Africa trapped in a ‘Babylonian economic system’ – Ashimolowo

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Onipaba Of Akyem Maase 11 years ago

Mr Ashimolo, are we in Ghana with Moses of Israel or the Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon? Tells us now.

Mr Ashimolo, are we in Ghana with Moses of Israel or the Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon? Tells us now.
Komla Agbeshie ( Ho ) 11 years ago

Mahama is the son of satan and want to destroy the whole nation.

Mahama is the son of satan and want to destroy the whole nation.
KOMFO ANOKYE 11 years ago

CHRISTIANITY TOO IS A BABYLONIAN SYSTEM. THOSE WHO BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT DEMOCRACY. RELIGION IS POLITICS LIKE DEMOCRACY. RELIGION AND DEMOCRACY ARE MAN MADE, THEY WERE MADE TO CONTROL THE MINDS ...
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CHRISTIANITY TOO IS A BABYLONIAN SYSTEM. THOSE WHO BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT DEMOCRACY. RELIGION IS POLITICS LIKE DEMOCRACY. RELIGION AND DEMOCRACY ARE MAN MADE, THEY WERE MADE TO CONTROL THE MINDS OF THE PEOPLE.
Amega 11 years ago

Interesting times indeed! You see, if the Babylonia system was started by Babylon, adopted by the West and then passed on to all commonwealth babies, then also remember this was achieved through the medium of Christianity whi ...
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Interesting times indeed! You see, if the Babylonia system was started by Babylon, adopted by the West and then passed on to all commonwealth babies, then also remember this was achieved through the medium of Christianity which today you are propagating. So you see, you are also spreading the Babylonia system. Better stop whining!
ADWEN 11 years ago

These so-called "pastors" who have fleeced their congregation to become mega-rich but didn't have any experience and exposure till they became rich, just oozes out rubbish only after the "acquired" their Ph.Ds.
Ashimolowo is ...
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These so-called "pastors" who have fleeced their congregation to become mega-rich but didn't have any experience and exposure till they became rich, just oozes out rubbish only after the "acquired" their Ph.Ds.
Ashimolowo is based in his so-called Babylonian system because he feels secure there, yet he is citing others to ignore the system which provided the route to his success.
He said "The Babylonian system was not started by Ghana: it was started by Babylon, adopted by the West and passed on to all of her Commonwealth babies,". “Once you go to school, they already have a salary scale for a first degree; they already have a salary scale for a master’s degree, they already have a salary scale for a PhD, they already have a salary scale for a permanent secretary; for officer grade one, level 2, level 4, level 10…," Ashimolowo defined.
What is/are Ashimolowo's alternative? Why is he not basing in Nigeria, but in the Babylonian system?
JAH LOVE 11 years ago

POLITICS HAS BLIND OTABIL. PREACH THE GOSPEL AND STOP ATTACKING THE PRESIDENT..GOD HAS BROUGHT HIM WHERE HE IS. NONSENSE

POLITICS HAS BLIND OTABIL. PREACH THE GOSPEL AND STOP ATTACKING THE PRESIDENT..GOD HAS BROUGHT HIM WHERE HE IS. NONSENSE
Vernon 11 years ago

A better teacher

A better teacher
BBC NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 11 years ago

Mr Ashimolo, are we in Ghana with Moses of Israel or the Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon? Tells us now.

Mr Ashimolo, are we in Ghana with Moses of Israel or the Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon? Tells us now.
BONSAM 11 years ago

i like this man

i like this man
WILD AND WISE 11 years ago

BY Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng :

How to reclaim a dream deferred…

Of course the title of this article borrows without shame from the famous poem by the great African-American poet, Langston Hughes. The poem is titled “Harl ...
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BY Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng :

How to reclaim a dream deferred…

Of course the title of this article borrows without shame from the famous poem by the great African-American poet, Langston Hughes. The poem is titled “Harlem” although it is known to most people by its opening line: What happens to a dream deferred? Here is the poem in full:

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore—

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over—

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

In this short poem Langston Hughes asked a question about the dreams of Harlem, the famous Black neighbourhood in New York City borough of Manhattan often regarded as the African-American capital of the USA. In the 1920 and 30s there was a cultural and artistic reawakening of the Black people in American which had its epicenter in Harlem. It was known as the Harlem Renaissance. By the end of the Second World War, the promise of the Harlem Renaissance was beginning to wane, which led Langston Hughes to ask his famous question, “What happens to a dream differed?”.

