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Ameyaw Says

What a Trip!!! Oluwa saves my Arik Air flight from crashing after finding my lost passport at Heathrow

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Yes, my recent trip to the UK was destined to be the most eventful one yet. From a troubled flight from Accra-Lagos-London which resulted in me losing my luggage (read here) and eventually finding it (read here), and then sharing a table with wife of former British Prime Minster, Tony Blair (read here).

Hmm, little did I know that the biggest wahala was waiting for me on my return home to Ghana. I left Luton for the Heathrow Airport around 4pm so I could make it in time for my 9.30pm flight to Lagos. The train arrived at Heathrow terminal 4 around 6pm and since it was my first time using that terminal, I spent some time looking for the Arik Air check-in desk and after looking around I found it and went straight ahead to check in.

I wanted to check in early so I would have ample time to chase after the VAT refund on some of the items I had purchased. I immediately made my way to the VAT refund office and to my surprise found a rather intimidating queue. I had missed out on collecting refunds in my last two visits to the UK because I didn’t arrive at the airport early enough to go through the process before boarding, and I was bent on collecting it this time around.

A lady who was in the queue with me suggested that since we both had the items we wanted to collect the refunds on in our hand luggage, we could use the other VAT Refund office located in the duty free area. I immediately made my way to the general boarding gate, went through the security scan and search, and then went straight ahead to locate the VAT refund office.

Greetings from the UK with plenty wahala!!!!

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Again, I met quite a queue but I wasn’t daunted by it. By this time it was around 7: 30 and I had enough time before the boarding time, 8.30. I joined the queue which was made up of mainly Asians and gradually I got my chance to give my receipts to the official so he could verify them. I had not signed all my receipts so I was asked to step aside and complete the forms.

Once I was ready I just jumped into the line and this time had my receipts stamped after showing the items for which I had the receipts for. With the verification done, I now had to join another queue that headed to the cashier who would pay the refund. I kept looking at my watch and just around 8.30pm, I had my chance to receive my cash. After receiving the money I looked for my boarding gate and after a very long walk, I got there!

Feeling a bit tired from the long day that started with a train ride from Luton, I decided to go to the washroom to take a piss, because I had been holding it in all that while. I took off my jacket and backpack to place on am empty seat while I made a quick dash into the washroom. When I got back from the washroom, I decided to take out my passport and boarding pass so I would sit and wait for the boarding call.

Suddenly my passport and boarding pass were nowhere to be found. I started to fret because I knew I had both on my when I got to the boarding area. I emptied my bag and all the pockets of my jacket to search but still nothing… Now I was getting really worried. I then located a few of the people that I walked to the boarding gate with, to ask if they had by any chance seen my passport; the answers were no! Soon, all sorts of ideas running in my mind, at some point I thought someone had even stolen my passport so they could doctor  it and use in the future (forgive the stereotype but after all I was on a Nigerian flight..lol).

How I shared a table with Cherie Blair, wife of former British PM, Tony Blair

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After looking around and not getting any results I went to the desk at the boarding gate to report that my passport was missing. They asked me for my details and only got back to me saying that I had two bags checked in – information I already knew and didn’t want to know. I wanted them to announce my passport missing so that if anyone had seen it, he or she would bring it. Instead the official I spoke to told me that since I had about 30 minutes left I could go all the way back to the security check point to be double sure that I didn’t leave it while I was going through the scanner.

I told him I had it on me after all the checks but he wouldn’t listen so I decided to go back and search just in case… As I went out looking for it, I heard the boarding call and that even made me more confused. I kept asking myself what was going to happen; would they allow me on the flight? What would I do when I get to Lagos? And how would I finally get to Ghana without a passport? So I decided to heard back to the desk and ask for the next step to take, as I’m no expert on international laws. Fortunately, when I got back, a man asked me if I had misplaced my passport and well, I said yes.

