Video for I FOR TALK ft M3NSA

I FOR TALK is my first single off my upcoming spoken word album, it features M3NSA, who also produced it.

Thanks to all who made this spoken word video posible - King Luu, @wanlov @mensamusic @deborahvanessa7, Nutti Phapha Mensah (the lady i was confessing to but was also cheating on me) and Adoma. Enjoy!!!

More to come!!

The Golden Baobab Prize

So somewhere last week, Nana Ama (@JunkieOnMars) contacted me, her mission was upsetting, funny and confusing at the same time. I don’t know why she decided to suggest that to me but after our conversation, I thought through it and realized how it would benefit me if I tried.

Nana Ama was able to gather courage to tell me how I have been disturbing her twitter timeline for decades and how I should put my writing (tweets) to good use. She went ahead to suggest this writing competition that is up now and asked me to take part so I get something from my ‘noise’! I got confused because I thought most of you enjoyed and loved my tweets, I thought you people always waited to see my tweets and you were not fed up with the number of times I shared my works on twitter. Anyway, it’s all good, I am going to slow things down now, at least for some days because I want to take part in this competition and I also want you to try it out because I know most of you are writers, let’s just have fun writing.

It’s the Golden Baobab Prize and this time they are awarding 3 prizes.

• The Picture Book Prize awards $1,000 to the best story written for readers ages 6-8;

• The Early Chapter Book Prize awards $1,000 to the best story written for readers ages 9-11

• The Rising Writer Prize awards $1,000 to the most promising young writer below the age of 18.

I think I am going to try my hands on the second and I need to do it fast because the deadline is fast approaching. The deadline is July 14, 2013, so I have, let’s say a little over 2 weeks more to work. I know some of you can write or definitely know people who are writers, just spread the news so they take part and ensure that you tell them how they need to split the prize money with you. You also don’t just get money but also publishing deals and opportunities to attend exclusive Golden Baobab writer’s workshops.

I have done my part, the rest is up to you. You can find additional info at:

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/goldenbaobab

Twitter page: www.twitter.com/goldenbaobab

Website: www.goldenbaobab.org

WE QUESTION OUR WRITING ABILITY UNTIL WE FIND A PEN-MUTOMBO

God Doesn't Know Ghana!!!

I am very happy now that I stopped going to church. The last time I went to church was about 2 years ago, I have been thinking about that institution though since I stopped because I was raised in a home where I had to be in church every Sunday. I had my way when my mom died. But now I am happy that I stopped church because it has been revealed, I rejoice now because I now know. I now know that the Jesus/God that we worship, that we go to church to hear about is not in Ghana. He doesn’t even know there is a country called Ghana. And this is a proven fact. Please I would advice you all to stop going to church with immediate effect because you are wasting your time, all your praise and worship, your chants and tongues is not getting anywhere. Kindly listen to my words before it is too late, have you heard? Keep your collection money, use it to pay for the lights we are not getting and the water that hardly flows. Or you can also use it for petrol since they keep on increasing the price or gas, because who knows, they might increase it by 50% soon.

Even the Government of Ghana, led by his excellency, John Dramani Mahama knows that God or Jesus has no idea that there is a country called Ghana. I wonder why they are making it public now after all these years, Kwame Nkrumah should have told us this kraa. We have wasted our praise, worship, money and ‘wives’. Yes, wives, those who slept with Mr. Pastor because his penis is the key to heaven. The reason for these words is know by some Ghanaians, the first time I heard about it was from this video made by the FOKN BOIS. At first, I thought they were just joking, I thought they had made something up but I saw it in the headlines yesterday. I read that the Government of Ghana is sponsoring 200 pastors from recognized church bodies to pray for the country in Jerusalem, Israel because that is where Jesus is based. Anyway, the government of Ghana is going to spend $600,000-that is the budget for this pilgrimage even though there are rumours that the actual budget is $2million. Well, if you ask me, I think the $600,000 is quiet small for these 200 pastors so I know it is more than that. Okay, lets just leave this for another day, okay? Please bear with me.

These 200 pastors are going to Jerusalem to pray for the country, our president and the court case that is pending in the high courts. Oh, you didn’t know that there is a court case? Akuffo Addo of the NPP is challenging the results of the last elections in court right now. Personally, I think that case will be in the courts for 4 years before a verdict is given. Yes 4 solid years. I simply don’t understand why the Government is sending these people just to pray, prayers keke oo…just common ‘halababababababa’. Like are we serious at all? I am disgusted by this move of the government, I don’t agree with some of their decisions but with this move, I really think that there is something wrong with minds or they have been cursed or someone somewhere is doing them Juju. Ah, what should I say? Does this even look or sound normal to you? I mean, I thought the bible said ‘where 2 or 3 are gathered, I am in their midst’ or whatever. This is God/Jesus speaking here oo, so if this is in the bible, why do we have to make trips to pray to God? This is why I am saying that they know the truth and do know how to make it public. God is not in Ghana. Jesus has no idea there is a country called Ghana.

