FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH **
Contributions by Muriel Bruce
Facts you did not know about Ghana – (Ghana, a nation on West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, is known for diverse wildlife, old forts and secluded beaches, such as at Busua. Coastal towns Elmina and Cape Coast contain posubans (native shrines), colonial buildings and castles-turned-museums that serve as testimonials to the slave trade. North of Cape Coast, vast Kakum National Park has a treetop-canopy walkway over the rainforest.)
1. How are birthdays celebrated?
People enjoy parties but really only celebrate the bigger birthdays. This is also mainly amongst suburban families and expat communities. In smaller towns and villages birthdays are generally not celebrated.
2. When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?
Greetings are generally a handshake with the right hand for both men and women. Families will hug but they don’t kiss as public displays of affection are not common in Ghana.
3. What languages are spoken in your country?
English in Accra but in the villages there are more local languages and English is rare. The official language and de facto lingua franca of Ghana is the English language, but even though Ghana is a relatively small country there are over seventy different tribal groups, each with its own distinct language
4. Do you use a twelve-hour clock or a twenty-four hour clock?
The twelve- hour clock is more common.
5. What side of the road do people drive on? What do we need to know about driving in Ghana?
In Ghana we drive on the right side of the road. When driving in Ghana you have to exercise extreme caution and be very attentive to other drivers’ moves as many accidents result in fatalities. There are many potholes and also many pedestrians and cyclists which can be very problematic. Watch
6. How important is punctuality?
According to the locals GMT stands for Ghana Maybe Time. Within business often those who see themselves as more powerful feel it is their right to be late for meetings. Be aware that if you are invited to a function that is scheduled for 5 p.m. you should not be surprised if you arrive on time and the rest of the guests only start arriving at 7pm. There is a lot of traffic but this should not be an excuse for arriving late. Shops, banks and offices etc, however, generally open on time.
7. What types of music are popular? Who are some of your most popular musicians?
Music is a big part of life in Ghana. There are many bars/pubs and clubs that offer a wide variety of music styles. There is also some traditional music, which is often played at weddings.
Koo Nimo is one of the last true veterans of highlife roots and palm-wine music, which dominated Ghana’s popular music scene throughout much of the twentieth century.
During World War II, elements of swing and jazz were introduced and formed what is known as classic highlife. E.T. Mensah and his band, Tempos, popularized highlife throughout West Africa. Watch
During the 1960s, highlife was influenced by Congolese music, pop, and soul. The new era of experimentation in the early 1970s led to the creation of Afro-rock, Afro-beat and Afro-funk. The new wave included the groups Osibisa, Magic Aliens, and Boombaya. Watch
8. Are there any Traditional Dances?
There are a variety of Ghanaian dances from traditional dances to different dances for different occasions such as celebrations and funerals.
This is an excerpt of Adowa dance, music and song. Recorded in Kumasi, Ghana, West Africa. Watch
9. What traditional Festivals are celebrated in your community?
Ghana has many exciting traditional festivals; these are occasions of great cultural pomp and pageantry on the indigenous calendars of the many ethnic groups. Festivals are very important occasions in Ghana; during this time many people travel to their ancestral home for the celebrations and to mark the occasion.
Festivals are celebrated to mark both the beginning and the end of the traditional year and to celebrate great events of the past and purify the traditional state. These occasions and celebrations can be the marking of a successful harvest, the initiation of adolescent girls into womanhood and the showcasing of new Kente and other traditional textile designs. View a website here.
10. What are your seasons like?
There are really only two seasons – the Wet season from April/May to Sept/Oct and the Dry season from November to March when it is very hot and dry. Average temperatures range from 21°C – 28°C.
11. Tell us an interesting fact about your President?
John Mahama was born on 29 November 1958 in the northern Ghana region. He is a historian, communications expert, a former minister of state and Member of Parliament. He succeeded to the presidency by virtue of being the vice president following the death of the then president John Atta Mills in 2012.