Ghana too had a dream once. Towards the end of British colonialism in Africa, the British described Ghana as a model colony, and in spite of their suspicion about Dr. Nkrumah’s subservience to Britain’s imperial cause, proceeded to grant us independence. As the first black sub-Saharan country to gain independence, Ghana’s dream radiated throughout the continent. Our dream was also rendered in poetic language if not in canto and verse

"And across the parapet I to see the vision of African Unity and independence her body besmeared with the blood of her sons and daughters in their struggle to set her free from the shackles of imperialism. And I can see and hear springing up cities of Ghana, becoming the metropolis of science, learning, scientific agriculture industry and philosophy.."

Ghana was the centre of a brief African renaissance in the late 1950 and early 1960s. Everyone who was somebody in the African world and its diaspora came calling. It was not only the heads of state and governments but sports and arts icons, religious leaders, and ordinary folk. A young man called John Wekesa walked from Kenya to Ghana just to be part of the African Renaissance being ignited from Ghana; another young man came from a country then known as Rhodesia to breathe in the air of anti-imperialist freedom. His name was, and still is, Robert Mugabe.

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it explode…? That dream has been as dead as a doornail, to quote Charles Dickens, for many decades now, but it appears that in refusing to give it a final burial, perhaps the time has come to seek its resurrection. Ghana still has what it takes to dream that dream and live it. We have far better and more educated people in Ghana today than we have ever done, but why are we marching backwards?

Does it dry up… like a raisin in the sun? A country as blessed as we are with everything we need still prays for what we have, to quote my church minister. Yes, we pray to God to provide what we already have. The final indignity is that we import onions, tomatoes and carrots, I mean carrots from Holland. You cannot beat that.

Why have things come to this pass? It has been a long time coming, but in its current incarnation our national distress has just one name. It is called politics. In my very humble view, the difficulties Ghana is going through are more political in origin than economic. The effects are felt in the pocket but they originate from what appears to be a paralysis in the collective decision making process.

In a democracy, despite the fact that the executive arm of government is controlled by one party or a coalition of parties, decision making is expected to be broader than that. This is why there is an elaborate system of committees in Parliament and why power has been devolved, albeit on paper mostly, to the lower levels of government. In this sense, opposition parties, civil society, the media and the state together have the responsibility to make and implement policy. This is the body politic, which is a metaphor for understanding the idea that “we are all part of the government”; when any part of it malfunctions for any reason the whole body suffers.

Ironically, in Ghana it is politics itself that is standing in the way of the healthy functioning of the body politic. Politics is a strange beast. Human society cannot live without it insofar as our lives involve options and choices. Politics comes in the form of the contestation for power to persuade or compel us to make those choices. In that sense politics is necessary for the survival of the human race. However, unless politics is informed or even directed by “higher” pursuits it becomes a mere agent of the establishment of the “state of nature” in which life, as described by the British philosopher Thomas Hobbes is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short".

What happens to a dream deferred; does it stink like rotten meat? Our politics does not smell nice at the moment. It is all geared up for the grabbing of power and not much besides. Do not get me wrong; we have people of high intellect and integrity in politics but the political process and system is such that their personal attributes notwithstanding, they have to play the game according to its twisted rules and logic.

Let us explain it like this. Ghana’s political class, that is, politicians, their media allies and business cronies, are always in election mode. They start fighting the next election even before the ink dries on the pink sheets of the last elections. Thus, we have been in election mode since December 2012 fighting for power in 2016. Nothing else matters; it is power in 2016 or bust! One might ask the intelligent question, is that not what politicians do; is that not what they live for? True, eternal politicking is their calling, but there has to be purpose for which they do it.

That purpose has to be to reclaim the deferred dream and dream some more for the coming generations. Today, unfortunately, caught between the money-grabbing imperatives at the individual level and the mundane struggles of the nation to sate its unfulfilled appetites, there is no dream. When was the last time you heard an optimistic speech by anybody in government and believed it? The rhetoric runs dry and sounds hollow because it is denuded of the reality of dreams – that elusive quality of things to come known as hope in the secular world but usually described as faith in the language of religion.

As the psalmist asks in Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes unto the Hills; from whence comes my help? There may be different religious ideas of where that may come from but in our secular state of Ghana, we have to pull those ideas together into a dream of hope. We cannot do that as presently constituted and set up. We need to reclaim the dream deferred. I do not think that our present Constitution or politics can support that job of reclamation. In the coming weeks, we will explore and share some ideas on this reclamation job.

What happens to a dream deferred; maybe it just sags, like a heavy load and EXPLODE?