Ghana is such a beautiful and peaceful country, its citizens are very ‘warming’ and welcoming, on the other hand Israel is not peaceful, there have been tensions there for time and we really think that Jesus or God is there, right? Such a waste!! The government is noted for putting the cart before the horse and this is a clear example. Mr. President, I dey feel you waa, I hope you saw my post about who I voted for. I have been voting for the NDC since I started voting but some of the decisions you guys make are out of order and this crowns it. Ah so you mean, the current power issues we are having is not important to you or what? Or you will find money for that one. Teachers are going on strike and we know why. Our teachers are not paid well at all and you are sending some people to all the way Israel just to say some prayers and come back, whilst our teachers, nurses and doctors suffer, right? Look at the allowances of these MPs, I hear they were given huge sums or they will be given some huge some of money for them to build their houses. Like seriously? Why shouldn’t there be a flat or apartments for MPs where they can stay during their term in office and after they leave. Why cant there be something like this? Or I am talking nonsense? So that means, after every 4 years, you are going to part away money to MPs to build. Imagine someone like E.T Mensah then. We are wasting money too much on nonsense and its time you sit up paa. When a politician comes to power, the first thing he thinks about is how to enrich himself with the nation’s money and not how to help the country in his own small way, what a mindset.

Our God will even be angry at us for such a move, I am sure and God please don’t add me to these bunch when you are punishing oo.. Me I was in my small corner doing my thing for coins. Most of the pastors said it was wrong timing because Easter is just around the corner. So they were also going to make this trip? Nkwasiafuor akwaaka!!!

As for Ghana, we will suffer oo… it will never be well with ways like these!! Never!! I need to end this post now before my lights go off, kindly continue for me.

Social Media Awards

Whats popping? I woke up this morning and the first thing that I realized was, all the fowls and birds can no longer be seen in my hood. In those days, at dawn, you could hear the birds chirping and fowls chanting down Babylon. Where did they go? Who chewed all of them? Things are really changing for the worse and its not amusing. Anyway, let’s leave that for another post.

About 2 years ago, I declared my interest to blog at one of Accra Dot Alt’s Talk Parties, I remember saying Percy+Poetry+Photography at that event, who was there and who remembers? <What has that even got to do with BLOGGING? smh! Anyway, last year I heard about the BlogCamp Ghana ‘Grand Durbar’ at the Kofi Annan Institute and I was not interested because, just because. I thought it was a sect/group/secret society that I had to belong and I was not interested in joining any of such ‘collection’ at that point in my life. But on that day when the durbar was going on, I was home doing absolutely nothing at all and decided to pass through, and then I realized I hadn’t registered on the site so I knew they were going to bounce me at the gate. After a call, they asked me to come and the person was like, “ah mutombo paa, u don’t even need to call. Just come through!!”. Sometimes I forget I am a star like Reggie Rockstone, the reason is that stars are adequate. I hope you understand when I say adequate? Ghana is not helping my artform kraaa, imagine I was in Yankee or somewhere like that. It’s all good though, lol, let me rosh small wai. Allow!!

So I got to this venue and everybody was so friendly, everyone I met was smiling so I thought there was some illuminati business going on and they didn’t want me to know so had to cover it up with a smile. But when that white lady, what’s her name kraa….oh that lady, ohhh…ermmm…yeah, Kajsa Hallberg Adu spoke to me, something, like some form of electricity current passed through me and I was like, ‘this is a good place to be!!” I went for their talk/training and I was even made to give a small talk on how twitter has helped me in my work. I felt at home! On this day, I registered for a blog and it has been lovely since. I remember that day like it was yesterday because of the good people, it was like a family, not the extended type. This year, I should be there.

I am not just going there but guess what? After less than a year of blogging, I have been nominated for the first ever Social Media Awards. Isn’t that awesome? I thought I was not even recognized since people started this whole blogging thing way before me even though my blogs get good traffic. Anyway, I have been nominated for the BEST PHOTO BLOG and also PERSONALITY WITH THE BEST SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, my homie Wanlov too is in the same category. But vote for me more than him. He is going to take an award in France in March, a global award, Babel. With these two nominations I am already a winner and I thank you all who visited my blog and spread (I nearly typed ‘spreaded’) the news about it. You should also vote for me since the public has 40%, as for the 60% I guess we have to leave it to Dr Afari Gyan and his people…lol!! But anyway, kindly vote for me by clicking this link http://www.blogcampghana.com/voting/.check out my blogs too- mutombodapoet.tumblr.com (photos), mutombodapoet.wordpress.com (dictations) and mutombodapoet.blogspot.com (eroticas).

I hope to see you all next month at the venue. All info is on http://www.blogcampghana.com. I hope Afari Gyan will do a good job for me…kwaakwaakwaa!!!!

Oscar Pistorius Voted for Fuel Hike

I have been confused over a couple of issues for a couple of days now, I easily get confused, the first time I noticed this was in 1998 so this is no news to me at all but I know you will be surprised about this characteristic of mine. I don’t know if I can do something about it and I haven’t even had the time to check. Maybe one day.

