Driving In Ghana

I remember taking my last taxi to Tema before picking up my new second hand car that came off a ship from Germany. It felt good that i was finally avoiding bartering with the greedy taxi drivers who when seeing a foreigner would double their fare.

You see the taxi driver is one of the most arrogant and contentious people in Ghana. I was later going to find out that their plight i had only exchanged and not gotten rid of.

I stood there amongst many cars next to mine waiting for the Ashanti dealers to arrive for the exchange of the millions of cedis cash i had in my ruck sack for my car. Soon they came smiling and after counting every note they handed over the car to me.

Everything seemed to go smooth i had the car ownership papers my road worthiness and tax along with my driving license within a few days. It wasn't long before i was stuck at kwame Nkrumah's circle in a huge static traffic jam. I had Taxi's and tro tro's on all sides boxing me in and not giving up even an inch.

It was a million miles away from driving in the mostly good mannered streets of south London.
Sure in London there was "Road rage incidents" that could lead to your death if you met the wrong driver in the wrong situation, but in Ghana minus the death every driver almost is the wrong driver. All of them want to go before you. All of them don't have respect or have knowledge of "The right of way", and even more shockingly some are literally suicidal in there driving.

I know you the reader outside of Africa probably think i'm exaggerating but believe it or not i am being very careful to choose my words carefully to only tell you the truth.


Let me give you some examples. It is very common for you to be driving along and a parked car usually a taxi without checking his mirror pulls out in front of you making you slam on your breaks to avoid hitting him. He will do it without apology and most of the time in total oblivion to you your speed and any eventuality he may cause.

In the cases where you hit him he will blame you, and to be truthful if you are a foreigner the local people in most cases will also blame you.

I have even had on about 3 occasions a suicidal driver over taking about 4 vehicle's coming to wards a row of cars ahead of me in our lane. In these situations i remember the drivers flashing there lights ignorantly to move the traffic ahead of me out of the way even though we are in our rightful lane. Amazingly the cars ahead of me would give them way by driving into the place where people walk. In other words giving these deranged individuals the priority of an emergency at the cost of endangering pedestrians and other road users.

But by far the most amazing thing i have experienced was in a place called Dodowa. You see Dodowa is a very quite town hardly any cars at all. I was driving though there one Sunday afternoon, i was the only car on the road. Up ahead i notice a woman standing on the reservation that separates the road. She had already cross half the road and was waiting i thought for me to pass with a small boy before she continued.

To my surprise the woman made a desperate run in front of my car pulling the hesitant boy. I slammed on my breaks and swerved to miss her causing a screech. When she got to the other side she foolishly smiled.

A woman who felt it fit in inpatients to risk her life and the life of her son rather than to just wait till i pass. This made me think for some days after, and i can only draw the conclusion that Ghanaians both pedestrians and drivers have an erroneous and unhealthy attitude towards road use. This can be confirmed in the number of fatal road traffic accidents that happen here every day. According to the government 3 people die due to road accidents every day in Ghana.

Only just last month on the Accra Wenniba Road some 45 people perished as a truck carrying yams from Tema hit two cars that had crashed in the middle of the road. People who was about to rescue the occupants of the cars where ran over by the truck.

Even though there are far less cars in Accra than in London, driving in Accra is far more demanding. In order to get from A to B you have to anticipate whats unimaginable in London.

I can almost hear you ask "What about the police in all of this?". Well they are very busy trying to make a decent salary from road block bribes rather that chase bad drivers. I had a policeman stop me at a road block, he checked for everything. When he saw i had all that the law required he just asked me for money. The asking for money was the purpose of the road block it seemed.

Wilton Muhammad Accra Ghana

Diasporians Africa's Mirror

 Diasporians are like a "mirror" for Africa. They being outside of Africa and holding kinship to her are in a special position. What is apparent to the Diasporian by life's experiences hold keys to Africa's rise.

Africans around the world are in need of Justice a divine favour from almighty god. This justice that we seek is a birth right and anyone who is in opposition to it is in opposition to god. Its that simple!!

It is clear to most of us by now that White supremest are behind most of our problems in Africa and in the Diaspora's. This system is the most powerful cognitive device, an institution of deception that permeates every corner of our globe.

It is responsible for many injustices most of which have involved both Africans at home and abroad. We don't always suffer at the direct hands of it, but it also have our own brothers and sister acting out prescribe roles in positions of responsibility in its own peoples absents. From slavery to this very hour we are under a measure of influence from those who do not have our own interest at heart.

Everything in nature has an interest, and has whats in best interest for it. White people will confirm this fact, as they have done many times in there study of "wild life". Yet there practice on earth is totally to the contrary. They dictate to us whats in our interest along with the interests of other people in the world.

In nature that would mean that the goat can dictate to the lamb what it should eat. When in fact the lamb pays no attention to the goat. This is not racism in reverse just truth and facts.

Diasporians (Those who where born outside of Africa particularly the children of slaves) are concrete proof that the so called white man is of a different nature to us. Why, because despite living with him, schooling with him, fighting wars for him, we still are very different and our community's have never lived in peace together. I can safely say that even though i was born in London England i am more comfortable by far here in Ghana than i could ever be in London.

