Mightier Than The Sword I

"Burke said that there were Three Estates in Parliament; but in the Reporter's Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate, more important far than they all" - Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881).

When I was in school, as a class assignment, I was to do a book report. Assignment was by Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo (totally love her. she's just awesome) and students were to select from a list of books. I chose the book "Mightier than the Sword: How the News Media have Shaped American History" by Roger Streitmatter. Good read. Look the book up if you can. I will do well to post the report I did up in here in another post. But now, to the issue at hand. Ghanaians do not seem to be very aware of the statement "Mightier than the Sword". Hearing it for the first time, someone might think, let's say, the gun probably is mightier than the sword (totally makes sense), but it's not the gun the statement refers to. The statement refers to the PEN (well, nowadays the keyboard I guess) being mightier than the sword. How? Read up on the Watergate Scandal (Google it. wikipedia gives an understandable account of the events) and see how two reporters broke a story that contributed to the downfall of arguably the most powerful person in the world (that's if you believe the President of the US of A is the most powerful person in the world). The book gives an account of fourteen distinct occasions when the news media not just reported, but played an active role in events that made history in America. The Watergate Scandal is just one example.

Where am I going with this? All around me, I see injustices being committed against people and they plus everyone else sit back, fold their arms and do absolutely nothing. I actually wanted to talk about another incident, but looking at how long this post has already got and will get, I'll stick to just this and get to that incident in another post.

At my place of work for example, I see injustices being committed by the big wigs against the common floor members all the time (watch any one of Roverman Productions plays and I bet you will see a sample of that), but they and everyone else (including me) do nothing about it. I guess those to whom the injustices are being committed against feel there really is nothing they can do and really, who wants to go up against the big wigs? Everybody else feels, it's really none of their business, and that's the category I put myself in until an injustice was committed against me. That's when I sat up and realised the big wigs can target anyone they want to, and it had just got to my turn. I'll not go into the details, but I will say this, I strongly believe the pen (aka keyboard in modern times) is mightier than the sword, I have a pen, I love using it and thank God I am good at using it too. I also believe in second chances and I believe in letting go. Reason I won't go into details is my belief in letting go and a bit of my belief in second chances, because even though an injustice was committed against me, the big wigs stepped up and redeemed themselves (at least in my eyes).

A few months ago, I went on leave for a couple of days (less than one week). On my last day of leave, I received a phone call instructing me not to come back to work but to proceed on leave for a whole lot more of additional days. Meaning I ended up on leave for a couple of months. Now, yes, I get that I had a whole lot of accumulated leave days, which had to be exhausted, but seriously, how is it that I go on leave for less than one week and then you call me on the last day telling me not to come back? For a second I really was at a loss because when a person goes on such a really long leave of absence from work, at least they know it and plan ahead. If it's a trip out of the country or some vacation time within the country, or something, it has to be planned and preparations made. Here I was, no plans made, because this thing was just sprang on me. Well, I complied (did I really have a choice) but resolved to make the most out of the couple of months I wouldn't be at work. I went to school (IPR organised a course, which I participated in) to upgrade myself, watched a bunch of movies and some series and then I, for the first time in my life took part in a text and win promo, which saw me winning and travelling out of the country for a few days. Anyone who really follows my blog will remember the very first post I did on the text and win promo. Yes, I had some grievances, which I aired in that post. I was not the original winner (for those who are wondering) but due to some circumstances, I was chosen as winner by default and interestingly enough the second winner (two winners were selected for that competition) shocked both me and the organisers (I presume). For me, I was mostly shocked because the competition rules suddenly changed somewhere along the line (necessitating my writing the post about it), which I voiced out in my post, so based on the new rules, the second person really should never have won. But this person did, and I had a blast with this person outside Ghana, and I was too busy having a blast to be too concerned about the further injustice committed by my workplace against me, because the injustice was committed the day I was leaving the country. Fortunately (for everyone involved) the injustice was corrected before I came back to Ghana and way before I had finished having a blast to have the time to think about it. So, I totally enjoyed the unplanned long leave I was obligated to go on, I watched movies, upgraded myself and took a trip outside Ghana. Before I get off the subject, I should add that I took the first post off because I wanted to. No one asked me to take it off (it is after all my space). I chose to take it off myself. Like I said earlier, I believe in second chances and letting go.

What I really don't get and find terribly strange is I'm sure the big wigs had their reasons for the decision they took. Sad thing is they forget that when they go for their big wigs meetings, all those present (though they are the big wigs) are human, and humans like to talk. These human big wigs leave their big wigs meeting, and some of them talk to other humans who talk to other humans and then eventually, whatever it is gets back to the person (in this case me). Mine is, if you feel I have done something wrong to necessitate any injustice (as I would call it) against me, why not call me to order? Why not make it known? Why not give me the chance to accept or deny and then you take your action against me? Sad thing is something I was supposed to have said (heard this from one of the humans who spoke to a human that was spoken to by one of the big wigs) in a so called open forum was used against me. Why then do big wigs in companies try to blind the eyes of common floor members by organising open forums so common floor members can air their views and share their concerns, only to use what they say against them? What really is the point?

