*By Akadu Ntiriwa Mensema, Ph. D.
“Two students of the Keta Business High School are to spend a total of 60 years in
prison after being convicted of conspiracy and robbery by the Aflao Circuit Court.
The convict, Jeff Hope Dotse, 20, and Emmanuel Nartey, 19, were convicted on their
own plea and each sentenced 30 years for robbery and five years for conspiracy to
run concurrently” (Ghanaweb Nov 17, 2011)
“The Court of Appeal, Accra, yesterday upheld a preliminary objection brought at the
instance of former Chief of Staff Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani in the case in which the
Attorney General has appealed the ruling of the High Court, Accra that struck out
the charges against Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby and former Mpiani in the Ghana@50
trial. The Court of Appeal in the process struck out additional grounds of appeal
and the written submissions filed by the Attorney General and proceeded to adjourn
the case sine die or indefinitely” (Ghanaweb Nov 17, 2011).
Two students get 70 years
For youthful indiscretions
For stage-robbing a woman
Agog in the sun youthfulness
Indiscretions of youth
Out to forage in the night
Out for nightly mischief
Chase their shadows
Wearing their youth
Two students get 70 years
Centuries to die in prison
For youthful indiscretions
The pen-armed robbers
The celebrated thieves
The greedy bastards
The Sekyi-Hugheses
Get paid state-pension
Educated elitist bandits
In the pay of the state
Killers of the youth
Killers of the dream
The Kwadwo Mpianis
The Weroko-Brobbys
The Handsome Asabees
The PV Obengs
The Diapering Munkatas
The ET Mensahs
The Tractor-Thieves
The Kufour Hotels
The Asiedu-Nketiahs
The Hannah Bissiws
The Benyiwa-Does
Educated mercenaries
They have our respect
They have free freedoms
Freedoms to swagger
Swaggering in 4 X 4
Freedoms to live & loot
Live in massive mansions
Educated thieves
Killers of the dream
Predators in suit
Pen-armed robbers
Degree-wielding robbers
Killers of the dream
Of the postcolony
Freely worshipped
Adored by the masses
With bouquets of awe
Ah! The disempowered
Ah! The impoverished
Worshipping, adoring
The educated thieves
Killers of the dream
Waiting for state honors
Waiting for state burials
The Sekyi-Hugheses get all
Receive full pension
End of service benefits
Take home official cars
The Sekyi-Hughes rob us
Rob a whole household
Portraits & furniture
Carpets & windows
Doors & floors
Cutlery & curtains
Fridges & television sets
The Asabees rob us
Asabees thumb our eyes
The PV Obengs rob us
PVs get national jobs
The ET Mensahs rob us
ET Mensahs are Ministers
They have it all and all
Pensions & mansions
State funeral & burial
Eternal thieves of our time
Watersheds of our misery
Of moral bankruptcy
Of social putrefaction
Of underdevelopment
Pen-armed robbers
Rape government
Rape citizens
Rape girls, boys
Wield certificates
Wield woolen suits
Oh! Killers of the dream
Eternal thieves of our time
Watersheds of our misery
*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
