Rashad Abdulai captures the dumsor era and its impact on everyday life
In the heart of Atlanta, USA, a Ghanaian poet named Rashad Abdulai sat at his desk, reminiscing about his homeland. His mind wandered to the rhythms of Ghana, its vibrant culture, and its resilient people. Yet, amidst the memories, a shadow loomed—the persistent issue of dumsor.
As Rashad Abdulai penned his thoughts, he crafted a poignant poem, capturing the essence of the dumsor era and its impact on everyday life. With each word, he painted a picture of power outages disrupting homes, businesses, and even the grand plans of a nation striving for progress.
In his poem, "Dumsorilization," Rashad reflected on the frustration and inconvenience caused by dumsor, the rhythmic pattern of "Dum-Dum, Sor" echoing the unpredictable nature of power supply. He highlighted the transition from dumsor to digitalization, a journey fraught with challenges yet filled with hope for a brighter future.
As Rashad's poem spread across social media, it resonated with Ghanaians both at home and abroad. It struck a chord with those who had experienced the frustration of dumsor firsthand and those who longed to see their country thrive without the shackles of power outages.
Meanwhile, in Ghana, under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo, the issue of dumsor persisted. Despite promises of improvement and pledges to prioritize the nation's energy sector, many communities still grappled with erratic power supply. Rashad's poem served as a reminder of the work that remained to be done, urging leaders to address the root causes of dumsor and fulfill the aspirations of "Ghana Beyond Aid."
READ THE FULL POEM BELOW:
DUMSORILIZATION
Dumsorized to Digitalized
Dum-Dum, Sor
Dum-Dum-Sor
Dum-Dum-Sor-Dum
Digitalized dumsor
Sor, dum-sor, dum
Dum-Sor-Dum-Dum-Sor
“Unsorized=Dum”
Dumsor time table:
Sor-Dum, Dumsor,
Dum-Dumsor-Dum-Dum-Dumsor-Dum-Dum-Dum!!
One home; One dumsor
One Kejetia store; one generator
Dum-Dum-Dumsor-Dum
One National Cathedral; One Dumsor.
(A short poem in memory of “Ghana Beyond Aid”).