Obournana 11 years ago

I hope Mensa Otabil will learn from Matthew Ashimolowo in his speech by not politicizing. He spoke about the gospel and generalized his comparison the way Jesus did in the Synoptic gospel. Otabil should see the difference bet ...
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I hope Mensa Otabil will learn from Matthew Ashimolowo in his speech by not politicizing. He spoke about the gospel and generalized his comparison the way Jesus did in the Synoptic gospel. Otabil should see the difference between him and Ashimolowo. He has taught Mensa Otabil how to use the pulpit to preach not to do politics. Great man of God and teacher.
kobena 11 years ago

At least Ashimolowo preaching is reasonable as compare to Mensa Otabil`s serial-caller preaching.

At least Ashimolowo preaching is reasonable as compare to Mensa Otabil`s serial-caller preaching.
Elijah 11 years ago

You see the difference between his message and that of Dr Otabil? This man understands the system and is clearly not playing politics. And he is clearly not calling on any specific leaders to change course. He understands tha ...
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You see the difference between his message and that of Dr Otabil? This man understands the system and is clearly not playing politics. And he is clearly not calling on any specific leaders to change course. He understands that African problems are more widespread and deeper than just leadership. We must all take responsibility and aim higher for ourselves as individuals and our achievements will undoubtedly translate into greater national performance. Let's collectively shake off our colonial mentality and then see where our efforts will lead us. Frequent changes of government will not solve anything. If anything too many frequent changes leads to discontinuity and subsequent lack of progress. Let's all rally behind our respective governments, however imperfect they may be and support them in their efforts to build our continent. If after their terms of office they have not performed we can then vote them out. Just as we criticise and require a certain level of performance from our leaders, they also require our support to be able to carry out the very difficult job of ruling our nations. It is a two-way, a give and take process.
kobena 11 years ago

Elijah, I love reading your excellent comments. I hope many Ghanaians would think like you.

Elijah, I love reading your excellent comments. I hope many Ghanaians would think like you.
GHANABA 11 years ago

Ashimolowo is a purveyor of the very system he is talking about.You only have to see his extravagant lifestyle,cars planes,properties,educations for his kins etc to know that he is a complete hypocrite.

Ashimolowo is a purveyor of the very system he is talking about.You only have to see his extravagant lifestyle,cars planes,properties,educations for his kins etc to know that he is a complete hypocrite.
Kululu 11 years ago

The reality they say, is too harsh. if you aren't a hypocrite, people wont belief you. Who will like a 'bitter' truth than 'sweet' lies?

The reality they say, is too harsh. if you aren't a hypocrite, people wont belief you. Who will like a 'bitter' truth than 'sweet' lies?
KAY 11 years ago

Massa i like your reasoning papa. You actually make too much sense and like i said the other time, dont be upset if i plagiarise your works on ma fb page. You are right up in your head. keep spewing out these sensible stuffs ...
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Massa i like your reasoning papa. You actually make too much sense and like i said the other time, dont be upset if i plagiarise your works on ma fb page. You are right up in your head. keep spewing out these sensible stuffs out on here and your will go places. stay bless. GOD bless our homeland Ghana
DESTROYERS PARTY N D C 11 years ago

ELIJA you sounds differently as ORIGINALLY AS THE FIRE PROPHET IN THE BIBLE .Why did ELIJA always had serious problems with kings of Israel especially with AHAB AND JEZEBEEL ?Did Elija support corrupt government? If ELija ...
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ELIJA you sounds differently as ORIGINALLY AS THE FIRE PROPHET IN THE BIBLE .Why did ELIJA always had serious problems with kings of Israel especially with AHAB AND JEZEBEEL ?Did Elija support corrupt government? If ELija is around what will he say to corrupt government like mahama scandalous and useless goernment ?So sad to say OPPOSITE ELIJA IS SUPPORTING EVILL mahama asking innocent GHANIANS TO GIVE WITHOUT TAKING SOO SAD
Ghanaian To The Core 11 years ago

When you read comments of most Ghanaians in this forum, you will, without doubt, come to a safe conclusion that a lot of us can't think right or make sound and realistic judgement. We make very stupid, foolish, proud and igno ...
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When you read comments of most Ghanaians in this forum, you will, without doubt, come to a safe conclusion that a lot of us can't think right or make sound and realistic judgement. We make very stupid, foolish, proud and ignorant comments as if we have no brains in our skulls.
My fellow Ghanaians, please, for God's sake, let us think right, for 'as a man thinks, so s he'.
kampu 11 years ago

If Elijah was here what he wld say to Mahama he wld hv said a double portion of that to Kuffour because Kuffour was CORRUPTION itself... He was not corrupt but the word itself... CORRUPTION..!! AMONSEE LIKE THAT...!!!