Then immediately I heard an announcement with a funny pronunciation of my name, to the effect that my passport had been found. I immediately rushed to the desk for my passport. I later found out that I had left it on a seat, and I am still wondering how it happened because I checked all the seats around and couldn’t find it. Anyway with the passport found and the gates opened for boarding all I could think about was going home in peace… So we boarded the flight, which took off finally but not without some initial drama. A male passenger kept arguing with flight attendants because he couldn’t find space in the top compartment to keep his hand luggage and so his bag had to be taken into the back cabin.

Meanwhile, the flight had been delayed just because this same man was late in boarding the flight. As he kept going at the flight attendants, some of the other passengers had to tell him their peace of mind which made the case even worse but eventually there was calm and the flight was running smoothly. We had some refreshment and some warm meal. I opted for chicken and yam which came with beans and some green veggies. I was surprised with the taste and I loved it, next time I go to Nigeria I will look for a restaurant that serves that. The desert was pretty awesome as well.  Since the Arik entertainment option wasn’t really my cup of tea (out-dated movies and music) I was looking forward to a cool nap to digest the meal I had enjoyed. But before the flight attendants could clear our trays, there was suddenly severe turbulence that sent the passengers in a frenzy.

Even before the captain could make an announcement on the condition, the plane suddenly filled up with prayers. The prayers heightened with the intensity of the turbulence and I could see some obvious shock on the faces of the non-Nigerian passengers, particularly the white folks. The flight turned into a church and it became evident that the flight attendants had lost control and could do very little to calm the nerves of passengers, most of whom had resorted to prayers; all kinds of prayers and in all kinds of languages.

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Some kissed on their rosaries while praying, and I saw one lady kissing and reading a small piece of paper which seemed to have some doctrine on it. The turbulence lasted for well over two hours, and the church service went on with prayers and singing. I could hear the words, ‘oluwa’ and ‘yesu’ in the chorus of prayers and as it went on and on I tried to make sense of everything and just hope for the best. At some point I just shut my eyes and took a nap. When I opened my eyes probably some 50 minutes later, the church was slowly coming to an end and there seemed to be some calm.

An old lady next to me said something in Yoruba and when I asked what it meant her friend explained that she was saying ‘I salute you’ – perhaps for my seeming nerves of steel throughout the chaos. Yes, it may have been the most intense turbulence I had ever experienced but somehow I believed it wasn’t going to end my life. With calm restored on the plane, soon some passengers started to make fun of everything that had transpired. People could now use the lavatory and as was expected, there was a long queue to all lavatories on the plane.

We had a final round of refreshment before landing at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos. Well, I guess I don’t have to tell you the atmosphere in the plane when we finally landed. There was singing of praise and thanksgiving songs as one particular gentleman, (a pastor I presumed) who had emerged as the prayer leader throughout the chaos, said his final prayers and I even joined in saying ‘amen!’ I immediately made my way to immigration so I would have enough time to make my connecting flight to Ghana.

Just to make sure I don’t go through the hustle of losing my bags like I did on my way to London, I passed by the luggage pick up carousel to see if my bags could be there and I was told by the Arik official that it would be connected straight to Accran – just the Arik staff in Heathrow assured me.  On my way to the departures, I met Agyamang, who was on the same flight and was connecting to Accra with me. He wasn’t so sure about his bags so he went to the Arik office to make double sure.

Since I had just a hand luggage on me, I went for my boarding pass and made my way to immigration for final checks before heading to the boarding gate. I found out that the gate on the boarding pass was not the one we would be using so I made my way to the new boarding gate where we had to wait for several minutes before boarding commenced. We went through final security checks at that boarding gate and were then directing to board our flight via another gate. Hmm, at this point tempers were flying high as most passengers felt tortured not only by the delay but the cumbersome procedure. I was more than happy to be going home so I didn’t bother too much.

