Sharing with You Some Interesting Quotes

“When we are down to nothing, God is up to something”
Anonymous

“I do not have an expensive watch, but I have a time and I spend it well” Anonymous

“Say “no” to good things in order to say “yes” to the right things”
Anonymous

“If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for everything”
Anonymous

“Character is not class-conscious”
Anonymous

“Your past does not have to be your prison”
Anonymous

“My way is to begin with the beginning”
Anonymous

“Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted”
Albert Einstein

“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all”
Peter F. Drucker

“No Disaster, Disease or Delay is beyond the scope of God’s grace and redemption”
The Vine

Maiden Pool Tournament in Accra ends in grand style

The Stone/Yfm Pool Tournament 2009 drew to a close last Saturday at Jokers night club, with 25 year old Emeka Chukwudi emerging the winner. Saturday’s final was the culmination of three weeks of competitive pool played in pubs in Accra and Tema, including 8-Ball pub, Pool Bar, Neighbourhood Pub, Baze Lounge and Vanity night club.

Eight finalists from the competing pubs faced each other for the crowning of the champion of champions. The finalists reflected the cultural diversity of Accra, with the line up including a Liberian, a Nigerian and a national of Hong Kong. Twenty four year old Ruth Annang, a salsa instructor in her spare time, and a member of Pepsi’s sales team, proved to be a sensation but was eventually kicked out by Lawrence Tetteh.

The final game between Emeka Chukwudi and Rufus Earley was a tense affair, but Emeka prevailed to win the first prize of a pool table, and a 42 inch Haier Thermacool plasma screen donated by PZ electricals. Other prizes donated by PZ for the finalists include mobile phones, a home theatre system, and a lap-top.

Naomi Nelson, Client Relations Manager at Yfm, said that, the station staged the competition with its partners to promote the game of pool in Ghana. “As you know, Yfm is the foremost youth station in the capital, and the purpose of this successful event was to support a sport which is very popular among our audience, but neglected by most sponsors. For this reason, we are very grateful to Accra Brewery Ltd and PZ Electricals, who were our major supporters”.

The night ended with a packed after-party, hosted by Yfm Programmes Manager/Presenter, Nana Kwame Osei Sarpong and Kandyman. Artistes on the bill included Bob Skinny, Macho Rapper, Ayigbe Edem and the irrepressible Trigmatic.

George Eddah, Brands Manager for Stone Beer said that his brand was proud to be associated with the event, and revealed that a nation-wide inter-university pool tournament would soon be launched in association with Yfm.

Credit: George Laing

Tales my grandmother told me … 2

Yes we can! …but we must start. Action and not mere words is what makes the difference. Let’s act upon our words.

Ever wondered the things that are left untouched or undone in your life - things that you have not been able to dare yourself to try? We often fill our minds with the thought that we simply cannot! But the fact is that …we may not be able to, not that we cannot. This implies that we might as well be able to, if we tried. Yes we can! (Permit me to borrow the catch phrase of the moment). This phrase has inspired and keeps inspiring a lot of people all over the world – from children walking along neatly manicured green lawns on the streets of London to people, kneeling with bare hands on an untidy floor blowing smoky fire-woods parked together in between strategically positioned blocks to make do for a stove. Even they, if only they are lucky enough to hear the famous phrase … are inspired …at least to blow harder the smoky fire-woods to get their fire sparked into flames more quickly!

The magic that really makes the difference is usually that extra little push – that push that is often lost when you get to a point on the road and begin to think and say to yourself that you cannot. But Yes You Can. Oh sure, the catch phrase inspires everyone who is privileged enough to have come across its usage especially in association with President Obama, the World President (oh, just my humble opinion, it’s ok if you don’t think he is).

But how many of us really know what exactly it is that we can? What is it that we are so much determined (or maybe seem determined) to do? Most of us shamefully do not seem to have clearly defined the object of our determination and pursuit. It is good, beautiful, and even honourable to know and yell …Yes We Can! … but it is also important, perhaps more crucial to know exactly what it is that we can.

Ghanaians especially have taken a special interest in the catch phrase and it is not uncommon to hear people virtually recite the magic phrase or see them display it on buildings, vehicles and other public and personal items.

