Books by PADMORE AGBEMABIESE
Traditional Eʋe communities are based either on clan, ethnic descent, or religious affiliations a... more Traditional Eʋe communities are based either on clan, ethnic descent, or religious affiliations and these equally manifest in the many ways they relate to each other in modern cities. In a typical Eʋe community, the individual does not and cannot exist alone but corporately. He or she owes existence to other people from his or her lineage, including those of past generations and contemporaries. Whatever happens to the individual is believed to affect the lineage, and whatever happens to the whole group affects the individual too. Thus, Eʋes believe that ‘the public disgrace of the crocodile is equally the shame of the alligator.’ (Elo ƒe ŋukpea, eve ƒe ŋukpee wonye). The individual can therefore only say: "I am because we are, and since we are, therefore I am.” This is a cardinal principle in the understanding of the Eʋe view of humanity.
The Art of College Writing
In many ways, writing at the university or college level (i.e. academi... more The Art of College Writing
In many ways, writing at the university or college level (i.e. academic writing) is similar to other styles of writing – i.e. business or professional writing. For example, academic writing is generally quite formal and impersonal. It is formal by avoiding casual or ‘conversational’ language, such as contractions or informal vocabulary. It is impersonal and objective by avoiding direct reference to people or feelings, and instead emphasizing objects, facts and ideas. In academic or college writing, quotations scholarly sources are important. Regardless the nature of the essay, you will need to incorporate ideas from one or several readings into your paragraphs as support for your thesis. Your ability to document quotations or citations correctly and the ability to integrate the quotations logically and gracefully into your writing will enhance the academic nature of your essay. The quotes can be direct, summaries, or paraphrases. More explanation will be given on the topic later in this book. There are series of rules that govern the writing of a college essay or paper. Some of the rules include:
a) "do not" is more formal than "don’t"
b) "very large" is more formal than "huge"
c) "This study will investigate whether…" is more objective than "I want to prove to you that…"
Can the traditional Ewe childhood games survive the storm of technology that is ravaging its terr... more Can the traditional Ewe childhood games survive the storm of technology that is ravaging its terrain in contemporary times? This question has bogged me for some time now as I see the old order disappearing, giving way to a new order, which does not bear semblance to anything the Ewe child knows or has in his or her cultural bank. With the upsurge in technology, it seems, little to no attention is being given to the psychological and sociological value of Ewe childhood games and plays.
A close study of the place of women in society.
Introduction
The ability to conduct research is not limited to college or school alone, it is a ... more Introduction
The ability to conduct research is not limited to college or school alone, it is a skill you will use throughout your lifetime in every field of endeavor. Even if you don’t think that you’ve conducted research, you probably have taken the time to discover more about a topic, and once you graduate, you will need to conduct research when looking for a job or a place to live. Regardless of the question you’re asking, two factors remain consistent: You need to exercise your curiosity when searching for information, and you have to be willing because research can be challenging work.
The research process will go more smoothly if you understand which resource to consult when you have a question. For example, if you wanted to find movie times for your local theatre, you probably wouldn’t look in an encyclopedia. The same kind of analysis holds true in academic research. If you know where to begin, you’re more likely to finish quickly instead of wasting time.
When you’re researching a topic for Thesis or Dissertation, you may be called upon to draw on sophisticated research tools, such as databases, to find authoritative and current information. If you’re simply indulging your curiosity, you may have more leeway when considering your sources. But in academic research, you need to consult resources that have been written by experts or scholars and present highly accurate information that has been fact-checked.
As a researcher, you should have competency in four distinct areas: 1) choosing appropriate resources; 2) searching effectively and efficiently; 3) evaluating resources critically; and 4) citing research in an appropriate documentation style. This booklet addresses the topics ranging from what is research, choosing the topic, choosing appropriate resources and a guide to writing a good research. What are some of these resources or sources of information relevant to a research? They include, though not limited to:…..(TO READ MORE, GET A COPY TODAY)
"Why Can’t Anyone Hear Me When I Cry," by Padmore Agbemabiese is a documentation of the Grandma's... more "Why Can’t Anyone Hear Me When I Cry," by Padmore Agbemabiese is a documentation of the Grandma's voice and its influence on his own life as well as that of his community. As I was reading the novel, I found myself thinking of those grandmothers who have moved to Florida, remote from their wider community, incarcerated as it were, in communities that hold only grandmothers and grandfathers. Where such a voice could be exercised in these communities? Would you hear only one or all of the competing others, and in that sense, would they not all cancel each other out? For, would not all be equally “grandmotherly”? Surely, a grand grandmother needs an audience of non-grandmothers to enable her to have the kind of stature we imagine such a figure must have. I found myself thinking of grandmothers who have either requested or acquiesced to being sent to homes for the elderly, where again, only grandmothers and grandfathers (and their keepers) reside. What weight would a grandmother’s wisdom and strength have in such communities where age is often considered a limitation, an acknowledgement of weakness or infirmity? I thought too, of those grandmothers who still live in their communities, but alone in their now too-large or even down-sized homes, some active like the mother of a friend of mine who at 80 still drives (though blind in one eye), only recently gave up tennis, but still surfs and skis, visiting her children and grandchildren when she feels the desire to do so, actively maintaining her own life. .........This is a novel to read.
