WEC SECTOR VISIT MS. LAWRENCIA DANSO OF ST. TERESA'S COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

 *SUMMARY REPORT ON THE VISIT TO MS LAWRENCIA DANSO OF ST. TERESA'S COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, HOHOE*

*Introduction* 

Following the circulating flyer of Ms. Lawrencia Danso in a quest for financial support to undergo her surgery, SEC on Sunday, 6th June 2021 had an emergency meeting and agreed to extend a helping hand. An amount of One Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc 1000.00) was been resolved to be donated to the aforementioned trainee of St. Teresa's College of Education.

*Main Event* 

On Saturday, 12th June 2021, a two-member delegation (the President and Coordinator) journeyed to Hohoe. The announcement of intent to visit caused some Volta Sector Officers and Local Presidents to meet the delegation at Hohoe.

On Sunday afternoon, the two-member delegation met the St. Theresa's College of Education SRC executives, Ms. Lawrencia Danso (victim) and some TTAG-Volta SEC members at the college's assembly hall.

The purpose of the visit was shared and communicated. The presentation was done in that same sitting. Words of inspiration and prayers were as well offered to the victim.

When all was done, pictures were taken to serve as a memorial and event of reflection.

The SRC executives then took the delegation to the residence of the Students' Affairs Officer. The Reverend Father appreciated the sector for such a generous exercise and prayed for journey mercies as the messengers returned.

A total amount of One Thousand Five Hundred Ghana Cedis (Ghc 1,500.00) was presented to support the victim's surgery.

*Conclusion And Way Forward* 

1. All local SRC in the sector should try to consider this issue as pertinent enough and extend a helping hand. Foso College of Education added Ghc 500.00 to the sector's agreed amount.

2. An *EMERGENCY FUND* should be created by and for the sector to support its citizen when and if such an incident should occur.

Singed

Romel Owusu Baffour

Sector President

THE UNHAPPY NEWLY TRAINED TEACHERS AND THE CONFUSED POLICYMAKER(S)

By Nasrullah Ibn Mutawakil

You seem not to understand us very well. When we agitate, you will think it is an influence from others. In 2018, you unveiled a policy that allows trained teachers to wait for two years after completing training in the colleges of education before getting employed. The rule, hitherto its implementation, was not the norm until your unceremonious practice of replacing the old way of doing things.

Somebody, as part of your plans to cut economic cost, trained teachers are required to wait for about two years due to this new rule before they are assigned into GES. This policy is generally interpreted as allowing trainees to first write a license exam and carry out a one-year compulsory national service before getting posted.

While the University graduates are ushered into national service immediately after completion, the trained teachers are required to wait for their results, register for the license exam, and go through curriculum workshop training before they are posted. This in no doubt creates unnecessary tension and delays for these trained teachers who have successfully completed the teacher education program.

This rule is your third major surprise introduction to the system in less than a year without prior notification to the newly trained teachers who are then caught in surprise. Just lately, the 2018 batch of teachers were informed that their service would be terminated in August, to allow the GES to post them in September. Some few weeks after the announcement, comments from GES officials emphasized that your administration which grievously lambasted others when they were in power against the cancellation of the trainees allowance, has worst initiatives than the others.

While both the license exam and national service were challenged by the unhappy trained teachers, your administration failed to notice that such a quick introduction of new rules was a dictator's manner of doing things. Somebody has made a cracking down on all the smoothness in teacher education a hallmark. This he has done after accusing the others of making teacher trainees’ life a hell.

In 2018, the administration made a promise to freshly graduated trainees that after writing the license exam, the government would post them. This promise, so far unfulfilled, was followed by a national service. The newly trained teachers, thinking they would end their service somewhere in November, were glad to hear an announcement by the sector minister and officials at the ministry that, their service was coming to an abrupt end in September to facilitate their employment postings in the said month.

Somebody, it is clear that you are looking for strategies to keep the newly trained teachers at the bay of employment for your own economic reason.  Others counter that you are using series of creative initiatives to unnecessarily delay postings to cover a possible free SHS induced indebtedness.

With this level of political wizardry, the education sector may likely suffer negative symptoms. It has become clear that the Ghanaian teacher is dissatisfied with their working conditions as they have often been disrespected.

You should know by now that, the intrinsic motivation that made the newly trained teacher to join this profession would slip when they are faced with policies where they have to wait for several months to get assigned within GES especially in a country where teacher motivation is virtually non- existent.

Somebody, as we prepare anxiously for 2020, referring to the year that gives our thumb, a voice louder than our mouths. It hasn’t been my intention to make this letter public. In fact, I wish I had made it extremely private and confidential to you.

 However, I have been finding it very difficult to address this letter to a particular somebody. Which is why, I chose the heading above.

For many ardent lovers of stage acts and performances, this heading will strike a chord of imagination, a chord of thoughts and remembrance too. Alas! As in a line of Shakespeare’s works, you will quiz and you shall ponder over the heading as much as you desire, until you arrive at a conclusion that, this heading is similar to what you have heard in the past.

Yes! Your guess is as good as mine. The famous Uncle Ebo Whyte once directed a stage drama titled, “Unhappy wives and confused husbands.”   Utilizing his title in this situation will not fall below par, especially when an individual’s confused thoughts would lead to confused actions which cause another person’s unhappy state.

 What other heading would have been more appropriate?

Sincerely yours,

Nasrullah Ibn Mutawakil,

Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana,

National PRM hopeful.

CATCH THEM YOUNG

Written By

ROMEL OWUSU BAFFOUR

FOSO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Richard Dawkins, “my eyes are constantly wide open to the extraordinary fact of existence. Not just human existence, but the existence of life and how this breathtakingly powerful process which is natural selection, has managed to take the very selection, has managed to take very simple facts of Physics and Chemistry and build them up to red wood tree and humans.”

With credit to Nasrullah IBN Matawakil, whose write ups have helped distinct the real “TTAG” from the inflated “TTAG”. The question now remains, what’s next? What is the real “TTAG” doing? How is it receiving its new members? Is there something new or same old way? What measures are been considered before a third and seemingly more powerful “TTAG” shows up?

I acknowledge that from my perspective I may not see far or even reason deep as you may be doing already. Notwithstanding, I wish to cause your eyes to see wide open–opened to the extraordinary facts of life.

An egg will be hatched, fed and grow into a fowl. This fowl now becomes more nutritious and expensive. Since I do not have the funds and resources or even the needed requirement to meet the purchase of that fowl, someone from somewhere now comes to buy it. As a result, I stand a great chance of getting no egg and any fowl even if I have learnt my lessons.

