the wine isn’t free).

Personally, I have probably never been happier. Ghana is such an interesting society. Everyday I learn new things. I have an exciting job, good prospects of starting my PhD in the fall, a happy marriage, beautiful home (and plans of moving to a better one). I have cool friends and I speak to a family member almost every day on phone.

Still, I just long for the day when I can book my ticket to go to Sweden for vacation. It will definitely be during summer.

Longing for home is a demon.

Picture from the Swedish Midsummer in Ghana. Absolut Vodka and hibiscus.

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>Panafricaism in Ghana

> Check out my article (only in Swedish) in the latest edition of the Swedish Travelling Exhibition/ Riksutställningars Newsletter Spana!.

After visiting the cool national museum in Accra, I wrote about its history, organization and visitors and in do doing managed to combine my two top interests art and politics in one project! Additionally, when interviewing the management of the museum I found that migration/brain-drain is a problem also in the museum sector. As a result this post has the most “tags” I have ever given to a text on the blog.

Enjoy!

Picture taken by me of two young museum visitors, and beutifully reddened by Spana!’s editor Mårten Jansson.

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>Out of the Wardrobe

>It is like it’s a personal hobby, a favorite pastime, no really, it’s a full-scaled lifestyle. The reinvention of myself and my life. New places, new people, new tasks, new topics. I can’t help myself!

This time it’s a new job involving, not surprisingly, an array of concepts and tasks completely new to me. It is frightening to dive into a world of marketing, revenue, search engine optimization, programming and managerial duties.

But the thing is I love it and I simply thrive. I devour books about my new field (right now fittingly The Search – How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture by John Battelle), schedule meetings with people who know marketing/programming/sales and use my people and meeting skills from my past to glue it all together.

I seem to specialize not in Political Science or any other topic, but in change and along with it adaptation. Judging from recent years’ talks about a globalizing and everchanging world, I guess I am very lucky to swing this way.

Now back to my book.

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>Women in Politics

> Having followed the American primaries, like everybody else on this planet, I must confess I was disappointed when Senator Rodham Clinton did not make to the democratic nomination. As she pointed out in her speech, held the same night Senator Obama was partying with his followers, not long ago women were not even entitled to vote. Now, that seems distant, but why is it still so difficult for women to reach the top positions?

Just as the United States, my two home countries Sweden and Ghana have yet to hope for a woman prime minister/president. As the elections are coming up in Ghana later this year, some groups have started to advocate for a female vice-president (chance for female head of state already bypassed).

At the same time the world press is arguing about if Senator Obama will ask Senator Rodham Clinton to be his running mate. Will this be the year of women historically breaking in the political inner circle or another term of suits only?

In the pic African heads of state in Accra for last year’s AU summit.

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>Cutting Edge Chiefs

> Ghana has next to its modern democracy a system of traditional leaders or chiefs. They are well organized and each “stool” or “skin”, that is chieftancy, play an important ceremonial role, but are also involved in solving family disputes, managing land assets and facilitating development collaboration. Sometimes they are also important politically, even though that is forbidden by law.

Passing by a newly constructed commercial building in my area, I was startled to see this banner: Opening Soon Chieftancy Consultancy. It looks like traditional rulers now can be reached through consultancy firms! This might just be the best example so far of tradition meets modern day life.

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>Where has all the money gone?

> Today all over the news we can read about the Canadian computer professor who got sacked from a Ghanaian university – or not had his contract prolonged as the university claims – because of critisizing the university administration on his and his partner’s blog. In the blog, the partner of the professor if I get it right, wrote about the upsetting fact that on campus libraries are poorly updated and water is scarce, but the most expensive SUV’s are used by the university staff.

She finishes her post by writing

Forgive me for feeling offended by the luxury cars bought with public dollars. The Ghanaians I’ve spoken to aren’t nearly as offended — most don’t like it but say “that’s the way it is”. Any attempt to speak out against wanton spending will earn one the wrath of the rich and powerful.