I have been confused about this Oscar Pistorius shooting incident a whole lot, I know its not my ‘matter’ but his story doesn’t make sense at all. That guy cant lie right at all. How will a burglar, I mean a robber or an armed robber, lock himself up in your bathroom? Why, did he decide to shit first before stealing his prosthetics? And how big is his bed? If you are sleeping with your lover, isn’t she always close to you? Most of the time, her head is on your chest or her legs or something on you. I sleep with my lover all the time and I know what I am saying. This Oscar guy said that he didn’t check whether Reeva Steenkamp was in bed but grabbed his gun, wore his prosthetics and went straight to the bathroom to shoot…….he burglar. If I hear a strange noise in my house at night and my lover is in bed with me, I call her first and whisper in her ears, “do you hear that noise?” before I grab my gun because like I said earlier, I am confused. Oscar, this one dier, your story has lots of holes in there and I would urge you to say the truth, simple. I am sure they were arguing over another man or something and when you have steroids in you, your best friend is the gun. Well, I’m guessing here please. I have been ‘high’ before and I know what I’m saying. Anyway, may that beauty rest in peace and I would like to say to all the pretty women out there that, there are guys like us too here wai. You like following money and fame too much. You don’t want to date someone like me, why? Don’t do that oo..yoo.. money will get you anywhere not everywhere. Does that even make sense? When you come to me, I will fool for you to laugh and we will eat waakye, after all, WHAT?!!

On Sunday, I went to a Total Station to get petrol and saw a big label that was almost covering the LCD of the Fuel Dispenser. Another increase in the price of fuel!! The anger that went through my being didn’t even allow me to check the price per gallon. What is going on in this country of ours?  For those of us who have been planning to buy a generator now have to deal with fuel hikes as well. I wont even buy this generator anymore! Like seriously, what is happening in this nation of ours? There is no money in the system, only a small sect has all the money and we are here just facing hikes upon hikes. I can imagine the numerous fights that occurred in trotros and taxis nation-wide. So we went to join long queues to vote just for this? We wanted a better this and a better that and now look. I’m sure things will keep on coming up as the months come by. Enough of this talk, it’s now time to tell you something about me.

I started blogging a couple of months ago, circa May 2012 and it has been a beautiful experience, writing is something I love even though I don’t know lots of words. I have a photo-blog – mutombodapoet.tumblr.com and I have this blog and another at blogspot. This blog and the one that hosted by blogspot has the same content. I don’t even know why I do that. Now let me go on to what I really want to put across, I have been nominated for 2 awards by Blogcamp Ghana and I am humbled and delighted for this. I have been nominated with some ‘gurus’ and that is something I can be happy about since these peeps have been doing this blogging thing for time. I would like you guys to check out my blogs especially mutombodapoet.tumblr.com and vote for me. I have been nominatied for 2 awards and they are the BEST PHOTO BLOG (mutombodapoet.tumblr.com) and PERSONALITY WITH THE BEST SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE (@mutombodapoet). Kindly logon to http://www.blogcampghana.com/voting/ and vote for me. With the 2^nd nomination if its not me then it should be wanlov or if it’s not wanlov, then it should be me but think about it, I have facebook, twitter, and 3 blogs, well, 2 blogs so it should be me, or? Kindly vote.

Lets Ponder

My previous plan was to blog about Valentine’s Day but I wont waste my time at all, I should be used to the lives of my fellow Ghanaians by now. I will go ahead and share or talk about better things, something that we can all ponder over, besides, how many Ghanaians can afford Golden Tree Chocolate? Tell me!! Since 2007 they (the government) decided Val’s Day in Ghana should be National Chocolate Day. I will leave this for another day.

I was in Busua in December 2012, for those who don’t know where this place is, it’s situated in the Western Region and you should see the pretty beaches and lovely people. I was there for the Asabaako Festival and that was my 3^rd  in a row. I pray that I will be able to witness this festival every year, my humble prayer.

So anyway, during this festival, I took tons of pictures and even though I love all of them, one picture keeps on getting my attention. I go back to it every now and then and anytime I study it, I get something new from it. This is the picture-

I know you will disagree with me that it’s a good picture and I will understand you perfectly well, maybe you will get where I am coming from when I finally explain what happened before that picture was taken. Now let me explain- I had walked along the beach for like an hour just taking random shots and I finally decided to have a seat on this rock by the rope you see in the shot. As you can see, the rope was holding the canoe in place and I tried making sense out of the whole scene. For those who are eager to know the sense I made out of this scene, here you go- In life, you (the canoe) are stable because of people around you, thus, your family and good friends (rope). They do everything for you so you feel comfortable and so you don’t ‘sway’. I took my camera and aimed to shot and all of a sudden, from nowhere, I see this little girl run across my frame, holding the rope over her head so she could go under it. Then suddenly the ‘sense’ I was trying to make got an addition-even though family and friends are down for you, will support you in every way, sometimes ‘forces’ out there come your way and causes you ‘shake’…for a while. I know some of you will see this as foolish but blame my thought-process, its foolish like that. Study the picture too, you might come up with something better.

Vim!

"I FOR TALK"

I don’t even know why I haven’t blogged about this. I should have even blogged about it before it came out. Anyway, most of you know I am a spoken word artist and I have an album out already called PHOTOSENTENCES.

Well, in 2013 I will be dropping a new album and the 1^st single of that album is already out and its good to know that everyone likes it. What I have realized is my growth and people have been telling me too. I have listened to this new single over a 100 times, something I have never done so you can imagine.

M3NSA produced this new single of mine and he also featured on the track. I plan to do a couple of spoken word tracks with a couple of artists and I simply cant wait. Anyway, you can download the single “I FOR TALK” and do well to pass it on to friends and whoever.

