Nkontompo ne nnabraba sεe ɔman

Treachery and double-dealing spoil the state.

Akɔneaba ne anwono

Going and coming is the way to weave: It is by hard work that we achieve success.

Ɔdehyeε anko a, akoa dwane

If a royal doesn't go to battle, the slave runs away. (If a leader does not give a good example, his followers will desert him.)

Aso nni berε

The ears have no time to spare. (Responsible people are seldom idle.)

Our values: Respect

I believe respect is very important for discipline to be instilled and effective; and discipline is the backbone of any significant change for the better, in any form. Any tradition or history that encourages us to uphold respect should be introduced into our paths to create the success story we like to tell.

Two of the fundamental problems we blacks have is lack of respect for ourselves and lack of discipline.

I think our society is losing that virtue -- respect--, which promotes law and order to a larger extent, starting with the families. We can not afford to lose that urge completely. Nowadays, it seems that children do not show respect to adults if they've got no money.

Respect seems to be fading away fast and we have to turn that situation around.

Treading the thin line...

... Between tradition and individual empowerment.

One thing I've noticed is that we in Africa, and in Ghana in particular, face a very special challenge, which is to show respect for our elders, culture, and traditions while at the same time trying to create a path for our own successful life. It's a very thin line we have to tread between letting the weight of our collective history (I like this phrase better than 'tradition') smother us, and transgressing all the rules we were ever taught in our quest for a better future.

Obi ho atwa na yεde sa yεn ho yareε: Someone’s scars are what we use to cure our diseases. (We learn by experience.)