Friday, May 22, 2009

Titles

There’s a new trend in Ghana (Maybe I’m only just noticing it). It’s the pretentiousness and pomposity of it all that baffles me. It’s with titles and how we want to attach some kind of importance to ourselves. If we manage to do well for ourselves and get some kind of “white colour” profession we want it stated before our name (Oh, please bold and highlight my title. I want everyone to spot it a mile away! Lol). A doctor is Dr., they save lives, let’s just leave it. Military men have ranks. They need their titles. But we go on with Lawyer so-and-so, Architect so-and-so, and Engineer so-and-so. Is it really necessary? What about the traders, masons, seamstresses? Are we to call them Trader Ama Mansa or Yam Seller Mary Bonsu, how about Mason Kwabena Manu? Or do they not deserve a title? Now people dedicate songs on the radio for their wives referring to them as Mrs Gladys so-and so! Does it matter whether she is Ms, Miss or Mrs?
Ok now I want to be called, Law Student Iris Aggrey-Orleans!
Let's refuse the pomposity!;-)

8 comments:

  1. Rotf. This is funny and has been a thorn in my side for a while, too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nana, you have no idea how it irks me! But I managed to laugh when I heard the dedication on the radio!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Its, um, how do I say this? Yes, its simple NKURASISEM! Nothing more, nothing less.


    I'm pretty sure I loose a brain cell every time I hear Honorable such and such. UGH

    ReplyDelete
  4. Law Student Iris Aggrey-Orleans,

    i salute your law-studentship!

    it's all about absurdities turned vitals!

    and it's not all self-wanting/demanding. some bestow it on others 'by-force'! i grit my teeth anytime i hear a fellow call me Mr. Novisi. i've had to keep calling (in retaliation) an unmarried junior colleague 'Mrs. Mary' just to get her off it. the world has moved on. respect does not come by such 'drama'! just out of place!

    one that rings back is what Ayariga in attempting to 'perhaps' please his newly 'found' boss says: His Excellency, The President, Proffesor John Evans Atta Mills, when the man himself is not bothered about being called just Mills. and if we are to add his now space-wasting 'Okunyi' then we would have something like:

    His Excellency, The Most Royally Crowned 'Okunyi', The President, Proffesor John Evans Atta Mills!

    wow!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. @ Good to hear from you, er, um, Blogger Esi?! Lol.
    @ Anonymous, Hahaha. Please don't lose the brain cells. You will be hearing the "nkurase sem" for a long time... I need you to keep reading with those awesome brain cells!
    @ Novisi, absurd indeed. Its just a "frigging" name!

    ReplyDelete
  6. @all ... you just dont understand these people. when you've strived hard to be an engineer when everyone in your family has dropped out of school to work on the farm, you'd want Engineer as your first name too.

    they might be nkurasifoɔ but they're well proud of being able to pick up a phone and calling a radio station.

    now it's those dishonourable Honourables that get my co-jones!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hmmm, Faf, those honourables? Thats a story for another day. But the truth is, it is not only the "nkurasifuo" that like the titles. Its us city folk too. We are becoming too self-important. C'mon lets give it a rest. No one in Ghana has been to the moon yet!

    ReplyDelete