A letter to Abraham Attah: 'Don't complain, just work harder'

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Profet 9 years ago

You quoted the Bible, which also has this:

Satan is also called the "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2.

He is the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31.

You quoted the Bible, which also has this:

Satan is also called the "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2.

He is the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31.
crazy 9 years ago

looking at where you are coming from you are blessed, listen to no one, complain to no one work harder. in fact harder is not enough just work work work and work !! Always remember where you coming from !! I know you can and ...
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looking at where you are coming from you are blessed, listen to no one, complain to no one work harder. in fact harder is not enough just work work work and work !! Always remember where you coming from !! I know you can and you will. Good luck and be pride to be a Ghanaian no matter the decision. wish you all the best !! you are from AFRICA !!
Gordon 9 years ago

If you read Ghanaian media on all that is being written and said about Abraham Atta, you will conclude that he is currently the HOTTEST child actor in the whole world and one with the greatest talent. Is that really so?

I ...
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If you read Ghanaian media on all that is being written and said about Abraham Atta, you will conclude that he is currently the HOTTEST child actor in the whole world and one with the greatest talent. Is that really so?

I don't know. He won a few awards in some film festivals including one in the US. He hasn't won any Oscar or anything at the Cannes Film Festival, arguably the best in the world. But Ghanaians are making so much noise about his talent and potentials. Where I live in Europe, I asked a few film enthusiasts and not many have heard of him and those who have do so because they happen to have seen something on Netflix about him.

Many Ghanaians have written articles about him who have neither read the book "Beasts of No Nation", nor seen the film. They cannot really talk knowingly about the book or the film. Yet they talk about Abraham Atta.

Of course, as a Ghanaian, I am proud of Atta and hail him.

But, my dear countrymen, are we not just about overdoing this?

And to the writer of this piece, Allan Kweku Buah. Have you read the book and watched the movie? If so, why not give us an informed, impartial, critique or review of the two rather than yet another needless advice to Abraham Atta?
Profet 9 years ago

Gord, it is a benevolent DISTRACTION for us to
celebrate Attah's recognition in a very competitive and challenging showbiz industry.

What has all the "politRicking" done for the youth in Ghana?

Attah was fortunately p ...
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Gord, it is a benevolent DISTRACTION for us to
celebrate Attah's recognition in a very competitive and challenging showbiz industry.

What has all the "politRicking" done for the youth in Ghana?

Attah was fortunately plucked from the dusty and dangerous streets hawking odds and ends for a living.

His story is like a rare rainbow in the desert!
Gordon 9 years ago

Yes, it is a "benevolent distraction" from all the hardships we have been facing as a nation. Atta's story is unique. I do not doubt that and as a Ghanaian I also proud of him.

But some of us are becoming fed up with all t ...
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Yes, it is a "benevolent distraction" from all the hardships we have been facing as a nation. Atta's story is unique. I do not doubt that and as a Ghanaian I also proud of him.

But some of us are becoming fed up with all the "advice" being given to this guy by anybody at all who thinks he knows better than his handlers.

Even as we savour his successes for the nation, can't we just leave him alone instead of "frightening" him with all these advice? My goodness!

And can't some of us, actually, discuss the book, the film and Atta's performance???
Palanz 9 years ago

Spot on!

The "distraction" releases human fleas, leaches, nits and buzzards!

Convenient relevance-grabbers!

Spot on!

The "distraction" releases human fleas, leaches, nits and buzzards!

Convenient relevance-grabbers!
Francis kwarteng 9 years ago

Dear Profet & Gordon,

I think I am enjoying the conversation between you two. Please don't stop there. Keep it going.

Thanks.

Dear Profet & Gordon,

I think I am enjoying the conversation between you two. Please don't stop there. Keep it going.

Thanks.
Gordon 9 years ago

Just some info for you, in case you "visit the scene of the crime" (this expression is from one of the greatest contributors to this site who does not appear here anymore - BERNARD TETTEH)...

I've read Beasts of No Nation ...
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Just some info for you, in case you "visit the scene of the crime" (this expression is from one of the greatest contributors to this site who does not appear here anymore - BERNARD TETTEH)...

I've read Beasts of No Nation and I have seen the movie too. I am now better equipped to talk about both and not just the "controversy" surrounding the lead actor.

