Papa Mills! Your Akan, Etc. Kids Need State Jobs Too!

*By Akadu Ntiriwa Mensema, Ph. D.

** I recently spent about two months in Ghana, and the next series of poems will

recount my observations and experiences. Stay tuned!

*** This is not a “tribalistic” poem. I am boldly speaking truth to reckless power

and such altruistic perspectives are shared by a large of number Ghanaians.

Let us put nation first

Let us abort “tribalism”

Ah! Nepotistic brokerages

Oh! No more tribal mortgages

Troubling signs of “tribe”

Petals that will wither

Hmm! Papa Mills’ kids

They are Keta School Boys

They are Paga Crocodiles

Any office you visit

They dominate, rule

The petals of the P/NDC

The seeds of Awonoor

Keta School Boys

Thriving on Nyebroism

Paga Crocodiles

Thriving on Pito-broism

Swaggering with pride

Top on the food chain

Middling the food chain

Hmm! Papa Mills’ kids

Clannish like red ants

Suspicious like rats

Swarming like bees

Alarmed like snakes

Preying like vultures

Hymnal like frogs

Foraging like goats

Hmm! Papa Mills’ kids

His pre-selected kids

Kids of Adze Pa Wo Fie

Ah! The sad Fante joke

Of Adze Bone Aba Fie

JJ loves Mills’ kids of choice

JJ loves Mills’ adoption

Of Keta School Boys

Of Paga Crocodiles

In JJ’s walking life

In JJ’s dreams

JJ has called Mills names

Atta Mortuary, Atta Slow

Atta Snail, Atta Team B

Atta Greedy Bastard

Atta Ungrateful

Atta Fante Dokono

Simpa Atta Mills

JJ has said & foamed all

JJ has said & dreamt all

But JJ has never called Atta

Never Atta the TRIBALIST

Not for Mills’ Keta Boys

Not for Mills’ Paga Crocodiles

Papa Mills! Agya Atta

Our Castled Papa

You have so many kids

But you love only two kids

You love Keta School Boys

Dripping with Nyebroism

You love Paga Crocodiles

Dripping with Pito-broism

All, most state appointments

Have gone to Keta Boys

Have gone to Paga Crocodiles

Go to the Castle

Aides are Keta Boys

Aides are Paga Boys

Akuapems are missing

Denkyiras are missing

Go to Ministries

It is all for Keta Boys

It is all for Paga crocodiles

Akyems are missing

Nzimas are missing

Go to the Armed Forces

Officers are Keta Boys

Officers are Paga crocodiles

Asantes are missing

Wassaws are missing

Go to the energy sector

Officials are Keta Boys

Officials are Paga Crocodiles

Akwamus are missing

Gomoas are missing

Go to Customs

Officials are Keta Boys

Officials are Paga crocodiles

Gas are missing

Krobos are missing

Let us put nation first

Let us abort “tribalism”

Ah! Nepotistic brokerages

Oh! No more tribal mortgages

*Akadu N. Mensema, Ph. D., is a nationalist Denkyira beauty. She is a trained oral

historian cum sociologist and Professor in the USA. She lives in Pennsylvania with

her great mentor and teaches Africa-area studies at a college in Maryland. In her

pastime, she writes what critics have called “populist hyperbolic, satirical”

poetry. She can be reached at akadumensema@yahoo.com