Facebook Tone

How often do I hear somebody say at a facebook page, “I knew that girl in school. She’s now become so fair!”

A ‘Shady’ Playing Field

A capricious count of the jackpot jobs, luxury lairs and comfy cars in Ghana are held down by men who will ace the clouded colour test. One questions what the companies are interviewing for, or who the banks are backing.

The Marilyn Effect?

When will some obliging ogre pull the plug on the many dumbass light-brown divas with thin talent in Nigerian and Ghanaian movies, and put us out of our misery? If they are in there for their dubious ‘good looks’, then please rip them out and splurge them instead on gloss magazine pages and still-picture exhibitions!

The League Table

In this (cool) coal-coloured country, most of the skilled, delicious, wonderful women, who have smoothly scaled the prized professional pinnacle, while harmonizing hundreds of happy homes, would have flunked the toxic tone test. But they excelled where it mattered most. Now, tone that!

2 of a Shameful Kind

A leading telecom company and an international bank in Ghana employ mostly manila-skinned demoiselles to man their public spaces, solely on that sepia note. These lamp posts wear ugly frowns from dawn to dusk, mistaken that it adds up to their alleged allure; pretending that no one’s figured out their facade. Enough!

Colourism – The Brown Paper Bag Blows about in Accra

This week, we will explore something of the concept of the brown paper bag in Accra. I do not have to explain the brown paper bag test, do I? It is quite a dangerous topic, but that is why I am so excited about exploring it with you.

P.S. For an explanation of "brown paper bag" please click here

A Realistic Path?

Weighing the raw arithmetic, more youth counting on football will end up at zero than with the goal of a millionaire’s mansion. The algebra is much more agreeable in the ‘schooled’ professions. The penalty for wrong choice is less risky.

The Socio-Economics of Sport

Spirited sport is a newfangled culture in economically emergent Ghana, which is much more than sport or leisure. It is meeting like-minded people. It is keeping the corporeal lines trim. It is staying out of teen trouble. It is breaking out of patrimonial poverty. It is a genuine, earnest profession. It is a status symbol for old money and nouveau riche.

The Dropouts Became Rich...And Changed Everything

Barely 10 years ago, professional sports were for directionless dropouts ... or was it? It was embarrassingly evident when our sports heroes (and villains) tickled the pretentious press with unintended meanings and cremated clichés. Michael Essien (not quite a dropout) et al sneaked away to play, as maladroit mercenaries, and rode back, as rich royalty. Now parents dole dollars to school soccer coaches to start kick-abouts for their kids after class. Nobody frowns on a young man spending all daylight moulding muscle and sharpening skill.

Sporting Culture

Dear Reader,

I was not going to blog this week for personal reasons. However, I miss writing, and need it for soul therapy – something swimming has failed to help with. Speaking of swimming, the theme for this week’s posts is Sports. What does it mean to different people in Ghana’s cities? Probably a very mundane theme, but I hope you will stick around.