Black Africa should be constantly studying diasporian experiences. Its Africa's only true source of valuable information in which it needs to become truly independent. The diasporian by way of life experiences holds key knowledge for Africa if understood listened and respected.

The most important of all of the diasporians experiences is slavery. But slavery is not the only experiences that Black Africa needs to study form the diasporian. Really every aspect of our travels in the diaspora are good lessons to our brothers and sisters on this continent. A qualified engineer in London who is black would be extremely valuable in Ghana or any African city.

He could live like a king, and can create situations that potentially alleviate poor living conditions for thousands of people. Instead he sits at home with his small house in London suffering himself, and paying bills. Whats wrong with this picture? What is wrong is that the poor engineer, the poor nurse, the poor doctor etc has allowed someone to dictate to them whats in there best interest.

In nature everything behaves according to the law in which it was created. Lets see if the white man has a different nature form the black man. For a start physically the white is much weaker than the black. As Doctor Leakey a white anthropologist said "dark eyes are dominant light eyes are recessive you can get the recessive from the dominant but not the dominant from the recessive." Instantly we see that even just on a psychical level we differ.

The question now must be does that physical difference translate into the mental and spiritual?

I would seem that anyone studying theology would have to bear witness that it takes strength to be right. Strength of character etc. To do wrong is referred to as weaknesses. When ever we are telling the truth it takes a measure of strength. whenever we lie it comes from a weakness.

Do you think when the doctor was talking about weakness he only meant the eyes? What about skin, bones, hair, muscles and of course brain?


If his brain is generally different to ours then simply he is of a different nature to us. Ok we are all quote unquote human. But so is the bird family all bird, that doesn't mean the Eagle should hang out with the Budgie Or in the cat family the Tiger chilling with the house cat.


One of our great thinkers to my mind the greatest The Honorable Elijah Muhammad Gave a very telling lesson to The Diasporian he said we should "Accept our own and be ourself". What is interesting here is that this was one instruction and not two.

Accepting our own is tied to being ourself. You cannot attain one without the other. Isn't it great to conceive that we all both diasporian abroad for no matter how long, and born "Africans" are kin? Not out of romance but out of the recognition of pure facts.

If we view all as a family body of people then it would be no use having a head without a heart or a foot without a hand. It is becoming increasingly clear to me that the understanding of our plight lies in the conception of us being a whole. It is also evident that our solutions also are contained in this conception.


I have listened to diasporians try to extricate themselves from involvement and association with Africa. This can never be successful because we are simply in truth a part of that family of people. Even if you the individual have convinced yourself, the rest of the world is not with you in their view of you. This leaves us in a very weak position because then we are trying to belong to something that is non existent. This has undoubtedly added to how others have lost respect for us and in some cases consideration for us.

Our born resident Africans on the other hand fall on this point too, because of the boundaries of tribalism and nationalism. BOTH in 2007 are not in our best interest.

The Great Asagefo Kwame Nkrumah Knew this. That is why he was a Pan Africanist. He also had great admiration for Marcus Garvy who created the concept "The black star" which is proudly shown on the Ghana flag. As great as Ghana is she should be viewed as a State in Africa along with Nigeria etc. This is not impossible and it MUST be done in order for us to secure our future as a people.

Ghana was born out of a conception of mutual understanding and recognition of both the diasporian and the born African. Garvey a Diasporian Nkrumah the born African both recognized what was important here.

I love Nkruhmah i accept his ideals as my own he is a father to my thinking along with all the diasporian greats. It is disturbing to me to see his name and idea's rubbished buy Ghanaians because as a Diasporian having my understanding of the outside world i can see he was and is principle to our survival and restoration as a people in and out of Africa.

Naturally a arm re attached to a body successfully will bring benefits. What benefit would seven miles of black star line ships full of diasporians pulling in to Tema harbor bring to Ghana?
Not that this is the way it should be done but there would be great benefit, too much to mention given that we where successfully resettled.

As quiet as it is kept the most beneficial and feared knowledge diasporians have and can deliver to Africa is the Complete understanding of the White world its weaknesses its intentions its capability's etc all we have learn t as a matter of second nature.

It is this knowledge that is missing painfully in Africa!!

The re attachment of this knowledge is linked to why slavery was allowed to happen in the first place. This is the crown that is granted for our lynching and burning and whippings. It is our graduation a precious gift born out of pain and suffering. I believe our experiences and knowledge if used in Africa will unlock an ability to deal with investment, infrastructural theological and social issues with the outside world better and more justly for our benefit.

Indeed there is no one that knows the white world better than the diasporian bar only the white man himself. Our four hundred year journey in HIS HOUSE was not in vein.

when i think along these issues i can see how our history was orchestrated buy our father in heaven as preparatory to a great future. Let me know your thoughts on these points raised, as no one brother can be as definitive as the collation of more than ones thoughts.


Wilton Muhammad Accra Ghana West Africa.

FOR THE LOVE OF GHANA

I have been told that my blog is a bit negative. That i am painting Ghana in a bad way by highlighting the wrongs rather than the achievements. Let me make my position clear.