This is Spoken Word!!!

Pope Benedickt XVI

I knew it, I said it, this is not a shock to me at all. I knew this would happen by all means. I really don’t think he is resigning because his age or any of those ‘bull’. Remember sometime back, his former butler, Paolo Gabriele leaked his private papers? When that happened, I knew that something like what I heard yesterday would happen. I really want to know what were in those leaked documents just because. There are so many secrets hidden beneath the Vatican and I know you all want to find out a lot more, just like me. Pope Benedict XVI, are you really retiring because you think you are tired or because of other ‘matters’? Come clean because God hates liars, say it as it is and we will all understand and agree, but telling lies is something that God hates. You are not tired biaa!!!

Let us talk about the previous Pope, he was in ‘power’ until his death. Did he say he was tired, old and about to die so had to resign? When you are doing the work of God, you don’t just resign ooo, because, wait, imagine God says he is resigning. Just imagine! Pope Benedict, we beg you, don’t resign wai, just do God’s work or you just be there keke and pray for death to come. Come to Africa and see, head of states who are refusing to retire after over two decades, just come and see something on this side. The citizens have tried saa but they wont leave. I think you have to meet Mugabe and a couple of others to give you tips on these things because in Africa, we know how to do it paa. I am not a Catholic but if you really resign, e go pain me papa!!

And I am hearing that the next Pope might be from Ghana, that man’s name popped up a couple of times when they were appointing this current Pope and I always wondered how he ended up there. Is it a requirement that one has to be a ‘virgin’ before he can be Pope? If it is a requirement then hmm… the tribal mark on his face has even given him away dadaada. Anyway, how did Turkson end up there kraa? How did he? Imagine a Ghanaian becoming a Pope, the way Ghanaians go rosh!! I think they will even say that they are all going to heaven one time and the Catholic Churches in Ghana go make noise, especially the one down my street. They will use this to take more money from the congregation. Charle, me if you ask me, I don’t want any Ghanaian to become Pope. It should be someone from Spain or Argentina. From Spain, my pick will be Iniesta and from Argentina, Messi. There is this holy thing about these 2 and I know they will be good Popes, my reasons will come in another post. Commot!

Make I end am for here. Tomorrow another post go come up.

The Body Of A Woman

I am saying hi to 2013 and also to you all. How many of you didn’t make it to this year, show by hands. How many of you never expected to travel this far, show by soles. And how many of you are ready to handle 2013,show by ‘vim’. Infact, I never expected to come this far myself, like I always say, my age now was very old for me when I was in my teens and 2013 looked like forever to me. Since I am here, I am going to bask and make the best out of it. Have a good 2013 and let’s all get what we want by the end of the year. Those who made their resolutions public on facebook and twitter, I will be watching you

I have always appreciated nudity, ‘female nudity’. I don’t know if that is the appropriate way of saying it but…. I guess you all know what I am trying to put across. My vocabulary is very limited. Anyway, I have always appreciated it more when a good-looking female with a perfect body is nude. And I know that when I say ‘perfect body’, you guys will start looking at the slim/slender girls, yes, the model type of girls. Your minds have been ‘westernized’ so I wont judge you, and please don’t judge me too with this post. Plump/fat people have attractive bodies too and in my part of the world, when you are slim, you are said to be poor but a ‘fat’ person is always considered to be living a good life plus more.

I have always loved studying the female body so in the early 2000s when I had my freedom, I used to go to the beaches and swimming pools a lot. I go there to swim but most of all to study/watch all those ladies there sporting assorted bikinis. Most of the time, I am not disappointed at all. God is the best artist in the whole universe and I am wondering how long it took Him to make woman. I am sure he spent time on that because He didn’t go wrong at all. Woman is a perfect piece of art and I think nothing beats this art piece. There have been several times where I had hidden somewhere in the house to look at the naked body of my woman, I am always studying how her breasts wiggle when she walk around the room naked and how her ass shakes as she takes her steps. There is a reason why I haven’t bothered to fix another bathroom door after I took the last one out. The last one had no problem but I still took it out. Yes, there is a reason. My wish is to become and ‘nude’ photographer one day because I have all of these crazy shots in my head and please, I took that picture you are seeing on this page, I took it a long time ago.

I like seeing our women in kaba and all that but sometimes it hinders. Kaba is always loose on the body so I find it hard to study their curves and all. Anyway, until then, I will still go to the beaches and swimming pool and keep on studying the body of my woman when she is taking her bath in my door-less bathroom.

Have a good 2013

Mexican Fisherman Meets Harvard MBA

I took this from Mr. Herbert Mensah's page on facebook:

Mexican Fisherman Meets Harvard MBA 
What Really Matters in Life? (Oldie)

A vacationing American businessman standing on the pier of a quaint coastal fishing village in southern Mexico watched as a small boat with just one young Mexican fisherman pulled into the dock. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. Enjoying the warmth of the early afternoon sun, the American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.

"How long did it take you to catch them?" the American casually asked.

"Oh, a few hours," the Mexican fisherman replied.

"Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" the American businessman then asked.

The Mexican warmly replied, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."