John Mahama has been married to lordina Mahama for over 28 years, and they have eight children. Despite his busy schedule, he still finds time to spend with his family.
12. What are Ghana’s major industries?
Manufacturing, Telecommunications, Gold, Cocoa, and now Oil. Ghana is rich in natural resources.
13. How do people spend their free time?
There are a lot of small resorts on the coast and most people head to the beach on the week-ends.
14. What do people drink?
Local drinks include asana or maize beer, palm wine, coconut juice and akpeteshie or palm wine. There is a Guinness brewery and popular local beers are Star and Club.
15. What is a popular local dish?
The main dishes in Accra include kenkey with hot pepper and fried fish, banku with fried fish and pepper or with okro or groundnut soup, red red or yo-ko-gari, bean stew, fried plantain or tatale, omo tuo (rice balls) served with palm or groundnut soup. A Sunday afternoon special is fried yam with chofi (turkey tails) with hot, fresh pepper sauce, kebabs (meat of liver doused in spicy powder then grilled).
Fufu – Boiled cassava and plantain pounded into a dough-like mass.
Banku – Ground fermented corn and cassava that is boiled and stirred into a thick starchy mass.
Kenkey – Ground fermented corn that is boiled and pressed into banana leaves.
Omo tuo – Plain rice balls
Yam – Like the potato you are familiar with, yams are eaten either boiled or fried. Fried yams are eaten with hot pepper or with a spinach-like Palava sauce rather than with a soup or stew.
16. What do you pay for? (USD 1.00 = approx. Ghana Cedi 3.80)
In a restaurant – A 2-Course meal – Approx. Cedi 100.00 for 2 people, a cup of coffee – Cedi 6.00, a Coca Cola- Cedi 1.50
At a shop – A loaf of bread – Cedi 4.00
17. Safety?
Ghana is generally a peaceful country. The crime rate is amongst the lowest in the West African region, and violence is fairly rare. In contrast to many other African countries, expats in Ghana have little to worry about, especially in the city centres of the large metropolises.
** Meaning: From the highest authority. From the source.
Origin: In horse racing circles tips on which horse is a likely winner circulate amongst punters. The most trusted authorities are considered to be those in closest touch with the recent form of the horse, that is, stable lads, trainers etc. The notional ‘from the horse’s mouth’ is supposed to indicate one step better than even that inner circle, that is, the horse itself
From the Horse’s Mouth – Ghana
FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH **
Contributions by Muriel Bruce
Facts you did not know about Ghana – (Ghana, a nation on West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, is known for diverse wildlife, old forts and secluded beaches, such as at Busua. Coastal towns Elmina and Cape Coast contain posubans (native shrines), colonial buildings and castles-turned-museums that serve as testimonials to the slave trade. North of Cape Coast, vast Kakum National Park has a treetop-canopy walkway over the rainforest.)
1. How are birthdays celebrated?
People enjoy parties but really only celebrate the bigger birthdays. This is also mainly amongst suburban families and expat communities. In smaller towns and villages birthdays are generally not celebrated.
2. When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?
Greetings are generally a handshake with the right hand for both men and women. Families will hug but they don’t kiss as public displays of affection are not common in Ghana.
3. What languages are spoken in your country?
English in Accra but in the villages there are more local languages and English is rare. The official language and de facto lingua franca of Ghana is the English language, but even though Ghana is a relatively small country there are over seventy different tribal groups, each with its own distinct language
4. Do you use a twelve-hour clock or a twenty-four hour clock?
The twelve- hour clock is more common.
5. What side of the road do people drive on? What do we need to know about driving in Ghana?
In Ghana we drive on the right side of the road. When driving in Ghana you have to exercise extreme caution and be very attentive to other drivers’ moves as many accidents result in fatalities. There are many potholes and also many pedestrians and cyclists which can be very problematic. Watch
6. How important is punctuality?
According to the locals GMT stands for Ghana Maybe Time. Within business often those who see themselves as more powerful feel it is their right to be late for meetings. Be aware that if you are invited to a function that is scheduled for 5 p.m. you should not be surprised if you arrive on time and the rest of the guests only start arriving at 7pm. There is a lot of traffic but this should not be an excuse for arriving late. Shops, banks and offices etc, however, generally open on time.
