Book Review: Kofi Annan explores a life in war and peace

Read Comments Comments (15)

• insight to the bone 12 years ago

  wo ye kwasea paa , what is ignorant about or untrue about what he said , you better take your head out of your ass and look around . you ndc do not have a single qualified person in any field assisting you so you just sit the ...
  read full comment

  wo ye kwasea paa , what is ignorant about or untrue about what he said , you better take your head out of your ass and look around . you ndc do not have a single qualified person in any field assisting you so you just sit there and talk your akpeteshie shit. your macro economics is off so even the world bank and imf have put a cap on your borrowing lest you create so much debt that even the great grand children of our children can not pay.you are so blinded by your tribalism that you dont see the pain in the eyes of conscious mature Akan men who see the dire future you are creating now . we sit on wealth that most european countries can only dream of but yet the man made poverty is what the Akans can expect from you. how dare you say nobody understands politics but you . just you wait and we shall drag you in the streets very soon with our revolution and war , long live the republic of Akan

  reply
• KAKALIKA 12 years ago

  SO EVERY IDIOT WHO WRITE IN TWI, ASANTI OR AKYEM IS ANTI-NDC?????
  
  THIS IS WHY YOU ARE CALLED A TRIBAL PARTY!! LEARN TO GROW UP.
  
  WE ARE NOT ONLY SUB-SAHARA AFRICANS BUR SUB-SAHARA FOOLS!!!
  
  THIS IS WHAT DARWIN SAID AB ...
  read full comment

  SO EVERY IDIOT WHO WRITE IN TWI, ASANTI OR AKYEM IS ANTI-NDC?????
  
  THIS IS WHY YOU ARE CALLED A TRIBAL PARTY!! LEARN TO GROW UP.
  
  WE ARE NOT ONLY SUB-SAHARA AFRICANS BUR SUB-SAHARA FOOLS!!!
  
  THIS IS WHAT DARWIN SAID ABOUT AFRICANS - PLEASE, PLEASE READ IT -
  
  “Since the dawn of history the negro has owned the continent of Africa – rich beyond the dream of poet’s fancy, crunching acres of diamonds beneath his bare black feet. Yet he never picked one up from the dust until a white man showed to him its glittering light. His land swarmed with powerful and docile animals, yet he never dreamed a harness, cart, or sled. A hunter by necessity, he never made an axe, spear, or arrowhead worth preserving beyond the moment of its use. He lived as an ox, content to graze for an hour. In a land of stone and timber he never sawed a foot of lumber, carved a block, or built a house save of broken sticks and mud. With league on league of ocean strand and miles of inland seas, for four thousand years he watched their surface ripple under the wind, heard the thunder of the surf on his beach, the howl of the storm over his head, gazed on the dim blue horizon calling him to worlds that lie beyond, and yet he never dreamed a sail.”— Charles Darwin
  
  In other words they are VERY STUPID!!!!!

  reply
• insight to the bone 12 years ago

  you forgot fanti by the way . your stupidity is profound as using the fantasies of an idiot such as darwin only proves the point that only an idiot idolizes another idiot . whether you like it or not the Akans are now politic ...
  read full comment

  you forgot fanti by the way . your stupidity is profound as using the fantasies of an idiot such as darwin only proves the point that only an idiot idolizes another idiot . whether you like it or not the Akans are now politically united and the rest will follow soon

  reply
• KAKALIKA 12 years ago

  DARWIN MUST HAVE COME ACROSS TWITS LIKE YOU TO INSPIRE THEM TO WRITE ABOUT BLACKS IN THAT WAY.
  
  TO PROVE HOW STUPID YOU ARE, FGIRSTLY, GER A MIRROR, LOOK AT YOURSELF - ASK THE IDIOT YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE THIS QUESTION 'WHO ...
  read full comment

  DARWIN MUST HAVE COME ACROSS TWITS LIKE YOU TO INSPIRE THEM TO WRITE ABOUT BLACKS IN THAT WAY.
  
  TO PROVE HOW STUPID YOU ARE, FGIRSTLY, GER A MIRROR, LOOK AT YOURSELF - ASK THE IDIOT YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE THIS QUESTION 'WHO CONTROLS AFRICA'S WEALTH?'
  