"Go Ask Grandma" is Padmore Agbemabiese’s retrieval and recording of words of his Grandma which i... more "Go Ask Grandma" is Padmore Agbemabiese’s retrieval and recording of words of his Grandma which is a priceless gift not only for him and his own community, but also for all who read this book. I nod my head, recalling my own history in response to “As a child, do not be opposed to criticism. But be wary of criticisms which are designed for you by people whose knowledge of you is very limited.” The insight provides relief, a kind of healing of the painful memory of a friend of my mother’s who I had always believed since the age of 8, was an ignorant, narcissistic person who knew nothing about me and who I really was but who appeared (to me then) to relish criticizing everything about me. I truly detested her and was apparently quite standoffish with her though not visibly rude. My mother, of course, defended her friend, though not necessarily agreeing with her judgments. She did ask me to be “tolerant” of her. How can an 8 year old be expected to be tolerant of such a person? Yes, Afeafa Faidor-Agbemabiese’s cautionary words allow me to chuckle at the woman now. The collection is rich in these homilies and with more acerbic ones that acknowledge life is to be lived, but if you choose to live it, do so with your eyes wide open: We do not eat toads but if for necessity you have to eat a toad, make sure you eat a fat and juicy one and damn the consequences. She clearly was a woman who didn’t hesitate to utter even uncomfortable truths recorded in salvoes like A successful marriage is one between a blind husband and a dumb wife …or Through our mistakes we learn. But to repeat the same mistake over and over again indicates you are a living dead. (by Dr. Anna Soter)
Formal education in Ghana preceded colonization. The first schools were established by European m... more Formal education in Ghana preceded colonization. The first schools were established by European merchants and missionaries around 1592 as castle schools. During the colonial period, a formal state education structure was modeled on the British system. This structure has seen series of reforms since Ghana gained its independence in 1957. Interestingly in the 1980s, further reforms brought the structure of the education system closer to an American model. In the wake of all these reforms we may ask whether the schools we have in Ghana the schools we really need for Ghana's socioeconomic, cultural, political development?
The Smell of Exile is a collection of poems that speaks about complex and diverse human experienc... more The Smell of Exile is a collection of poems that speaks about complex and diverse human experiences. They are simple stories about people, their hopes, dreams, and their indomitable spirit that clings to something mystical as they struggle to survive in a foreign culture. To the first time reader, it outlines and examines the cultural and historical effects of human-nature disconnection, the severance of an African poet from his time-honored customs and traditions of Africa, and his being caught in the rituals of the new world. But, the feeling of separation from a birthplace is one of the largest and greatest universal sources of nostalgic feelings, and of suffering of which Padmore Agbemabiese has been inspired to talk about in various styles and art forms. Tales narrated by the poems are sensitive and capture the imagination in order to provide the reader with an escape or a journey into the realm of the mystical, supernatural, and esoteric world of that human tragedy, loss of identity. In the poem, "One Gentle Night," Padmore Agbemabiese brings us this feeling of loss:
one gentle night
I saw the moonlight coming out in the dark
and remembered the crickets at home
soon
I cuddled my soul with joy at the moon
but the crickets did not return my song
gush
I raised my head and looked again
it was the floodlights from the street corner
slowly
and sorrowfully
I lowered my head
and thought of my far-away home
It is no gainsaying that Ghana has since independence made significant strides in its education s... more It is no gainsaying that Ghana has since independence made significant strides in its education system. However, any stake holder in Ghana?s educational agenda could ask, ?What are the emerging issues that consistently characterize Ghana?s education reform initiatives?? The answer to this question provides an insight into why there are dismal outcomes in the numerous educational reform efforts in Ghana to date. This current study of education reform initiatives in Ghana utilized a qualitative and interpretive case study format to present a critical analysis of issues emerging from Ghana?s educational reform documents from 1987 to 1997. In the study, it became clear that the educational reforms of Ghana, if not all, borrowed educational models, first from the British and later from the United States(U.S). What is indicative in the study is the absence of a marriage between educational goals and inter-connected variables in the Ghanaian society.
