July!

And just like that the month has come to an end 🙂 How was July for you? It almost seems like this year is on a run eh….

My July began on such a good note! I got to see one of my favourite artistes perform LIVE – Black Sherif from Ghana – we are from the same hometown (Konongo). It is no surprise that one of my favourite songs on his debut album ‘The Villain I Never Was’ is ‘Konongo Zongo’. 

The ‘Iron Boy’ concert was FIRE! The concert started off with old school music and then we transitioned to the Hiplife Era to the Azonto Era and finally to the current era – Afrobeats (or whatever it’s called). Then finally, the moment we had been waiting for, Blacko came on stage giving us back to back HITS! I lost it when he performed my FAV song (most repeated song on his debut album) – Wasteman! Catchy song with fire beat and most importantly the lyrics…’Now my bredda is a wasteman, he is a wasteman in a wasteland….where money holders make the rules and regulations..See my jigga, only Jah Jah e dey guide man‘…A true representation of the wickedness of politicians and the repercussions of poor governance and corruption on the average citizen. 

The second highlight is when he performed ‘Second Sermon remix’ towards the end of the concert – the atmosphere was charged – as it should be! The song is FIRE! Truth be told I did not really learn the songs on his new album ‘Iron Boy’ – I wish I did but hey I wanted to see him perform live, I did and the icing on the cake is he performed my fav song! Mission accomplished. I came back home and listened to the album and my instant fav was ‘Top of the Morning’ – it gives me the same vibes as ‘Wasteman’. One thing I love about Black Sherif is how relatable his songs are and especially LYRICS. We may live in a generation that may be all about beat but I pay attention to lyrics. What I listen to matters a lot to me!

And oh the concert was sold out! Love it for him – especially as it was rescheduled from May to July (Blacko, meny3 saa biom wate?)

There was a ‘Bring your favourite snack from your home country’ day at work and I took some Ghanaian snacks – my colleagues who tried loved it! – Nkatie Burger, Brukina, Plantain Chips, Atwom), Adaakwa and some Golden Tree chocolates. They loved it…especially the Nkatie Burger & Plantain Chips.

As part of my role as the Project Coordinator for the GUBA Foundation’s ‘Autism I am Not a Stigma’, I was invited by a friend who attends Faith Baptist Church in London to come and speak to the English service congregation about our project – detailing identifying autism symptoms, support available whilst sharing my personal experience. I also spent some time later that afternoon with the New Gen (youth wing) of the church where we discussed further what neurodiversity is, different neurodiverse conditions and how to collectively break the stigma surrounding these within our homes and communities. It was refreshing to hear from the different experiences presented by the young people and their understanding of the topic and ending on the note that indeed we need to embrace neurodiversity as a norm specifically within black communities – there is a lot of work to be done.

After the session, Afua and I with her sisters went to Bongo Bar and had TZ (Tuozaafi) with some Tsofi (Turkey Tail) – it tasted really good! What really stood out for me was their portions – for the price and the location (London), I was impressed!

My very good friend, my sister, turned 30! I met Dasola when I was in Leeds University in 2012. Since then she has become a very important part of my life – especially being there for me at one of my lowest moments in university! A true friend! Love you for life! My Naija Jollof….(inserts Ghana jollof – it tastes BETTER!)

Kemi Adetiba (King of Boys Fame) released her new flick (an 8 episode series), ‘To Kill a Monkey’ and it is FIRE! If you have not seen it yet, you could check it out on Netflix. There are so many lessons and key takeaways from this series but for me the main ish is that poverty is not good – you need to try as much as you can to beat it, before it beats you. Nobody respects a poor man, and being in poverty for a long time does something to a person such that when they are exposed to wealth, they can become the unthinkable and do the unimaginable. 

P.S. Bucci Franklin was AMAZING as Oboz…I noticed his brilliance in Rattlesnake. I am so happy he got the lead on this project where he gets to shine! Love it for him! William Benson as Efe was GOOD! This is my first time seeing him act and he IMPRESSED me! Yall deserves all the accolades!

And finally for Ghanaians all over the world, this month ended on a tragic note. Our beloved Daddy Lumba – the greatest artiste to come out of the country (I said what I said) sadly passed on at the age of 60 😩😭. When the news broke out on Saturday (26th July) I thought it was one of those false rumours but unfortunately, it turned out to be true. If you are a Ghanaian, you will understand what this man means to us; his timeless music, deep lyrics, danceable tunes and how his music has made a lasting impact on the highlife genre, other genres and artistes. I am still in denial…but unfortunately, he has gone to be with the Lord. He may be gone but his legacy lives on. I really wish there was a documentary on his life, music, legacy etc but hey…too late now. I hope we do something significant in his honour – over to you, the Ministry of Tourism & Creative Arts. 

I have been blasting his music for the past few days – I really love his music man. WHAT A MAN! WHAT A LEGACY!

That’s it for July – well, the highlights I am willing to share. I hope yours went well. I hope August and the coming months are better. A reminder to live and enjoy life like there is no tomorrow. Life is fleeting. Life is SHORT! Live your life o! Yoo!

See you soon with another blogpost!