  IF YOU HAVE AN OUNCE OF BRAINS IN YOUR THICK SKULL, YOU WILL GET SOME ANSWERS.
  
  NOW COMPARE THOSE TO WHAT DARWIN SAID AND IF YOU SILL DO NOT SEE THE LIGHT, YOU MUST BE EVEN MORE STUPID THAN I FIRST THOUGHT!!!
  
  YES YOU ARE POLITICALLY UNITED & ALL ORHERS IN GHANA ARE DIS-UNITED!!!
  
  WHAT A GIT!!!

  reply
• Gabriel Khan Tamakloe 12 years ago

  Diplomacy is an intelectual gag which stops anyone from calling a spade a spade. Its a balance u have to walk but u can´t please all the people all the time.People will either deslike u or like u but in this case u cant choo ...
  read full comment

  Diplomacy is an intelectual gag which stops anyone from calling a spade a spade. Its a balance u have to walk but u can´t please all the people all the time.People will either deslike u or like u but in this case u cant choose the people who deslike u. Kofi is a man of the people who did all he could and even to go against the greatest power who has always got her way.Thanx

  reply
• Kofi 12 years ago

  Quite a complex assignment. Leading the UN being a Police between blocs. These blocs with political interests sometimes with the aim to show supremacy and others torment trouble . We are lucky a Ghanaian had an opportunity to ...
  read full comment

  Quite a complex assignment. Leading the UN being a Police between blocs. These blocs with political interests sometimes with the aim to show supremacy and others torment trouble . We are lucky a Ghanaian had an opportunity to take on this assignment. Ghana must continue to bring out strong, intelligent and creative leaders. I have not read the book but it will be.useful for those aspiring to high offices. Well done Annan

  reply
• KAKALIKA 12 years ago

  I RESPECT KOFI BUT HIS BOOK IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE TO THE STARVING IN GHANA - WEE WANT WATER (clean water), ELEVTRICITH, GOOD SANITATION, GOOD HEALTH CARE, PROPER PUBLIC TRANSPORT, HONESTY, SCHOOLS, PAY PEOPLE A LIVING WAGE, EL ...
  read full comment

  I RESPECT KOFI BUT HIS BOOK IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE TO THE STARVING IN GHANA - WEE WANT WATER (clean water), ELEVTRICITH, GOOD SANITATION, GOOD HEALTH CARE, PROPER PUBLIC TRANSPORT, HONESTY, SCHOOLS, PAY PEOPLE A LIVING WAGE, ELIMINATE OT AT LEAST TACKLE BRIBERY - THE LIST IS ENDLESS
  
  WE ARE NOT ONLY SUB-SAHARA AFRICANS BUR SUB-SAHARA FOOLS!!!
  
  THIS IS WHAT DARWIN SAID ABOUT AFRICANS - PLEASE, PLEASE READ IT -
  
  “Since the dawn of history the negro has owned the continent of Africa – rich beyond the dream of poet’s fancy, crunching acres of diamonds beneath his bare black feet. Yet he never picked one up from the dust until a white man showed to him its glittering light. His land swarmed with powerful and docile animals, yet he never dreamed a harness, cart, or sled. A hunter by necessity, he never made an axe, spear, or arrowhead worth preserving beyond the moment of its use. He lived as an ox, content to graze for an hour. In a land of stone and timber he never sawed a foot of lumber, carved a block, or built a house save of broken sticks and mud. With league on league of ocean strand and miles of inland seas, for four thousand years he watched their surface ripple under the wind, heard the thunder of the surf on his beach, the howl of the storm over his head, gazed on the dim blue horizon calling him to worlds that lie beyond, and yet he never dreamed a sail.”— Charles Darwin
  
  In other words they are VERY STUPID!!!!!

  reply
• Amarita 12 years ago

  I think it is time to bring in leaders from outside Ghana / Africa to clean up the mess. Darwin was right about Africans.

  I think it is time to bring in leaders from outside Ghana / Africa to clean up the mess. Darwin was right about Africans.

  reply
• KAKALIKA 12 years ago

  I AM NOT PROUD OF DAWIN'S VIEW OF AFRICANS BUT YOU CALL A SPADE A SPADE!!!
  