The businessman then became serious, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

Responding with a smile, the Mexican fisherman answered, "I sleep late, play with my children, watch ballgames, and take siesta with my wife. Sometimes in the evenings I take a stroll into the village to see my friends, play the guitar, sing a few songs..."

The American businessman impatiently interrupted, "Look, I have an MBA from Harvard, and I can help you to be more profitable. You can start by fishing several hours longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra money, you can buy a bigger boat. With the additional income that larger boat will bring, before long you can buy a second boat, then a third one, and so on, until you have an entire fleet of fishing boats."

Proud of his own sharp thinking, he excitedly elaborated a grand scheme which could bring even bigger profits, "Then, instead of selling your catch to a middleman you'll be able to sell your fish directly to the processor, or even open your own cannery. Eventually, you could control the product, processing and distribution. You could leave this tiny coastal village and move to Mexico City, or possibly even Los Angeles or New York City, where you could even further expand your enterprise."

Having never thought of such things, the Mexican fisherman asked, "But how long will all this take?"

After a rapid mental calculation, the Harvard MBA pronounced, "Probably about 15-20 years, maybe less if you work really hard."

"And then what, señor?" asked the fisherman.

"Why, that's the best part!" answered the businessman with a laugh. "When the time is right, you would sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions."

"Millions? Really? What would I do with it all?" asked the young fisherman in disbelief.

The businessman boasted, "Then you could happily retire with all the money you've made. You could move to a quaint coastal fishing village where you could sleep late, play with your grandchildren, watch ballgames, and take siesta with your wife. You could stroll to the village in the evenings where you could play the guitar and sing with your friends all you want."

The moral of the story is: Know what really matters in life, and you may find that it is already much closer than you think.

INDIE FUSE 2012

I was looking forward to it for 2 months, not because I had nothing else to look forward to but because it was exciting in 2011. I hate it when good things happen just once in a year, like birthdays, Indie Fuse and Independence, even though we are still dependent. Nobody should fight or argue with me over this, we are still dependent as a country. But that isn’t what I want to ‘argue’ about in this post. I want to touch on something spectacular, something original and authentic.

Indie fuse came off over the weekend (15^th December,2012) at Alliance Francaise in Accra, and it is one of the few shows, if not the only show that started on time, well not exactly on time but I mean, just some few minutes late didn’t hurt anyone. We were even late for the show and we kept on getting calls that the show was about to start. Someone, texted me that the show was starting without me and I thought all were jokes, these friends just wanted us to talk before the show like we always do. I got there with Glen aka @simpol_tinz and the first act was already on stage.  But before this the crowd enjoyed some good tunes from the funky professor himself Kobby Graham who was supported by DJ Kev. I really like Kobby’s choice of music and I think when it comes to music, we share something in common. I think. The hosts of the show were not present so someone else had to play host for the mean time.

Indie Fuse is all about artists being themselves and putting out their works on platforms in the most imaginative way possible. At Indie Fuse, you will find ‘skillful’ artists performing with a live band and this means no miming. Things that happen here are different, even the songs you hear and most of the artists, you hardly hear on radio. The industry follow a single path, it hates to discover, it hates to dig deep into the underground to find out what goes on there. All it deals with are mainstream artists and this becomes boring to me especially. I hardly listen to the radio because most of the music I hear on there are straight trash. I think I am wrong to even call that ‘music’ and they lack creativity. You will be amazed with what you will hear when you branch out of the single path that the industry rides on. There are young people who are built and are doing their thing for fans who are lucky to find them, and I am that type of guy who likes ‘digging’ to discover new artists, Indie Fuse has been one of my grounds. Indie Fuse is a music platform that promotes Ghanaian artists, both locally and abroad and connects them for projects. I connected with Kae Sun, a Ghanaian musician who is based is Canada, thanks to Indie Fuse.

I had been at a couple of rehearsals and also the sound check on that day so I knew this version of Indie Fuse was going to be awesome so there was no way I was going to miss this for anything. Finally, I was going to experience some good live music, whew!! Been to a couple of ‘mime’ shows in these last couple of months and I had been itching to free myself with a good show and Indie Fuse did the trick. So finally the show started, this group called the @sankwasbois were host and I must say that these duo are fools, they branched out of the normal ‘Chris Attoh’ way of hosting and incorporated humour, art and more humour. They did not just come on stage to just introduce the next act just like that but ‘played the fool’ and sometimes blended their introduction of the next act into their ‘fun ways’. This is one of the few times that I have seen a crowd look forward to see the hosts come on stage and even their outfits were…..hmmmm..

The first on stage was Zantou Lansre a group from Niger and from their outfits to the women who were dancing for them really took my mind to a place, the ‘desert region’. The only thing missing on stage was a camel but their songs replaced that. They took the crowd through a couple of their songs which they call the northern mojoblues funk music and you could see the faces in the crowd, they listened with rapt attention and the applause that came after their performance was awesome. Even though a majority of the crowd did not understand their lyrics they really absorbed it and this is why I believe that music is indeed a universal language.

Next was Lyrical Wanzam who also brought his own band to do a song, he also got backing from the ‘in-house’ band, Afro Harmony as well. This band is gradually etching their name in the bosom of the music industry and they are made up of young men who are in their early 20s. They have style and don’t lack creativity at all. They are diverse so serve all, no matter your type of music. Lyrical Wanzam released a mixtape a couple of months back called the AfroPolytank and it did very well. He is made songs with Manifest and I am sure he is cooking something for his fans.