Perhaps we may take that aspect of the discussion later on, if the occasion presents itself.

Thanks for all the discussion and "sorry" for the misunderstanding in my first comment about our leaders who don't learn anything and won't learn from Abraham Attah...
francis kwarteng 9 years ago

Dear Gordon,

You are welcome.

I am glad you have finally seen the movie and read the book as well.

Thanks for sharing

Dear Gordon,

You are welcome.

I am glad you have finally seen the movie and read the book as well.

Thanks for sharing
Prof Lungu 9 years ago

Gordon,
As we write this, we are watching interview of Ghana-born architect David Adjaye, on AlJaZeera America!

Please see our comments below, on the other side.

But, we agree!

Our sense is, the entire Ghanaian me ...
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Gordon,
As we write this, we are watching interview of Ghana-born architect David Adjaye, on AlJaZeera America!

Please see our comments below, on the other side.

But, we agree!

Our sense is, the entire Ghanaian media, both public and private, are failing Ghanaians.

The fact that there was no jubilation, hue, or cry when the Netflix Team that came to shoot the movie was one of the saddest moments for some of us, when we read the Team had left Ghana, without fanfare!

In Washington-Baltimore where Netflix shoots another trailblazer movie, the State of Maryland knows that a Netflix project is worth millions of dollars to their economy.

But, Ghana?

There were actually failures at multiple levels, before all this Abraham Atta jubilation:

THE ZEROES/FAILURES
1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2. The Tourism Ministry
3. The Culture Ministry
4. Ghana Army
5. The Presidency
6. Media!
7. Etc.

From the little we know:
1. That film was the first NetFlix movie ever filmed outside the United States - but, received no buzz in Ghana

2. The Ghana Army was so tardy making equipment that were pre-arranged with producers available to the Firm Crew, so tardy, the Movie Team almost cancelled the project in Ghana.

3. Idris Elba was involved in an accident during the filming almost killed him. (Ghana's healthcare systems and public safety systems were tested, and all failed).

In other words, we can conclude that Ghana will probably not see that type of "economic" project/opportunity until Ghanaians and their leaders exhibit professionalism managing these things and events.

Grown-up and leadership failures on multiple fronts!

In that sense, we will cut "Master" Allan Kweku Buah some deserving slack.

Greetings.

Francis kwarteng 9 years ago

Dear Prof Lungu, Gordon, Profey

Thanks for mentioning David Adjaye.

But if my memory serves me right, the international architect David was actually born in East Africa.

I think he has done some important work in C ...
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Dear Prof Lungu, Gordon, Profey

Thanks for mentioning David Adjaye.

But if my memory serves me right, the international architect David was actually born in East Africa.

I think he has done some important work in Colorado, for the Nobel Committee, and also played an important role in designing the Smithsonian African-American Museum.

I think he is also doing some important work with Harvard's Henry Louis Gates, Jr...

But finally, I think Prof Lungu will have to educate us some more as to what David is up to after watching program.

Interestingly, I have featured David in one or two of my articles a year or two ago.

I look forward to Prof Lungu sharing his viewing of David and his contemporary works with us.

Thanks.
Prof Lungu 9 years ago

See our tweets on Twitter @professorlungu

But, sorry, we missed Francis Kwarteng's piece on David Adjaye!

We never met the man, David Adjaye, you know.

But, this we can say today!

Properly considered, as histo ...
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See our tweets on Twitter @professorlungu

But, sorry, we missed Francis Kwarteng's piece on David Adjaye!

We never met the man, David Adjaye, you know.

But, this we can say today!

Properly considered, as history is our guide, regardless of what even he himself might say, David Adjaye IS actually another Kwame Nkrumah legacy project grown into fruition.

David Adjaye was born to Ghanaian diplomat father, September 22, 1966, (age 49), in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 7 months after the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah by the Nonentities, Liars, and Crooks bunch, among them "rascal" Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia.

Sure!

But, he was never Tanzanian, first of all!

READ:
"...Ajaye’s parents came from small villages in Ghana. When Kwame Nkrumah won the country’s independence from Great Britain, in 1957, Adjaye’s father, Affram, who had managed to get an education, took the civil-service exam and went to work for the postal department. After several promotions, he switched to the foreign office, and was posted to the Ghanaian Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where David was born in 1966..."

