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!!

1st Single off my PHOTOSENTENCES ALBUM

SWEET MEMORIES

DOWNLOAD TRACK HERE

Man never knows what tomorrow brings because its opaque,

but the brain can always cut through the transparent past and tap those nostalgic memories to wake.

Imagery of childhood renovates brain so it looks like a gallery,

portraits and abstract but one mosaic depicts the crucifixion on calvary.

This is when he really died because everything was bliss,

an eye for an eye was then an eye for a kiss.

This is in remembrance of childhood like its dead and gone but this past still lives on,

like greats whose works and name have been caligraphed on life’s papyrus.

We children who were vagrants like my pappy was,

the only difference was that we had better dreams because we came home to sleep the night away.

Fly away kites made of paper and broomsticks with strong threads to give them skyscraper heights with floors of about ninety six,

experts in building these flying creatures so when it broke we could always fix.

The dreams we had then for today were that tall,

midget physique, so when we looked up, we went dizzy and we did fall.

Parents with whips were like robots, they swung it with an even interval,

so we all had cain stripes like zebras in the wild.

The rod was never spared if things were not done properly,

but stones and caution were thrown to the wind because we were God’s property.

police and thief was a brand new hide and seek,

and because each group wanted to win we adopted a war-like technique.

Dummy weapons were aimed opponent with an accuracy

because our elbows had grease but none of my peers were Greeks.

Life if those days was a portrait we all had smiles like Mona Lisa,

I was a local kid so I knew what was kontomire and pona didn’t know what was pizza.

Fanta and Coke were not common to us, they only came through on special occasions,

easter and Christmas conjured more eggs so there was a celebration.

HOOK

Life in those days was bliss

All those memories that I still do miss…….4X

Rains that the clouds puked dropped on the soft earth with dignity,

we enjoyed games in the mud because there was key soap and elders

greeted each other, you could feel the serenity.

The football we played needed no stadiums like the Bundesliga,

we were both players and referees back then we didn’t know what was FIFA.

Presence of a socks ball or case 5 made the moment just right to play small poles or 4 corners,

It was with our barefeet because we had no trainers.

Shins were hardened like craniums,

and we worked ourselves up during the day so at night we slept like we had several pills of Valium.

Nana Osei was daddy and Abena Serwaa was mummy in playhouse,

and the game for miniature parents then was, you remove my shirt and I take off your blouse.

My street is dead now, way back it was filled with hawkers,

every junction was occupied by noisy petty sellers

and if I knew this type of horn then, I would have called them vuvuzelas.

I used to catch tadpoles in big gutters

and trapped grasshoppers in poki rubbers because at home it was just a dog

so I wasn’t content.

You should see how my mom hopped back when she checked the content.

The alikoto that we played had more spin than the potters wheel,

we went on top of hills so our tyres could glide and those sticks were our steering wheel.

If I can meet the past once again in my future once again I’ll beg her to take me back into time,

so I can knock my friends on their heads when they forget to say no zanzama,

play chaskele or dicos with Mick and Mahama and mock 6 year olds when they lose a tooth.

Memories that I never want to forget and I will do it over and over and over again with no regrets.

HOOK

Life in those days was bliss

All those memories that I still do miss…….4X

Big In Ghana Tour(Kumasi&Accra)

Of late dier I am trying, anaa? I have been able to post regularly, yes, I do, and I love every minute of it. All my previous posts are worth reading so do well to go back into time and just enjoy. Finally the Big In Ghana tour came to an end on Saturday 1st September, 2012 with the biggest concert at the Holy Gardens, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Accra. We all knew that Accra’s version was going to be the biggest and our thoughts came to life. I have already told you guys about the Takoradi and Tema versions of the concert, I am left with Kumasi and Accra then my job is done.

