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Cry of the poor
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The poor constitute the dregs of the society
Everywhere, the poor constitute the dregs of the society. They are the have-nots and the down-trodden who always feel economically dizzy, politically sleepy, socially tired and are religiously confused. Their worth is never recognised in society and everyone forgets that without the poor, society can never be complete.
Some people believe that the poor will never go to heaven. So very unfortunate since the majority of Africans are congenitally poor.
My former classmate, Kwame Korkorti, for instance entertains the conviction that the eventual destination of the poor is hell. I have always protested the senselessness of this notion, but Korkorti advances arguments to back his point.
According to him, a poor man is a sinful person by virtue of his empty pocket. Because he has no money, he may think about making ends meet through stealing, which is against the Bible; he does not give alms to the poor, and because he is perpetually broke, he is always temperamental and will slap you if you rob him the wrong way.
According to Korkorti, St. Peter, who is at the gates of Heaven, does not admit such people. He cites an example that immediately a poor man approaches the gates of Heaven, he would be turned away because he would be smelling heavily of akpeteshie, to which Peter will refer him: “Thou shall not drink local gin, especially bitters…”
In contrast, says Korkorti, a rich man does not pilfer, he gives alms, is cheerful and will always forgive a fault. And when he gets to the gates of Heaven, he will not smell of mahogany-bitters or raw akpeteshie. He will scent of either Mathews Wine, Jackson’s Special Cocktail, Irish Cream or at least Guinness. Peter will be too willing to get him registered on the list of qualified entrants.
It is quite unfortunate for Korkorti to perceive the poor vis-a-vis the rich, in such a disparaging manner, but I do not blame him since the very nature of society makes him think that way. Who haven’t always thought that a poor person is a wicked person? And most people regard the rich as next to God just because they can cause food and drink to flow by just issuing a simple command.
In any situation, the have-nots are always in a disadvantaged position. When a boy whose father is a poor farmer completes sixth form and applies for an overseas scholarship advertised in the papers, his chances of clinching the award is virtually nil when a boy who has a rich father also applies. Even the manner of interviewing the two candidates can be highly disparate, not forgetting the circumstances under which each of them attends the interview.
Indeed, on the morn of the interview, the poor lad arrives at the appointed time after having taken Koko and Koose. The previous night, he had taken Kokonte and light-soup. Now, he feels quite drowsy, albeit confident. The rich man’s son had oats and milk against bread and cheese. He washes these down with Vitamin C laden orange-juice and appears at the interview bright and exuberant.
His father, who is in the same golf club as two of the panel members, has also done his homework satisfactorily. The questions that would be thrown at his ward will not be too difficult. Even if they are difficult, the boy must not be seen to be failing.
Eventually, the scholarship award is presented on a silver platter. The poor farmer’s son goes back home disenchanted. He had not been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Moreover, he does not look like a scholarship holder, because he appears anaemic.
Dear reader, imagine that at a big social function in the capital of Sikaman the Master of Ceremonies describes the chairman for the occasion as follows: “Ladies and gentlemen, lend me your ears. This is Mark Antony speaking… The chairman for this ocсаsion is a man we all know. Presently, he is unemployed, sorry redeployed…
“Our honourable chairman is a product of Kordiabe Junction Secondary Boarding where he obtained a school certificate in 1969, lest I forget, with distinction. However, he could not proceed to sixth form because his poor father, a cocoyam farmer could not afford to buy his school uniform any longer. As for his school fees don’t talk about it. It is a taboo!”
At this stage, invited guests will start wondering whether the MC had not forgotten the life-history of the honourable chairman, or is he mistaking him for another person? The MC must, however, complete his job.
“Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, since our honourable chairman could not afford the school fees, he decided to get employed. He worked with a private company as a junior clerk where he marked time for ten years before he was promoted to the post of a clerk. As a clerk, he marked time again till the company went bankrupt. That was when he was forcibly redeployed against his wish.
“Currently, he is unemployed and finds difficulty in procuring one square meal a day. Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to introduce to you, the chairman for this wonderful occasion, Mr Kofi Owuo alias Death By Poverty.”
If Kofi Owuo was indeed present and stood up in a faded Jumper and khaki shorts with a pair of worn out charlie woté (one red and one green), and a lousy moustache, and smiles rather broadly, what would you as an invited guest do? Will you applaud, or would you start glancing at the programme to see how soon the vote of thanks will be delivered so that Kofi Owuo could be left to his woes and poverty?