Lady Jay is a soulful singer from Pidgen Music and that mean I share a common label with her. I think she was the simplest dressed artist of the night. She killed it though with her songs which came to live and how she related with the crowd was on point. Sewor, an instrumentalist from the African Relaxation Technique (A.R.T) was there to back her. I have seen her improve by the minute and I am looking forward to what her 2013 will be like.

Jojo Abot, another marvelous singer came on stage to do her thing and she introduced a violinist into her performance. I had good comments from the crowd after her performance and they were surprised that they had never heard about her or heard her music on the radio or tv. This is what Indie Fuse is all about, innit? She has an EP coming out soon and I am looking forward to that. I have seen her perform so many times and she always kills it. What I like about her is how she blends her native Ewe Language into her songs, she mostly sings in English and the ewe helps her cut across boundaries.

Before I forget, let me send a big shouts to Alliance Francaise for the good sound that they have produced over the years. Their sound is always on point and this is where I say Rest In Peace to Mr. Cephas who passed a couple of months back. He was the sound engineer and the person who has taken over is also doing a wonderful job. Mantse was keen on sound during sound-check and I think the finished product was crystal-clear, every instrument was on the right level. Correct nsenku!!! The lighting too was in sync and I love the various colours that clad the stage.

Paapa who is a Jesus Freak and from the Skillions Records had his chance on stage. He is a one-man band with his keyboard and loop station and the melodies that he creates on these equipment are awesome. Jayso introduced him after the Sankwas Bois has (please note why I am using ‘has’ all you English teachers) introduced him and the crowd kept on chanting ‘ice water’ which is a single he released a couple of months ago. Paapa stammers, I met him in 2006 and I am amazed with how he has improved with both his speech and art form. He is very good on the keyboard and I know he has a whole lot up his sleeve for 2013.

If you have seen them perform before, you know how the crowd goes berserk when they perform their single I Dey Feel You Die. Its an AfroRock Band here in Ghana and we all know them as Faint Medal. I am yet to find out the meaning on their name, will leave that for another time. They didn’t perform their hit song this time, but they did perform some wicked songs which I know will catch on pretty soon. Their lyricist, Syn, is very smooth on the mic and Kyekyeku is very agile on the guitar. This time, they brought a young man who did the whole rapping thing on their sound and you should see the energy of the crowd as this man laid his verses. Even though the crowd was expecting I Dey Feel You Die ft Yaa Pono they were satisfied with the show Faint Medal Band put up and I know that those songs will catch on soon.

Yaa Pono was present and also had his time on stage. This young man is always fire when he is on stage and always, and I repeat always gets the crowd on their feet. He is from  Pidgen Music  and I think he has performed on all the previous Indie Fuse Shows. I was mostly back stage when he was performing and I could hear the ‘roars’ from the crowd, it was deafening. I remember his show from last year’s Indie Fuse, I remember like it was yesterday and the little that I saw with this one…….saved!!

Alliance Francaise was filled to capacity, people couldn’t find seats, the aura was bliss and the whole place was made up of people who loved the arts, people who wanted to see authentic artists, people who wanted to watch live performances from artist that they hardly see or hear but know how awesome they are. Everybody who came knew they were paying 10ghc to watch something that will live with them and they were not failed at all. I have read reviews about the show and I have not read anything negative from any of the websites or blogs. I can say this is the most successful show this year and I am already looking forward to next year’s. Yes, already. I have been saying that Indie Fuse should be held twice in a year instead of the current once a year. People can’t wait for that long, when something is that good. I am not looking forward to any other shows this holidays because I know that all I will see is mediocre and nothing but miming.

There were 2 headliners and the first to come on stage was Tawiah, a Ghanaian who is based in the UK and has made a name for herself all over. She has done back up singing for Amy Winehouse and Corinne Bailey Rae. She has worked with Cee-Lo, Mark Ronson, Wale and GhostPoet. He performed with the Afro Harmony Band and also performed with her loop station and Guitar as well. Tawiah has performed on numerous stages including the Glastonbury Festival and I saw her back in 2008 perform at the Bless Da Mic Christmas edition. The crowd loved her, I remember a friend of mine come to me like, ‘cha, that girl be serious oo!!’. Yes she was very serious on stage and just look her up on google/youtube and feel her small wai? I really hope she has other shows in Ghana this December before she leaves for the UK.

I would like to commend ACCRA [dot] ALT who are the producers of Indie Fuse and also all those who came on board to support this good course especially the Institut Francais, Alliance Francaise, The Republic Bar and Grill, REDD KATT, Dust Magazine, Fullish Art, Pidgen Music, Skillions Records, Nandimobile, Goba Hub, Smoothy’s Café and Global Outdoor Systems. They made Indie Fuse 2012 possible and I hope that come 2013, more companies will come on board so we have a better show.

