Features
Where is their honour? (Part 2)
In the Bible, specifically in Mark 6:4, the Lord Jesus makes a very poignant statement when He says a prophet is not without honour except in his own country. Jesus makes this remark to the people of Nazareth, the town where He grew up, as they refused to believe in his teaching because they considered him one of themselves and, therefore, without authority to preach to them.
When Jesus makes that assertion, what He simply means is that people are highly regarded for their talents and accomplishments everywhere except in their own country, among their own people. If you still did not get the picture, do not look far. Just check Ghana’s record.
The nation’s penchant to consign its heroes to oblivion once they leave the stage is, to say the least, mean. It seems the rule in Ghana is, out of sight, out of mind. The list of national heroes who have been so shabbily treated is long and still growing.
In the previous article, I mentioned some of them including globally acclaimed Ghanaian doctors like Professor Felix Konotey-Ahulu and Professor Kwaku Ohene-Frimpong, whose pioneering research and findings about the dreaded sickle-cell disease, have led to breakthrough treatment options for anxious patients and medical institutions hoping for some advancement in the search for solutions.
And what have we, as a nation of their birth, done to acknowledge their feats? Apart from periodic invitations for them to come and deliver lectures, what national monuments have been mounted in their honour? Can we not establish research centres at the teaching hospitals and name them after these icons of international stature?
In collaboration with international partners, Prof. Ohene Frimpong helped establish a pilot project for newborn screening for sickle cell disease in Kumasi and Tikrom, the first such screening in Africa. He died on May 7, 2022, after a very illustrious career during which he rose to become the President of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. He is gone. Where is his honour?
Last week. I mentioned also Professor F.K. A. Allotey, a Mathematical and Nuclear Physicist with a worldwide appeal,who has gone into the annals of global greatness with the discovery in 1973 of a technique named after him. It is known as the Allotey Formalism, a technique that is used to determine matter moves in outer space. Are we educating our youth about such great men now that they are no more? Where is their honour?
Other great people I referred to in the previous article included D.K. Poison, the first Ghanaian professional boxer to win the world featherweight title who, instead of being honoured, was robbed of his purse of $45,000, (not $40,000 as I said last week), by the government of the military junta led by General I.K. Acheampong.
According to the government, Ghana had run short of foreign exchange to import essential commodities for its citizens, and so it was taking the money as a loan. Gen. Acheampong was overthrown by Gen. F.W.K. Akuffo in a palace coup. And even though Akuffo, as a member of the previous government, was aware of the transaction, did not refund the money before he himself was overthrown by Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings.
For 45 years, Poison chased his money in the corridors of power to no avail until the current president, Nana Akufo-Addo instructed the Finance Ministry to refund it to him and listen to this:“on humanitarian grounds.” What? That is ruining an apology with an excuse.
I talked about the need to name the FIFA project at Prampram after C.K. Gyamfi for his pioneering role in the development of football in Ghana. Today, the emphasis is on former Ghana international, Anthony Yeboah, a football ambassador who took Germany by storm, and became the first black man to win the Bundesliga goal king title twice on the trot, raising aloft the image of Ghana.
Anthony Yeboah played for Eintracht Frankfurt from 1990 to 1995, scoring 68 goals in 123 matches. He started cautiously with 15 goals in the1992-93 season, placing a respectable fourth on the Bundesliga goal king chart, before exploding with more goals.
The next season, that is, 1993-94 season, he won the Bundesliga goal king with 20 goals. The following season, he scored 18 goals to retain his goal king title. That was the time when top strikers like Ulf Kirsten were at their peak, but Tony Yeboah still came tops.
His exploits on and off the field have left an indelible imprint on the hearts of the lovers of the beautiful game in Germany, especially in Frankfurt. High rise buildings and iconic structures have his murals splashed conspicuously on them in a kind of cult worship which has not abated even after about three decades that he ended his career in Germany. Some of his followers have tattooed his iconic number 9 on their bodies.
What makes his achievement even greater is the fact that Tony Yeboah accomplished all this greatness against all odds, under severe intimidation and discrimination, including monkey noises and other racist chants as he touched the ball. Anybody could have been too demoralised to continue under such antagonistic atmosphere, but not Tony Yeboah. He persevered and won them over with his goals and his pen.
He wrote a very scathing letter criticising racism in German football as evil. He roped in his compatriot, Tony Baffoe and another African player, Souleymana Sane to support that worthy cause.Thankfully, the letter received publicity in Germany’s leading sports paper, the Bild and subsequently in other papers, too.
It was like a tsunami, and it shook German football to its foundation and led to changes in the system. The German Football Federation embarked on a campaign with the catchphrase: “My friend is a foreigner.” Tony Yeboah even went on to become the captain of Eintracht Frankfurt, a black man for that matter, who was previously reviled. Call it from zero to hero.
On May 18, 2022, Eintracht Frankfurt sponsored Tony Yeboah, the only black man among a group of legends of the club to Seville, Spain, to watch the finals of the Europa Cup final between his former team and Rangers of Scotland.