  OUR RESOURCES ARE CONTROLLED BY WHITE PEOPLE - WHEATHER WE ACCEPT IT OR NOT - IT IS A FACT. WE CA BURRY OUR HEADS IN THE SAND AND DISAGREE - THE EA ...
  read full comment

  I AM NOT PROUD OF DAWIN'S VIEW OF AFRICANS BUT YOU CALL A SPADE A SPADE!!!
  
  OUR RESOURCES ARE CONTROLLED BY WHITE PEOPLE - WHEATHER WE ACCEPT IT OR NOT - IT IS A FACT. WE CA BURRY OUR HEADS IN THE SAND AND DISAGREE - THE EASIEST THING FOR A MAN TO DO IS TO FOOL HIMSELF.
  
  IF YOU ASK ME, WE SHOULD SEND A DELEGATION TO ANY WHITE COUNTRY AO BEG FOR THEIR FORGIVENESS AND BRIBE THEM (that is the only thing we are good in) TO CAME BACK AND COLONISE US AGAIN.
  
  I AM SURE THE WILL NOT BE WATER OR ELECTRICITY SHORTAGES, THERE WILL BE GOOD SANITATION & GOOD HEALTH PROVISIONS.
  
  WE ARE IN A MESS - NPP/NDC

  reply
• Arnold 12 years ago

  The book was published a year ago and now it is news in Ghana. It is a fantastic book and Kofi Annan gives an honest account of all events. He also has the guts to criticize Mugabe and Mbeki.

  The book was published a year ago and now it is news in Ghana. It is a fantastic book and Kofi Annan gives an honest account of all events. He also has the guts to criticize Mugabe and Mbeki.

  reply
• BENONY TONY AMEKUDZI, ESQ. 12 years ago

  TO REGRETTABLY SEND THIS MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO H.E.PRESIDENT OF GHANA JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA, H.E.FORMER PRESIDENT OF GHANA DR.DR>JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS, THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS, THE BEREAVED FAMILY AND THE PEOPLE OF G ...
  read full comment

  TO REGRETTABLY SEND THIS MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO H.E.PRESIDENT OF GHANA JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA, H.E.FORMER PRESIDENT OF GHANA DR.DR>JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS, THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS, THE BEREAVED FAMILY AND THE PEOPLE OF GHANA FOR THE DEATH OF ANOTHER GHANA ILLUSTRIOUS SON HON. HARRY SAWYER WHO WAS SURVEYOR BY PROFESSION AND LATER TURNED POLITICIAN WHO HELD DIFFERENT PORTFOLIOS AS MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MINISTER OF TRANSPORT WHO INTRODUCED THE ABANDONED "TATA BUSES" TO THE AUGMENT THE FLEET OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN GHANA DURING THAT ERA.
  
  THAT THE LATE HARRY SAWYER WAS ALSO A FORMER MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR OSU -CLOTTEY CONSTITUENCY AND HE WAS VERY METICULOUS AND CHALKED SOME RELATED SUCCESSES IN HIS CAPACITY AS POLITICIAN AND SURVEYOR.
  
  THAT IT HAS BEEN SAID OVER AND OVER THAT "IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM AND THE APPROPRIATE HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICIAL"S" TO HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM{S} IS/ARE THE PANACEA OF PROBLEM-SOLVING WHEREBY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM ITSELF BY THE OFFICIAL ALWAYS LEAD TO SOLUTIONS OF THE PROBLEM.
  
  THEREFORE, IT CAN AND COULD BE SAID WITH NO HESITATION WHATSOEVER AT ALL THAT H.E.FORMER PRESIDENT OF GHANA DR.DR.JERRY RAWLINGS WHO IS ALSO THE FOUNDER OF THE NDC MADE THE RIGHT DECISION AT THE TIME BY APPOINTING THE LATE HON. HARRY SAWYER TO THE ABOVE RELATED PORTFOLIOS.
  
  THAT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE ARE THE SAME BED FELLOWS AND THEREFORE ACCORDING TO THE LATE VICE CHANCELLOR OF THEN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NOW KNUST PROFESSOR F.O. KWAMI SAID THAT "ANY EDUCATION WITH ITS RELATED EXPERIENCE THAT CANNOT BE USED TO SOLVE A RELATED PROBLEM IS NO EDUCATION".
  