If the real “TTAG” does nothing as soon as possible, there will be no member for TTAG in some years to come. All newly admitted trainees will belong to another “TTAG” because that may appear to provide more shelter like what almost happened. The question is why did you not buy the egg at the cheapest price, hatch it yourself and watch it grow under your arms.

You can ask any newly admitted teacher trainee of any college at all any question about TTAG and watch the shock of your life. I can bet on that! About 90% cannot give any reasonable answer to suit your question. What about the private colleges? A posted national service personnel that completed Jackson College of Education had no idea of TTAG when I was privileged to be in a conversation with him. Are they not teacher trainee? Are they not potential threat to our association when we keep ignoring them?

There is only a little or no information about TTAG out there to be consumed by its supposed TTAG members. It is about time to “CATCH THEM YOUNG” and if that saying is true, they shall be your forever.

MODALITIES FOR 2019 SECTOR’S ELECTION

Written on

Tuesday, 13th August, 2019

The following modalities and those inscribed in the constitution of TTAG shall be used for this year’s election.

1. An aspirant shall buy a form, fill and submit at least 24 hours to the commencement of vetting. In addition, aspirants shall add three (3) copies of their CV, a photocopy of student’s ID card and a recommendation letter.

2. All aspirants shall be vetted.

3. All aspirants shall pay GH₵ 20.00 as a commitment fee upon appearing before the vetting committee.

4. All aspirants shall bring not less than two (2) witnesses to the vetting.

5. An aspirant who has not paid the required nomination fees in full shall not be vetted.

6. All monies paid shall not be refunded in any case.

7. Election shall be won by simple majority.

8. All accredited delegates shall be allowed to vote.

9. An observer shall have no voting right. However, he/she can be voted for.

10. All qualified candidates shall present a working document to the EC.

11. All qualified candidates shall read out their manifesto to the electorates except the PRM, President and Coordinator.

12. The presidential candidates shall have a debate whereas the PRM and Coordinator candidates shall deliver extemporaneous speech on their document presented.

13. All candidates reading manifesto shall be allowed to answer a maximum of six (6) questions.

14. There shall be no voting by proxy.

15. After declaration of vetting results, an aggrieved delegate has the right to petition the EC not later than an hour.

16. All aspirants shall campaign devoid of insults and denigration.

17. The amount for each form is as follows;

• President – GH₵ 300

•  Vice President – GH₵ 250

• Coordinator – GH₵ 250

• Secretary – GH₵ 250

• Vice Secretary – GH₵ 200

• Financial Secretary – GH₵ 250

• Treasurer – GH₵ 200

• Organizer – GH₵ 200

• Vice Organizer – GH₵ 200

• Women Commissioner – GH₵200

• Public Relations Manager – GH₵ 200

18. No aspirant should give false information.

19. Any aspirant who goes against any of the above modalities shall be disqualified.

The EC wishes every aspirant Good Luck.

Joseph Addae

Chairperson

 Electoral Commission

OPEN LETTER TO EDEM; NAMES HAVE REPUTATION

Written By: NASRULLAH IBN MUTAWAKIL 

FOSO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION 

@WEC SECTOR

0540317575

Dear Edem,

My choice of title, ‘’names have reputation’’ should echo a thousand words to you. You may have been thinking you have made a major headline; somewhat, you have done that in the minds of some very few persons who seek to tarnish the image of some previous executives of TTAG. However, your name does not sound to them like Gulliver because you are not the ‘’Man Mountain’’ so they would not consider themselves ‘’Lilliputians’’. Edem, should I come again? Hmmm!
When Nana Konado Agyeman Rawlings described Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo before his ascension to the highest seat of president as a true statesman, an elderly man called me one morning and, while advising me, said ‘’it was so wrong for the former first lady to have described Nana Addo as a great statesman when only few weeks before her declaration, BBC had described her husband as a true statesman in African.’’

Edem, I just spoke in cryptic codes and that of course will need a powerful hacker to decode it meanings. Edem you are wise, I will call you ‘’BRAINIAC’’ as if we were acting some kind of sci-fi movie. Just ponder on the few lines you have read and you will receive some anointing that is to say, I am no crusader returning from the middle ages.

When I first read your open letter, one question came to mind. Are you really a level 100 student? Then I continually praised the role of the current administration TTAG led by Dadzie Anthony for their big role in sensitizing you to the level you find yourself in, today.
When I was in level 100, I barely knew TTAG. It was not until I decided to run as secretary of my college that, I got to know TTAG. Then I got to hear about some obnoxious acts of certain people who once led the association. I am very sure you know more than I know about TTAG but you continually availed yourself for correction. Your humility is somewhat charming and you can win the heart of Margaret the women’s commissioner or Freeman Matilda Makafui the queen of the association but if you by pass, then I will let Isabella Ausei handle you. That lady can spew poetic rhythms that can diffuse even the bombs of Hiroshima.

Anyway, what intrigues most people, is the confidence you had in writing, typing and sending your letter to the editor for publication. You almost appeared to them like Michael Schofield of prison break. That dude did so much background checks to save his brother. In your case, you have been very discerning such that, you did not exclude anyone from the NEC. You rather included everyone especially when you said you had done a background check which revealed that, the former NEC of the association had received huge sums of money from student loan trust fund and still had no evidence of project in our colleges of education.

Edem, pause for a second. I am not witch hunting if my subsequent lines will appear so to you. All I want you to know is many people who spoke with me think you did not write the open letter you sent to the editor for publication. They believe that, ’’when you hear the howling of the hyenas and the next day, your goat is missing, you do not blame anyone’’. In your case, everyone knows the editor for the other journal is a former NEC member and if their perception is true, then the Ghanaian proverb simplifies everything in a line, ‘’the goat rubs it skin on the wall thinking it is making the wall dirty forgetting it is taking some scars in return’’.

The editor could simply have explained the reasons why you do not see projects in your college from TTAG dues considering the fact that, the editor had been  former SRC secretary, sector President and the immediate former national Administrator of the association.

That guy is very revered in the sight of some of us and he knew better. He should have told you that your SRC executives receive some monies called mechanisation meant to be used as project for TTAG in your college but some SRC executives do not use the monies for that. Considering the fact that, the editor  had been a former executive of your college, you could have made that back ground check from him to find out what their mechanisation was used for in your college but you did not.

