NOBLE ACTS OF PATRIOTS

He made up his mind that in 6 years, he would return to Ghana (his home) with something valuable. He had no idea what that something was, though. He only knew he had to bring
something, and that ‘something’ has to be something valuable.

It was his definite decision. The year was 1870. The time was early morning. The venue was a
village. It was somewhere in Ghana, where a man was destined to make history.

On this said day, this man would travel. But, before then, he would exchange embraces with his family, he would bid the goodbyes and he would leave.

He would travel to Fernando Po (renamed Bioko), in Equitorial Guinea, where he would work and alongside searching for his ‘something valuable’ (to return to Ghana).

His name was Tetteh Quarshie; and his passion was told to be farming! He was the man who introduced cocoa to Ghana (of course the very first Ghanaian who even thought of that).

He travelled to the Island of Fernando Po in 1870 and retured to Ghana in 1876.
6 years!

How this man managed to ‘smuggle’ those cocoa seeds into Ghana bears a different story that shall be told by my
children (possibly). He was a man of a deeper spirit of a patriot!

I tell you, the benefits this country has amassed (and still amassing) from the valuable Tetteh Quarshie brought to
Ghana far surpasses that of Alladin’s genie. Riches untold! His positive action (I mean, of ‘smuggling’ the cocoa seeds into Ghana), has bore many fruits; fruits that has serviced Ghana and Ghanaians for decades!

Ghana began cocoa exportation in 1891. And since then, we have earned the good name as one of the major cocoa exporters in the world. The credit goes to Tetteh Quarshie!  His positive action changed the destiny of this country! (Forever).

Permit me to ask. Is there any 'Tetteh Quarshie' in Ghana today? Are there youth who share semblance in acts with him? A youth who share same character trait as he? We need more of such men in Ghana. Men whose positive actions would contribute to the progress of our nation.

A Japenese youth would travel abroad with a single shirt at his back (with his single trouser to wear), and his luggage (a school bag) strapped to his back. He would go to America (or any other place that is abroad to him including Ghana), with the determination no so unlike Tetteh Quarshie and copy something of value there to his home country-Japan. They literally ‘copy’ systems (businesses, ideas) from elsewhere and ‘paste’ it in Japan. And as to whether their attitude has helped Japan to progress or not, you will have to tell me.

Same can be said of the Chinese youth! He cares less about temporal possessions (when he travels abroad). He cares more about things that
will foster personal improvement and national progress.

Flip it to our side of the world and you will know that a whole book can be written about the Ghanaian youth in diaspora. He is so unlike the Japanese or the Chinese youth. To him, self-progress (and national
progress) should be deleted from the Maslow’s theory.
He would travel abroad, and his valuable may be an ‘american accent’. Add laptops, phones, ipads, baggy jeans, shoes, american hairs et al.

Quite a problem. Don’t you think so?

Well, when my friend Steve Amoako decided to travel abroad for his long vacation, I only adviced him to learn from the Japanese and the.Chinese youth. I asked to him to ‘copy’ something of value from abroad (akin to that of Tetteh Quarshie), so we can ‘paste’ in Ghana upon his return.

Who knows? Maybe, he can ‘copy’ how to process cocoa into useful ends for exportation.



CREDIT: Kofi Arkoh.
Author of 'A Memo to the Ghanaian Youth'

SHOWING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AT WORK.

What is emotional intelligence?
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate  effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse
conflict.
When it comes to happiness and success in life, emotional intelligence (EQ) matters just as much as intellectual intelligence (IQ)
Emotional intelligence impacts many different aspects of your daily life, such as the way you behave and the way you interact with others.
If you have high emotional intelligence you are able to recognize your own emotional state and the emotional states of others, and engage with people in a way that draws them to you.
You can use this understanding of emotions to relate better to other people, form healthier relationships, achieve greater success at work, and lead a more fulfilling life.
Prov. 3:3-4
Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck  as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. 4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.
CREDIT: DEMAY ALABI

YOU ARE A MASTER PIECE

Your birth maybe surrounded by hype of unfortunate circumstances, challenges and issues that gets you drained out. You might have felt or be feeling ‘USELESS’ as a person. People might have written you off but your come back will get them on their feets with a standing ovation, you will receive a royal welcome on a golden carpet and you will be celebrated.

Dear friend reading, your birth was no mistake or calamity, and your life is no coincidence of nature. Your parents may not have planned you but GOD did. He was not flabbergasted by your birth for as a matter of fact, he expected it. Long before you were conceived by your parents, you were conceived in the mind of God, he thought of you first, it’s not destiny, nor chance, nor some luck, nor was it a fluke that you are breathing at this very tick.

You are alive because God wanted to create you and he prearranged every detail of your body. He wisely choose your race, the color of your skin, your hair color and type, your face and every other details you can think of. God customized calculatingly your body stature, your height and size and deposited in you, your natural abilities or talents you would possess as well as the uniqueness of your personality.

God made you for a reason and he decided when you would be born, where you would be born and how long you would live, He planned the days of your existence in advance for a reason. Your race and nationality are no accidents; he left no detail to chance.

