mic yamoah

My school mates wonder why a science student like me would soon develop unbridled passion for the arts. And who said I didn't like the arts then? I just didn't want to be a part of a course that had been (it still has though) marginalized. Which government is ready to make the teaching and learning of arts-related subjects at all levels of education more attractive and effective? – Kwame Dadzie , via facebook The quote above rekindled a long-held quagmire that I still battle with: how the study of the arts has been marginalised in our part of the world. I know many parents today will readily push their children to the sciences/ technical areas of study because of the hands on skills they will acquire when they graduate. The debate about the importance of studying science related subjects in school as opposed to the arts has often been touted. Haven’t we even heard in recent times the call for universities to mount employable courses and do away with the Classics, Pol...

I have read with interest Anthony Osarfo’s piece on naming the Ghana movie industry Anansekrom . As a matter of fact, his reasons for suggesting the name sit very well with me. He outlines 5 reasons for his name suggestion: 1.       That Ananse is a legendary fiction character around whom most of Ghana’s folktales. 2.       That Anansekrom is originally Ghanaian 3.       That Ghana does not have a name for the industry 4.       That Ghana shouldn’t follow the wood ‘syndrome’ 5.       That the name the young ones learn from our past. I have been a proponent of a name that readily identifies us as Ghanaians and as such if no less an industry than the movie industry is deviating from the hackneyed wood, I can’t help but rejoice. But sincerely the wood has attained a universal acclaim as an identity for a movie industry. I was v...

Two developments over the weekend have forced me to do something I hardly do publicly- to criticise (the works of) ‘fellow journalists’. The issues have to do with a publication by the Flex newspaper concerning Joselyn Dumas’ ambassadorial role with Range Rover in Ghana, insinuating the deal was a bad one, and the other by Ghanacelebrities.com about a story they carried on their portal that sought to portray that Ghanaian actresses were using black magic in the industry. My concern isn’t so much of the publications themselves, but the aftermath of the publications, especially the comments by the writers of the stories. These stories were the subject of discussions on entertainment review programmes the past week. Discussants had issues with them, raising concerns about the level of reporting. The argument was that the writers could have gone a step further by at least contacting the persons involved in the stories. The Ghanacelebrities.com writer claimed he did, but did not ...

Mr. Asamoah Gyan, you have awakened my writing muses once again. Over the weekend you were trending on twitter, and as a follower, I was hit with the news -taking an indefinite break from the Black Stars because of what you claim is incessant verbal abuse from Ghanaian soccer fans. Is that the real reason? You have been in the news within the week receiving positive reviews after your Foundation’s successful organization of the maiden Sports and Music Jamboree only to deflate this positivity with this bad one. Why? don’t you enjoy good publicity? I am however disappointment in you for taking this thought-through or not too thought-through decision. That is why I have decided to personalize this note to you. And as I write, a brother of yours (Opoku Gyan) is on air trying to justify your decision if you care to know. Mr. Gyan, it appears you always want to be in the news. It is quite good anyway for a star or should I say celebrity? Undoubtedly, you are the most popular and talked-abou...

Ghana had been chasing two main things since the beginning of this year: the Woyome cash and the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) trophy. The latter has eluded us but the pursuit for the cash is on, at least from indications so far. The Black Stars have dealt a big blow to the man; a fifth trophy would have diverted some little attention from him but it wasn’t meant to be. For most Ghanaians the just ended Afcon was theirs for the taking (not because former winners Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria and Cameroon were absent) but they felt it a divine right. For the Ghanaian whose ego is always bloated anytime we enter a tournament, he believes it is by right that we win. Certainly this was compounded by an over complacent and political coach- Goran Stevanovic- who promised to win trophies for Ghana in his first meeting with the press, with his famous declaration: “it’s time for trophies; I’m here to win trophies.” Plavi as he prefers to be called had warmed himself into the hearts of Ghanai...