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We got on board and in about 45 minutes we were at the Kotoka International Airport. Just as we exited, I saw that Agyemang, who was on business class ticket, was speaking to an Arik official at the tunnel so I joined to find out what was going on. Then I found out that our fears had indeed materialised – our bags could not make it to Accra!! The Arik Air staff had to come and meet us at the tunnel because there was apparently a call from Nigeria because of the stress Agyemang had gone through to make sure his bags came to Ghana; so they had to send someone to calm him down and give him the assurance that his bags would come with the evening flight to Accra.

And well, of course he was on a business class ticket! It was the same for me and there seemed to be little we could do. But then, another call came through saying that one of Agyemang’s bags came through so we decided to go to the collection point to pick his bag…and just in case my bags came along too. Well, even the said bag didn’t turn up so we finally made our way to the lost and found office to fill a complaint form detailing our ‘lost’ luggage. We were told that that the next Arik flight would arrive at 5 pm and when our bags came we would be contacted that same evening. Well I called the office phone number at 6pm and I was told that the plane had not landed.

I later called Agyemang and he told me that he had been told that the flight had been delayed, and would now arrive at 8pm. At this point I just gave up and went to sleep so I could have some much needed rest. The following morning, I received a call from the office, saying that my bags are ready for collection. Needless to say, I rushed to the airport and for goodness sake, I got my bags with everything intact. I guess now I can answer the question I asked when my lost luggage was returned to me in Luton. Yes, when you lose a bag in Ghana, you may get it back in mint condition, just that you will have to go and pick it up from the airport yourself….Laugh out Loud!!!!

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Ameyaw Says

What would Ghana losing AfroNation to Nigeria mean?

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AfroNation tickets with Away to Africa 1600x898 1

The recent conversations about AfroNation going to Nigeria  has flashes of deja vu. Whether it is Highlife, Hiplife, Azonto, Afrobeats or the Year of Return, (which led to Tourism becoming one of the countries top earners) Ghana consistently seems to be the nursery or nurturing ground of pioneering and brilliant ideas.

When it comes to independence on the continent, Ghana can claim to be the pioneers. When it comes to uniting the Pan-African diaspora, again, Ghana has a leading role! In football,  the Black Stars shine bright. But often, somewhere along the course, we seem to lose inertia, and before we know it, we are left in the shadows and someone is doing it bigger and better than us.

Read Also: AfroNation has not been taken away from Ghana – Creative Arts Minister

Beyond the Return is perhaps the biggest legacy of President Akufo-Addo because it can live on forever. It has no end. AfroNation was the star global attraction. So, thoughts of losing it have me worried. Can we afford to also let this legacy defining event go to Nigeria instead? They may be our dear brothers and sisters, and we may the only people who understand that our rivalry is always friendly, but each time they take the baton and run with it, I cannot help but wish it was us this time.

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Since Ghana showed the way, many other African nations are learning how to try to attract the “diaspora dollar.” They may not have the historical significance that Ghana has, but they are making the best of what they have, and music, especially Afrobeats and Amapiano are helping.

They have understood that direct tourism, via the 10,000 to 15,000 people that can travel to Ghana just for ANG is significant. Those people benefit the whole community as they spend on travel, accommodation, transport, food, events, bars, nightclubs, etc.

Tourism is a big income earner for global cities like New York, London and Paris . Can Accra afford to continue losing such massive opportunities? AfroNationGhana brought the best and the brightest Afrobeats stars to Ghana in the biggest Afrobeats concerts Ghana has ever seen.

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Radio & TV

No show from Sista Afia and more catfights, as cast of ‘GH Queens’ gather for ‘Reunion show’

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Just as it was reported during the premiere event for ‘GH Queens’ sometime in April, some stars from the pseudo-reality TV show were again missing from the Reunion show, which started airing on Friday. Yes, the fiesty Sista Afia and Fantana will not be making an appearance on the three-part special reunion show on Akwaaba Magic (DStv channel 150). (more…)

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Ameyaw Says

Coachella through the eyes of an African

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Ameyaw Debrah at Coachella 2022

My second showing at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival confirmed to me the sheer diversity of talent and music that gets showcased each year. But Coachella is more than music and arts, it is a celebration of cultures, the spirit of people, fashion, and more. If you’re a conservative African,  then expect some cultural shocks as the festival doesn’t hold back in celebrating life and accepting it in all of its forms.