If Elijah was here what he wld say to Mahama he wld hv said a double portion of that to Kuffour because Kuffour was CORRUPTION itself... He was not corrupt but the word itself... CORRUPTION..!! AMONSEE LIKE THAT...!!!

kampu 11 years ago

If Elijah was here what he wld say to Mahama he wld hv said a double portion of that to Kuffour because Kuffour was CORRUPTION itself... He was not corrupt but the word itself... CORRUPTION..!! AMONSEE LIKE THAT...!!!

If Elijah was here what he wld say to Mahama he wld hv said a double portion of that to Kuffour because Kuffour was CORRUPTION itself... He was not corrupt but the word itself... CORRUPTION..!! AMONSEE LIKE THAT...!!!
Nii 11 years ago

If you have enriched your self at the expense of the poor christian folks and millions you will speak like Ashimolowo. They have no shame. He would have been in Babylonian economic system himself.

If you have enriched your self at the expense of the poor christian folks and millions you will speak like Ashimolowo. They have no shame. He would have been in Babylonian economic system himself.
Concern friend 11 years ago

Shame unto u if u are paid for the work u do. A lot people on this forum are very ignorant. They are controlled by emotion and envy.
I'm sick of ppl like ur type.

Shame unto u if u are paid for the work u do. A lot people on this forum are very ignorant. They are controlled by emotion and envy.
I'm sick of ppl like ur type.
Escargo 11 years ago

Pastor, you are wrong on this one. Babylonian system or not, when you have leadership that is bent in becoming millionaires overnight by engulfing themselves in "create loot and share" as has been visited on the people of Gha ...
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Pastor, you are wrong on this one. Babylonian system or not, when you have leadership that is bent in becoming millionaires overnight by engulfing themselves in "create loot and share" as has been visited on the people of Ghana fron PNDC/NDC govts for close to 30 yrs, then your blaming the West for the regression in Ghana or Africa is wrong and hollow. We always try to blame the West for our challenges and difficulties. I personally believe that the harm that has been visited on us post Independence by our own African leadership is far worse than that of the colonial masters. We need leaders who are selfless, higly patriotic and not bend on becomming millionaires overnight, leaders who are not afraid to loose clean and transparent elections, Leaders who will not cow their political opponents, whom they brand as enemiesm (eg Rawlings branding political opponents as enemies), and leaders who will not murder their way to the top. This is what we need, We should stop faulting the West for self imposed economic challenges and lack of development perpertrated by greedy bastards and leaders who are bandits.
Boss 11 years ago

I am a Christian but sometimes I really do not understand men of God. What is a Babylonian system of economics. What is wrong with having a salary scale based on qualifications. Somebody please explain.

I am a Christian but sometimes I really do not understand men of God. What is a Babylonian system of economics. What is wrong with having a salary scale based on qualifications. Somebody please explain.
Ghanaian To The Core 11 years ago

Who should explain what? read the article over and over and deduce from it what he is putting across and come to your own conclusion. Stop asking people to explain; explain what? Think through and get the answer yourself.

Who should explain what? read the article over and over and deduce from it what he is putting across and come to your own conclusion. Stop asking people to explain; explain what? Think through and get the answer yourself.
Ghanaman 11 years ago

Prophet,soothsayer,economic guru,politician we are tired of these Alatafo pls give us a break

Prophet,soothsayer,economic guru,politician we are tired of these Alatafo pls give us a break
MENSAH. 11 years ago

THE PASTOR IS SAYING,DON'T RELY ON YOUR FIXED PAY CHEQUE,but try to exploit other avenues for survival and prosperity.
YOUR PAY IS STANDARD,AND WILL ONLY INCREASE,WHEN YOUR BOSS FINDS YOU WORTHY.
One has to prove beyond his ...
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THE PASTOR IS SAYING,DON'T RELY ON YOUR FIXED PAY CHEQUE,but try to exploit other avenues for survival and prosperity.
YOUR PAY IS STANDARD,AND WILL ONLY INCREASE,WHEN YOUR BOSS FINDS YOU WORTHY.
One has to prove beyond his boss' expectation before the promotion.

BE YOUR OWN BOSS,THEN.