  IT IS THEREFORE AT THESE RELATED BACKDROPS THAT IT COULD BE SAID WITH CERTAINTY THAT THE LATE HON.HARRY SAWYER DID NOT ONLY ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE BUT ALSO USED THEM TO HELP SOLVE GHANA PROBLEMS PERTAINING TO THE PORTFOLIOS ASSIGNED TO HIM.
  
  THAT GHANA HAS REALLY AND TRULY LOST AN ILLUSTRIOUS, HARD WORKING AND EFFICIENT SON AND THEREFORE DESERVED GHANA'S HONOUR.
  
  THAT MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILY, THE NDC AND PEOPLE OF GHANA.
  
  MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE!
  
  BENONY TONY AMEKUDZI
  
  INTERNATIONAL LAWYER/LEGAL CONSULTANT/ADMINISTRATOR

  reply
• Osei Yao 12 years ago

  He missed an opportunity to be great but failed. Instead of condemning Bush and Blair as war criminals he courted their friendship and could not even boldly say that the Iraqi Invasion was illegal. a journalist forced a grud ...
  read full comment

  He missed an opportunity to be great but failed. Instead of condemning Bush and Blair as war criminals he courted their friendship and could not even boldly say that the Iraqi Invasion was illegal. a journalist forced a grudging acknowledgement from him on the steps of Downing Street. it from

  reply
• Kwabena ohemeng,london 12 years ago

  Thanks Osei.Kofi Annan's failure to condemn the invasion of Iraq as illegal before it took place has greatly undermined his credibility.What baffles me most is his insistence that African leaders should be put on trial befor ...
  read full comment

  Thanks Osei.Kofi Annan's failure to condemn the invasion of Iraq as illegal before it took place has greatly undermined his credibility.What baffles me most is his insistence that African leaders should be put on trial before the ICC when he has never said that George Bush and Tony Blair who illegally invaded Iraq and by all standards war criminals should be arrested and put on trial for war crimes.Perhaps African leaders by their colour are the only human beings fit to be arraigned before the ICC and jailed.It is not only African leaders who indulge in impunities-disrespecting international laws and invading countries to remove their leaders and kill innocent civilians are also impunities.

  reply
• kwabena ohemeng,london 12 years ago

  It is a fact that America has no respect for international laws and is always prepared to use its economic and political leverages to have its wishes at all times. On so many occasions when it failed to get backing for its p ...
  read full comment

  It is a fact that America has no respect for international laws and is always prepared to use its economic and political leverages to have its wishes at all times. On so many occasions when it failed to get backing for its proposals it resorted to unilateral actions to reach its goals;often allying with its allies to impose sanctions on nations and individuals that they hate .America and its western allies in the UN are fiercely resisting the urgent need to reform the Security Council which in terms of representation and the use of the veto power by the 5 permanent members has become an outmoded,undemocratic institution which serves only the interest of the permanent members.I believe strongly that unless members of the General Assembly resort to measures like refusing to accept the authority of the Security Council and refuse to implement its decisions the status quo will never end.For just 5 permanent members to determine what happens to other nations and their citizens is unacceptable.The council should have no permanent members,the veto removed and decisions made by consensus.Or it should be abolished and its functions and powers transferred to the General Assembly.

  reply
• Obuo 12 years ago

  Kofi Annan, why are you criticizing others. While you were under secretary at the UN, your office withheld info after the plane carrying the presidents of Burundi and Rwanda was shot down by European mercenaries working with ...
  read full comment

  Kofi Annan, why are you criticizing others. While you were under secretary at the UN, your office withheld info after the plane carrying the presidents of Burundi and Rwanda was shot down by European mercenaries working with the RPF. This ultimately led the Hutus to start their blood bath and the Tutsi RPF army to invade. Almost a million Tutsis died...after the Tutsis took over the country, the Hutus went into DRC and they died in even greater numbers.
  
  To date, the conflict in the DRC, which has been covertly supported by powerful Western Government interest groups and those who benefit from the spoils of war, has claimed more lives than any other conflict since the second world war. Did you talk about this in your book?
  
  Everyone has skeletons. It is not my purpose here to tarnish your name. It is just important that we do not forget. In your positions as Under Secretary and as Secretary-General, mistakes were made. Those mistakes ("oversights", or perhaps even deliberate maneuverings) had a high cost. This needs to be known.

  reply