The chairman of any big function today is chosen by special criteria. He must have a car which is in good condition, especially with a good starter, with which he’d drive to the function. He must be able to afford a decent suit, preferably a three-piece; or a bright traditional wear of Kente or Adinkra.
He must be able to smile like a rich man, talk like a rich man, laugh like a rich man, and sneeze like a rich man. He must have had academic exposure in renowned universities in countries abroad including Australia, Canada, war-torn Liberia, crisis-filled Kuwait, US and Surinam. Such is society. He must be the chairman of the Board of Directors of one company or another.
Even in his family, the poor man is not respected, be a father, a grandfather or an uncle. During an extended family meeting his opinions are not sought. If he tries to make even a sensible point, his age-mate who is relatively rich will remark: “My friend if you’ve drunk akpeteshle, go and sleep. We want people of sound mind who can talk sense. Look at how your eyes are red. Too much akpetsshie!” The appropriate thing the cousin should have said is, “We want people who have money to offer their views.”
Of course who doesn’t respect and tolerate a rich person and scorns a poor man. Even rich ugly men are considered very handsome. You dare not think he is ugly, because society’s eye does not perceive the world in such simple terms.
But the poor are also human. They may be luck-less, born into poverty and hopeless in life. However, they serve society in numerous ways. They clean our gutters, sweep our offices, cart foodstuffs, tend our gardens and watch our homes.
It is for this reason that Teddy Alor of Tema, Site 21, says that if everyone were to be rich, there would be no society. Social stratification is indispensable to the continued perpetuation of every society since every member of a society plays a distinctive role and performs functions.
We may not carry our poor folks shoulder high. But let us give them the due respect and help them out of their miseries.
This article was first published on Saturday, August 18, 1990
GHANA’S Parliament is a peaceful one. The arguments on the floor of the House can be fierce, but the House doesn’t catch fire. Ghana’s democracy has passed the acid-test of constitutional pluralism, and her legislature is a model of democratic beauty others are learning from.
Sometimes it is edifying following proceedings in Parliament and you are likely to catch the voice of Honourable Alban Bagbin in full flight. He doesn’t talk much. His English vocabulary does the talking.
Last week, I heard another MP talking on bad dressing, and I must congratulate him on his brilliant exhibition of vocabulary, delivered in Westminster tradition.
Such explosive delivery titillates the floor of the House and brings joy to members and Mr Speaker.
In the parliament of some countries, there is no need for such niceties. The floor of the House is regarded as a battle ground. Others, including lady members, see it as a boxing ring, where the spoken word is often jettisoned and supplanted with punches and upper-cuts.
PART-TIME
So the average parliamentarian trains part-time as a boxer, in case boxing skills will be needed in the House to iron out knotty points.
The ladies’ pedicure and manicure are carefully designed to fulfil a dual purpose. One is to showcase trendiness and the other is to scratch the faces of opponents in the House whether they are ladies or gentlemen.
Sometimes, the Speaker has to keep shouting and banging for well over 15 minutes as a recalcitrant MP dashes across and grabs the tie of another MP, thus precipitating a free-for-all brawl. Some MPs return home with a half nose, a missing left ear and a double forehead.
None of the offending parties is sanctioned because brawling in parliament is seen as a democratic process, since some MPs are so stubborn that only a sidekick to the ribs can mellow them. Meanwhile, a free-for-all is good exercise for the MPs, some of whom have grown too fat due to over-feeding.
Fortunately, the parliament of Sikaman has a civil democratic culture and debates get fierce but punches are not unleashed. For comic relief however, MPs do some break dancing once in a while.
When ROPAB was passed into law, some MPs caused a stir by bursting into song and dance. Mr. Speaker was be wildered, but obviously pleased that his announcement of the passage of the bill had brought joy to the House.
Others were not happy, though. The bill and the debates had caused them enough distress. As for the passage, it was like cutting their throats. They groaned in their hearts. No punches, no karate. That is democracy in its maturing stage. It is tempered with reason and civility. One day, it will be their turn to laugh and dance.
Now, the MP who spoke on bad dressing did a good job by all standards and added value to his delivery by going highfalutin. He wanted a law to be enacted against bad dressing, because it was not good for society.
What constitutes bad dressing? That is a very difficult question. Judging what is good or bad as far as dressing is concerned will obviously depend on the setting or context.