 

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The festival embraces queer and intersecting groups, so seeing raunchy and over-the-top costumes from festival-goers is to be expected. Some of the washrooms on the festival grounds are even gender-neutral, so expect to see both women and men queuing up to use the same washroom.  Marijuana has been legal in California for many years, so you should also expect people to smoke at free range; without much care for those who don’t.  If you’re able to look beyond all these as “an African”, then you too can have a swell time at Coachella!

 

After seeing Burna Boy and Mr Eazi perform in 2019, when I had my first experience of Coachella,  I felt proud as an African.  I also noticed how the African festival-goers (from mainly across the United States and the United Kingdom) watched with some pride the performances from Mr Eazi and Burna Boy on the Coachella stage. So when the lineup was announced for 2000 to include Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and Aya Nakamura, I was happy that Africans were becoming a regular on the festival’s lineup.  Sadly, Covid-19 didn’t let that happen in 2020 and 2021. In fact, I almost entered a $2,000 bet with my colleague blogger, David Mawuli that when the festival returned, there would be a Ghanaian artist on the lineup. Thank goodness I rather spent that money on a bonus hunt online casino. Well, at least I won $120 back!

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When the lineup was announced for 2022, the only African on the main stages was Black Coffee, while fellow South Africans,  Major League DJZ scheduled for The DoLab tent. So when I attended weekend two of the festival, I made sure to watch Black Coffee’s set. He played on Day 1. Unlike the Burna Boy and Mr Eazi sets, that I witnessed in 2019, the audience at Black Coffee’s set was not predominantly Africans. It was a global audience. The crowd was as thick as it was energetic.  It was also exciting to hear the 2022 Grammy Award Best Dance/ Electronic Album-winner, incorporate remixes of some authentic African rhythms in his set.

 

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Arooj Aftab Coachella 2022 Friday 04 22 Gobi Performances Weekend 2

Arooj Aftab, Coachella 2022, Friday 04-22, Gobi, Performances, Weekend 2 Credit/Provider
Beth Saravo

On Day 1, I also showed some interest in Pakistani vocalist Arooj Aftab, who won the Grammy this year for Best Global Performance.  A lot of Africans had tipped ‘Essence’ by Wizkid and Tems for that award. So, I had to find out for myself what makes Arooj Aftab tick.

 

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With these two performances of interest out of the way, I stuck to my plan of focusing on big acts that I haven’t seen performing before because, with the grand nature of the festival and the sheer size of the venue, it is simply impossible to experience everything!

 

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The Empire Polo Club is a 78-acre polo club, which leases out its polo grounds for the festival. The venue is so huge that festivalgoers walk for several miles before getting into the main entrance to the festival grounds. When accounting for land used for parking and camping, the event covers a footprint of over 600 acres!

 

Across the grounds, several stages continuously host live music. The main stages are the Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, Gobi Tent, Mojave Tent, and Sahara Tent; in addition to the smaller Yuma stage and Sonora stage. Each stage was unique in appearance and suited for the lineup of artists on it. The big stages had elaborate settings to create various visual aesthetic attributes needed to project the individuality of the artists and make festival-goers enjoy their performances even better.

Ari Lennox Coachella 2022 Coachella Stage Friday 04 22 Performances Weekend 2

Ari Lennox, Coachella 2022, Coachella Stage, Friday 04-22, Performances, Weekend 2

 

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I missed Ari Lenox’s performance at Afrochella in Ghana this past December so, I had to experience her set especially after all the buzz she generated on social media with her visit to Ghana.  The sultry singer hit the stage, giving fans a look and performance to remember. The D.C. native hit the stage in a jaw-dropping gold ensemble to perform several ‘woke female’  themed songs for her fans.