I tell you, my grandmother told me this tale also, a long, long time ago before President Obama became a world figure for people like you and I to be privileged enough to at least hear him echo the powerful words.

She would say, Efua, as she called me, ”tso! nawor nua kabakaba” meaning get up and get at it quickly. When I used to cry that I wouldn’t be able to sell all the yakayake (a meal prepared from cassava dough, usually eaten with fried fish and hot pepper) which I carried on a tray moving from one house to the other, shouting …”yakayake dzodzoeeeee”,

My grandmother always told me, "choooooooo, Efua, ewor ge, yakayakea vorvorge fifilaaaaaaa, ne edze gome koa” this means “come on, Efua, you can do it ….the yakayake would soon get finished if you only started with your sales right now”.

With those words, of encouragement, I would step out, more confident and happier, entering the cluttered homesteads in my village shouting with my melodious voice ….yakayake dzodzoeeee va dooooooo (your hot yakayake is here). I tell you I made some very loyal customers who do not know my name till date and still referred to me as “our charming yakayake seller” when they saw me at my grandmother’s funeral two years ago.

I often returned home with an empty tray with all my yakayake sold out. It made me happy even as a child because I had delivered, well.

When things get tough, or even go wrong, (trust me, they will, every now and then), don’t fret too much telling yourself that you can’t. Often times, with the right attitude and determination, you’d realize that you are actually more than capable. As my English professor would say, you’d come to an epiphany and marvel at what you are capable of.

It is a fact that you may not be able but not a fact that you cannot.

Oh how I miss my grandmother’s delicious and special yakayake. Thank God I learned to prepare it. So all that I need to do now is to leave you here and go START preparing some yakayake for myself (oh yes, I can!). You may come for a treat over the weekend.

This is just another of my grandmother’s many tales. The journey continues, hope you are enjoying it.

Tales from my grandmother - 1

“Eto la yedune, ne me toe oo, meduge oo” this was an Anlo expression ubiquitous on my late grandmother’s lips. She said this so often we nick-named her “Eto la”.

The expression, literally means “it is he who pounds (the fufu/palm fruits) that enjoys the meal, he who does not pound it does not get to enjoy the meal”, in other words, “you reap the fruits of your labour – if you idle about with your time, you’ll reap nothing and go hungry”. How true this statement proves to be as I journey on in life! I have come to appreciate and fully understand that indeed, in life, only a few things or perhaps nothing happens to us undeservedly. Virtually every situation we find ourselves in is a result of what we bargain for. When I was younger, I used to think that good things came to people only out of sheer luck or by miracles. But no! I have come to realize that the decisions I make determine what results I get. Minor decisions affect minor things in my life while the major decisions affect major things in my life.

I may not be able to determine my parents, nationality, tribe, race, height or those things I was simply born with or into, determined by my creator, but I am more than able to shape and hone these natural endowments (call them predicaments if you like) to make me into who I really want to be. As I recall how I used to pound palm fruits for my grandmother, (for there was no nkulenu palm soup, packaged and canned in those days for abenkwan) I now see so clearly the values Daavi, as we affectionately called my grandmother, was unconsciously instilling in me and my and little cousins. For as at the time, we only took pleasure in the pounding of the palm nuts – we enjoyed the rhythm that came with the up and down movements of the pestle accompanied by Daavi’s melodious “Eto la” music.

We joyously sang along … “eto la yedune, ne me toe, meduge oo, eto la yedune, ne me toe, meduge oo”

Grandma encouraged me to be confident, resilient, assertive, tolerant, faithful, modest and patient. All these and many more virtues she imbibed in me in a most natural and unforced manner. I picked them (oh, I hope) without knowing that I was being groomed or tutored. I grew up thinking people grow naturally with these things. Maybe that explains why I’m often too sympathetic towards others, trusting them too much, thinking that they would equally see the beauty in others too while appreciating their differences. I always want to give people the benefit of the doubt. I have been so blessed. So blessed I didn’t even know!

These virtues continue to guide me, assuring me that hard work and patience are worth pursuing and that there are so many more things to recover and discover in life – life is a lesson; keep learning as much as you can. Most importantly, do practice what you learn, for knowledge acquired and stored only without its application is as good as nothing.