7. What types of music are popular? Who are some of your most popular musicians?
Music is a big part of life in Ghana. There are many bars/pubs and clubs that offer a wide variety of music styles. There is also some traditional music, which is often played at weddings.
Koo Nimo is one of the last true veterans of highlife roots and palm-wine music, which dominated Ghana’s popular music scene throughout much of the twentieth century.
During World War II, elements of swing and jazz were introduced and formed what is known as classic highlife. E.T. Mensah and his band, Tempos, popularized highlife throughout West Africa. Watch
During the 1960s, highlife was influenced by Congolese music, pop, and soul. The new era of experimentation in the early 1970s led to the creation of Afro-rock, Afro-beat and Afro-funk. The new wave included the groups Osibisa, Magic Aliens, and Boombaya. Watch
8. Are there any Traditional Dances?
There are a variety of Ghanaian dances from traditional dances to different dances for different occasions such as celebrations and funerals.
This is an excerpt of Adowa dance, music and song. Recorded in Kumasi, Ghana, West Africa. Watch
9. What traditional Festivals are celebrated in your community?
Ghana has many exciting traditional festivals; these are occasions of great cultural pomp and pageantry on the indigenous calendars of the many ethnic groups. Festivals are very important occasions in Ghana; during this time many people travel to their ancestral home for the celebrations and to mark the occasion.
Festivals are celebrated to mark both the beginning and the end of the traditional year and to celebrate great events of the past and purify the traditional state. These occasions and celebrations can be the marking of a successful harvest, the initiation of adolescent girls into womanhood and the showcasing of new Kente and other traditional textile designs. View a website here.
10. What are your seasons like?
There are really only two seasons – the Wet season from April/May to Sept/Oct and the Dry season from November to March when it is very hot and dry. Average temperatures range from 21°C – 28°C.
11. Tell us an interesting fact about your President?
John Mahama was born on 29 November 1958 in the northern Ghana region. He is a historian, communications expert, a former minister of state and Member of Parliament. He succeeded to the presidency by virtue of being the vice president following the death of the then president John Atta Mills in 2012.
John Mahama has been married to lordina Mahama for over 28 years, and they have eight children. Despite his busy schedule, he still finds time to spend with his family.
12. What are Ghana’s major industries?
Manufacturing, Telecommunications, Gold, Cocoa, and now Oil. Ghana is rich in natural resources.
13. How do people spend their free time?
There are a lot of small resorts on the coast and most people head to the beach on the week-ends.
14. What do people drink?
Local drinks include asana or maize beer, palm wine, coconut juice and akpeteshie or palm wine. There is a Guinness brewery and popular local beers are Star and Club.
15. What is a popular local dish?
The main dishes in Accra include kenkey with hot pepper and fried fish, banku with fried fish and pepper or with okro or groundnut soup, red red or yo-ko-gari, bean stew, fried plantain or tatale, omo tuo (rice balls) served with palm or groundnut soup. A Sunday afternoon special is fried yam with chofi (turkey tails) with hot, fresh pepper sauce, kebabs (meat of liver doused in spicy powder then grilled).
Fufu – Boiled cassava and plantain pounded into a dough-like mass.
Banku – Ground fermented corn and cassava that is boiled and stirred into a thick starchy mass.
Kenkey – Ground fermented corn that is boiled and pressed into banana leaves.
Omo tuo – Plain rice balls
Yam – Like the potato you are familiar with, yams are eaten either boiled or fried. Fried yams are eaten with hot pepper or with a spinach-like Palava sauce rather than with a soup or stew.