Anitta proved why she is a sensation in the Latin world and beyond, with her high octane performances. The Brazilian singer changed into three different sexy outfits that accentuated her figure as she rocked them in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

 

Baby Keem, who recently won a Grammy for best rap performance, was one of the up-and-coming hip-hop performers at the festival. One of the highlights from his set was bringing on label boss, Kendrick Lamar, a little over 30 minutes into his set. The rappers, both in all-black ensembles, performed together for the final two songs including “family ties.”

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I ended Day 1 with Harry Styles who literally brought disco to the desert! One of the biggest highlights from the set of the “As It Was” singer, was bringing Lizzo on stage to perform a song from the One Direction archives.  It was fun to see him perform with so much energy, and he was very interactive with the crowd too.

 

Day 2

Giveon Performances Saturday 04 23 Weekend 2

Giveon, Performances, Saturday 04-23, Weekend 2

 

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On Day 2 I kicked things off with a performance from R&B singer, Giveon. I was late in getting to the venue but was happy to at least see him perform his hit song ‘Heartbreak Anniversary’ before he left the stage. I then visited The Do Lab stage for some electrifying DJ mixes and performances.

 

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Grammy-winning rapper, Megan Thee Stallion showed all the hot girls and boys of Coachella how a superstar commands a stage during her hour-long set. She opened her show with “Megan’s Piano” wearing a black and silver spacey one-piece with futuristic glasses on. She and her backup dancers shook everything they had, and the crowd went wild as expected.

 

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Rapper, Isaiah Rashad opened his set with a powerful pre-recorded film acknowledging recent speculation about his sexuality. In a collage of media footage and audio, commentators react to a video of Rashad leaked this year,  showing the rapper being intimate with two men.  He gave fans back-to-back performances of his hit songs amidst cheers and a lot of support.

Billie Eilish Coachella Stage Saturday

Billie Eilish, Coachella Stage, Saturday

When I saw Billie Eelish on the Coachella lineup in 2019 I didn’t know her back then, so I didn’t attend her set, but days after I found out she was the new it-girl and she later went on to sweep the Grammy Awards the following year. So, this time I simply had to experience her, and I did! Her 90-minute set featured songs like “NDA,” “Therefore I Am,” “idontwannabeyouanymore” and “You Should See Me In A Crown.” She had a small accident when she fell onstage while singing “Getting Older.” Later on during her set, Eilish brought along her brother Finneas O’Connell for an acoustic cover of her single “Your Power.”

21 Savage Coachella 2022 Performances Sahara Saturday 04 23

21 Savage, Coachella 2022, Performances, Sahara, Saturday 04-23

I closed the night with a little bit of 21 Savage!

 

Day 3

 

On Day 3 I was physically worn out from all the standing and walking, so I didn’t want to do too much. I circled my day around a few acts.  I kicked off with Brixton rapper Dave, whose set was attended by a huge UK crowd that cheered him along throughout his performance!

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He recreated his “Alex From Glasto” viral moment from 2019 by picking a fan from the crowd to join him on stage to rap a verse from ‘Thiago Silva,’ his 2016 hit with AJ Tracey.  He also performed his hit song ‘Location’ which features Burna Boy. Dave’s set was one of my favorites!

 

Since I had seen Doja Cat recently at Day N Vegas, I only saw the tail end of her set, as I wanted to go to the Coachella Stage on time to get closer to the headliners Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd. I wasn’t so sure when they were announced as the replacement of Kanye West but seeing them back-to-back made so much sense, and the energy was just what was needed to bring Coachella to an end!

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Swedish House Mafia started things off, dropping hit electronic dance music tracks back-to-back, punctuated by fireworks and pyrotechnics.  Their set lasted about 55 minutes. When they played their most popular song, “Don’t You Worry Child,” they dropped the music entirely at the key moment to allow the crowd to sing the chorus in unison.

