Henry Mensah and Adjei Francis win Essay Competition
Friday, July 21, 2006
Henry Mensah, Form 2Business2, OW House, winner of the form 2 category
The following are Henry Mensah's 2 winning essays for the form 2 category:
Essay Number 1:
Choose a well-known Ghanaian proverb or saying. Illustrate what it means and/or how it originated.
Proverbs are very important as culture is the sure way for one to know his
background. Proverbs are there to show the way and make one aware of his
surroundings and his interactions with his neighbours.
Proverb is a short pithy saying in frequent and widespread use that
expresses a basic truth or practical precept.
Proverbs and idioms tell much about a people's traditional ways of
experiencing reality, about the proper or expected ways of doing things,
about values and warnings,and rules and wisdoms the elders want to impress
on the minds of their young. The punch line character of proverbs -- the
shorter the better -- makes it easy to commit them to memory for ready
recall when the occasion calls for serious or humorous comment or
admonition.
Created by people in high and low stations, humble folk and
great authors, borrowed from ancient or neighboring cultures, proverbs have
been accumulating over many centuries. Some are only locally known; many
are shared around the world.
In Ghana, the Akans often elaborate their spoken words with both visual and
poetic dimensions by using context-related proverbs or clever metaphors to
ennoble their messages. This practice not only demonstrates a speaker's
wisdom, cultivation and eloquence in the use of his language, but also
reveals his understanding of human nature and his ability to assess the
underlying subtleties of specific situations. An example of such proverb is
"Se wo were fi na wo sankofa a, yenkyi" which literally means,"There is
nothing wrong with learning from hindsight." On the other hand,it could
also mean,"go back and retrieve."
The word SANKOFA is derived from the words SAN (return), KO(go), FA(look,
seek and take). This symbolizes the Akan's quest for knowledge with the
implication that the quest is based on critical examination, and
intelligent and patient investigation. The symbol is based on a mythical
bird that flies forwards with its head turned backwards. This reflects the
Akan belief that the past serves as a guide for planning the future, or the
wisdom in learning from the past in building the future.
The Akan believe
that there must be movement with times but as the forward march proceeds,
the gems must be picked from behind and carried forward on the march.
In
the Akan military system, this symbol signified the rearguard, the section
on which the survival of the society and the defense of its heritage
depended.
The meaning of this Ghanaian proverb is not far-fetched and helps us to
know and validate every aspect of our lives. Prempeh College is a force to
reckon with when it comes to academics, sports and discipline. These have
been the trademark of the college. If there comes time that these virtues
are not seen, it is expedient for us to turn back, look for what is wrong
and mend our ways. Going back to retrieve the gems of yesterday and
yester-years is not an abomintaion. Similarly, a country like Ghana whose
per capital income used to be exactly the same with that of Malaaysia but
now finds itself trailing badly behind the Asian country should look back
and get the requisite maaterials, encouragement and strength to forge
ahead.
In one's personal life, sankofa plays a role. Students who do well in
examinations but later realise that their positions in class are nothing
to write home about need to sit down, reflect on what has gone berserk and
find remedies to the situation.
"Se wo were fi na wo sankofa a, yenkyi" is a Ghanaian proverb that speaks
volumes and educates a lot.
Essay Number 2:
In the development of Prempeh College, what is the role of the internet (i.e., prempeh.org)?
Internet is the international computer network linking together thousands of
individual networks at military and government agencies, educational institutions,
nonprofit organizations, industrial and financial corporations of all sizes, and
commercial enterprises (called gateways or service
providers) that enable individuals to access the network.
The most popular features of the Internet include electronic mail
(e-mail), discussion groups (called newsgroups or bulletin boards, where users can
post messages and look for responses on a system called Usenet), on-line
conversations (called chats), adventure and role-playing games, information
retrieval, and electronic commerce (e-commerce).
The internet has been with us for some time and the role that it plays in
institutions such as Prempeh College is not far-fetched. Prempeh College is one of
the colleges or schools in Ghana to spearheaad the use of the internet. Aside its
computer labs abd internet facilities on campus, the website that the college
possesses tells it all. Inarguably, no school in Ghana has such a website. The internet
is really crucial to the development of Prempeh College.
As stated, the internet is used for the sending of emails. The college's
website, prempeh.org has a webmail system. The webmail is the system that provides
email addresses to students and authorities alike. Even though it has been with us for
some time now, the students of the Prempeh College have not used it to the
fullest. The email system aids networking and encourages friendliness.
During holidays, students or friends can use this medium to reach their friends and
share some important information or tales. Good old school days and memories could be
recounted. Masters can also give out assignments through the various email addresses
when the school is on vacation and can also communicate with the students on other
matters.
In this technological age,the school's calendar, terminal reports and other things
could be sent to the inbox of all students. The internet also helps the student of
Prempeh College to be abreast with some stories on campus. Prempeh.org has been
providing information to the whole Amanfoo fraternity. Old boys far and near get
access to information through the website. However, it would be prudent to state that
the development of Prempeh College is on course with the introduction of events and
activities by the website.
Entertainment has been full of fun. Sports is well promoted and academia is also on
the right track. I wonder the number of websites that provide information to its
students and to students in general when the National Science and Maths Quiz is on
going. Prempeh.org has been a trail blazer in developmet and the keeping of such
attitude without any change in enthusiasm will really resuscitate the college.
The introduction of essay competitions and other competitions by the website is a
step in the right direction. Nonetheless, the webiste in helping to develop the
college should not publish stories that will be like washing our dirty linen in
public.
Prempeh College's development is on the right path as the internet particularly
prempeh.org is in the thick of affairs.