16. What do you pay for? (USD 1.00 = approx. Ghana Cedi 3.80)
In a restaurant – A 2-Course meal – Approx. Cedi 100.00 for 2 people, a cup of coffee – Cedi 6.00, a Coca Cola- Cedi 1.50
At a shop – A loaf of bread – Cedi 4.00
17. Safety?
Ghana is generally a peaceful country. The crime rate is amongst the lowest in the West African region, and violence is fairly rare. In contrast to many other African countries, expats in Ghana have little to worry about, especially in the city centres of the large metropolises.
** Meaning: From the highest authority. From the source.
Origin: In horse racing circles tips on which horse is a likely winner circulate amongst punters. The most trusted authorities are considered to be those in closest touch with the recent form of the horse, that is, stable lads, trainers etc. The notional ‘from the horse’s mouth’ is supposed to indicate one step better than even that inner circle, that is, the horse itself
Exhibiting at SARA Conference 2015
Exhibiting at the SARA Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa
Relocation Africa is exhibiting at SARA Conference 2015. SARA Conference offers a great program with some thought provoking conversations around HR, Mobility in South Africa and Africa.
If you are interested in more information on what we offer visit our website: Relocation Africa.
From the Horse’s Mouth – Nigeria
FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH **
Contributions by Deji Sijuwade
Facts you did not know about Nigeria – “Naija” in the local vernacular (Nigeria, an African country on the Gulf of Guinea, is known for its natural landmarks and wildlife reserves. Safari destinations such as Cross River National Park and Yankari National Park showcase waterfalls, dense rainforest, savanna and rare primate habitats. One of its most recognizable sites is Zuma Rock, a 725m-tall monolith outside the capital of Abuja that’s pictured on the national currency.)
1. How are birthdays celebrated?
In the European way but we do go big on birthdays. Milestone birthdays such as a 40th can be quite extravagant with a 100+ guests.
2. When you first meet someone, how do you greet them?
Both women and men shake hands. The traditional way of greeting elders is prostration for men and bowing down on one or both knees for women. It is a sign of respect.
3. What languages are spoken in your country?
There are said to be over 521 local languages spoken in Nigeria with the main three being Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba but the official language of communication is English.
4. Do you use a twelve hour clock, or a twenty-four hour clock?
We use the 12 hour clock.
5. What side of the road to people drive on?
We drive on the right side of the road. It is said that ‘if you can drive in Nigeria you can drive anywhere in the world!’ It is a question of survival of the fittest and expats should only do it with an experienced driver. The traffic is truly insane.
Watch
6. How important is punctuality?
Nigerians are not generally punctual (traffic does not help) however, if it is a business meeting they are more likely to be punctual. There is still the culture of African time.
7. What types of music are popular?
Very much a R&B, Hip Hop, and European music taste in most of the country. A couple of our popular local musicians are:
D’banj – Watch
2Face – Watch
8. Are there any Traditional Dances?
Yes there are traditional dances performed at weddings and festivals.
However, over the years, dance styles have evolved from one dance step to the other. Here are a few dance steps we know in Nigeria :
Galala – Watch
The Galala dance is like the official dance for the Nigerian ghetto community. The dance is promoted by musicians who are products of the ghetto hood such as Daddy Showkey, African China, Baba Fryo and even Burna Boy in ‘Run My Race’. The Galala dance involves the legs being moved backward with hands forward.
Etighi – Watch
Etighi is one of the new-school dances brought from the Calabar/Akwa Ibom part of Nigeria. It involves the hips being carried up and alternated in left and right direction. It also can be mixed with azonto as you can have the hips up and the hands doing the azonto. It’s popular in songs like ‘Kukere’ amongst others.
9. What traditional festivals are celebrated in your community?
The Eyo Festival, is a Yoruba festival unique to Lagos, Nigeria. In modern times, it is presented by the people of Lagos as a tourist event and, due to its history, is traditionally performed on Lagos Island.
The word “Eyo” also refers to the costumed dancers, known as the masquerades that come out during the festival. It is widely believed that the Eyo Festival is the forerunner of the modern day Carnival in Brazil.