Swedish House Mafia x The Weeknd Coachella Stage Performances Sunday 04 24

Swedish House Mafia x The Weeknd, Coachella Stage, Performances, Sunday 04-24
Credit: Jacob Mulka

The Weeknd then rolled through with a crowd-pleasing list of hits, including “The Hills,” “Starboy” and “I Feel It Coming.” He was amazing on the night although his set lacked a lot of the theatrics and stagecraft and special guests.  He closed his set with a slowed-down version of his mega-hit “Save Your Tears.” Then Swedish House Mafia rejoined him and they closed the set, and the 2022 Coachella experience, together with the song “Moth to a Flame.”

 

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Ameyaw Debrah wants to sue Kanye West for pulling out of Coachella, after he spent over $3000 planning his trip

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Ghanaian blogger, Ameyaw Debrah is looking to sue someone over Monday’s news that rapper, Kanye West had pulled out of the upcoming Coachella Music and Arts festival…and Kanye for now is the obvious choice!

According to the blogger, he has spent almost $4,000 in booking flights and a hotel for the two-weekend festival in Indio, California, which runs April 15-17 and April 22-24.  He pointed out the unusually high prices of accommodation in the area due to the festival.

In a video posted on Ameyaw TV, Debrah cited possible mental stress from spending so much money, and not getting what he paid for in the end.  He however hopes the Kanye’s replacement can make up for his troubles.

According to reports from Variety, reps for West and the festival did not immediately respond to requests for comment as to why the rapper pulled out of the festival.

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The reason for his cancelation was not immediately clear, although a source tells Variety that he had not rehearsed or prepared for the appearance. While West played a full set, accompanied by Drake, at the Los Angeles Coliseum in December, Coachella is North America’s largest music festival and by necessity runs a very tight operation. West also pulled out of a planned headlining appearance at the 2020 festival — which ultimately was postponed until this year due to the pandemic — mere days before it was announced, sources confirmed to Variety at the time.

Yet there are many other reasons why news does not come as a shock, as West’s unpredictable and combative behavior in recent months put a question mark over his appearance even as it was announced in January; he had been barred from a planned appearance at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards due to what was described as his “concerning online behavior.” West canceled the closing dates of his 2016 “Saint Pablo” tour and was hospitalized for mental-health reasons shortly afterward, following incidents that were similar in ways to his behavior in recent months. West has said many times that he suffers from bipolar disorder.

Coachella’s first two nights will be headlined by Harry Styles and Billie Eilish. The festival essentially hedged its bets on West by billing EDM titans Swedish House Mafia in an unspecified spot on the lineup, listed at the bottom of the official announcement poster, leaving open the option of the group replacing him as Sunday’s headliner in the event he pulled out. With the festival just 11 days away, that seems a likely scenario.

Rumors had been circulating that Travis Scott would be joining West for the performance, but TMZ says that he will not be appearing either. Scott has been keeping a low profile since 10 people died in a rush toward the stage during his headlining performance at his Astroworld festival in Houston in October.

Such an appearance would be on-message for West, who in recent months has been publicly embracing such ostracized celebrities as Marilyn Manson, who is accused of sexual assault, and DaBaby, who has made unapologetically homophobic comments in recent months.

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Ameyaw Says

‘I hail you’- Kelvynboy reacts as Sarkodie requests for his “Down flat” song to be played in a club in London

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Ghanaian rapper, Sarkodie is all about helping bring the young ones in the music industry up. (more…)

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People & Lifestyle

Africans don’t trust each other – my experience with an Ethiopian taxi driver in Las Vegas

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Ameyaw Debrah at palazzo gondola

My recent trip to Las Vegas, Nevada came with many experiences, as I put myself out there to explore the city a lot more than I did in my previous two visits. My first time in Vegas was for one night only, to attend the Miss Universe finale in 2017.  My second time was for the Day N Vegas festival in 2019, which also brought me back for a third time this year.

On day-two of Day N Vegas, I had an experience that corroborated the belief of many Africans, that we do not trust one another.  Due to Day N Vegas, most of the area around the Las Vegas Festival Grounds was closed to taxis and rideshare apps such as Uber and Lift, which made it very stressful to get a car whenever I closed from the festival and headed to my hotel room. It meant that after walking and standing at the grounds for hours, we had to walk quite a distance to look for cars.