Edem, your current sector president Selorm has done a lot for your sector. When TTAG weekly journal interviewed him, he told the public about the sensitization he and his executives have been doing. I cannot tell if he had been to your college already but one thing I know for sure is that, he is accessible to everyone and you could have reached him to make the background check on what his predecessors used the huge monies you allege they had claimed for. Your background checks sought to expose the ignorance of the association only when it could have sought knowledge of the association the more.

Anyway, truth be said, I would be lying if I said your suggestion makes no sense. A health fund would do. Wait a minute, did you also say your uncle made you see his payslip? Really when did he begin to do that? Ah well, family ties are strong may ALLAH make it stronger.

Interestingly, you compared TTAG to GNAT. Don’t make that mistake again. The leaders of the teacher unions you see have passed through TTAG before. They could have done that for the association but they didn’t only GOD knows their reasons. Instead, they choose to do it for an upgraded version of TTAG.

Edem, as I make my message short without digging further, I want to share a message with you. Dadzie and his executives are suffering. I joined them as they paid a courtesy call on some leaders, and truth be told, six of the national executives shared one single hotel room simply because they had no monies. The hotel was not up to standard too. For feeding, you could never imagine. These are your leaders who wish to do something great for the association. His leadership had already thought about setting up a health fund. He thought about that, the moment Agboni Nicholas showed a message of a former TTAG member who required some monies for treatment to the former leadership in 2018 at Berekum college of education during an emergency meeting.

Unfortunately, there have been no monies to run his administration yet his administration boast of some key defining moments which I believe you should have congratulated him for. I know you know what I am talking about however, those key defining moments will differ only by your definition of projects. Your open letter has made me understood what project is all about.

 I wish we all could advocate for our sister by asking all colleges to donate a certain amount to support our sister. I will pledge my support to get our sister back on track you should also do.

 But until that, the wee smokers have a saying, ‘’if the there is not there, you can’t force the there to be there.’’
 I wish you well and won’t be expecting your response until we meet again, case closed.

Birthday April....!!!

Written By: NASRULLAH IBN MUTAWAKIL 

FOSO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION 

@WEC SECTOR

0540317575

Dear Adusei,
This year, I wrote this letter for Ekow Djan but out of respect for the accident victims on 22nd March, I choose not to repeat this for Kojo Mensah Success because his stingy attitude could have made him to tell me that, he had donated all his monies to victims of black Friday for treatments.
Adusei, the true reason for this letter, lines in the conclusion. Unfortunately, I have left a clue in the first paragraph of which I am so sure you will want to abide by the old principle which is, "One does not understand unexpressed feelings. So,  I have decided to express myself better in the last paragraph.

Ahaaaa!!! That reminds me, what came into mind when you to wrote the poem below?
Sankɔfa, Sankɔfa is the only word,
As the bird turns it's neck,
So must we turn our faces,
To look upon the past,
The past of Africa that pleased her.
Let us reinstate our pure cultural practices,
And cherish our cultural norms and values.
Let us hail the colours of the kente,
And the strings of beads that ornament us.
This is how we were meant to be,
To be brave and courageous,
To be genuine in culture.
To be proud to be Africans,
Thus defend her great name.
Sankɔfa! Sankɔfa!

Let us reinstate our glorious past.
Was it because you cherished the idea of weaving words together to make them meaningful and pleasing to the ears? Or because you wanted people to know how talented you are?

No, I found the reasons in line 5 of this beautiful poem. I choose to say that you are part of the past of fosco that pleases her. When all remained silent you stood firmly to fight for what was right. In your case, you were not Nelson Mandela or Nkrumah.
You chose to be Elikem DE Prime the one who fought for right with his life and signed the vivid air in his honour.

Adusei, when we first got to school, no one imagined you as tiny as you are to soar higher as you did. I remember the number of times people mistook your confidence as arrogance.

Fortunately, none of them judged your appearance as weakness because you had that fragile look but mentally sharp coupled with strong will.

Adusei, today,  I celebrate a friend. I celebrate that awesome friend who is willing to help a friend succeed. I remember how angry you got when I told you that,  I had pulled out of contest to allow my friend Desmond contest. Charley, even on phone self. I couldn't imagine the actions you would have taken if I was standing in front of you. I call that, wishing success for your friends like it was for yourself.

Adusei, I don't think I should celebrate a friend. Rather, I think I should celebrate a brother. Remember how we laughed heartily on 30th May 2019. As we discussed very emotional issues and then, we realised we wore the same shoes. Man, like gangstas usually say; "shits like that happen you know?"

Brother, we deserve better than what we've got. Just like I told you last night,  I know we aren't far from achieving greatness. In sha ALLAH. As we shed tears over the pains we feel in that shoes,  we should look up in the sky with hopes of anticipation as we patiently wait for the greater works of ALLAH.

Last year, an idealist prayer was simple. She told GoD she knew April was gonna be a good month so she prayed to God for luck and success.Before I say the same prayer for you,  allow me to say that you are a winner you need to cast your mind back at those wonderful things you've done privately for the success of the people around you. Always remember that they will tread insults and lies about you just to tarnish your image but when life gives you lemons, remember you are the finest cocktail maker just prepare lemonades with it.

Adusei, lest I forget,  do you remember the promise you made on 24th March, 2019? Okay, I forgive your memory if you do not remember. It is for that promise that gave me a reason to write this letter. Even though I know know how stingy your pockets are but for your hand di33333 Charley no one can doubt it's generosity.

MAN JUST SEND ME 100 CEDIS THROUGH THIS NUMBER 0540317575 TO CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY IN MY ROOM.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAIRMAN MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU. AMEEN

USE OF CANES CAUSED OUR ROAD ACCIDENTS......letter to dadzie

Written By: NASRULLAH IBN MUTAWAKIL 

FOSO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION 

@WEC SECTOR

0540317575

Dear Dadzie,
After your response to my open letter, I believe you have been expecting another letter from me. It was deliberate for me to desist from the habit of writing to you since she walked in my way.  Hanadi as I affectionately called her, had taken every bit of my time as well as my attention, and for that, I could hardly talk about some of the issues in our fraternity as well as our Ghanaian Kingdom.

Fortunately for you but unfortunately for me, she has decided to give me a break and as I steel myself to accept the pain that comes with it, another horrible incident compelled me to write to you.
Dadzie, on 22nd March 2019, I woke up with the excitement of knowing very well that, Kojo Mensah's birthday was going to be lit. Kojo and I planned to party in town that night. What really increased my euphoria was the rainfall that started around 4am at dawn. I called it “showers of blessings,” especially on a Friday which every Muslim regards as the best day in a week. Then, Boom!!! Like the sound of the atomic bomb that landed on Hiroshima, news surfaced all over social media " two VVIP buses crash leaving 50 passengers dead".