Frankfurt lifted the trophy, its first such major cup in 42 years, and honoured Tony Yeboah by presenting it to him briefly. It did not end there. The team took him to Germany for about a week to celebrate with the players and the people of Frankfurt. Talk about remembering heroes! This is how.
In 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, Lawrence Binyon, an English poet, wrote a poem to honour the soldiers at the war front. Now, countries all over the world, including Ghana, read portions of it during Remembrance Day parades to commemorate when armistice was signed to end the war.
Portions of the poem read as follows:
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
As the stars are known to the night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
Tony Yeboah continues to remain a star in Germany. Eintracht Frankfurt continues to remember him. But in Ghana, the rule still holds: Out of sight, out of mind. A prophet is, indeed, without honour in his own country.
By Tony Brempeh
The driver stopped the vehicle at the gate of the large, fenced property along the Nsawam Highway, and Kakraba stepped out to meet the several workers who had gathered to wait for him.
He greeted them and went straight to the point.
“Gentlemen, I am glad to see that you have almost completed the clearing of the land. I’m happy to report that we have concluded all arrangements with Nana Serebour, and construction of the palace will start in a few days.
“I will need you to go and level the ground, and then come back to start this project. Some workers from a construction company will come and join us.
“My plan is to build twenty houses in four months. Then we will do twenty more until we reach two hundred.
“I am relying on you to help me deliver good-quality work to satisfy our clients and, as I have already indicated to you, I will reward you for your work.”
After an hour’s discussion, he closed the meeting and moved to drive away. Wofa Yaw drew closer.
“Director, can you please spare me five minutes? I would like to discuss a small issue.”
“Why, Wofa Yaw? Your wife has threatened to leave you?”
“No, Director. My wife will never leave me. This concerns a young niece of mine.”
“I hope it’s something I can help with. Please sit in the car and let me hear you.”
“Boss, my niece, Beesiwa, is a polytechnic graduate, very beautiful and with very good character.
“Unfortunately, her parents virtually forced her into a relationship with an idiot based in the US, which affected her badly. She has now recovered from that experience and, Boss, I am respectfully asking if you would find a job for her.
“I promise you that you will never regret it.”
“Well, Wofa Yaw, let me meet her and speak with her. I may be able to help, maybe not in the way you expect, but let me meet her.
“I will not be back here for another week, but I will be at the office throughout next week. You can come with her.”
On Monday morning, Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa were seated at the office by nine o’clock. Three young ladies welcomed them warmly, offered them soft drinks and assured them that Kakraba would be there shortly.
They then returned to their desks and sat behind computers with large screens displaying various building designs.
Kakraba walked in and greeted them warmly. After chatting briefly with the three ladies, he ushered Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa into his office.
“Director, this is my niece, Beesiwa. I mentioned her to you when you came to Nsawam.”
“Yes, indeed. Madam Beesiwa, you are very beautiful, just as your uncle said. Wofa Yaw is my colleague.
“We have just started a building project that will take about three to four years. He mentioned that you have a small problem, so I said I would like to meet you and see how I can help.
“So, Beesiwa, please tell me a little about yourself.”
Beesiwa described her childhood, her school experience, her brief work at the bank and the nasty episode with Sammy Abrokwa, which shattered her peaceful life. She also explained how she had been recovering from the experience.
“I am really sorry to hear this,” Kakraba said. “Now, here is what we are going to do.
“We are a small but very busy company. The three ladies out there spend most of the day on site and come back to report on their work in the morning.
“I have three main projects. The big one is an estate project in Nsawam, where your uncle is one of my main colleagues. I need a personal assistant who can take care of my activities, especially when I am not in town.
“Now, we will have to start with trust. Based on what I know about Wofa Yaw, and based on what you yourself have told me, I think we can start on a sound basis.
“So, Wofa Yaw will take you to my home. You can move into one of the four guest rooms.”
“Sir, I have taken some computer lessons, and I have even done graphics and web design,” Beesiwa said.
“Fantastic! I will give you a good phone and a laptop. I will also arrange computer lessons for you.”
“Now, Wofa Yaw, take her home. My sister, Kuukuwa, will meet you and show you around, and then you can return to Koforidua.
“When would you like to start work?”
“Sir, I would like to start today, but I would need to go and bring my things.”
“No problem. Take a taxi to my house, meet my sister, and let me know what you decide.”
Later that day, Kakraba and the three ladies met with some bank officials to conclude the sale of the three buildings at Adabraka.
They closed at five-thirty and, after rewarding the ladies for their hard work, Kakraba got home just after dark.
He was surprised to find Kuukuwa and Beesiwa sitting at the table enjoying supper.
“What’s happening here?” he asked. “Beesiwa, I thought you would return to Koforidua.”
“She changed her mind,” Kuukuwa said. “We went to the mall and bought a few things for her. Then we came back to cook. She has made some nice changes to your bedroom and cooked a couple of interesting dishes. Sit down; we will serve you.”