Papers by PADMORE AGBEMABIESE
Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Enviornmental Hydraulics, Athens, Greece, 23-25 June 2010, 2010
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the ongoing discussion on Ghana‟s education reform ... more The purpose of this study is to contribute to the ongoing discussion on Ghana‟s education reform initiatives in the light of contemporary socioeconomic constraints, and linguistic and diversity issues. The Ghanaian education system today faces inadequate financial resources (for education programs) combined with the continuous unprecedented demand for access, the legacy of colonialism, longstanding economic and social crises as challenges that present a particularly difficult reality for education in Ghana. The goal therefore is to identify areas of concern and the need to address factors that have influenced education reforms in Ghana. By the early 1970s, Ghanaian educators and stakeholders in Ghana‟s education system observed and expressed concerns that Ghana‟s education system needed major reforms. According to critics of the education system, Ghana‟s education system was not meeting the needs of the changing dynamics of Ghanaian society (McWilliam and Kwamena-Poh, 1975; EAC, 197...
The greatest disaster that a colonized nation can face is when it emerges out of colonialism with... more The greatest disaster that a colonized nation can face is when it emerges out of colonialism with an elite that has developed a deep sense of inferiority complex with regard to their native art, literature and lifestyle and more, see development and institutionalization of their indigenous languages as adulteration of education. The problem is these elites by the nature of their education they are products of schools established by the colonizer and so aspire after the lifestyle of the colonizer at the end of their education.
To discuss race and class issues in America is to venture into an area fraught with perils. It ma... more To discuss race and class issues in America is to venture into an area fraught with perils. It may well be that “class and racial discrimination at a workplace or on the streets” are the toughest, slipperiest opponents in the lexicon of American history. But failure to consider racial discrimination in our society will contribute to what I will call sentimental solidarity in the midst of diversity. The relationship between segregation, black political experiences, and civic culture in urban America is neither simple nor straightforward. And this is what the two books we are analyzing today seems to address. The two books that set the context of today’s discussion are To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman. Where does Ohio come into this, especially between 1933 and 1955 when the To Kill a Mockingbird was written? Does Go Set a Watchman advance the argument or bring to the table those issues better than To Kill a Mockingbird making the publisher reject the manuscript when Harper Lee first wrote it?
One wonders when the metaphysics of exploitation will get its fangs out of the bleeding flesh of ... more One wonders when the metaphysics of exploitation will get its fangs out of the bleeding flesh of Africa.
DISCLAIMER: This is a work in progress and much crosschecking on the validity of fact is essential.
How true is it that Ewes use proverbs to relegate women to a subsidiary or inferior position in t... more How true is it that Ewes use proverbs to relegate women to a subsidiary or inferior position in the Ewe patriarchal community? It is an undeniable fact that, Africa is a continent known for its richness in oral arts. Proverbs from all ethnic groups in Africa are the most widely and commonly used and studied especially in the long-standing traditions of oral arts. In all oral arts, African proverbs have been essentially used in facilitating the transmission of knowledge and conventions from generation to generation. One area hardly discussed is the role of African proverbs in creating and perpetuating gender dynamics in the society. A close analysis of African proverbs reveals a large amount of sexist proverbs and these could be looked at from post-modern theory of power relationships between social groups, and the role of language to mediate these relationships. Such an effort would help explore the implications of gender stereotypes hidden within languages hitherto unaccounted for or articulated.
Economic support programs of cultural revival and multi-ethnic populations are influential in the... more Economic support programs of cultural revival and multi-ethnic populations are influential in the production and effective dissemination of materials in the local vernacular for schools and for the general public in many African countries today. What are the strategies, progress, and problems of teaching local languages at the elementary and secondary institutions in Africa, particularly, Ghana?
Uploads
Books by PADMORE AGBEMABIESE
In many ways, writing at the university or college level (i.e. academic writing) is similar to other styles of writing – i.e. business or professional writing. For example, academic writing is generally quite formal and impersonal. It is formal by avoiding casual or ‘conversational’ language, such as contractions or informal vocabulary. It is impersonal and objective by avoiding direct reference to people or feelings, and instead emphasizing objects, facts and ideas. In academic or college writing, quotations scholarly sources are important. Regardless the nature of the essay, you will need to incorporate ideas from one or several readings into your paragraphs as support for your thesis. Your ability to document quotations or citations correctly and the ability to integrate the quotations logically and gracefully into your writing will enhance the academic nature of your essay. The quotes can be direct, summaries, or paraphrases. More explanation will be given on the topic later in this book. There are series of rules that govern the writing of a college essay or paper. Some of the rules include:
a) "do not" is more formal than "don’t"
b) "very large" is more formal than "huge"
c) "This study will investigate whether…" is more objective than "I want to prove to you that…"
The ability to conduct research is not limited to college or school alone, it is a skill you will use throughout your lifetime in every field of endeavor. Even if you don’t think that you’ve conducted research, you probably have taken the time to discover more about a topic, and once you graduate, you will need to conduct research when looking for a job or a place to live. Regardless of the question you’re asking, two factors remain consistent: You need to exercise your curiosity when searching for information, and you have to be willing because research can be challenging work.