Kumasi was awesome, the people and the energy. We got there at 2:30 on Thursday 30th august, 2012 and it was straight to business after we checked into our hotel called the Promised Land (I dey feel the hotel ein name waa). Wanlov and Mensa went straight to Kapital Radio to be interviewed by DJ NY, one of the DJs who have given my spoken word album, Photosentences loads of love in Kumasi. The interview was awesome, it gave us a good welcome to Kumasi. But charley, on the real, Kumasi traffic is on another level ooo… No lie!! Not much was done on the Thursday apart from the fufu I ate with Mensa at that place and I remember the guy who came to ‘short’ us. He didn’t show mercy on our fufu at all, the guy chop oo…

On the morning of the day for the Kumasi version of the Big In Ghana Tour, Mensa and I went to buy some hausa koko in the morning paa and charley, this koko was very brown, I mean deep brown, far from the ones we have in Accra and I think I know why Kumasi makes her koko very brown. Nobody should ask me. Anyway, let me fast forward to the show itself but before, I really enjoyed interviewing some of the artists on Friday morning. I did what happened in Takoradi again, yes; I entered each and every room with no ‘permit’. The concert took place at the Cultural Centre in Kumasi and I had to interview some people there as the stage was been put together. I interviewed Pim of AfricanUnsigned with @simpol_tinz, we also spoke to the music director, Mr Sewor and a couple of other people. Show started a little bit late as usual and Efya couldn’t make it to Kumasi but things went smoothly. The four artists/contestants, Anas, Amoakohene, NT4 and Bright rocked the stage after an Azonto Competition and some raps by people who were selected from the crowd. I really love the Big In Ghana stage charley, no mistake kraa, on point!! Bradaz passed through to spice up the whole thing and Blacks also came on stage to do some things, they are 2 young guys and charle, I feel them roff.

Yaa Pono was killing it on stage, he did a couple of songs, about 5 and some freestyles. Charle, the crowd was feeling him!! It’s funny how the people know his songs because the radio hardly shows him love, but the crowd knew the words to most of his songs. So, hmmm, he wasn’t done yet, he was going to do more songs and then, fui!, The generator set decided to go off. Oh charley, wey yawa this?? The guy didn’t buy enough fuel for the generator, he pocketed some of the money. This is what I wanted to do to him-lay him on a bed of roses in the sun and smear shit on him charle. Dude didn’t try but that didn’t stop us even though a section of the crowd had dispersed. The lights came back on and the foknbois took the stage. Honestly, nothing stopped them, ignoring the fact that most of the people were gone, they put up a massive show and when I say massive, I mean massive!! Sankwas Bois (@simpol_tinz and mutombo) also went on stage to do some tunes charle. It was awesome!! I will never forget Kumasi.

We went to sleep at the Promise Land late and woke up around 7am to move back to Accra in order prepare for the Accra version that evening, charle, just imagine, we were all tired. And I dread travelling because I have ‘car-sickness’. I always want to throw up and I feel uneasy all the time, the feeling is so rude but on our way to Kumasi I found a remedy, well wanlov did and it is magic. They were teasing me and Wanlov gave me some tangerine peels to squeeze into my nostrils, In that state, I would do anything just to feel better so I did it and guess what, all what I was feeling vanished one time. I swear down!! So at every stop, I got some tangerines. Simple!!

The Accra concert was huge, the energy was awesome and the people were ‘responsive’. Efya was present here and she rocked the stage with her tunes, this lady is always on point. Yaa Pono has been killing it throughout this tour and here was no different. But the host, PY was talking too much, I guess it is all because of the crowd. The performance from the foknbois was fit for a climax and I know all those who were present will go home with something to tell and it will stay in their memory for a long time.

Enough love to Bavaria for making this possible, AfricanUnsigned, Kasapreko, Pidgen Music and all those who played a part to make this tour fruitful. It was awesome! As for the pictures dier, I have plenty on my facebook so add me (mutombodapoet Percy) and check out my tumblr too- mutombodapoet.tumblr.com