Few minutes later, the educated gossipers confirmed the death toll which meant that it was no longer 50 but 70 passengers. The educated gossipers, whose news usually came with Joy, went further to say that it happened on the Tamale to Kintampo road. Then the other clan of gossipers whose radio is made with our finest Odomanko metal called Gold, confirmed it. What really made it extremely sad was how our peaceful village gossipers who usually ended their gossips with Peace shalom authenticated all the gossips.

Dadzie, this is the first time our Orthodox fetish priests and priestess have kept quiet and not  claim to have pre-informed us in our Kingdom. I am very sure I am not the only one thinking it had nothing to do with our gods. On 6th March, when Ghana became 62 years, we poured libation to them before we used that same road as we celebrated Ghana's birthday to strengthen unity in Dagbon Land. I am proud to say that the gods were peaceful, and I am happy everybody knows it’s true.
You will be wondering, who are the everybody? They are the people from the umbrella tribe and elephant tribe. The people you warned members of the talk and chalk fraternity about, so they do not influence your members.

Just when the incident occurred, some elders from the elephant tribe started pointing fingers at some members of the umbrella tribe. They accused the umbrella tribe of not "awarding road construction contracts to competent people".

In an attempt to ward off the blames on the umbrella tribe, the umbrella tribe also accused the elephant tribe of organising a kenkey party at the forecourt of the man in charge of all our shillings and coweries. A party they organised to celebrate a 3-billion-euro bond. How on earth do we celebrate monit's we have gone to borrow? They quizzed.

Dadzie, in situations like this, everybody will have someone to blame. I could blame the administration of VVIP Buses for not recruiting very competent drivers or I could blame the silence of the passengers for not cautioning their drivers when they were speeding or perhaps dozing off Or the manufacturers of the two buses for painting their buses red or I could blame the successive government for their selfish gains that  only helped Dvla employ incompetent employees.

Instead, I choose to blame members of the talk and chalk fraternity. Dadzie growing up, one of the many childhood debates I participated at school was the one we usually wrote in our essays. "teacher and a doctor, who is more important?"

I believe when you are asked such question, you will say a teacher is more important. Your answer will be because teachers taught the so-called gurus in of  societies. If teachers taught the gurus and teachers are therefore seen as the changers of society, then why haven't our gurus changed with positivity? Will we say it's their individual character? No!
Our very old adage has taught us to support a bending plant with a stick to keep it straightened. If for nothing at all, we should know that the big gurus started from the scratch till they got there. We taught them everything from moral to indecency. Imagine a pupil fighting in class and a teacher ignoring them because that teacher had been told not to use canes in class?

Those pupils will grow up one day and would not carry the values of tolerance as well as forgiveness in their heart. That teacher saddens my heart as he made it look like he was clueless and had no alternative in resolving the fight.
When I was a kid, a teacher slapped me because I had insulted a girl in my class. A girl who insulted me first. I reported the teacher to my mother. The next day, my mother came to the school to warn the teacher. She told him not to teach her son how to slap.

Close to two decades now since the teacher’s slap and I have now come to understand why my mother warned him.  You see as teachers, we carry with us the same behavioural traits we want the pupils to learn. These pupils learn these behaviour both consciously and unconsciously. Therefore, should our behaviour fall below the norms of our society, Then, we are unconsciously developing a social havoc. That is why till date, I have decided to come to terms with the idea of No Caning.

Dadzie, as much as we teach our pupils to be tolerant, so should we be. There are many teachers who would flog pupils without showing empathy. They do that because the whitemans Bible says if you spare the rod, we spoil the child. That teacher may have forgotten that God has still not used His canes on him even with the most sins he commit.

Imagine a teacher who cannot show empathy to his pupil? That teacher will unconsciously develop the likes of our elders in the elephant and umbrella tribe. Those elders do not have the kingdom at heart.

All that they know best is to gather around the market square to discuss our issues as if they had empathy. Then later appoint one of their own who is a native doctor to run the affairs of the talk and chalk fraternity. An example is how the King in our Kingdom appointed the concoction maker to lead all wise men.

Dadzie soon, I will go back to Hanadi to talk issues with her. She will insist that I follow her to see her parents. Dadzie her family comes from the Bono region where this incident occurred. Imagine this happened to me while returning from the home of my in law? eeeeiiiiii. Don't say GOD forbid because it could happen to everyone.

25th April, we shall gather for the annual delegates conference. Just advice the members of the talk and chalk fraternity to develop a good habit. Just tell them they can do better in transforming the lifestyles of our future gurus. Tell them if they allow the gurus they once taught to influence their decisions, they will train more insensitive gurus for our kingdom.
Dadzie, least I forget, another accident happened around Mankessim. This was at my door step. Imagine Hanadi had also come to pay a visit to her in-laws and she suffered the same fate as the victims did? Eiiiiii my life would have been ripped off. Charley like what go happen to me errrrrrh.

As much as members of the elephant tribe lived with excitements on that day while the umbrella tribe lived with shame, others will Forever live  their entire lives grieving over their lost ones.

This is why I am asking you to tell your followers to develop a positive mental attitude and teach the pupils empathy so that when they grow,  matters of our  kingdom will be on their hearts.

As I conclude, ask your followers ""IF HOW WE DIED DETERMINED OUR PLACE IN THE HEREAFTER, WHERE WILL VICTIMS OF ACCIDENT GO? IF IT WAS HELL, WONT WE FOCUS ON GROOMING IMPECCABLE ROAD ENGINEERS AND VERY CAUTIOUS DRIVERS AS WELL AS EXCELLENT LEADERS WHO WILL PLACE THEMSELVES IN THE SHOES OF OTHERS?"

Dadzie, Who would be grooming them? if not the members of the talk and chalk fraternity, who else would do this?
GOODBYE.

DOUBLE "T" DON'T COMPETE WITH EACHOTHER. TELL THAT TO KARIKARI OF TTA.

 Written By: NASRULLAH IBN MUTAWAKIL 

FOSO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION 

@WEC SECTOR

0540317575

A typical Ga Adangbe man will tell you that, they have many people in their town with the name "Tetteh". I just love that name because it is simple. When the British colonised our motherland in the 90s, one of the things they changed was the name Tettey.  The British had difficulties in mentioning "Tettey" and so, they decided to call people with such name "TT". Eventually some Ghanaians who do not cherish their cultural heritage decided to adopt the style of the British. That is why some people are still called by the two alphabets "TT".

