Bellafricana published in People & Culture

Official National Anthem Lyrics Of Republic Of Togo

Togo's anthem lyrics were written by Alex CASIMIR-DOSSEH
Land of our forefathers is the national anthem of Togo.  Alex Casimir-Dosseh wrote the words and it was used as Togo national anthem from independence in 1960 till 1979. It was replaced in 1979 to 1992  by a different anthem composed by the party of the Rally of the Togolese People. It was readopted from 1992 onwards.

Land of our forefathers

Hail to thee, land of our forefathers’
Thou who made them strong,
Peaceful and happy,
Men who for posterity,
Cultivated virtue and bravery.
Even if tyrants shall come,
Thy heart yearns towards freedom.
Togo arise! Let us struggle without faltering.
Victory or death, but dignity.
God almighty, Thou alone,
Hast made Togo prosper.
People of Togo arise! Let us build the nation.
To serve thee in unity
Is the most burning desire of our hearts.
Let us shout aloud our motto
That nothing can tarnish.
We the only builders of thy happiness and of thy future,
Everywhere let us break chains and treachery,
And we swear to thee for ever faith,
Love, service, untiring zeal,
To make thee yet, beloved Togo,
A golden example for humanity.
Hail, hail to the entire Universe
Let us unite our efforts on this immense building site
Whence will be reborn anew
Great Humanity.
Everywhere, instead of misery, let us bring happiness.
Let us chase from the world unruly hatred.
It’s over with slavery and Captivity.
At the star of liberty,
Let us renew the solidarity
Of the Nations in fraternity.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org

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Bellafricana published in Arts & Crafts

The Planet Saver: Calabash

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]The word calabash is derived the French word ‘Calebasse’. Calabash and gourd are often used interchangeably. The calabash is simply the dried hollow shell of a gourd used for household utensils and its among the very first crops that man cultivated.[/dropcap]Continue reading

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Bellafricana published in Destinations

Natural Beauty: Lamu Archipelago Kenya

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]The main town on the island of the same name just off Kenya’s northeastern coast, tranquil Lamu was founded in the 14th century, making it the country’s oldest living town and the best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa. Lamu Museum (with its prized siwa horns) and the two-centuries-old Lamu Fort are two of the main attractions. The restored Swahili House Museum is small but quite interesting. About a 30-minute walk north of town, white sandy Shela Beach is one of the island’s best. [/dropcap]Continue reading

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Bellafricana published in Life Style

Lagos Traffic: Stories of Insanity by Brian Botts

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”] I’ve enjoyed writing many posts about the things I like and love about Nigeria as well as providing insight on subjects based off of my experience. This post however is going to cover a subject I don’t like about Nigeria; The Famous Lagos Traffic. There have been so many things that have happened to me or that I have witnessed in my years of riding through Lagos. And the only word that comes to mind to really put it all in perspective is ‘Insanity’. [/dropcap]Continue reading

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Bellafricana published in Life Style

Facts about Ghana

GHANA

Here are some facts about Ghana. The name Ghana was adopted from the ancient West African kingdom of Ghana which flourished between 750 and 1068AD and was located in what is now southern Mauritania and western Mali. It is believed that the Akan of modern day Ghana originally came from the area of this ancient empire.

Ghana turns 50

Lake Volta in the centre of Ghana is the largest man-made lake in the world. The lake covers 45% of the Ghana’s total land area.

The Asantehene is the traditional rule of the Ashanti people and the most prominent traditional ruler in Ghana. The Asantehene rules from Kumasi in the central Ghana and his power is symbolized by the golden stool

ashanti-gye-nyame-sitting-stool
ashanti-gye-nyame-sitting-stool

(sikadwa).

Ghana was the first colonized country sub-saharan African to win back its independence, doing so in 1957. The first Prime Minister of Ghana was Kwame Nkrumah, who is particularly remembered for his fight against colonialism and as a founder leader of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

Ghana largest national park is the Mole National Park which covers 4660 square km. It lies in the Northern region of Ghana and is home to over 30 different species of mammals including Elephants, Hyenas, Antelopes, Buffalo and various primates.

mole-park-entrance

elephant-at-mole-national-park

monkey-at-mole

Ghana is made up of ten regions, These are Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Volta, Western, Upper East, Upper West. The most populous region is the Ashanti region in the centre of Ghana and the least populous is the Upper West in the north.