The second headliner was a group called the Fokn Bois…hmmm.. need I say more? I know that most of you are aware of this fokn group and their ways already. I am sure that you know how they get creative on stage and also involve the crowd in the performances, and I am also sure that you are aware of the depth in their lyrics. This duo, made up of Wanlov and M3NSA performed some songs on their latest Fokn Wit Ewe album and from their solo albums. They performed all the songs with the Afro Harmony Band and they were also joined by Ryan Ansah, who is good with the guitar. A section of the crowd had to give up their seats and come to the front of the stage to work their feet to songs like Adjuma, African Gypsy and Gimmie Pinch. I remember how the crowd laughed and giggled to the lyrics of Sextra Terrestrial Sex. Joking about how semen would float in space and how comets are really the semen of aliens etc. The fokn bois really live up to their name and it was good to see them together once again on a local stage after touring several countries in Europe during 2012.

This post is so long so I need to just end here before most of you stop reading. I am sure by now some stopped reading somewhere in-between, too bad. But Indie Fuse 2012 was so successful and like I said, I cant wait for the next one. There was also a mini show at the Republic Bar on Friday 14^th December and that too went well even though I had to leave early because I was so tired. Anyway, the hosts of the show were really myself and @simpol_tinz and we make up the Sankwas Bois.

Kudos to Mantse and Sionne of Accra[dot]Alt and also to Gyedu Blay Ambolley for that small talk during the show.

''Bed-Wetting''

I eat and drink everything during the day without thinking. I drink a whole lot, and I am not talking about liquor, please. I know how you people think. Always waiting to hear something like this then you start judging. I drink lots of water during the day and that forces me to pee every now and then. Thank God I have a very good bladder and I do well to control it………….sometimes.

Last night, I ate quiet late, which is not good for me because quiet recently, I always wake up with a full belly when I eat late the previous night. And if care is not taken, I will get a potbelly in no time, it is coming but I am doing well to control it. I have been doing sit-ups and all form of exercises recently and I have started playing basketball after about a 6-year break. I am writing this post with a very full belly even though I haven’t eaten this morning. Food in there was from last night and I regret I ate that late

One thing that happens to me when I eat late is, I have all sort of weird dreams at night and this started at a very tender age. My mother said it is normal because it sometimes happened to her and I have had a couple of friends tell me the same but I don’t understand, where is the link? Where is the link between ‘satisfaction’ and weird dreams? Sometimes they are nightmares and those are the ones I really hate. I had a weird dream last week, and in the dream, I was in a coke bottle, someone had trapped me in a coke bottle and I was trying to get out. Some friends gathered around and they were yelling ‘Genie,Genie,Genie!!!’. I still don’t understand why I had such a dream but like I have said earlier, I have weird dreams or nightmares when I eat late.

Very often, I usually have this dream when I see myself peeing , and this is a very tricky type of dream because I have on a couple of times wet my bed because of that type of dream. I nearly wet my bed last night, a tone from my phone woke me up right on time, I would have done it. I got home last night and I was already asleep so I just jump straight to bed even though I knew I had to pee. Sometimes, I can’t be bothered with matters related to my bladder because I think I have a good bladder and I do well to control it. If I had wet my bed last night, I would have been able to do nothing, apart from drying my mattress In the sun and my tenant would be wondering what’s up. I mean, I dry it once in a while but you know how your brain works when you do something bad or wrong. And the pee-pee marks/stain would have been on the mattress and they would have seen.

I was still wetting my bed in primary school, I think in JSS I was still doing it but it wasn’t frequent. My mom would let me eat early evening because she knew I would wet my bed when I ate late, even with that, I still did it. I gave her and my grandma a tough time because they would have to wake me up every now and then to make me pee, the least mistake, I would wet that bed. My mom did all she could to make me stop, I remember she took me ‘somewhere’ when I was in Grade 4 to seek help and the doctor said I was still young and it was normal but she wouldn’t understand since my 2 other siblings were not doing it. Well, they were but it was only when something really really went wrong. Sometimes, my mom would threaten me that she would bring my mattress to my school, St. Martin de Porres for my mates to boo at me and that was really frightening. She did all she could but I never really stopped, I think I stopped completely right before I entered Secondary School and no matter when I ate, I would wake up to pee at night. I wonder why I couldn’t just do this in those days.

Is bed-wetting a disability of some sort? I know some people my age still wet their beds and in Accra Academy I knew a couple of students who were wetting their beds constantly. It was so sad and those people were the most quiet in the school because a small mistake and we would start teasing them. My mom always called me ‘gyinsokrobo’ or ‘shamɔlɔ’ which means a ‘bed-wetter’ in twi and ga respectively and I got so angry when she called me that but sadly, it was true.

Who I Voted For!!

It is a new week and finally,my ears can rest after months of debates and arguments on radio,TV and social media. I got entangled in a couple of them on twitter myself and it so good to know that social media is helping us put words across and also know how people think and attack issues relating to politics. I have heard radio and TV stations read and communicate with listeners/viewers via Facebook and Twitter and all i can say is 'kudos. And to all those who still haven't seen the light, i pray that you walk that path soon.

May Atta Mills rest in peace, he was a good man and i want his good light to shine through our new president-elect, John Dramani Mahama. It was a keenly contested race and i will also like to commend Nana Akuffo Addo for a good fight. Even though this looks like the end of him to me, i know that his works will be etched deep in the annal of this country's political history. Indeed, he has done a lot for this beautiful country of ours.