Let’s take this journey happily together as I share with you in the coming weeks, some other interesting tales from my grandmother.

Ghanaians to experience a television rebirth with the launch of e.tv Ghana

Free-to-air channel e.tv Ghana aims to redefine television broadcasting by bringing Ghanaians top quality programming with crystal clear reception. Test transmissions for the commercial channel will commence in the next four weeks.

“e.tv Ghana is not just another television channel following the status-quo. We are here to make a difference and bring to Ghanaians first rate television programming” says Edward Boateng, Chairman, Board of Directors of e.tv Ghana.

“Our varied and exciting programming will include blockbuster movies, WWE wrestling and celebrated reality shows like Cheaters and Fear Factor. International soapies included in the line-up are Scandal, Rhythm City and The Young and Restless.

“e.tv Ghana is committed to growing television production skills and will be producing local programmes like Rise and Shine (6 - 8AM), our eNews Prime bulletin every evening at 8PM and a current affairs programme The Big Hook (Monday – Thursday at 8.30PM), dealing with the major issues of the day,” Boateng continues.

Born out of a partnership between Global Media Alliance Ghana Ltd and Sabido Investment (PTY) LTD of South Africa, the launch of e.tv Ghana stems from Sabido’s success with e.tv in South Africa. In 1998, e.tv South Africa was launched as the first free-to-air channel. Today it is the largest English-medium channel in that country.
e.tv South Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Marcel Golding says, “We are delighted about our partnership with Global Media Alliance and look forward to creating programming which will make e.tv Ghana the most watched channel in the country.”

e.tv Ghana will benefit greatly from the synergies in programming and content acquisition that e.tv South Africa brings to the table.

The launch of the channel will create new and different opportunities for advertisers. Launch packages will provide innovative platforms from sponsorship to classical spot buying and most importantly exclusive category ownership opportunities.

For more information contact the following:

Brooke Nuwati: bnuwati@gmaworld.com

Hotlines: 021-254856. 021-254857, 021-254858

You can also visit our fascinating website:

Or email info@etvghana.com

e.tv Ghana .... Your world of quality TV

All that you must know

Born out of a partnership between Global Media Alliance Ghana Ltd and Sabido Investments (PTY) LTD of South Africa, e.tv Ghana is a free-to-air television channel aimed at bringing Ghanians the best quality television programming on offer.

The launch of e.tv Ghana stems from Sabido’s success with e.tv in South Africa. In 1998, e.tv South Africa was launched as the first free-to-air channel. Today it’s the largest English-medium channel in that country.

What makes e.tv Ghana different?

e.tv Ghana’s programming is focused on the audience and what they want to watch. Appealing to a broad audience base, e.tv Ghana will deliver top quality programming.

How many hours a day will e.tv Ghana broadcast?

e.tv Ghana shows quality programming 24 hours a day.

Which programmes can I watch on e.tv Ghana?

From local to international programming, soapies to blockbuster movies, celebrity news to current affairs and community and international sports to reality television – e.tv Ghana has it all.

e.tv Ghana’s local programmes include Rise and Shine, The Big Hook, and our flagship News programme, e.tv Ghana Prime. Popular and celebrated international series include Scandal, Rhythm City, The Young and Restless, Fear Factor, Cheaters and WWE Wrestling.

With the latest TV technology, we offer these programmes and more in high-level picture quality.

How do I get programme information?

Viewers will be able to read a weekly e.tv Ghana programme guide in the Sunday World newspaper, with radio stations Y FM (107.7 fm), Happy FM (98.9 fm) also updating listeners about our programmes.

For advertisers, we will be printing a rate card highlighting our programme schedule.

Will I pay for e.tv Ghana now or in the future?

No, e.tv Ghana is a free-to-air television channel, so you can tune in anytime and at no cost.

Why should I advertise on e.tv Ghana?

Our premium programming content is designed to appeal to a wide audience base. Therefore, you can be assured that at any point in time, a significant portion of your target market will be watching e.tv Ghana.

e.tv Ghana offers small and medium sized businesses, television exposure at a cost effective price.

Who do I contact for more information?

The e.tv Ghana client service team is available on our hotlines:

021-254856

021-254857

021-254858

Or email info@etvghana.com

Visit our website: www.etvghana.com