Ghana is in crisis,and crisis always occurs at the curve of every change.
THE CHANGE HERE IS:
GHANA'S MOVE TO SHIFTING FROM ECONOMIC DEPENDENCY TO SELF RELIANCE.
Mahama and company couldn't continue the road J.A KUFUOR started to construct for ATTA MILLS,who passed it on to MAHAMA.
Please,to make it in GHANA now,you must first,relax,use your imagination,study the atmosphere,circumstances,opportunities available,define it,refine and confine.

THERE ARE LOT'S OF OPPORTUNITIES IN EVERY CRISIS.
It's up to each and everyone to tap into where he can make it.
In the Bible,Joseph made in,right from the pit to the palace of PHAROAH,through the gift of compassion,on both the BAKER & BUTLER,VIA THEIR SAD COUNTENANCES.
Upon solving PHAROAH'S UNCOMMON DREAM,HE WAS QUALIFIES FOR AN UNCOMMON REWARD:VICE PRESIDENT.

David made his breakthrough when GOLIATH showed up.
HIS BOLDNESS,FAITH IN GOD,saw him through.
WHAT DO YOU ALSO HAVE,THAT ONE DOESN'T?
Remember,our reward in life could only be determined by the kind of problem one can solve for others.
SO WHERE WOULD YOUR SERVICES BE NEEDED,AND WHAT ARE YOUR GIFTS,TALENTS AND ABILITIES?

USE THEM.
Mr. Mister 11 years ago

The Jews didn't like it...but so what? Babylon was a great state in history. This pastor is a fool and an ignoramus. Sorry for his congregation.

The Jews didn't like it...but so what? Babylon was a great state in history. This pastor is a fool and an ignoramus. Sorry for his congregation.
Paa Kwesi 11 years ago

Mr. Mister!. This man that you call a fool is a billion times better than. The world listens to him because they believe he has something they can leverage on for success. Mr Mister nobody give a damn about you because you ha ...
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Mr. Mister!. This man that you call a fool is a billion times better than. The world listens to him because they believe he has something they can leverage on for success. Mr Mister nobody give a damn about you because you have nothing to offer the world. so who is the fool here?. Rather think about how you can become relevant to your village Mr. Mister

Captain Canada 11 years ago

what he's talking about. The Babylonian system is making the western and eastern powers rich thank you very much. The only people lagging behind is black Africa. And that is because of the infantile form of thinking that ensl ...
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what he's talking about. The Babylonian system is making the western and eastern powers rich thank you very much. The only people lagging behind is black Africa. And that is because of the infantile form of thinking that enslaves most Africans to superstitious and fairy like beliefs. The west would have been the same state had it not jettison the moribund church beliefs and limit its influence. Black African not develop until these silly beliefs are removed from the publics discourse. Religion abrogates critical thinking and replaces it with superstition. Does anyone believe black Africans could have created air travel left to their own devices? That's because the African mind is governed by superstitions which cause it to go into 'statis' mode any time it starts thinking outside the box. In the mind of n African all the developments of the modern world are anomalies because they are not in the bible or the Okomfo's bible.
Musa K. 11 years ago

Captain Canada, I beg to differ with you; it is not religion which abrogates critical thinking; it is mental indolence which paralyzes critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills can be acquired by learning and practic ...
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Captain Canada, I beg to differ with you; it is not religion which abrogates critical thinking; it is mental indolence which paralyzes critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills can be acquired by learning and practice. For your information, the Bible's use of logic has never been duplicated by any book, neither does the Bible encourage its reader to practice superstition! May I task you to read prayerfully a chapter of the Bible everyday? I am sure you will never regret it.

The role of critical thinking skills in any cultural setting can never be underestimated. Many inventers of the industrial revolution were great thinkers.

The cultural setting of Africa's economies has very little to offer the young. Ours is a lack of role model of thinkers for generations which has deprived the black African of a cultural edge in developing skills and, manufacturing quality finished products for the world economies. We end up as consumers most of the time. Have you noticed that the average African is gainfully employed when he is selling something?

Maybe it is about time we start training educators critical thinking skills which they can teach their students!
YEBOPOWER 11 years ago

You are also a product of the Babylonian System because whoever introduced Christianity to the shores of Africa has roots in the Babylonian economic system. Stop throwing salt and pepper into the eyes of your ignorant congreg ...
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You are also a product of the Babylonian System because whoever introduced Christianity to the shores of Africa has roots in the Babylonian economic system. Stop throwing salt and pepper into the eyes of your ignorant congregation.

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Africa trapped in a ‘Babylonian economic system’ – Ashimolowo

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