Dear friend, it was in God’s plans long before you and I ever existed that today and this very minute, you would be reading this, so what makes you think you are an accident and you are just not worth it?

God created you for a key purpose, a key solution to a problem, a savior of your family, society, country and the world, you are fearfully, wonderfully and uniquely made; you are an image of your father in heaven, he designed you, hand formed you, breath into you and gave you life, you are not ordinary but a master piece from a royal bloodline. You are who God says you are, not inferior, not a curse but a blessing and certainly not an accident. Don’t count yourself out and cast not yourself down with human definitions about you, all is working for your good.

You may not have been treated fairly over the years and you certainly had had thoughts of doubts before but now you know better, you are in that family for a reason, you are in that school for a reason, you are in that company for a reason, you are in that pain for a reason, it is to fulfill the purpose of God for your life, don’t forget who you are; a master piece not an inferior or an accident.

Live inspired,step up and keep up,your top is sure!

HAVE I LOST MY GIRLFRIEND TO ANOTHER MAN?

For years now have had a very promising and "perfect" relationship with my partner. She means a lot to me. We have both come a long way from our days in the University through to my National Service in Wa, Upper West Region and hers at the Ministry of Communications, Accra. We have shown we are capable and been at the admiration of many of our friends. 

However, not too long ago, I almost gave up on our investment of love and courtship. A lot of things were happening and I felt I was losing her cos she wasn't caring anymore and was not showing any concern on the things we both program and planned. 

                          

Our communication began rattling to insults and our love tales caught fire of anger, doubts and ingratitude. At the night I took a phone to call off the relationship that has lasted for years, her phone was off. We haven’t spoken for barely a week now and it was actually on my throats cos I felt she was giving lot of attention, care, love, excitement and concern to someone else. In fact I was losing her. I called some few friends and told them about my decision but they all didn't sound convincing to me.

In my impatient mood that night, a friend sent me a WhatsApp chat which coincided with my thoughts. I was really shocked and broken down. This was how the message read:

Dave and Clara have been married for over nine years without children. They stayed with each other and hoped that they will have a child before their 10th year of marriage because they were being persuaded by family and some friends to get a divorce but they couldn't let go because of the love between them.

Months passed...by and while Dave was returning from work one day, he saw his wife walking down the road with a man and they looked happy.

Another evening, while Dave was coming back from work, he saw the same man drop her off at the house. Dave became angry and sad. Two days later, after a hectic day at work, Dave was taking water with a glass jug when the phone rang. He picked it up and the person said ‘hello dear, I’ll be coming to your house this evening to see you as promised. I hope .....’’and the Dave hung up the phone. It was a male voice. He was sure the person was the man he had seen with his wife. He suddenly became shaky with this thought, ‘’have I lost my wife to another man?’’ At that point, the glass jug fell from his hand and shattered into pieces.

Then Clara came running into the room asking, ‘’is everything okay?’’ In anger he gave his wife a push and she fell. She wasn't moving or getting up.

Dave then realized that she fell where he broke the glass jug and a large piece of glass has pierced her. He felt her breath, pulse and heartbeat but there she lay lifeless. His wife was dead. In total confusion, he saw an envelope in her hand. He took it, opened it and was shocked by its content. It was a letter and it reads:

‘’ My loving husband, words cannot express how I feel, so i had to write it down. I have been going to see a doctor for over a week and wanted to be sure before I give you the news. The doctor confirmed it that I am pregnant with a twin and our babies are due in 7 months from now. The doctor also happen to be my long last brother whom I lost contact with after our marriage. He has promised to take care of me and our babies and give us the best without collecting a dime. He also promised to have dinner with us today. Thanks to you for standing by me.....your loving wife.”

As the letter fell from Dave’s hand, there was a knock at the door and it was the same man he had seen with his wife... and he said ......’’ hello Dave, I suppose am right, am Max, your wife’s brother.....’’And suddenly he noticed his sister in the pool of her blood... he rushed her to his hospital but it was too late, his sister, Dave’s wife was gone and so were the twins.

After I had read the message, my conscience couldn't stop judging me. I broke into tears. Suddenly my phone ranged and it was her call, but I couldn't answer. I ranged back sounding sorry. She told me how much she misses me and her reason for being lukewarm for some time in our relationship. I arrived at a discovery that, it was actually my faults and almost lost a nation in her. Honestly, that was the best night talking on phone after years of courting. I still miss that day. We spoke close to three hours and we both did not want to drop the call.

What is the point? I have come to learn that, in our relationships, which include our dates and marriages, we should not be too quick in reacting when we haven’t questioned our partner or spouse on what we saw, assume or heard about them.

Communication, Trust and Patience are rare gifts we can bring to our relationship.

Not everything we see, assume or hear or believe is right about them. And to every man or woman, I pray that patience will have her perfect stay in you that you may be perfect and wanting nothing because patience is that great virtue you need to keep your relationship.

CREDIT:Daniel Nana Kwame Asare