Ghana’s major cities are Accra the capital and largest city, the historic city of Kumasi the capital of the Ashanti region, Cape Coast the old colonial capital of Ghana, Sekondi-Takoradi an important seaport and industrial centre, Tamale the main administrative centre of the north of Ghana and Koforidua another historic Ashanti town.

Another fact about Ghana is that they have been one of Africa’s prominent footballing nations having won the African cup of nations four times (1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982) and reached the World Cup second round on their first appearance in 2006. Famous Ghanaian footballers include Michael Essien, Abedi Pele, Abdul Razak, Samuel Kuffour, Tony Yeboah and Robert Mensah.

Image courtesy of Duncan Stewart A Bronze Streetwise If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving

Ghana is considered to be one of the homes of Highlife, a genre of music that was extremely popular in the English speaking West Africa. Popular proponents of the music from Ghana included E.T Mensah, Jerry Hansen and Osibisa amongst others.

Jerry Hansen
Jerry Hansen
E.T. MENSAH
E.T. MENSAH

Ghana is one of the major producer of gold in the world and the gold mines in Obuasi in Ashanti region are some of the largest in the world, every day about half a million dollars worth of gold is brought to the surface.

Ghana-elmina-castle-world-heritage-site-history-slavery-also-called-st-george-located-atlantic-coast-west
Elmina Castle, Ghana

Ghana boasts the title of being the country within sub-Saharan Africa to own the oldest European building called the Elmina Castle. Built in 1482 by the Portuguese, Elmina Castle is situated on the Atlantic shores, particularly in the central region. The name Elmina means the “mines of gold” in Portuguese due to the abundant supply of gold found along the Ghana’s modern day coast

Source: http://tours42plus.com

Pictures: Mole National Park – Ghana’s Largest Wildlife Park (easytrackghana.com)

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Bellafricana published in Life Style, People & Culture

8 Ancient Secrets for Long Healthy Hair

Hair

It is often said that with slavery came a depletion in knowledge of hair maintenance. However, traditional African techniques of hair maintenance are actually being used as we speak! Here are some new and old favourites.

1. Rooibos Tea

Healthy traditional herbal rooibos beverage tea with spices on vintage table
Cup of healthy traditional herbal rooibos red beverage tea with spices on vintage wooden table

In truth, I have not found evidence that Rooibos tea was used on hair traditionally in South Africa where it originates. It is certainly a popular caffeine free tea drink. Scientific studies have shown that rooibos tea contains antioxidants and even has antimicrobial effects. It is gaining popularity among naturals who want to use tea rinses on their hair for these reasons.

2. Marula oil

Marula oilThis is a traditional oil from Mozambique and South Africa. It is popular as a skin moisturiser but can certainly also be processed to a food grade standard and eaten. Like pretty much all natural oils, it contains a large amount of oleic acid and is not ideal for people with scalp problems (e.g eczema, dandruff). It is also known to contain antioxidants.

3. Rhassoul Clay

Rhassoul-Clay-Mask
Hailing from Morocco, Rhassoul clay is a traditional mud wash that can cleanse oil from hair. It is not readily explained on how it does this but what is certain is that it can!

4. African Black Soap

African Black SoapThis is a traditional soap from West Africa and is commonly made from oil (shea butter commonly and plant ash. Some say it is gentler than traditional soap but it is important to remember that soap is soap and it will always have a high pH. If that is something you are sensitive to, then do not use it.

5. Shea Butter, Avocado Butter, Cocoa Butter, Coconut oil, Argan Oil

sheabutter-main
I will not harp on too much about these as they are pretty common knowledge. The one thing that is consistent across the continent is the use of oil to help maintain hair moisure. This is perhaps the bigger and more important story. If you are experiencing dry hair, do try to include an oil/butter within your moisturising routine.