(www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/09/23/a-sense-of-place).

So, from the little we've read and heard, Mr. Adjay's work reflect some of the Nkrumah legacy concerns (e.g. poor, powerless, belief in using built environment to solve problems of people, etc.
francis kwarteng 9 years ago

Dear Prof Lungu,

Thanks for the information.

In my remarks to you, Profet and Gordon I made a claim of mentioning David Adjaye in one or two of my articles which was published a year or two on Ghanaweb.

It however ...
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Dear Prof Lungu,

Thanks for the information.

In my remarks to you, Profet and Gordon I made a claim of mentioning David Adjaye in one or two of my articles which was published a year or two on Ghanaweb.

It however turns out this is not true. Actually I mentioned David in a in a September 7, 2013 Ghanaweb article I named "Leave Tsatsu Tsikata Alone: 11."

The point is that I have known about David and his work some years back though I have lost track of his contemporary accomplishments.

I therefore may be counting on Prof Lungu to get us up-to-date. Prof Lungu has always been intellectually resourceful.

Finally, I am happy that Prof Lungu can make a useful connection between David and his superb accomplishments and those of Nkrumah's.

Thanks.
Prof Lungu 9 years ago

We've read several essays by Sir Article, including what we think was the first one published online, on ModernGhana, if our memory serves us right.

We now understand that Sir Article is "Allan Kweku Buah", the "self-accl ...
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We've read several essays by Sir Article, including what we think was the first one published online, on ModernGhana, if our memory serves us right.

We now understand that Sir Article is "Allan Kweku Buah", the "self-acclaimed King of Ghanaian Teenagers."

We must say that is a mighty lofty title and responsibility. We can say, also, though, that if we ourselves could write this well during our "teenage" years, and articulate such diverse perspectives on many matters, from entrepreneurship, to policy, to youth life-skills, etc., we may also have assigned similar lofty title to our name and work.

That said, we wish to make just 2 points with respect to (1) Sir Article's counsel to Master Abraham Attah to remain focused and (2) the "foundation" of longevity in a profession, such as any we find in the "arts" and "culture".

READ: "... Do not be distracted by any negative publicity about you, for they are all meant to test the strength of your personality.

WE SAY: Good point!

And as well, we should not allow yourself to be sucked into your own publicity machine, into believing everything our fantastic publicity horns say about us. That, we believe, is the essence of the message from the Eagles - "Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy".

THEN THIS: "...This should inspire you to keenly master the art of filmmaking to the full in order to last for decades in the movie industry like Sylvester Stallone..."

OUR OBSERVATION: That general, democratic, personal ethic and message, is a good one.

However, when we use examples from the United States we ought to beware there are almost always important nuances and characteristics of the case that is unlike what you may find in Ghana, for example.

Fact is, Stallone's latest acclaim to fame, when he won an Oscar, was that he practically "stole" it from the "Lead" actor in the movie "CREED", which we saw several weeks ago, same day it come out to theaters in the United States. (Check #OscarSoWhite, if you need to orient yourself).

In that sense, "a" Denzel Washington, or Edris Elba, the "Lead" of the film that Master Abraham Attah actually appeared in, would have been "a" far better example, from our vantage position.

Keep up the good work, sir, Sir Article.

Greetings!
Prof Lungu 9 years ago

"Don't allow the sounds of your own wheels drive you crazy

/Fool you!

Don't!

Haba!

"Don't allow the sounds of your own wheels drive you crazy

/Fool you!

Don't!

Haba!
MARCUS AMPADU 9 years ago

Menuah Buah, sorry for being late in reading your letter to our sensational brother, Abraham Attah, & the interesting comments it has generated.

I wouldn't hesitate to say candidly that the piecemeal education we have f ...
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Menuah Buah, sorry for being late in reading your letter to our sensational brother, Abraham Attah, & the interesting comments it has generated.

I wouldn't hesitate to say candidly that the piecemeal education we have foisted on Ghanaians for decades has not served our country well. It hasn't made us self-determined, free thinkers & empowered to reach the top of everything we do.

I hope & pray that we teach all the youngsters of Abraham Attah's age to read & write English & Mandarin very well; and teach them how to thrive in this age of distraction.

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A letter to Abraham Attah: 'Don't complain, just work harder'

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