…and the next day the professor’s contract was not prolonged. However, Ghanaians hearing the news do not hold their peace in the comments field of Joy FM. Many salut the Canadians for speaking out and many agree with the critique

…these are the main reasons why we are not progressing. Authorities in every Institution in Ghana uses all the monies to purchase expensive cars…

This debate is crucial for Ghana and I hope it will live on in public fora. We must not let those with 4-wheel-drive interests succeed with putting the lid on.

In the pic some totally unrelated SUVs in a parking lot in Accra.

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>Equal Partner Visit

>Tonight, America’s 43rd president will be stepping on the red soil of Ghana. The “Trip to Africa” is according to the White House webpage a six day event where five African countries – one being Ghana – will be visited. An investment package will be launched, African policy will be discussed, and earlier presidential initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS and Malaria will be followed up on. In Ghanaian newspaper Accra Mail, the American Embassy spokesperson clarifies the US-Ghana relationship:

It is a partnership, it is not a top-down relationship, it is not imposition, it is a partnership among equals on issues of great concern.

What people on the street wonder is if while discussing “African policy”, the equal partner US is going to mention the far along plans of setting up a military base on Ghanaian territory, supposedly to protect nearby oil interests. Will then the equal partner Ghana feel free to decline a foreign militia without fearing any slowdown in the 55 million USD anually in aid? or in the mile long daily queu for American VISAs outside the newly built enormous American Embassy in Accra?

Or are we just worrying too much?

According to Ghana’s foreign minister Akwasi Osei-Adjei, there will be no talk of any American military base on Ghanaian soil, discussion will only relate to

some international issues of interest to both countries, particularly Ghana’s role in addressing security concerns in the troubled sub-region.

BBC also reports that “US drops African Military HQ Plans”, stating that the interest was low in African countries to host the US Africa Force, the Africa Command (AFRICOM), and that the headquarters will be based in Germany until further notice. My guess is that this disclaimer was launched to not start the “Trip to Africa” off on the wrong foot. Hey, if you don’t want to help us, thats ok. Really, we’re not upset…We’re just coming over to discuss some international issues of interest to us both…

It is difficult to remain balanced when a superpower is knocking on your door. To say it’s a partnership of equals is at best expressing a wish, not the reality.

The pic by Eric Draper was borrowed from whitehouse.gov, and showing Bush in Tanzania yesterday.

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>Fotball Fever

> Africa Cup of Nations 2008 is now filling the minds, streets and stadiums of Ghana. Allegedly more Ghanaian flags are flying around town than when Ghana celebrated 50 years of independence last year. I have discussed the reason for this with some friends, and the analysis seems quite clear – independence was political – the ruling party NPP were criticized for spending too much on the festivities, hence any opposer probably was inclined to not join the celebrations last year.

Fotball, on the other hand is “non-political”, and as a consequence everybody can join. The Ghanaian red-yellow-green flag with a black star can it attached to cars or t-shirts, scarfs or hats and even full outfits. An example to illustrate the extent of the fotball craze: yesterday at driving school half of the class including the instructors had CAN 2008 t-shirts on! It is quite nice to be a part of a massmovement, but sometimes it also goes too far..many schools and universities have postponed their going back after xmas to mid february when the cup is over…

Anyway, I was lucky to be able to cheer the Ghanaian national team, the Black Stars, to victory at the opening match at the Accra stadium. What a party!

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>Lights On

> Since I came back I have not only been named obolo, I have also discovered that the electricity problems have been reduced with fewer and shorter power cuts. Something has changed in the right direction!

In the news it says the Akosombo dam has shown a bit higher water levels again and I heard something about that the power plant the mining industry is building should be up and running by now.

But apparently the news is not as good as I first thought, I realize when I do some digging. The power situation only seems to have changed due to import of electricity from neighboring Ivory Coast, most likely of political reasons due to that the leading party NPP has promised that the situation would be solved within a year (power “sharing” started in august 2006). Since elections are coming up next year, this is not the time to break one’s vows. Although it must hurt to import something from an unstable country to which Ghana used to export.

But still we have scheduled power cuts or “lights off” and they are still disturbing, and sometimes funny. Yesterday, I was at some friends’ house and as the TV and all the lights go out, the five year old playing on the floor shouts:

-Where are my eyes?

Picture from a live recording of one Ghana’s popular TV-shows “Stars of the Future”.

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