THE EVER INCREASING NUMBER OF NGOs IN ACCRA

Rarely does one walk on the streets of Accra now without spotting a signboard or a banner advertising one Non-Governmental Organisation or the other. They have become so many that you can find one across every street in the capital—literally.

NGOs refer to organisations that are not part of government and also not conventional for profit businesses. Most of these organisations pursue wider social aims and are mainly owned by individuals.

However there have been wide spread of reports on how many of these NGO owners misappropriate funds donated to them for specific projects. Some of the owners personally fund their organisations but a countless number of them in the country depend on donor and humanitarian support from volunteers both home and overseas.

Volunteers who donate to some of these NGOs can do the monitoring of their monies given out directly so as to make sure they don’t end up in people’s pockets than for projects intended for. Such cannot be said for foreign donors all the time. It therefore begs the question of who monitors their activities and to an extent their financial activities.

There surely must be a financial reward in there for coordinators of these NGOs for them to springing up across the city like that? Co-ordinator for the Attukwei Art Foundation, an NGO in Accra, Mr Serge Attukwei thinks otherwise. He said: “I don’t think many are in this noble venture to make money, it’s all about selflessness and helping out the needy in society”.

It must however be said that many of these organisations are on a noble course. Several of them have packages designed in complementing government’s efforts in helping the less fortunate in society.

DISCUSS THE AIETA MODEL AS PRESENTED IN HIS WORK ENTITLED “DIFFUSION OF INNOVATIONS”

In his book “Diffusion of Innovations”, rural sociology professor Everett Rogers popularized the theory Diffusion of Innovation in 1962. It was a theory that seeks to explain how, why, and what rate new ideas and technologies spread through cultures. He said “diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system.

In this theory Rogers came up with a communication model which is hierarchical in nature as it assumes the hierarchy of effects called the AIETA model. According to Everett, this model is supposed to be followed to affect the consumer in order to make a purchase.

The AIETA model begins with awareness. Awareness is very essential to any advertising campaign or the life span of any product. For a product to achieve its long term goal of being sold or having an impact on a consumer, there has to an awareness campaign for it. This sort of campaign introduces the product to prospective consumers or continues to hammer the presence of an existing product.

For instance if Guinness Ghana comes up with a new product say Alvaro Lite, they have to embark on an awareness campaign in order to create some sort of consciousness among prospective consumers. This goes a long way in affecting the consumer to make a purchase which is the essence of the model

Second on the model is interest. Interest is key in order for the consumer to be persuaded. After the awareness has been created, the consumer’s interest in the product has to be whipped. This can be done with advertising models like information adverts and image adverts. Furthermore sales promotion, personal selling and publicity can be used.

Adverts which provide detailed information on the benefits a consumer stand to benefit from a product increase the interest in that particular product. Also associating the brand or product with certain personalities or certain images creates some sort of interest in a particular product which goes a long way in fulfilling the underlying motive of the AIETA model.

After the interest stage is evaluation in the model. This is the stage where consumers get to assess the product or service and weighs the advantages or disadvantages. This stage is very important in the purchasing decision. As a favourable evaluation or vice versa will go a long way in the eventual purchase of the product or service.

Advertising processes like persuasion adverts, image adverts as well as testimonials help the evaluation process. Also a publicity vehicle like consumer welfare reports as well as personal selling methods can be used in the evaluation stage in AIETA model.

The trial stage in the AIETA model is stage where a consumer goes ahead to purchase or patronize a product after he or she has gone through the awareness, interest and evaluation stages.
This stage is very vital in the model as whether a customer or consumer will go ahead to finally adopt the product rests here. Advertising, personal selling and sales promotions can be used in helping influence a consumer to frequently purchase the product in the trial period.

Finally Everett Rogers listed adoption as the last stage in the AIETA model which he developed in his book “Diffusion of Innovation” in 1962. The adoption stage is where a consumer or a customer after going through the process of being aware of a particular product or a service, gathers interest in it and then go ahead to evaluate the product. He or she moves on to try it and finally adopt it as a permanent brand or service.

In conclusion, there is a likelihood that a consumer will make a purchase or a product or service if this hierarchical model by Everett Rogers is followed.