It is the wrongs we should focus on in order to build a better nation so all of us living in Ghana are happier. As long as we speak facts we should not worry

Needless to say Ghana is full of goodness and this is what this article is about.

The truth is i sit here by Allah (god)'s grace writing this article from my beautiful house in Accra region. The workmen almost literally hand built the house and considering this they done not too bad a job. In London i could never of afforded the equivalent property because of the ridiculous property prices there.

As you can tell i have a internet broadband connection also, something that i thought was near impossible in Africa. Construction in Ghana is at full steam you cant go anywhere without seeing houses being built. Some of them are simply magnificent by any world standard. Most of the people around me are god fearing decent and hardworking people.

I enjoy fresh food fruits, vegetables fish and meat are all in abundance. Not to mention the fresh air compared to London.

People have a higher sense of family values here also. In Ghana you don't have to worry about your children ending up being snatched, murdered or ending up in gangs. On Sundays Ghanaians put on there best dress to go to church. In the morning you will see teams of elegant dressed people, waiting to board dilapidated mini buses (Tro Tros) going to there respected churches.

I truly believe i am amongst potentially one of the best behaved groups of people on this earth. I love Ghana for increasing the quality of life it has given me and the prospects of leaving something to my children. This England fails to do miserably.

I will caution all Ghanaians leaving Ghana seeking to live in the hell hole of Europe and the USA. What is under your nose is sometimes missed especially if you don't have a polished mirror. Diasporians are your mirror,we know the evils and indecency of the west. Let us find ways to make Africa better together.

The Meaning of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)

GMT is a standard of time. Well to be exact its thee white mans time standard. The whole world sets there watches by it, its the ground zero of this worlds conception of time. If you look on any atlas or globe you will see that where the town of Greenwich is in London, the time line is zero.

This time line runs north and south right down the length of the planet. In Greenwich it self is a museum dedicated to time. Its called interestingly the Maritime Museum, an indication that the white mans naval activity's and his understanding and measuring of time came about simultaneously.

Greenwich, as a recipe has the ingredient's time and travel two very significant developments in the white mans life on this planet. But the whole thing is even more interesting considering the fact that slavery also begun in Greenwich. I'm talking about the white transatlantic slave trade.

You see around 1555 a deviant by the name of Sir John Hawkins commissioned the first slave ship. It was called The Jesus of Lubeck and probably was built in neighboring Deptford. The name Deptford has etymological roots in two words deep, and ford, indicating the deep ford of water that passes through that area. It is documented that even the Romans used Deptford as a port along with the Moors. The so called Queen Elizabeth at that time actually lived in Greenwich and she gave Hawkings the money to build his ship.

Seeing that slavery, white time and his conception of world travel begun in Greenwich we can say this is point A for us and him in this world. The beginning of slavery herald the beginning of the white world and its better described name of, The Racism/White Supremacy System. It is also logical to assume the end of slavery is also the end of this system.

Is this where the MEAN in GMT comes into play why "mean"? is it i mean to tell you the time? Or is it the time is mean, not enough. A complaint to god perhaps. I personally think the latter is more fitting. This sentiment is reflected in the Bible Saying "the devil had come down (south) showing great wrath because he knew he had little time."


Lets follow the GMT time line south, down across Africa till we reach Ghana and another port town Tema. It built buy the great Asagefo Kwame Nkruhmah Who was the first none nationalistic African leader post the advent of slavery. He being a Pan africanist Built Tema exactly on the GMT line as a significant sign of the beginning of black international consciousness.

This frighten white people because it was a sign of the sun setting on there world. I believe Nkruhmah was in full knowledge of his actions he knew what he was saying and more importantly doing. Of course the white man is not about to loose his grip on the world especially in Africa, so he went to work immediately against Nkruhmah for this. He still is working very hard against any of Nkrumah's work in present day Ghanaian politics.

White intelligents goal is to delay the rise of Africa, it is like the ships lookout on the titanic.
Simply because if Africa was to truly rise independently and self sufficiently America will fall and so will Europe. The raw material that they still steal without correct payment will no longer be in there hands. So it was written in a UK based newspaper "Shall we re-colonize Africa?" For the purpose of insuring our raw material consumption. A serious article.

You see Africans don't realize there own value so when you are in this position you cant claim your worth. Others then take advantage of you knowing you don't know any better.

The Electrical problem i wrote about in an earlier article refers to what i believe are outside influences, who keep Ghana in this insufficient electrical dilemma for the purpose of making her uneconomically viable. Those who are more interested in creating a Ghanaian national identity system BEFORE constant electric power, water, and good roads are acting alien to the best interest of the nation. There is NOWAY Ghana will get sufficient foreign business investment without guaranteed electricity!! Everybody is well aware of this outside Ghana.

This is proof that Africa is still being played. We must know the enemy.

When we look at Greenwich and Tema, we see two opposing efforts one white one black. Both highly significant, and both on the most important time line on the planet. This is not a coincident but rather doors to two worlds one old and the other new. One brought slavery and the white world the other when understood correctly will bring about Africa's Freedom and justice for the rest of the world.

I welcome your comments Wilton Muhammad