6. Ghee (butter)

Ghee (butter)I have previously talked about the use of butter (as in real actual edible butter) for hair care in Ethiopian communities. Thanks to a documentary on traditional people there, I have realised that the butter they use is what we refer to as ghee which is a type of clarified butter that you can find in Indian food stores. The butter is used to help moisturize and/or seal in moisture. Additionally, it’s used to strengthen hair which is possible in part due to the fat in butter, much like in coconut oil, is unsaturated

7. African threading

African threading
African threading is experiencing a renaissance thanks to youtubers such as Nadine of Girls love your curls who has featured a more modern interpretation that does not involve fully wrapping hair in thread and creates a more twisted style. This technique was used traditionally in West and Central Africa to wrap and protect hair as well as create intricate styles. Today, it is used in a similar manner and in addition is a way to stretch hair with no heat.

8. Braiding

BraidingIntricate braiding is a feature of many traditional and modern African communities. There are many African women who traditionally (and in modern day) chose to wear their hair short as it is convenient and fuss free. However, from the Himba women of Southern Africa to Ethiopian tribes of Eastern Africa and even to the Nigerian women of Western Africa, there are many communities who traditionally (and in modern day) showcase long braided hair. Braiding long hair is as much for beauty as shown in the attention to detail as it is for maintenance of hair length. It is a protective style that has withstood the test of time.

Culled from blackgirllonghair

 

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Bellafricana published in Arts & Crafts, Painting

Acute Paintings Of Lagos City

Lagos Nigeria is arguably the largest city in Africa with the population standing at 17.5 million at 2006  and 21 million in the present day after growing at a rate of 3.2%. This state in Nigeria constitutes the bulk of the producers and consumers of goods and services and it’s also the prime beneficiary of development in the country perhaps the reason for massive influx of individuals from other states and countries.
In Lagos, population has been a rather sensitive topic. A conversation I had with a friend a few weeks threw more light on the dangers and the future of Lagos state if it continues to grow at this rate. It is said that there are no more lands in the inner-Lagos and for this reason property developers are moving to the outskirts like Owode, Ifo, Adodo Ota, Ibeju, Sango, to create habitats. It is arguable that this is also a reason for the Lagos state government embankment on ‘Eko Atlantic’ land reclamation project aside creating a permanent solution for Bar beach’s encroachment from the Atlantic ocean.

It is said that this dynamic new city would house at least 250,000 people and provide a workplace for another 150,000, but that it’s still a long way shy of the 17 million population, that is if we are talking about depopulating Lagos. This does not still help the traffic caused by number of vehicles on the roads which according to Lagos State Ministry of Transportation is about 1.1 million.

Now what is the future of Lagos? I stumbled upon some art works online, the urban future as foreseen by a San Francisco-based artist Michael Kerbow. The paintings are a series of acrylic and oil paintings depicting the inevitable result of human over-consumption, over-construction, and over-population of the cities, where things are headed unless we consider our actions and find a way of depopulating our cities .

Compulsive Actions
This picture clearly shows you too many cars on the roads and alternate highways constructed to cater for the increasing number of cars on the roads.

Churn

This features a “humongous churning mass of cars” To Kerbow, the painting “is a good metaphor for talking about fossil fuel usage.” A Means to an End, meanwhile, is a “parable about human hubris.” Also inspired by Bruegel, it’s based on the story of Icarus. “Every day our lives are about getting from point A to B,” he says. “When you’re commuting, you’re not being mindful about what’s powering that way of existing.” Hence the smoke stack fouling the atmosphere out beyond the traffic jam.

Empty Promises

A look at this image reminds me of how empty many towers and high rise building in Victoria Island Lagos Nigeria are. Most of the buildings were constructed with bank loans and promises that soon as they start to function, big firms and conglomerates would move in and perhaps after a few years, the construction money will start to be made back but unfortunately the rates of spaces in these buildings are so high that companies after moving in because of the posh and glamour start moving out because they cannot continue to pay the high rates, not if they want to stay in business.