WHY SHOULD A COMPANY LIKE COCA COLA CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE?

In his book titled: Marketing Management and Administrative Action, Steuart Henderson Britt aptly said “Doing business without advertising is winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing but nobody else does”. With this he meant advertising is essential for every company or organization irrespective of their size or market share.

Therefore in as much Coca Cola as a company have the presence and market share in the beverage industry in a lot of countries doesn’t stop it from continuous advertisements.

One of the important reasons why companies like Coca Cola or betterstill companies who are very popular needs to continue advertising is to create awareness. Awareness creation is very vital in achieving the long term goal of advertising which is to tell as many people as possible about a product, in the hope that they will buy it.

Also brands like Coca Cola which is a commodity can be easily be replaced by a competitor brand hence the need for its constant awareness creation.
Secondly persuasion is one the factors why a brand like Coca Cola still advertise.

It’s imperative for a company to continue to convince its consumers of the benefits they derive by patronizing its products regardless of its popularity or market share and Coca Cola is no exception. Lack of constant reminders about the importance or benefits of a product can lead to a switch to other similar products hence the need for persuasion which advertising does so well.

Competition is very keen in the current market dispensation. There are a lot of similar products on the market therefore for a company to maintain its market share or increase its consumer base it needs to compete. Interestingly switching between similar products is not that a difficult decision to take. For example decisions like a consumer switching from Apple to Samsung, Lenovo to HP or Coke to Pepsi is not that difficult.

As a result beverage giants like Coca Cola needs to advertise in other to fend off competition from similar products like Pepsi, AfriCola, and VirginCola etc. For instance as Pepsi, being Coca Cola’s major competitor, uses soccer stars like Lionel Messi, Didier Drogba and others for advertisements; it becomes vital on Coca Cola to constantly advertise to maintain its market share which goes a long way in increasing profits.

Furthermore companies like Coca Cola use advertisement to announce a change be it in a product or in a price. On many occasions that the Coca Cola Company have introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand like the Diet Coke, Coke Lite, Coca-Cola Cherry and the others; they did it through advertising. Advertising is needed to trumpet the benefits of such new products.

Recently Coca Cola Ghana used advertising to announce its new price change on the market. Advertisements on television, radio and the print media were used to announce the change in the price of Coke from 80p to 1GHC.

It widely assumed that Coca Cola which was adjudged the world’s most valuable brand by Interband’s best global brands in 2011 is very popular. That’s truism. However not everyone is aware of the Coca Cola brand hence the need for continuous advertisements embedded with slogans like “Life begins here” and “Open happiness”.

In addition advertising is very important to a company when it wants to appeal to a new market which includes the Coca Coal Company. Advertising will be used to create the necessary awareness needed for the new market. Also advertisement can be used to spell out the benefits of the product to these new markets which can go a long way in triggering a purchase.

Finally a company like Coca Cola needs to continue advertising because it can help build brand equity. Though brands are not tangible in nature, its real value on paper cannot be underemphasized. Because a company’s value is calculated with its number of consumers or clients therefore in case of any takeover or merger, there will have been a consumer base which won’t be the case for start-up companies and those who lack brand presence. Thus advertising goes a long way in increasing the stock of a company.

As part of the marketing tool, advertising is very important in any organizational structure, with popularity or market share notwithstanding; therefore companies like Coca Cola need to continue and advertising in order to consolidate their market share and possibly expand it.

THE DU BOIS CENTRE

Bourne out of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s advocacy for Pan-Africanism and respect for scholars of African descent, the W.E.B Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture has been one Accra’s historic treasures over the last two decades.
Situated in a serene area in Cantonments, the Centre is housed in Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois’s Accra residence. Dr Du Bois—American civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, historian, author and editor—was invited by Ghana’s first President in 1963 to write the book, “Encyclopedia Africana”.
Having been refused a new passport by the US, Dr. Du Bois and his wife, Shirley Graham Du Bois, became citizens of Ghana. Ironically a day before the Washington March where Martin Luther King Jr. made the famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. William Du Bois died at the age of 95 in Accra.
Declared a national monument by the Government of Ghana in 1985, this rectangular shaped house at No.22 Circular Road sits in the middle of white walls that structure out a compound speckled with flowers, trees, plaques and a fountain. The book gallery, picture gallery, gallery of personal memorabilia, the tomb of the scholar and his wife among other interesting things rounds up a tour. Let me take through a tour of the Centre.