10. What are your seasons like?
There are really only two seasons; the Rainy Season (May – August) and the Dusty and Cool at Night Season (August to April)
11. Tell us an interesting fact about your President?
On 29 May 2015, Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the 15th head of state after winning the general election. He is a retired Nigerian Army major general and was also Head of State of Nigeria from 31 December 1983 to 27 August 1985, after taking power in a military coup d’état.
In December 1989, Buhari married his second and current wife Aisha Buhari (née Halilu). They have five children together, a boy and four girls.
12. What do we need to know about schooling in Lagos? Is it easy to get your children into a school of your choice as an expat?
It is getting more and more difficult to get children into the International Schools and there can be waiting lists of up to two years therefore it is essential to start planning two to three years ahead if possible.
13. Is the housing market still ‘tight and fast-moving’ or is new development changing the situation?
There are limited good properties available in popular expat areas and they go quickly as some agents and landlords tend to work on a first come first served basis. Nigeria has large families so finding 2-bedroom properties can be quite rare and properties are still mostly unfurnished. Due to the traffic it is important to first be accepted into a school and then find accommodation as close as possible to the school.
14. What types of industry do you find other than oil?
The telecommunications sector is growing, and there has been a resurgence in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
15. How do people spend their free time?
It is very much a social culture, so clubs, gyms, bars, are popular and going out to restaurants and cinemas is also popular. People go to the beach but this is usually a day trip as there are no resorts as such. Shopping malls are a new and growing phenomenon.
16. What do people drink?
Beer – Heineken and Guinness There is a Guinness brewery in Nigeria so Nigerians like Guinness a lot. Also spirits.
17. What is a popular local dish?
Jollof Rice which is a hot and spicy meal. The dish consists of easy cook or basmati rice, tomatoes and tomato paste, onion, salt, spices (such as nutmeg, ginger, pepper, cumin) and chili pepper; optional ingredients can be added such as vegetables, meats and fish.
It is often served with fried plantain and salad.
Suya which is skewered beef (like a shish kebab) that has been spiced and marinated then put on to the fire on the local Bri stands, fried and heated up in front of you, and then sprinkled with hot ground pepper.
18. What do you pay for? (USD1 = approx. Naira199)
In a restaurant…
A cup of coffee – NGN 850
A Coca-cola – NGN 250
A 2-Course meal for 2 people – nothing extravagant – NGN 19,000
From a shop… A loaf of bread – NGN 300
19. Security – in general?
It is moderately safe in the day in the areas such as Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lekki where the middle class and higher live and also the expat community. We tend to have a lot of security there but it is advisable to put your windows up in the car in traffic and not go on leisurely walks out on the road in the late evenings after 10pm as this would definitely be a bit of a security risk.
** Meaning: From the highest authority. From the source.
Origin: In horse racing circles tips on which horse is a likely winner circulate amongst punters. The most trusted authorities are considered to be those in closest touch with the recent form of the horse, that is, stable lads, trainers etc. The notional ‘from the horse’s mouth’ is supposed to indicate one step better than even that inner circle, that is, the horse itself
SA’s revised visa rules: What you need to know
Cape Town – South Africa is overhauling its controversial visa regulations that saw a 6% decrease in arrivals, the worst industry performance since 2009 at the height of the global financial crisis – but the changes are not in effect as yet.
The Cabinet approved recommendations by the Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) tasked with evaluating the immigration rules and its unintended consequences are expected to be implemented during the next three months.
Cabinet said all other administrative issues affecting the relevant departments will be resolved through inter-departmental engagements, without compromising the safety of the children travelling to and from the country.
Introduced in June, the new rules required visitors to apply for visas in person at South African embassies to have their biometric information taken as well for children travelling in and out of South Africa to produce an unabridged birth certificate, which details the particulars of both the mother and the father of the child.
IMC DECISION TAKEN: Visa requirements for foreigners travelling to SA revised
The DHA said, “Cabinet has mandated DHA to put in place the necessary legal instruments to give effect to this decision. The status quo will remain until such time the DHA has provided a legal instrument for this category of travellers. In the meantime travellers are encouraged to comply.”
This article was originally posted here