Convoy

In Lagos Nigeria, everyone wants to own a car, oh well, that’s past tense, now everyone not just in Lagos but in Nigeria wants to own a Private jet. According to Punch newspaper NG of Jan 2014, the Nigerian presidency has 11 private jets, and according to a Guardian publication, Nigeria tops lists of private jet owners in Africa. Now looking at this picture, I see danfo buses and ants of cars, a typical old oshodi image. This is the Lagos I know so well and I must commend this artist whom I doubt has never being to Nigeria, or Lagos for that matter.

Now when you look at the sky, you see the jets and planes. This is what will happen when we refuse to weight the consequences of every action we take.

Culled from thebusinessaim

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Bellafricana published in Destinations

Ghanaian Staple Food: Kenkey With Fresh Fish

kenkey

Fishing is also a major part of the Ghana economy, as a result, many Ghanaian dishes are based on fish. Local plants based food as such as coconut, plantains and many more are also highly prized and used in the country’s cuisines. Chillies are also an important component of Ghanaian cuisine and provides significant vitamin C in the diet. Another feature of Ghanaian cookery is the use of boiled eggs as a garnish.

Here are is a classic Ghanaian dishes for your enjoyment:

Ghanaian Kenkey with Fresh Fish Stew.

Ingredients
450g fresh fish (any firm white fish)
4 hot chillies (eg Scotch Bonnet) pounded to a paste
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp ground, dried, shrimp
4 medium onions, finely sliced
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped and pounded to a paste
6 tbsp Kpakpo Shito
300ml water
150ml red palm oil
1 garlic clove, pounded to a paste
1 tbsp freshly-grated ginger
salt, to taste

Method:
Clean the fish, remove the gills and cut into steaks. Wash the flesh with lime, lemon or vinegar then rinse in water and marinate in the garlic, ginger, chillies and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes before continuing.

Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onions and tomatoes for a few minutes. Add the ground shrimps and tomato puree and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until cooked. Add the water and the marinated fish (along with any remaining marinade) and simmer gently for about 25 minutes, or until the fish is cooked. Serve hot on a bed of rice or with boiled yams or plantains.

Kenkey
kenkey and fresh fish
Kenkey (also known as Dokonu or Komi) is one of the staple foods consumed in Ghana. It’s a steamed dough ball made from fermented corn (maize) and usually wrapped in corn shell..

Ingredients:

2kg maize flour (eg cornflour or cornmeal) and white cornmeal is preferred

Method:
To prepare Kenkey from scratch the maize flour first has to be fermented. It’s mixed with just enough warm water to wet it before being allowed to ferment (covered with a clean cloth) for two to three days to form maize dough. It has slightly sour aroma when properly fermented.

The resultant dough is kneaded with the hands until it is thoroughly mixed and has stiffened slightly. At this point it’s divided into two equal portions. Half the fermented dough is placed in a large pot along with 250ml water where it’s partially cooked for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly and vigorously (at which point it’s called aflata). At this point the uncooked half of the dough is added and mixed-in well. The resultant aflate–dough mixture is divided and shaped into serving-sized pieces before being wrapped tightly in banana leaves, cornhusks, greaseprof paper or foil. The wrapped dough is then placed on a wire rack above a pot of boiling water and are steamed for between 1 and 3 hours.

The final dough balls are the kenkey and are typically served with a sauce (typically a hot sauce) such as Palaver Sauce or any meat or fish dish.

Mmmm, enjoy a little flavour of the recipesfromGhana!

Source: http://www.streetdirectory.com/

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Bellafricana published in Destinations

The Beautiful Bojo-Beach: Accra-Ghana

Bojo Beach

Ghana is an exciting country with beautiful beaches, mountains, landscapes, and an incredible coastline. Bojo Beach is one of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches in Ghana.

Located along the Accra-Cape Coast Road at the Old Police Barrier (Beach Road) towards Kokrobite. The beach is about 20km from west of  Accra and  about 30 minutes from downtown Accra.