Today, the whites have left us to deal with ourselves.  Unfortunately for us but fortunately for them, they left us with their "English language". Their language is the reason why we understand each other.  Today, one does not require an interpreter before communicating with another person from a different tribe in our country or in other parts of the world.  English has become the universal language in our world. In fact, everybody speaks English.

To understand and speak English, one must be taught by a teacher. That sounds like some herculean task, but it is very easy.  Provided you have the money, you only need to register. A teacher will teach you to become a teacher or to become great.

Teacher teaching teachers!!! That sounds like triple "T". Our heading is about the double T. It is not for "Tetteh" if that's what you are still thinking.  It is for Teacher Trainees. If you should put "and" in between the double T, you will say Teacher and Trainees. It is for the two meanings that I write on the above. 

Until recently, there was nothing like Teacher Trainees Advocacy "TTA". There used to be only Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana "TTAG". TTAG has always been the advocate for teacher trainees but somewhere along the line a new group emerged to represent the teacher trainees. This new group will not only be an advocacy group but will be advocates for Teachers and trainees. The founder of this advocacy group Mr Antwi Kakari was a former public relations manager for TTAG. The founder is only but one out of the few former national executives of TTAG who have come together to form TTA. "if you know you know"

Their reason for forming TTA is not yet known to the public. Though the public knows that they speak for teachers and trainees.  One question which continue to linger is, why would former national executives of TTAG form another advocacy group? Does it mean that, executives of TTAG do not speak for their members? Or does it mean that, the internal alliances between the sectors in TTAG continue to support incompetent leaders who will seek personal fortunes at the expense of the association?

Well, these are questions, I cannot answer. Yet, they are questions that have answers elsewhere.  TTA started it all nicely. They critisied Ama Brago the erstwhile women's commissioner of TTAG when she presented what looked like an inflated budget to the national executive council of TTAG for approval for the 2018 edition of women empowerment.

TTA did not leave it all there. They decided to award hard working leaders of TTAG, where Larry Agbador, the former national administrator of TTAG, was awarded. This and many few things they did, gained the attention of delegates at the recently held congress at Ada. It is also worthy of note that the current president of TTAG Mr. Anthony Dadzie once stated that TTA had gained grounds and was on the verge of becoming a great ally of TTAG.

Few months after the congress, TTA begun a fierce competition with TTAG. When the female student of St Monica's College of Education was involved in a terrible accident and was admitted at the intensive care unit, the leadership of TTA paid her a visit. They took pictures of her to solicit funds for her family without their knowledge. These actions of Mr. Antwi Kakari aggravated the anger of the lady's family such that they wanted to file legal suit against him. However, the swift intervention of the current TTAG president, Mr Anthony Dadzie, the family decided to allow him to walk freely. 

After the issues, TTA intensified their fierce competition with TTAG when the National Service secretariat released a press statement ordering newly trained teachers to register for National Service. TTA could have asked the leadership of TTAG the way forward. Instead, they released a statement asking the newly trained teachers not to pay heed to the statement released by NSS even before TTAG could respond. In the interviews Mr. Kakari granted, he stated that National Service had never been part of teacher trainees. His actions helped him to gain lots of respect and recognition from the newly trained teachers. This made them feel like TTAG did not really care about them. The initial statement released by TTA asking newly trained teachers not to register made TTAG's press statement release on the same issue meaningless. TTA trapped TTAG just like the story of the best hunter in your hometown, who never missed his target when hunting for game.

The minister upon getting a wind on the NSS controversy, requested to meet the teacher trainees’ union to resolve issues.  Only for TTA to side with the minister during the meeting. According to Ekow Paintsil who is the former TTAG deputy secretary, he stated in a facebook post that "the minister was the one who founded TTA to influence decision".  It wouldn't be a surprise that TTA is a political group set up to support the ideas of the current government considering the fact that, the PRO of TTA Mr. Azasu is a former Tescon president of his college of education.

Today, members of TTAG have regretted giving TTA the mileage. The objectives of TTA have been politically motivated and that has become apparent when they decided to side with the minister on the NSS saga. Sometimes, I wonder if truly TTA is fighting for teacher trainees and newly trained teachers.  This is the same, TTA that issued a statement asking newly trained teachers not to register for the NSS. Then after a meeting with the minister, TTA post on facebook said that "say no to unemployment. Register with NSS and get permanent employment". 

The interesting Kakari has forgotten that Teachers and Trainees do not have sands in their head. He had forgotten if he is smart, then he is on par with trainees. When he was asked whether he will do his National Service, he said that if that is the case, he will do it. Kakari has been a teacher for the past 4years, he has received his benefits and now, he wants to do a national service? Kakari is very religious but he is a human being. He can lie just as we all do. He can sell his integrity for a certain cause (one that we all know or we don't know). 

Kakari should be advised that the Fantis say "amma wo nyanko entwa ank) a, owo su nntwa en dur" literally translates "if you do not help your friend to cross the river, you won't be able to do so". My understanding to the wise saying is, unity is the key to fight a common enemy. People fighting a particular cause must share ideas to make their fraternity stronger as they always seek to aspire higher. That aspiration can only be achieved if their leaders have good intentions.

He should always know that when the GA adangbe's call a fellow Ga man "TT" both alphabets are stressed on at the same pitch and at the same level. It is always "Teacher Trainees".

As I conclude, my ignorance continues to ask why some people say, Kakari could not complete his tenure as national Public relations manager of TTAG? If that is true, Did that leave some scars behind? And, Is that why he told Dadzie Anthony and Ekow Painstil that, TTAG will soon collapse and TTA will take over?

Yes, he said it. Even though they are rumours, rumours  are like bad breathe from someone who hasn't brushed his teeth for a long time. If you are over-zealous to react, the real thing(mouth odour) will come out.

LOSING COMPETENCIES TO ALLIANCE

By: NASRULLAH IBN MUTAWAKIL 

FOSO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION 

@WEC SECTOR

0540317575

When you hear the name of Abraham Lincoln, usually what comes to mind is “democracy”. I am talking about “the government of the people, by the people and for the people”. On the other hand, what do you think about when you hear the name of King Tenkamenin? Some readers might say this is gibberish or perhaps this name never existed. Well, that’s based on their best of knowledge.

King Tenkamenin was known as the “people’s king.” He ruled over the old Ghanaian Empire in the 9th century, and was regarded as the father of democracy, both in declaration and in practice. He ruled 1000 years before Abraham Lincoln became president. But thanks to history, the king who died in 1075 was not regarded as the “FATHER OF DEMOCRACY” probably because he was an African. Historians who consider the ancient king as the father of democracy believe that democracy had once been part of Africans before the abolishment of slave trade.