For example, going virtually naked on a holiday beach is considered good dressing. But when a man and his wife storm a church room in their birth-time suits (naked) the pastor and his deacons will surely take cover. It means a sartorial revolution has precipitated and only the Holy Spirit can hold tempers at bay.
STYLISH
In the streets of Sikaman, a lady with a very short skirt is admired by some as trendy and stylish. Others would think she is indecent and a bad influence. But the question that arises ultimately is this: Don’t people have the right to wear what they want to wear, so long as the unseemly parts of their bodies are not laid bare?
Certainly, nobody will go totally naked in the streets, unless the person is either in-sane or is a Black Stars supporter painted in the national colours. Even then, he’d be in what is called ‘pioto,’ with his ‘instrument’ well-positioned. That is called proper dressing.
So in the streets, this kind of dressing will be considered good or bad depending on the setting and the extent of exposure of the private parts (breasts, thighs, lower back, buttocks, etc).
Personally, I feel the churches should be very scrupulous about the dressing of those who go in to worship. The ushers should be tasked with ushering away badly-dressed worshippers. Incidentally, they are the worshippers who like the front pews, and the pastor is so distracted he can’t preach any meaningful sermon.
However, a law on dressing is something I won’t advocate, for the simple reason that, first, there is no clear definition of what is bad dressing and second, society must be left to evolve its own dress culture so that fashion and creativity in fashion design will not be stifle Any law to regulate dressing will kill such creativity.
This article was first published on Saturday July, 2006
Most people think stress is just in your head. When you feel overwhelmed, overworked, or emotionally drained, you might think you just need a good night’s sleep or a quick mental break.
However, science and biology show us something entirely different. Chronic, long-term stress is not just an emotion—it is a full-body physical condition. When you live in a constant state of survival mode, pushing past your limits without real rest, your body pays a very heavy physical price.
Here is a clear, step-by-step look at how ongoing stress physically breaks down the human body, explained simply.
Step 1: The endless flood of stress chemicals
What happens normally: When you face a sudden emergency, your body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. They give you a quick burst of energy, speed up your heart, and help you react fast. This is a great survival tool for short bursts.
How stress breaks you down: If you never truly relax, your body never turns off that alarm. Your bloodstream stays flooded with cortisol and adrenaline day after day. Over time, having these chemicals constantly sloshing around acts like a slow poison. It damages your blood vessels, raises your blood pressure, messes with your metabolism, and even wears down your DNA, making you age faster.
Step 2: The silent internal fire (Chronic Inflammation)
What happens normally: When your brain senses danger or stress, it assumes you might get hurt, so it tells your immune system to cause inflammation (swelling and heat) to fight off germs and heal injuries.
How stress breaks you down: When stress lasts for months or years, your immune system gets confused and leaves that “fire” burning permanently. Instead of healing an injury, this silent internal inflammation starts attacking your healthy cells, joints, and organs. Over time, it paves the way for serious health issues, heart trouble, and total body fatigue.
Step 3: Turning your muscles into armor (Fascial Hardening)
What happens normally: Your body is wrapped in a web of strong connective tissue called fascia that holds your muscles, bones, and organs together. When you face pressure or trauma, that tissue automatically tightens up to protect you like a suit of armor.
How stress breaks you down: If you stay tense for years, that tissue never softens back up. It freezes in place, creating tight, painful physical knots (often called emotional lesions). Blood and oxygen can’t flow easily through those locked-up areas, leaving you stiff, aching, and physically unable to truly let go of tension.
Step 4: Burning out your body’s engine (Nervous System Overdrive)
What happens normally: Your nervous system has two main gears:
The Gas Pedal (fight-or-flight mode for dealing with emergencies).
The Brake Pedal (rest-and-digest mode for healing and repairing your body).
How stress breaks you down: Chronic stress forces your foot down hard on the gas pedal 24/7. Your heart beats faster than it should, your digestion shuts down, and your body is denied the deep rest it needs to repair itself. Eventually, your heart and nervous system run completely out of fuel from sheer exhaustion.
Reclaiming your health and sovereignty
Chronic stress wears you down slowly by keeping your body chemically toxic, inflamed, and locked-up in physical armour, and running on empty.
By understanding that stress is a physical breakdown rather than just a bad mood, you can stop glorifying endless endurance. It allows you to recognise when your body is screaming for a reset, helping you shift away from burnout and back toward true physical calm, balance, and sovereignty.
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