“Well, I certainly can’t refuse that. It’s been a busy day.
“So, what’s the plan now? Will Beesiwa go to Koforidua tomorrow, gather her things together and come down?”
“No, I will stay here for a while,” Beesiwa replied. “Kuukuwa bought me the things I need, so I may go back next week. I’m ready to start work. What would you like me to start with?”
“Well, you can come to the office tomorrow morning, meet the three girls and get a feel for what we do.
“Since you are living here, at least for now, we can discuss the plans for the next few weeks.
“Sometimes there are gaps when I travel up north. You can take care of things from now. I think the girls would like having someone like you around.”
By Ekow de Heer
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A frequent question following breast surgery is whether human tissue possesses the regenerative capacity to restore an excised organ.
From a strict physiological standpoint, a completely removed breast cannot regrow. Unlike certain organisms that can regenerate complex limbs or organs, adult human tissues—particularly specialised glandular structures—lack the cellular machinery required to rebuild an entire organ after its total surgical removal.
Instead, the body heals the surgical site through processes such as scar tissue formation and re-epithelialisation rather than complete cellular regeneration.
What a mastectomy actually removes
To understand why natural tissue regeneration does not occur, it is important to examine the surgical scope of a mastectomy.
Depending on the type of procedure and the medical reason for surgery, a mastectomy may involve the removal of:
Glandular architecture: The milk-producing lobules and ducts that form the functional core of the mammary gland.
Adipose tissue: The fatty tissue that contributes to breast volume, projection and contour.
Other breast tissue: The extent of tissue removal varies according to the type of mastectomy and the need to achieve appropriate surgical clearance.
Because specialised breast structures are physically removed, the body does not rebuild a complete mammary gland. Instead, healing occurs through tissue repair and scar formation.
Distinguishing residual tissue from “regrowth”
Patients or observers may notice changes in the chest area after surgery, sometimes leading to misconceptions about tissue regeneration.
Skin- and nipple-sparing procedures
Modern breast surgery may preserve the outer skin envelope or, in selected cases, the nipple-areola complex. Small amounts of breast tissue may remain depending on the surgical technique. Any changes in remaining tissue due to hormonal fluctuations represent residual tissue responding to the body, rather than the regrowth of a completely removed breast.
Adipose accumulation
Weight gain after surgery can increase the amount of subcutaneous fat across the chest wall. However, this is part of general body fat distribution and does not represent the regeneration of a mammary gland.
Modern reconstructive pathways
Because a completely removed breast does not naturally regenerate, modern medicine offers reconstructive options aimed at restoring physical symmetry, contour and body image.
The two main approaches are implant-based reconstruction and autologous, or tissue-based, reconstruction.
Implant-based reconstruction
Implant-based reconstruction uses synthetic medical devices, typically filled with silicone gel or saline, to rebuild the breast mound following a mastectomy.
The two-stage process: This approach may begin with the placement of a temporary tissue expander to gradually create space and stretch the surrounding tissues. A later procedure may then be performed to place a permanent implant.
Recovery profile: Implant-based reconstruction generally involves a shorter initial surgery and recovery period compared with procedures that require tissue to be harvested from another part of the body.
Long-term considerations: Breast implants are not lifetime devices and require ongoing medical monitoring. Some patients may need additional procedures over time because of complications or changes in the implant or surrounding tissue.
Autologous or tissue-based reconstruction
Autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own living tissue to create a new breast mound. Tissue may be transferred from another part of the body, commonly the lower abdomen, using procedures such as a DIEP flap.
Natural look and feel: Because the reconstruction uses living tissue, it can provide a natural warmth, texture and softness. The tissue may also change with the patient’s body weight over time.
Long-term durability: Once healing is complete, autologous reconstruction can provide a long-lasting result without the need to replace an implant. However, some patients may still require further procedures.
Complex surgery: This option usually involves a longer operation and recovery period. In microsurgical procedures, surgeons may need to reconnect tiny blood vessels to establish blood flow to the transferred tissue.
Direct comparison
When choosing between these two reconstructive pathways, patients and their surgical teams must consider several physical, medical and lifestyle factors.
Surgical burden: Implant surgery is generally less invasive, while flap reconstruction involves surgery at both the chest and the donor site.
Foreign material versus native tissue: Implants involve the use of a medical device, while autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own tissue.
Recovery: The recovery timelines and rehabilitation requirements differ significantly between the two procedures.
Recovery and physical rehabilitation
Recovering from breast reconstruction requires patience, careful pacing and, in some cases, structured physical rehabilitation.
Because implant-based and autologous tissue-flap procedures involve different surgical techniques, their healing timelines and physical therapy milestones can vary considerably.
Understanding these differences is important for patients considering reconstruction, as the choice involves more than restoring physical appearance. It also requires careful consideration of recovery, long-term monitoring, lifestyle and individual medical needs.
Part 2 will examine recovery timelines, physical therapy milestones and other factors patients should consider when choosing between reconstructive options.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
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