This history gives me the freedom to write on the heading without fear even though the subject matter is like the fly which perches on my scrotum; nobody will tell me to kill that fly with carefulness. I am an African and a fante to be precise. History tells me that my ancestors emigrated from the old Ghanaian Empire and that gives me the impression that my gene is an embodiment of democracy.

I am only stating a genuine concern without any derogatory remarks or whatsoever as an affirmation of our democratic principles.
I do not know the exact people to which the above heading is targeted. Interestingly, I am assured of one thing, the clock is ticking and sooner than we think, 2019 will be here. Again, we will be headed for another delegate congress to elect a new set of leaders to run the affairs of the Teacher Trainees Association. Election matters. Election does not only give us a new set of leaders rather, it also enforces internal democracy within organizations, institutions and so on. Election gives rise to very new beginnings especially one that comes with accountability, hope and justice for all. Election is the weapon of the delegates of an association or the peaceful weapon of citizens. It is only during election that, the voices from our thumb becomes louder than the mouth and for this I now know that I am talking to some delegates out there.

Currently, I feel like I am that old man in the Nigerian proverb which usually goes like “what the old man sees whiles sitting, the child will climb the highest mountain and will see nothing.” I am only 25 years of age and if for nothing at all, I know that in Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana, election is all about alliance. You can be the best candidate for any portfolio in our fraternity but should your alliance fail, you will lose. “This has been the practice of members belonging to the association since the association was established in 1996,” said the ex-officio. The unfortunate response you get when the question, why we need an alliance during elections, is asked.

 Usually when I hear such response, I think about the history of TTAG. I think about the presentations and the misrepresentations. The presentations which we have always known is about the first step of the Trainees agenda to serve as the emancipation tool for the total liberation of the student front. This was started by our brothers from the three Northern Regions with the formation of Association of Teacher Training Colleges in the Northern Sector. I believe that the presentation simply makes us aware of how this initiative began with an “IDEA”. I mean the idea of bringing trainees together without considering the sector (in their case, it was region) they belonged to. It tells us indirectly of how the one who brought the idea led a team of great thinkers to be the pioneers of what has become the association we have today. These great thinkers came from various colleges to form a single unit.

The misrepresentation on the other hand, tells us what today’s generation has been doing. It is like the story of the man who married four wives and had many children. The four wives wanting to achieve marital success for themselves, brought forth the idea of an internal alliance where the first and second wives became great allies while the third and fourth wives also formed theirs. The two separate alliances saw the husband move to either side only when the idea favored his personal interest. The husband who had children out of wedlock, would have to enter into a barter system with either of the two alliances to secure a place for the kids he had out of wedlock.  The alliance favored whichever child was picked to represent either of the alliance without considering the strengths\ competencies they possessed. To be continued…..

As to how this alliance emerged in TTAG, is not known to the current generation and they seem not to care. What seems to be of importance to them is the benefits derived. It is like the goat which thought it was dirtying the wall of its owner until it realized that its coat was peeling off. The idea of alliance of course would have sounded very good to me if I was in the shoes of any candidate but unfortunately this idea has caused enmity amongst some people that I know in some sectors. An alliance that seemed to have been between sectors has now become a thing for inter-colleges. And whoever sowed the seed of alliance, sowed a seed that would gradually create divisions in our association.

The tragedy of our time is that all the ex-officios, if not all, are in support of the idea of alliance without recognizing the disaster we are in, or perhaps we are headed to. They have forgotten that the existence of an alliance curtails that internal democracy we need to enjoy in the association. Competent aspirants who are not able to garner support during primaries automatically have no backing of the sector when they decide to contest at the national front. If they persist with the intention to pick up a form at the national front, with the slightest of mistake, they will be disqualified without enjoying any form of benign consideration.

That is what our association has become today. Every sector wants to have a taste of the highest power and will do anything for it. There is no competition in our national elections. The only competition in our elections is who wins the heart of the odd sector. There is no power in our manifestoes during congress. The only power is the strength of the alliance.
We know culture is the way of life of a group of people but one characteristic of culture we may have forgotten is that, culture is dynamic.

It means culture changes with time. Unfortunately, the culture of our association is yet to change with time. The culture of our association is all about win! win! win! for aspirants who hope to attain a certain portfolio in the associations’ elections. They are the people who will do anything to gain that top notch without considering the mission of our association. They are the people who have so much confidence in the alliance. They are the people who are connected to the instigators of the alliance and like GOD, when the alliance speaks, everything has to bow.

I believe our practice of alliance needs rethinking. I am confident that if people are made to contest for positions at the national level without going through the sector, we will see many competent aspirants contesting for various positions other than two competent aspirants we usually see. We will see a renewed spirit of hope being injected into the association. We will see people vote based on policies and not alliance.  It is on good policies that our association will thrive and achieve it aspirations.

There are people who do not believe that we can take alliance out of our elections. I understand their skepticism. It is like that of the vulture who says that even though its eggs are not edible, it can only be nursed on a high tree because it is hard to trust man. Until we truly adopt that form of self discipline, we would only depend on the alliance as it comes with its future consequences like political infiltrations in our associations.

I wish ourselves well as we ponder over the proverbs of the Yorubas “the dog that wants to get lost refuses to heed to the whistle of the hunter”. Let’s change now!

DRUGS, THE NEW ORDER

Mensah Brobbey Desmond

Enchi College of Education

Taking a stroll in a renowned College of Education in Ghana after a strenuous examination, I came across a well intoxicated group of male students who were returning after what they call a well-deserved night after successfully writing their end of semester examination unable to move their legs, they asked for help. Ignorant about what they had consumed a night before, I gave a helping hand in locating their hall of residence. Upon assuming I came to the conclusion that it had been one of these hard drugs on the markets.

One may be in doubt of the aforementioned scenario and conclude that it is a well fabricated story or an act of fiction to gain recognition after all the emblem of the association even creates the impression that the teacher trainee is the custodian of knowledge. Well report from almost every college of education indicates that trainees are deep rooted in this malignant activity.

To buttress my claim is the statistics from the Ghana Narcotic Control Board which revealed that about fifty thousand (50000) youths in Ghana abuse drugs. The findings further indicated that thirty-five thousand out of the total sum are students in the JHS, SHS and the tertiary institutions of which college Of Education are inclusive.

 These facts have made me passionate to write about drug abuse and the perils associated with the abuse of drugs such as marijuana, tramadol, wee toffee, gutter water, codeine and even sniffing of glue.
Drug abuse is defined as the excessive and self-damaging use of habit forming drugs or substances, leading to addiction.