The Picture Gallery
This is found in the foyer of the house. Not a very large area but has been neatly kept with a strikingly red carpet. A huge portrait of Dr. Du Bois hangs on the white painted wall flanked by two portraits of the man who brought him to Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. On the wall hang other portraits of Du Bois, his wife and the Osagyefo on their arrival in Ghana in 1963. Arranged neatly on a polished cabinet are pictures of prominent African personalities like former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda; Ben Bella of Algeria, Dr. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, a former Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria among others.


The Book Gallery
Known as an ardent writer, Du Bois scribed more than 4,000 articles and essays and authored over twenty books. Most are about civil rights and Pan-Africanism. The ‘Book Gallery’ which is housed in personal library in his few years stay in Ghana consists of various publications of his books and that of his wife, Shirley Graham Du Bois, another writer. Packaged into book shelves, many of the books looks old therefore tourists at the Centre are not allowed to handle them. In that personal study room (now book gallery) was where Dr Du Bois worked on the Encyclopedia Africana.


Gallery of Personal Memorabilia
In his bedroom, a personal memorabilia gallery has been created. It mainly contains gowns Dr. William Du Bois wore in his broad academic life. It has the gown he wore on the day of his graduation when he became the first African-American to be awarded a PhD in history and government by Harvard University in 1896. It also has the gown he wore when the University of Ghana conferred a honourary title on him 1963. As a believer in Communism and Socialism as well, a portrait of him and Chairman Mao of China and other gifts he received when he visited China hangs in the gallery. Manuscripts of his various letters to newspapers and human rights activists also can be found in this gallery. Being a founding father of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and an editor of their mouthpiece, The Crisis Magazine, for twenty years, a few copies of former editions in which Du Bois edited can also be found in this bedroom-turned gallery.


The Tomb
I was told by the tour guide at the Centre that Dr. Du Bois was originally laid to rest at the Christianborg Castle but had to be relocated to its present location when the Centre was declared a national monument by the government. Embedded in a hut-like room, the tomb of Dr. Du Bois tells another story on his own.
Every decoration in there has a story to it. The white and black painted ceiling is designed like a web and the tour guide sums it up like this: “We all know the web is attributed to a spider which called Ananse in our local parlance. It is believed that Ananse has solutions to every problem he encounters and that was how DU Bois was seen. He attempted virtually every possible solution to the problem of twentieth-century racism”. Around the grave, also, are stools with specific Adinkra symbols carved in them. Symbols like “Gye Nyame” (Except God), “Nka Bom” (Unity) and the others were seen as the characteristics of Du Bois.
The tome which has been made of terrazzo has a golden sculpture of Du Bois’s face etched at its top. It’s also emblazoned with a paraphernalia of Clark Atlanta University (formerly Atlanta University) where he established the Department of Social Work. A few inches away stand a locally made wood stand. On top of it is the cremated ash of Shirley Graham Du Bois who died in China in 1977.

ROGER FEDERER FOR THE GRAND SLAM THIS YEAR?

He is considered by many sports analysts, current and former players and tennis critics as the greatest player to have played with the racquet. His recent Australian Open win against British Andy Murray made sure he now has 16 ‘Grand Slam’ single titles—more than any other male player.

However, Federer, aged 28, who has won a ‘Career Grand Slam’—winning the four Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in your career—is yet to join Don Budge and Rod Laver as the only men who has won the Grand Slam. The Grand Slam means winning all four Slam tournaments in the same year.

Winning his first Grand Slam singles title against Australian Mark Philippoussis at Wimbledon in 2003, Roger Federer has come close in achieving the Grand Slam three times. These near misses started in 2004. He defeated Russian Marat Safin in the first Slam tournament of the year (the Australian Open). He went on to beat rival Andy Roddick at Wimbledon but lost Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil in the 3rd round at the French Open to shatter the dream though he won the last Slam tournament of the year, the US Open against Lleyton Hewitt.