I'm back at work, the injustice was corrected before I resumed and all seems to be right with this world I find myself living in. Right now, I find myself almost doing what I went to school to study (which really would make sense since I was just about the best in my class). Now, I was going to continue on that train of thought, but before I go on, I should add that, I first should have started by thanking God. I did start off with a little rant, but I do know and accept that all that I am, all that I have is by the grace of God and I know that God would never have let me go through anything that His grace would not have seen me through. Thank you Almighty Father. For those that do not believe in God, well, you got no idea what you are missing out on. I am one of the living testimonies of what God can do. I repeat, I am just one (believe you me, there are many of us). Now, I will continue boasting (as someone put it). I know I was one of the best in my class because I was the only one selected (by merit) to go study abroad by none other than Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo (she was the Ag. Director of the School of Communication Studies when I was a student there). I say boast because after my post When I Was A Celebrity, someone pointed out to me on BBM that I was boasting in that whole piece because not once did I mention God and that He made it possible for all that to happen. Trust me, no one knows better than I do just how much God made it possible. I did not say everything in that post and I haven't even said half of it here. Granted, I did not thank God in the post so after this person drew my attention to it, I edited the post and I did. Now, in drawing my attention to this erroneous error, this person goes on to send me a nice text about what God did to the Babylonians who believed in themselves too much and how people of today are no different from the ancient Babylonians because most of us worship idols (our selves). I really am not sure just how my posts come across. Mostly, I try to be funny and look at the lighter side of things. It really has never been my intention to self worship over here and if I have given anyone that impression, I sincerely apologise because I have so misled you. I am not an idol worshiper and I do not worship myself. But, for more on my idolatry (self worship) see My Big Day and Yipee! It's My Birthday! Look at Me...

I should add that this person who feels I was worshiping myself in my blog post sent me this nice text via WhatsApp. Anyone who knows how this application works knows to send a message to someone on WhatsApp, you'll need that person's phone number. I never gave my phone number to this person, I usually just chat with them on BBM. This person I should add is male and I (if you haven't already figured it out) am female. This person obviously dubiously obtained my phone number and prior to this Babylonian message had said "hi" to me without identifying himself. Dubiously because this person refuses to say how he got my number. Now, this person turns around trying to appear, I repeat trying to appear all Godly, SMH! Why do people try to make being a Christian so difficult and unappealing to others? Because I am a Christian I shouldn't write funny blog posts? Because I am a Christian I guess I should dress and walk differently too, right? I'm sure if this person saw me all dressed up walking down the street they would pull me into one corner in the name of exorcising demons out of me, and only God knows what they really would do. People, let's stop being pretenders. If you just found Jesus, praise the Lord for you (I have had Him all my life). But really, condemning others just so you can feel better about yourself?
While on the subject, to be clear on one thing, there are so many different kinds of blogs. People have Christian blogs, celebrity news (gossip) blogs and I'm sure there are some on Islam (not seen any yet). If you, Mr. Person, feel so strongly about the subject, feel free to start a blog on modern day idolatry (self worship) and ancient Babylonians.

Like I was saying, I'm back at work, doing what I know I've been trained to do and am extremely good at, and I thank God.

To all my haters, I say IN YOUR FACE! and GOD BLESS YOU! but change your life (phrase borrowed from Ms Naa of YFM). To those of you haters that don't believe in God, well, aside you not knowing what you missing out on (look what you tried to do to me and see what happened), still IN YOUR FACE! and GOD BLESS YOU! change your life and just maybe I might mess up myself (you know that will never happen, right. God won't allow it) and then the bad stuff you been planning will happen to me without you lifting a finger.

Interesting thing is since I got back to work, no one has said anything to me (y'all could have at least attempted an apology) neither have I said anything to anyone. Like I said, I like to let go. Someone asked me at work two weeks ago why I'm always smiling especially at the people that were trying to bring me down, and I was like, well, I don't want to end up all wrinkled and shriveled up like them. Besides, anyone who knows me knows I've always loved to smile, regardless.

I did want to get to my next post today, but I'm doubting it. Speaking my mind has resulted in me writing a semi demi PhD thesis (was trying to so totally avoid that). So, I will get to the injustice that is (or was depending on how things are going right now) being meted out to Ghanaians (and other foreign nationals in Ghana) by a department store (I'm guessing that's what it is) in Accra.

I know I'm totally getting some backlash for this lengthy post, but let me end with some food for thought. "If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner" - Nelson Mandela (1918-2013).