Commencing, abuse of drugs leads to addiction. Addiction also known as substance use disorder is a disease that affects the brain and behaviour and leads to the inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug. When you are addicted to drugs, you can’t resist the urge to use them, no matter how much harm the drugs may cause.

To add to the aforesaid effect is abusers become poor. When trainees who abuse drugs at this stage become addicted to drugs, they will not hesitate to use their last penny to purchase the drugs. We are in an era where the salary of teachers is nothing to write home about which has even caused teacher unions to agitate for increment in the salaries they earn.

Moreover, drug abuse leads to deteriorating health conditions. Drug abusers don’t know the harm they cause to their health. People who abuse drugs often have one or more associated health issues, which include lung or health disease, stroke among others. Over the years images of X-rays have shown the damaging effects of smoking marijuana and cigarettes on the human brain
Penultimately, drugs lower the reputation of its abusers. If there is anything I will forget in my College days then certainly not the fact that teachers are actually role models. In the light of this trainees will have to keep their reputation intact meanwhile the drug abuse can be a nemesis in ensuring that the reputation of us(trainees) will be dragged in gutters.

Climax, embarrassment on family. Family members may feel ashamed at this behaviour. Family members are bothered by what bothers are unsure on what to do to reform the said abuser
I will draw the curtain down on this article by pleading with abusers of drug on the various campuses on Colleges of Education to take a word or two from this article and turn a new leaf because help effect change in the larger society. How best can we do this if not staying clean from abusing drugs?

Mensah Brobbey Desmond
Enchi College of Education
WEC Sector   

COVENANT IS AN EX-OFFICIO

Written by Nasrullah Ibn Mutawakil,

Foso college of education.
0540317575

Dear Dadzie,

It’s been few days since you assumed the highest office of president. I’m a teacher trainee, so I know my first sentence may sound very ambiguous to readers who are not in our fraternity, but that is okay with me. They ought to know that teacher trainees have their own clique, so my reference to you as president is restricted to only our fraternity (TEACHER TRAINEES ASSOCIATION OF GHANA). If they still do not understand, then they should get this straight; I do not expect any reader to think of you as an Akuffo Addo or a Mahama. You have a long way to go in order to attain such status.

By the way, has the administrative handing-over taken place? If it hasn’t, then let me inform you that you will be driving a Mahindra very soon. That mahindra does not look flashy from the outside however, cruising in it can make you forget that you only have a one-year, one-time tenure of office. I am writing from experience. Did you know that, Brobbey Desmond and I enjoyed a free ride from Kasseh to Ada College of Education during the congress? Interestingly, no police barrier stopped us because that Mahindra had a government number plate. It’s logical if I say that policemen will always assume that anyone driving in that Mahindra is a government official. Dadzie, don’t get flattered because you will soon have the luxury of driving a government car as a non-government official. Kindly ask your elder brother, who is currently an Ex-officio, if you want more information. He is the reason I chose the heading “COVENANT IS AN EX-OFFICIO”.
 “APAM” in the akan dialect literally means covenant. A covenant in English means “to enter into agreement to do something or not to do it”. I know your elder brother’s name is Apam Jonathan. I also believe that, his name has a unique meaning other than the meaning I have shared with you. Dadzie, whether you like it or not, Apam is your elder brother. Both of you may have chosen a different path with respect to “BLOOD RELATIONS,” but certainly, our fraternity makes you two direct brothers from one mother. It is not surprising that prior to the congress, people who did not know you said “Apam will control you”. I have known your brother from afar, but if anyone should ask me about him, I could write an entire book on his leadership skills only. He was a fine leader. He was very smart, but he had his flaws, so I suggest you do not take it all from him.

Dadzie, usually Africans are often perceived to be people who talk about other people’s flaws. Consequently, I have chosen to justify that perception by stating one of your brother’s flaws. When your brother was alive, I mean, when he led the association, he had forgotten that the Akans literally translated his name as covenant, which meant to enter into agreement to do something. One reason my forefathers from Foso College of Education voted for him at Komenda congress was to ensure effective communication between them. That was the covenant all the voters had with him. Did he honour it? No! He didn’t. He is the reason why all trainees felt that his administration was in bed with the National Teaching Council (NTC).

Most trainees did not expect his administration to solve all their problems for them. They didn't see him as "God." Therefore, they only expected his leadership to set priorities that could give all trainees a good opportunity to a better life in their fraternity. He failed to do so. If he had considered the needs of his fellow trainees, they would not have been upset at the introduction of the licensure exams he had no influence on. Truth is, trainees like the rationale behind the licensure exams but their problem was how a licensure exam proposed in 1948, resurfaced in 2018 without proper documentation, implementation and communication.

 Let’s forget about the documentations and implementations but with respect to communication, we cannot do away with it. Ensuring effective communication was the main reason people voted for your brother. In the song titled “Poetic justice” by Kendrick Lamar and Drake, Drake said that, “communication ruled a nation.” Yes! Communication rules a nation.

Communication also rules a relationship. You can ask your girlfriend if you doubt it. Why couldn’t he allow communication to rule our association? Your brother left all trainees in a quandary of what the future held for them. For once, trainees were not upset with government, but rather, they were frustrated at your brother and his relatives of which you were part for not communicating such a pertinent information to them as early as possible.

They were angry because he made trainees treat such a serious information as rumour until the unexpected hit them.

Today, Apam is an ex-officio. He is no longer the president of TTAG. He will no longer drive the Mahindra he drove from Pusiga to Ada again. Unless it is your wish to offer him a free ride. He would not be able to book an appointment with the vice-president of Ghana again to discuss the plights of  teacher trainees. Apam Jonathan is now “Harry Potter without a magic wand” or perhaps a “Jet Li with no kung fu skills”.

The time is Dadzie o’clock. You will reign for a year and after your tenure, you will either be blessed or cursed. Similar to what your elder brother experienced when he posted a picture of you on August 30th, 2018 at 2:37pm. He presented you to the members of the “talk and chalk” fraternity on his facebook wall. You can go and check for yourself if you want to know more.
Dadzie, the only way you can be a great president of TTAG, if not the best, is to ensure effective communication among your followers. The stories of ananse usually ends with the adage “Nti Kumah does not sit and doze off on the tree from which his father, Ananse fell and died”.  Mr. president, you don’t have to run to the funeral of your elder brother knowing very well that he stumbled on a stone, fell, and died as a result. The wisdom is, you will die if you run. The death of your tenure is inevitable, so you need to watch your steps carefully to avoid stumbling on a stone, or else you will die prematurely.

