Mother Ghana, are you safe?

...(series.1)

Cherished readers! There is this popular saying that ‘target do we all want to achieve but good strategy is the surest way to get there’. Many of us the youth don’t know what we want to become in the future. What? a friend asked me recently on face book/social media was that…. do we the youth of today have a bright future….my reply was that it depend entirely on each and every-one priority. Either one shifts the un-known circumstances to the government of the day or faces it squarely to be called a successful person or a hero or heroine. Have you observed this? Whenever you asked a university graduate, what next after school? The quick answer we offer without thinking is to further our education; either as a result of observing the status quo or many people are singing the same song out of frustration or to get busy after school, or to a large extent to offer most often un-related courses to the corporate world in Ghana. But if u’re able to use those masters courses to secure job abroad then fine! Thank God, I for instance went to university to primarily undertake a research work no matter what it might cost me; and by his grace my dream had come true and beyond. I am now using it profitably. One day I approached one of my favorite, God-fearing, hard working and indefatigable lecturer, Mr. Aaron T. Asare at UCC (University of Cape Coast) where I schooled at. And I made my intentions known to him; about cowpea research work. He forthwith asked me to look for other colleagues with the same dream and come-out with project topics for him to scrutinize. But surprisingly those colleagues I had convinced have all dropped off along the way with the view that the cowpea research work is involving and tiresome; nevertheless it was fun to me. Luck on my side, I also met the Head of Nursing department at UCC, Dr. Mate Siakwa who I also made my intentions known to. And Doc. actually sat me down in his office as his son and lectured me to prioritize what I desire doing and not to follow money and follow the crowd which I would later regret in life….kudos! Dr. Mate Siakwa As a requirement for undergoing a project work in a final year as a partial fulfillment of degree programme; our class was asked by our class project work co-ordinator to ballot for already prepared project topics. The negative side of the balloting was that no-matter what research work as an individual you love to undertake the balloting determines your fate. Sincerely it did not go down well with me, frankly speaking. Quickly I started rehearsals tirelessly to forward them to the Vice Chancellor of UCC if the balloting did not go my way; with my position that they want to deny me of my dream and future. In case they refuse my beautiful request not to allow me stick to my research work I already started with. Thank God again; I picked my previous topic I was working on; which was almost 85% complete with the same project supervisor. At no-time I went to make the out-come of the balloting known to my supervisor who was also happy for me because I was his darling boy!!!. Nothing prevented me from my dream; be it lecture’s, quiz, rain, sickness, exams, whatsoever. Hard work pays!. Then my project supervisor told me he would make sure my work is published in a science journal and in addition I make PowerPoint presentation on my work at the Ghana science Association (GSA) Conference at Legon to add to my CV (Curriculum vitae). In the words of my supervisor; because my entire work, the literature review, data analysis and above all my results are just classically-superb. And he wants me to be remembered for it; and indeed my well-intentioned supervisor help me make my work not to become just shelve-ridden material but to be profited from across the globe. Invariably, my supervisor happily uses my work as model for other colleagues who he supervises but not working on the same project topic to follow suit. And I always feel invigorated and happy if those of my colleagues come to tell me what happens at the supervisor’s office by them being asked to read my excellent work. To your information the Ghana science Association (GSA) conference was purposely designed for lecturers to meet as a group to present on their research findings and they usually use these of their research finding papers for their promotion in their endeavors. Though the students are in actual fact suppose to be part and parcel of GSA activities. Apparently we have student’s GSA chapters, attend the GSA conferences and we pay our GSA dues, hitherto, we don’t do research finding presentation. Be it poster presentation or PowerPoint presentation. To a large extent we students of today want to do science on the silver-platter and not trying to take un-chartered courses which are entirely novel to our generation. Hence I am privileged and by God’s grace my project supervisor was readily there to groom me in research work findings and how to give excellent presentation at conferences….kudos! Mr. Aaron T. Asare Dream comes true!. Truly my project abstract was already published in the 28th Biennial Conference of Ghana Science Association journal with the title “Characterization of some cowpea [vigna unguiculata (L.) walp] Germplasm”. The full paper in the 28th Biennial Conference of Ghana Science Association (GSA) Journal would come soon; which could easily be accessed on the internet before next year, 2014. In fact I made a very powerful presentation at the just ended 28th Biennial Conference of Ghana Science Association which started from 15th-19th July, 2013 at University of Ghana, Legon campus. Absolutely no-one was able to question me meanwhile the room was fully packed to brim with experienced Professors, Doctors, senior research assistants, students, workers, invited guests and resource personnel’s from my field of endeavour in there. Also worthy of pointing out is that the Chairman at the conference Hall asked? the audience three good times to questing me but nobody was ready to do so. And Indeed the Chairman of the Occasion affirmed that the presentation was well delivered to the core with no hitches whatsoever and every one there gave me resounding ovation, thumb up and congratulation….Of course great feather in my cap! To set the record straight here, we were just two undergraduate students from our year 2012/2013 final year batch; and I alone raised the Molecular Biology & Biotech. Department’s bar very high and made it proud in my presentation which my supervisor is a living witness of. Nonetheless, the most heart-warming side of the conference to me was the communiqué time; where as an association we make review and recommendation to science related policies to government of Ghana. My well-intentioned presence at this communiqué section made me to argue on behalf of the younger ones who are non-lecturers and are interested in research work and needs government sponsorship. Indeed the proposal for government sponsoring student’s research work was adopted by the house. As Rome was not built a day. It would serve as a starting point of nurturing the young ones to have great interest in research work. LONG LIVE MOTHER GHANA Written by: KOFI AZUMAH XORNAM a.k.a 'ZUMZUM'

E-mail: xornamazumah@gmail.com