Traveling to Kumasi by public transport could be frustratingly annoying. Few months ago, I went to Kumasi on a visit and my experience was bad. I mostly get my writing ideas when I am sitting idle, and it happens often times when I am traveling on a long journey as a passenger. I therefore, thought my journey to Kumasi that day was going to be beneficial, but I was wrong. There were many interruptions and distractions which broke my train of thought.
Right from Nsawam, drug peddlers kept hopping in and out of the bus one after the other. Each of them exhibited his marketing prowess by trying to convince passengers with sententious rhetoric as to the efficacy of their drugs: and in all cases, we were made to believe that one drug had the potency of curing as many as 15 ailments or more! And the name of one such drug is tinkalo. I was filled with a commingling of anger and pity as gullible passengers jumped over themselves for the drugs based on how convincing a peddler sounded. The worst part of the journey was yet to be experienced.
About 10 kilometres after Konogo, an old woman told the driver to stop at Konogo. Most of the passengers responded in unison that we have gone passed that town. The old woman insisted that the driver drives back to Konogo. We were all puzzled, and we protested. The woman pushed further with her demand amidst tears.
Eventually, it was agreed that since Konogo was just a few minutes’ drive away, she should be sent back. We went back to Konogo and the door of the bus was opened for her to get down, but she was glued to her seat. She opened the lid of a voltic bottled water, unwrapped a polythene bag and took some tablets. She then signaled the driver to drive on. We were mad at her.
Kikikikiki, we got to know later that she was on medication and ought to take her drugs in three hours’ time. Her daughter had calculated that the bus would get to Konogo in three hours, and so told her mother to take the drugs when the bus gets to Konogo.
President Mahama is very gifted; and of all his gifts the one that stands out pre-eminently, and the one that carries with it the quality of great significance is his ability to talk. His speeches are undoubtedly the raciest among those of African leaders. I tingle with excitement anytime I hear him talk. I dote on him.
Few days ago, he was in his element when addressing executives of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) at the Flagstaff House in Accra. He expressed worry about the extreme partisanship on national issues as infused in discussion in the media.
“…when we have an issue for discussion, rather than bring the experts on the subject to discuss the issue, what we do is to have political parties to bring one representative each to discuss issues from archaeology to zoology…when it comes to spousal violence, there are people who are social workers and counsellors who you can call to ask why are men now beating their wives. You don’t go and call CPP and NDC to ask them why men are beating their wives,” he lamented.
I perfectly agree with His Excellency. The Ghanaian media are behaving like drug peddlers on public buses who sell one drug for almost all ailments. All issues are discuss in political context; and this is what I will call tinkalo media landscape.