Sooner than later, the licensure exams will be news of the past, however, what seems to be looming is the idea of “TEACHER TRAINEES DOING A NATIONAL SERVICE”. Teacher trainees have heard about the news already nevertheless, they are treating the news as rumour. They expect you to break the news to them and not the government or the media. They expect you to ask them what they think the way forward should be. But that does not mean you should go to facebook and use your personal  facebook wall to seek their opinion. Your association has enough money to create a website. Use the funds to create a website which has a portal where trainees can share their views, suggestions, and criticisms. You cannot meet trainees individually to seek their opinions, but it is also imperative that you involve them in making decisions. Don’t involve your elder brother and his relatives “ONLY” thinking that they have the necessary experience. Experience wouldn’t be the basis to protect you from the curses that might be thrown against you, just as they were showered on your brother. Any time you think of going to Apam, please know that your critics also live at the junction.

Dadzie, as I end here, I humbly request that you pay heed to the voices of old folks who said that, “the sheabutter that is gloating over the ill-fated salt because of a heavy downpour, only fortifies itself with ice before the sun rises.” Remember that you will eventually handover the Mahindra and go back to walking barefooted, as you used to do. Please do not get intoxicated by power, and anytime you feel power-drunk, just remember that, “COVENANT IS AN EX-OFFICIO”.

Yours sincerely,

Nasrullah Ibn Mutawakil,

Foso college of education.

@wec sector. 

LOVE LETTER TO TTAG NATIONAL WOMEN’S COMMISSIONER.

Written by Nasrullah Ibn Mutawakil (0540317575 / 0572677080

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Dear Margaret, 

I’m sure many will be wondering why a letter which is meant to show affection for you will be made public. Well, I am making this letter open to all in order to ward of some competitions that I might probably face. One of my biggest competitors or threat is your current boss Mr. Anthony Dadzie who is currently the national president of TTAG. I understand the nature of your work as a women’s commissioner for such an honorable association and it makes a lot sense if I should say that, your administrative boyfriend is your boss ‘’the president of TTAG’’. 

Margaret, before I continue with what I intend to tell you, permit me to say that I know your stance between me and your administrative boyfriend. And until your tenure of office ends, I will patiently bear the pain of having lost you to another handsome man. 

Nothing makes me happier than the sight of you in a happy and jubilant mood like that of your inauguration after what I call a successful election at Ada college of education. When I saw that big smile on your face after the declaration, I asked myself one question. Was the election her biggest test? I am not so sure it was. But certainly, it was a test you would not want to fail. You see, accepting the onerous responsibility of a women’s commissioner is not a joke and so, I want you to pay a lot of attention on the pageantry.  Maggie, for me, the pageantry is your biggest test. That thing you people call women empowerment is the reason I am writing this love letter to you.

All over the world, many feminists are preaching women empowerment. My view on women empowerment is, real women empowerment begins with clearing those cobwebs in the minds of our women who think that men are better than them. Anyway, do not get me wrong for I do not intend to say that, women are equal to men. Rather, they both support each other to achieve their personal and societal aspirations. And so, empowering women to take up bigger roles in our society which hitherto was only meant for men, is a good thing.

 My question is, what is the idea of women empowerment in TTAG? Is it the pageantry, that is to crown beautiful ladies? Or to give these ladies from our colleges the chance to gain the status of a queen at the national level?

Maggie, your association’s idea on women empowerment is to put beautiful crowns on the heads of some pretty ladies. And they do so by organizing what you call MISS TTAG; to entertain the men for more than 5 to 6 hours and that is all. These ladies will go about feeling good in a royal crown for one year until their time is up to pass the baton for the next generation to run their lap of the relay. Their impact is not felt in the society and even the association.  If for nothing at all, I would say that I have seen two beautiful ladies who have once been crowned queen of your dear association. Their names are miss Bilobi Delphina Jentina and miss Bridget Ansu. 

The latter, who I do not know and so I would not talk about her. But for Delphina, I have known her for 2years. She happens to be the former women’s commissioner for Foso College of Education and a MISS TTAG as well. Apart from Delphina showing off her prestigious crown, she managed to form an NGO by the name ‘’WOSO’’. This organization which I believe she formed as part of her project, seeks to empower the females and children in our society.  The last time I heard about WOSO, wasn’t the day their leadership hanged around the AQUA SAFARI at Ada. Rather it was the day they made some donations to some deprived children in some primary school. Her sponsorship doesn’t come from the coffers of TTAG and so her organization ceases to function the moment she has no source of funding. She does everything on her own. I would not blame the former queens if they have not been able to come up with a very substantive project like that of miss Bilobi. My reason is simple. “If the there is not there, you can’t force the there to be there” the unusual words spewed by some learned wee smokers. And so it could be that, other queens did not have the means to.

Maggie, that idea of using pageantry to empower women is not wrong. But I dare say that, it has fallen below the standards. Talk about the motto of your association “a model for development” and you will realize that your annually organized pageantry is one that cannot be a model for some associations. And so, MISS TTAG, at the moment is not a model for development. Am sure others might have an opposing view but that’s okay. The Yoruba’s say that, “a child who hasn’t been to the farm of another man, thinks that his father has the largest farm.” 

Do you watch MISS GHANA? Or MISS MALAIKA? Or let’s say, MISS WORLD? You see any of these pageantry can be likened to yours except that, your MISS TTAG usually ends with no impact on your association and our society. Those pageantry which I asked you about, over the years, have had their organizers develop a good brand for them. Hence making it very attractive to; not only the public, but to investors as well. And they continually make good impact on our societies.

 Even though you may like the idea of organizing a pageantry, you wish it was either one by the name MISS GHANA OR MISS MAILAIKA. What’s in a name? Shakespeare once asked. A name is more than an identity. There is so much power in a name. this can only be achieved if you have an able team. A team that understand the power of branding. A team that thinks in my direction. The direction of we,  REDEFINING OUR PAGEANTRY. Until this is done, It will always be MISS TTAG with little or no positive impact on our society or association. 

Maggie the truth is, now, you need time to consult your predecessors, the past queens and maybe those who contested you at all levels. They can help you build a team. A solid team for that matter. A team that will, in the end, help your administrative boyfriend have a very successful tenure.

Just as our adage goes, an elder who allows children to eat python will not be left out if the list of python eaters is made. That means that you won’t be left out if your administration is praised.

That will be all for now.

Yours sincerely,

Nasrullah Ibn Mutawakil.

@wec-sector.

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