My experience was even made worse when the data on my AT&T phone number kept failing, meaning that after all the stress covering the concerts, I couldn’t use Uber to request for a ride.  On the night of day 2, I discovered that there was a pick-up point for taxis within the Circus Circus Hotel, Casino & Theme Park. Sadly the taxis were not coming in as rapidly as I would have wished for. I was the third in line, but it took over one hour of standing in the queue till I finally got a taxi.

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When the taxi came, I got in but when the driver asked for the address I was going to, I couldn’t remember the location of my hotel. I mentioned the name of the hotel, but the driver wasn’t familiar with it and insisted that he couldn’t take me if I didn’t get the address for him. I wasn’t willing to waste the hours of standing and waiting to be turned down by any driver. My internet wasn’t working, and I tried to ask him to use his internet Ito locate the hotel, but he was indifferent. I told him “lets go to downtown and I will know where my hotel is,  because it’s not far from the Fremont Street”.

Finally, he agreed and moved on. Then he started a conversation with me, once he suspected I was from Africa. I told him I was from Ghana when he told me he was Ethiopian. He asked about my visit and thought I was a ‘new rich African’ when I told him I was in town for Day N Vegas.

When, I finally arrived at my hotel I tried to pay with a card. Since it was a metered cab, I could see my fare right in front of me, with a POS device for payment. But I noted it was slightly expensive paying with  a card compared to paying cash, so I told the driver that I would rather pay with cash, after all I am African!

Then surprisingly he asked me how much I would pay him, the meter said $18 so I said I will give him $20 but he screamed “no $25!” I then gave him a $100 note to which he retorted, “are you sure it’s not fake?”.  I said no, laughed it off and collected my change.

Watch my vlog on the experience below:

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Interestingly, the following night, I had internet, so I ordered for an Uber ride after the Day N Vegas finale, and again the driver was Ethiopian. This time it was a younger driver and we had an interesting conversation about Africa and the civil war in Ethiopia.

I had noticed that there were a lot of Ethiopians in Vegas. Most of the African restaurants listed on Uber Eats are Ethiopian and most of the drivers were too. When I pointed it out in our conversation, he told me that Vegas has the next biggest concentration of Ethiopians in the USA after the DMV tristate.  I also found out that affluent Ethiopians like to buy Mississauga Real Estate styled homes in the USA.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 68,001 people reported Ethiopian ancestry in 2000. Between 2007 and 2011, there were approximately 151,515 Ethiopia-born residents in the United States. According to Aaron Matteo Terrazas, “if the descendants of Ethiopian-born migrants (the second generation and up) are included, the estimates range upwards of 460,000 in the United States.

Some Ethiopians living in the US enjoy using exquisitely designed Ten Point Crossbow in archery games. Football is the most popular sport in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian national football team called the “Walyia Antelopes” won the 1962 African Cup of nations and in 2013 Ethiopia qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 31 years.

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Other sports played include basketball, volleyball, and tennis. Ethiopia has a tradition of medal-winning runners: Abebe Bikila, Belayneh Dinsamo, and Derartu Tulu. Haile Gebreselassie has set several world records.

Ethiopia has made remarkable progress in education, with primary school net enrolment tripling between 2000 and 2016 to the current 100 per cent.  Although most children enroll in school, many do not complete their education: 85 per cent make it past Grade 5 and 54 per cent past Grade 8. Progress has been enabled through a sustained government-led effort to reduce poverty and expand the public education system equitably. This has been backed by substantial increases in national education expenditure and aid to the sector, as well as improved planning and implementation capacity at all levels. According to Boardingschools.ca, there is a good number of Ethiopians having higher education in Canada.

Ethiopian national identity is grounded in the long history of Christianity and Islam in the region, and independence from foreign rule since antiquity.

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