A defeat of Marcos Baghdatis in four sets meant he won the Australian Open in 2006. The Swiss genius went on to beat his nemesis Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in what will start as fierce rivalry down the years. Spanish Nadal revenged his earlier loss at Wimbledon to Roger at the French Open by winning in four sets. That derailed the Grand Slam train for Federer again. He repeated as the champion again of the US Open by defeating Andy Roddick in the final.

Federer’s last shot at Grand Slam glory was in the 2007 season. He won in straight sets against Chilean Fernando Gonzalez at the Australian Open. He repeated the dose against Nadal again in 2007 Wimbledon final. In a duel that travelled five sets, Federer defeated Nadal: 7–6(7), 4–6, 7–6(3), 2–6, 6–2. On his favourite clay court in Paris, Rafael Nadal got revenge again against Federer in the French Open final. His win against Serbian Novak Djokovic in the US Open didn’t guarantee the Grand Slam success Federer had so much craved for.

The French Open which has been Roger Federer’s bane in his illustrious career was finally won by the 2008 Olympic gold medalist in 2009 against unfancied Swedish Robin Soderling. Federer defeated him in straight sets to achieve the coveted Career Grand Slam feat. Yet the world number one is yet to achieve what Australian Rod Laver last did in 1969—the Grand Slam.

Could this be the year for him to break this 41-year old record and further consolidate his tennis immortality image? It could, but it will be tough! With three more slam tournaments to come up before he achieves that feat, Federer’s impressive win at the Australian Open sets the record in his sights. With his main rival Rafael Nadal struggling with some knee injuries since last year’ s French Open, the path looks clearer now. The other man who has also beaten Federer in Slam final, Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro has a wrist injury.

Having won the next Slam tournament—Wimbledon—six times in the last seven years, and the Us Open at Flushing Meadows in New York five times in the past six years, the French Open will be –as it has always been—Federer’s main bottleneck. However, by breaking the French Open jinx last year and clay court king Nadal’s nagging injuries, this to a large extent certainly looks like the year for Roger Federer to achieve every tennis players dream—winning the Grand Slam.

IS THIS JOSHUA CLOTTEY’S CAREER DEFINING MOMENT?

When Joshua “The Hitter” Clottey mounts the ring on March 13 to fight pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, there wouldn’t be a better opportunity for the orthodox Ghanaian to stake a claim in the boxing world and etch his name in the annals of history, and he knows it!
Though he stands pale in comparison of credentials to the man he replaced, Floyd Mayweather Jr., to fight Pacquiao, Clottey would definitely not just be a pushover for the Filipino legend. As the former IBF (International Boxing Federation) Welterweight Champion, Clottey’s three losses from his impressive thirty-five wins were never via a knockout.
Since losing the WBO Welterweight title in a disputable decision to Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto at the Madison Square Garden in New York in June 2009, Clottey have been off the radar for a while. Therefore it would be a tough challenge if not insurmountable to make your comeback and win against arguably the best boxer in the world now.
It looks impossible. However, Clottey who is credited with his quick jabs and dreadful right-hand punch and also known for his durability looks poised to cause what could be termed as upset of the decade. In a press release from his manager Vinny Scolpino through Top Rank, he said: “Joshua is in great fighting shape right now. He is anxious to get into the ring against Pacquiao.”
As much as Clottey has the credentials to pull an upset, it will be fair and honest, however, to say that Pacquiao would be a mountain too steep for Joshua to climb. The “Pac-Man” doesn’t only stand head over Joshua Clottey in boxing but in shoulders too. What an impressive record he has. He is the first boxer to win seven world titles in seven different weight divisions. He is also the only boxer to defeat a particular opponent in four different weight divisions. He is rated by Ring Magazine as the No.1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. He is also currently the WBO World Welterweight champion and Ring Magazine light welterweight champion.
Most impressive, too, is his defeat of all the big ‘cats’ in the welterweight division. He forced Oscar “the Golden Boy” De La Hoya’s corner to throw in the towel before the ninth round in their December 2008 fight. He disciplined British Ricky Hatton as early as the second round and knocked out former Clottey’s conqueror, Miguel Cotto.
In a bid to downplay the overwhelming favourite title tag hanging on his neck, Manny Pacquiao has been quick to dismiss that Joshua’s fight would come easy. “Clottey is a great fighter”, he emphasized in an interview with local newspaper ‘GMA-7’. He went on further to say how Clottey is stronger and much taller than his last opponent, Cotto.
Many boxing enthusiast believe Joshua Clottey is in this historic bout because of what he will get as a share of the purse, he is reported to be getting over a million dollars, rather than to make a boxing history for himself. It’s not a bad idea, is it? However, I beg to differ! Joshua who is his training camp based in Florida is attaching all the seriousness one can expect to cause an upset. In one of the numerous interviews he has granted the media since the announcement of the fight, he said: “You know this is not an easy fight at all. But you know me, I always come to do my job in the ring, and in the ring I want to make the people happy. I can handle southpaws well and I will beat Pacquiao. I'm ready to shock the world”.
And there wouldn’t be a bigger venue for Joshua to do that. The Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas is an epitome of a sports edifice. Owned by the flamboyant Jerry Jones, the arena has a 100,000 seating capacity. One of the stadiums most significant fan-friendly elements is the world’s largest, and most expensive at $40 millionHD video board, which is 72 feet high and 160 feet wide.
Joseph Agbeko lost his world title. Ghana doesn’t have any world champion. The task looks arduous. However, it can be achieved with determination and zeal. Previous upsets like what James “Buster” Douglas did to Mike Tyson in Tokyo in 1990 and Hassim Rahman over Lennox Lewis in 2001 are there to inspire Clottey. It would be more than welcoming for Joshua Clottey to utilize this opportunity in carving a boxing niche for himself and cementing Ghana’s legacy as the finest boxing nation in Africa.