Bojo beach resort

Beautiful Bojo Shores (Lagoon sie) although not a very big beach, it is a great place to hang out with your love ones if you want to have and sneak away from the busy city of Accra. There are special small canoes and boats that carry people across from the land to the shores and they are operated by trained and friendly staff so don’t worry about your safety.

bojo-beach-yellow boat

The main section of Bojo beach has a redbrick building equipped with a conference room with a 200 sitting capacity, a bar, restaurant and a game area that offers a variety of games including table tennis. The beach is an island that contains a huge straw hut and a bar. The small huts scatted across the beach makes this paradise on earth a blissing and a relaxation joint after a hard week’s work with great music that is good for mind and soul. It also has public restroom with showers.

bojo-beach straw huts

In Bojo Beach,  you experience the rich “Island” experience on a sand bank with one side being fresh water and the other side being salty. This beach is sandwich between a lagoon and the sea shores. The lagoon joins the sea at some distant point, thus making a long strip island.

Sunset Jetski

The fresh lagoon side is quiet and the beautiful sea side is very active with vigorous waves and splashes. It is amazing how this beach is very clean, quiet and romantic.

For people who want to ignite their adrenaline and have more fun, ski jets are available to rent. It cost just a few bucks per ride or time.

Fried rice & snapper

Apart from the great aesthetic views of this magnificent beach, the beach also has a nice on-shore restaurant serving kebabs, sea foods, native foods, some continentals and all sorts of alcoholic drinks and soft drinks.

If you want to experience the abundance of beach life, visit Bojo Beach.

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Bellafricana published in Arts & Crafts

Traditional Drumming & Dance from Ghana: Gahu

Gahu drumming in Kopeyia, Ghana

According to Ewe Master Drummer Emmanuel Agbeli of Kopeyia, Ghana, Gahu is an adaptation of kokosawa, an older African drum and dance style that originated with the Yoruba people of neighboring Nigeria. The Ewe took kokosawa and increased the tempo to more than double its original value.

Traditional African Instruments

A traditional Gahu drumming ensemble is comprised of six different instrument types, each with a distinct construction, sound, and rhythmic character.

Gahu drumming in Kopeyia, Ghana

Master drummer Ruben Agbeli (left) of Kopeyia, Ghana, leads a Gahu drumming group on boba.

  1. Gankogui (pronounced gahn-KOHG-way): Two tone iron bell, one of three “timeline” instruments, its fundamental pattern remains the same throughout the entire form of the piece. Normally there is one gankogui in a Gahu ensemble, sometimes two.
  2. Axatse (pronounced ah-HAHT-say): African gourd shaker. Also a timeline instrument. There can be between one and five axatse players in an ensemble, sometimes more.
  3. Boba drum (pronounced boh-BAH): Lead/master drum. By playing specific rhythmic cues, the boba player guides the entire ensemble, including the dancers and singers, through the various sections that comprise the form of Gahu.
  4. Sogo drum (pronounced SOH-goh): Low-pitched accompaniment drum. One of two “response” drums, its pattern can change in response to rhythmic cues played on the boba. Normally there is one sogo in an ensemble.
  5. Kidi drum (pronounced KEE-dee): Medium-pitched accompaniment drum. One of two response drums, its pattern can change in response to the boba. Normally there is one kidi in an ensemble.
  6. Kagan drum (pronounced kah-GAHN): high-pitched accompaniment drum. Third timeline part. Normally there is one kagan in an ensemble.

Form of Gahu

  • The overall form of the present-day Agbeli arrangement of Gahu begins with a short introduction of the slower kokosawa (a nod to the past) followed by the up-tempo main section that is, broadly speaking, what we might think of as a rondo:
  • ABA—ABCABC—ABDABD—ABEABE—ABFB’ABFB’—ABGB’ABGB’—ABHABH—ABIJ
  • The main A section of Gahu, which in choreographic terms is referred to as “free movement” on account of the breezy, economical style that characterizes the dance movements. The B section, commonly known as “serious movement” due to the increased intensity of the dancing, is almost always placed between free movement and one of the variation sections: C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J, respectively.

Source: http://thisworldmusic.com/gahu-african-drumming-and-dance-from-ghana/

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