The research process will go more smoothly if you understand which resource to consult when you have a question. For example, if you wanted to find movie times for your local theatre, you probably wouldn’t look in an encyclopedia. The same kind of analysis holds true in academic research. If you know where to begin, you’re more likely to finish quickly instead of wasting time.
When you’re researching a topic for Thesis or Dissertation, you may be called upon to draw on sophisticated research tools, such as databases, to find authoritative and current information. If you’re simply indulging your curiosity, you may have more leeway when considering your sources. But in academic research, you need to consult resources that have been written by experts or scholars and present highly accurate information that has been fact-checked.
As a researcher, you should have competency in four distinct areas: 1) choosing appropriate resources; 2) searching effectively and efficiently; 3) evaluating resources critically; and 4) citing research in an appropriate documentation style. This booklet addresses the topics ranging from what is research, choosing the topic, choosing appropriate resources and a guide to writing a good research. What are some of these resources or sources of information relevant to a research? They include, though not limited to:…..(TO READ MORE, GET A COPY TODAY)
one gentle night
I saw the moonlight coming out in the dark
and remembered the crickets at home
soon
I cuddled my soul with joy at the moon
but the crickets did not return my song
gush
I raised my head and looked again
it was the floodlights from the street corner
slowly
and sorrowfully
I lowered my head
and thought of my far-away home
Papers by PADMORE AGBEMABIESE
In many ways, writing at the university or college level (i.e. academic writing) is similar to other styles of writing – i.e. business or professional writing. For example, academic writing is generally quite formal and impersonal. It is formal by avoiding casual or ‘conversational’ language, such as contractions or informal vocabulary. It is impersonal and objective by avoiding direct reference to people or feelings, and instead emphasizing objects, facts and ideas. In academic or college writing, quotations scholarly sources are important. Regardless the nature of the essay, you will need to incorporate ideas from one or several readings into your paragraphs as support for your thesis. Your ability to document quotations or citations correctly and the ability to integrate the quotations logically and gracefully into your writing will enhance the academic nature of your essay. The quotes can be direct, summaries, or paraphrases. More explanation will be given on the topic later in this book. There are series of rules that govern the writing of a college essay or paper. Some of the rules include:
a) "do not" is more formal than "don’t"
b) "very large" is more formal than "huge"
c) "This study will investigate whether…" is more objective than "I want to prove to you that…"
The ability to conduct research is not limited to college or school alone, it is a skill you will use throughout your lifetime in every field of endeavor. Even if you don’t think that you’ve conducted research, you probably have taken the time to discover more about a topic, and once you graduate, you will need to conduct research when looking for a job or a place to live. Regardless of the question you’re asking, two factors remain consistent: You need to exercise your curiosity when searching for information, and you have to be willing because research can be challenging work.
The research process will go more smoothly if you understand which resource to consult when you have a question. For example, if you wanted to find movie times for your local theatre, you probably wouldn’t look in an encyclopedia. The same kind of analysis holds true in academic research. If you know where to begin, you’re more likely to finish quickly instead of wasting time.
When you’re researching a topic for Thesis or Dissertation, you may be called upon to draw on sophisticated research tools, such as databases, to find authoritative and current information. If you’re simply indulging your curiosity, you may have more leeway when considering your sources. But in academic research, you need to consult resources that have been written by experts or scholars and present highly accurate information that has been fact-checked.
As a researcher, you should have competency in four distinct areas: 1) choosing appropriate resources; 2) searching effectively and efficiently; 3) evaluating resources critically; and 4) citing research in an appropriate documentation style. This booklet addresses the topics ranging from what is research, choosing the topic, choosing appropriate resources and a guide to writing a good research. What are some of these resources or sources of information relevant to a research? They include, though not limited to:…..(TO READ MORE, GET A COPY TODAY)
one gentle night
I saw the moonlight coming out in the dark
and remembered the crickets at home
soon
I cuddled my soul with joy at the moon
but the crickets did not return my song
gush
I raised my head and looked again
it was the floodlights from the street corner
slowly
and sorrowfully
I lowered my head
and thought of my far-away home
Many literary critics have also asked the question, “Does meaning reside in the author, the text, or the reader” (Richter, 2000, p.12) and what is the nature of literary experience (Langer, 1995, p. 24). As literary critics continue their litanies of pedagogical problems and critiques associated with the author, the text, and the reader (inherent in New Criticism and the flaws in New Critical practices) nowhere is the impact felt more than on the reader just because when two elephants are fighting, it is the grass that suffers.