I am a citizen of this country and i voted,that is a right that i can't throw away. When people ask me who i voted for, i hesitate a little since i am not comfortable saying, for what reason, i don't know. I don't know why people don't want to say who they voted for, i have heard a couple of reasons and i will say that all the reasons i have heard so far are stupid. I am yet to hear something more sensible. Anytime i am asked who i voted for, i ask the person why they want to know then after hearing them, i just say, i don't know. i wonder why i do this, why i can't say who i voted for. 

My late mother was very political, she was a serious member of the National Convention Party (Kow  Nkensen Arkaah) and later became a National Democratic Congress member. In those days, i saw prominent people who were in politics walk in and out of my house and she also took me to so many political activities, the best was the numerous 6th March parade at the Independence Square and i say it is the best because we always sat at the VIP Section which was always very close to where JJ Rawlings was. That man became a god to me after i shook his hand.

Ghana politics has really come a long way, i won't say its the best but we are doing really well, especially when its that time again for vote. People always talk about how they are scared that something will happen but little did they know that we are peace loving peeps who are also aware that we have nowhere to go when there is mayhem. This elections saw some disturbance but that was it, no lives were lost or nobody was hurt. Some unlucky people who tried to snatch ballot boxes were lynched though and i think they deserved it. I mean what do you do with the ballot box? I just don't get it.

I started voting in 2000, and the process is fun, i remember the first time i was going to vote with some of my childhood friends, we felt like we were part of a process, like we were adults and had a say in the affairs of this nation. Since then, i have not missed an election, i sometimes ensure that the indelible ink on my left 'pinky' is so visible so people coming from a distance can see. I know that by now, you are thinking, 'what party does Mutombo vote for?' Well that is a question that i will answer soon and i hope that everybody reads this post so they know where i belong. I am just tried of swerving your question, it is such a 'chore'.

i have been voting for the NDC since 2000 and i voted for them a couple of days back. I have so many reasons why i have voted fro the NDC, yes, because of their policies and all. I don't want to get into that but the topmost reason why i vote the NDC is because of my mom. Maybe one day, i will vote for the NPP or some other party if i realise that they have something positive for the country and its citizens. I hope that the new president-elect, John Mahama doesn't fail Ghanaians because 4 years is just around the corner and Ghanaians are not fools. I wish the best for him and his cabinet and may he go for it.

'….so let's choose that man with a ton of sense, see how my clothes got ripped when i sat on the fence. No matter what you do you can't refuse to choose, and even if you don't, you will still be governed by the same man you accuse…….so let's choose wisely…'-taken from a poem of mine

NDC 3y3 ZU,3y3 ZA!!

December 7

I don't even know how to start, i have forsaken thee. I hope non of you forgot about me. Jesus has been gone for how many centuries now, but you still remember Him, right? I have not posted anything on my blog for just a couple of weeks, just a couple of weeks, why would you ditch me? Come on, son!!

I have so much to tell you guys and you know that when one has a lot of important things to say, they end up saying nothing at all. I would love it if you stopped reading now because i am not going to say anything relevant. My life has been awesome since i left you guys, we'll not so awesome but since i still have life, i should be thankful, innit? December 7 is just around the corner and we will be going to the polls to 'pick' a president who is going to govern us for another 4 years. Town has been so busy lately, and i won't hesitate to mention the noise pollution from campaign  vehicles that carry huge megaphones on their roofs and chirp out distorted party chants and music. After they come to power, they will warn us about noise pollution and how one can be jailed for that. These people, i don't trust them at all.

Anyway, this is the time that the politicians become friends with the average man, all because of votes and the average man does not slack at all during these times, they will 'salvage' all that they can get from the politician because he knows the next time he will come around again is when it is time to vote. But this year's campaigning has been fun, for even me because i am that type who will never watch a Presidential Debate. For what?? Tell me, why should i? What they say never comes to pass, they come to power and forget about all the promises and even hurl down their manifestos from skyscrapers and i am tired of hoping, charley!! I am simply tired so i am just living. But i watched this year's presidential campaign, all the 2 and to be very honest, i did  enjoy every bit of it. Not because of the promises NPP or NDC made but because of the presidential candidate for PNC, Hassan Ayariga. This man is awesome, i must confess and i doff my hat to the people who are behind his selection. He is the best thing ever when it comes to Ghana's Politics and i am sure his name will be on the lips of many Ghanaians for years to come.

I really want Ayariga to win this election but you know how the Ghanaian voter votes, NPP and NDC has taken control of our whole mindset and its annoying. You have a good man like Ayariga, why don't you vote for him. Think about his policies and plans, all the good things he has for the country. Why don't you want to vote for him? I won't even go through some of his terms and speeches because……nah…..Malcolm X and Martin Luther King should still be quoted, charley. It has been fun. We should also do well to blame the media for any mishap, i was forced to listen to local radio for a couple of days and what goes on there is really disgusting, very. We have a long way to go and i hope we get there real soon because i won't allow my kids to listen to those junk on radio and tv. Anytime you hear something about the ELECTIONS you are bound to hear 'PEACE' or 'WAR' and i don't know why we have to juxtapose these, i have no clue why.

Anyway, 13 years ago, my mum died and it was on the 7th of December so as i join the queue to vote, deep inside, i will be thinking about such a beautiful soul. My Friend and Mother. VIM