ANGOLA 2010: THE BATTLE FOR AFRICAN SUPREMACY

Africa’s biennial soccer fiesta is here again. The continent would be the focus of the sporting world this month as sixteen African countries battle each other superiority and for the coveted Orange African Cup of Nations in Angola. It will also serve as a platform for African nations that will be at the World Cup in June to fine-tune their teams.

Since its maiden edition in Sudan in 1957, only seven countries have managed to win the trophy with Egypt leading the pack with six triumphs—two in the last four years. It would, therefore, be interesting to see if the non winners and the perennial underachievers of this tournament would rise up to the occasion and alter the status quo or allow any of the previous winners to add up on their titles.

With Tunisia hosting and winning in 2004, Egypt also doing same in 2006, the Palancras Negras (the Angolan national team) backed by home support ranks among the favourites to win the trophy. An achievement of this feat would be the first official trophy for this nation who qualified for its first FIFA World Cup appearance in Germany in 2006. This ‘dream’, however, might be pushed into the future as they are drawn with power houses, Algeria and Mali. Qualifying for the World Cup at the expense of Nations Cup Champions, Egypt, the ‘Desert Warriors’ of Algeria have reignited the form that made them dominant in the 90’s. Though they missed another World Cup train, the Malians are far from pushovers looking at the talents they have in the likes of Barcelona’s Seydou Keita, Real Madrid’s Mahamadou Diarra, prolific striker Frederic Kanoute and Juventus’s midfielder Mohammed Sissoko.

One of the most confident teams that would be in combat in Angola is the ‘Super Eagles’ of Nigeria. Having made the trip to South Africa 2010 on the last day of the qualifiers, the self-belief and confidence of the Nigerian is at its highest. Ably supported by its vociferous fans, this Kanu Nwankwo led team would be aiming to brush aside all opposition to win the third Nations Cup for Nigeria. This goal would be spurred by their inability to win the tournament for the past sixteen years.

Despite their lack of success in this competition over the last decade, Cote D’Ivoire or Les Elephant as the team is known is now arguably the finest team on the African continent. Narrowly losing to hosts Egypt on penalties in the finals four years ago, the men from looks poised to go one step further this time. Also importantly, the Elephants would like to use the Nations Cup as an opportunity to display its firepower as it has been drawn in a group comprising of the likes of Brazil and Portugal in the World Cup. With Didier Drogba marshalling the attack, Yaya Toure creating in midfield and Manchester City’s Captain Kolo Toure shoring up the defence, the Ivory Coast has been tipped by many pundits to win their second African Nations Cup in Angola.

Another nation that also looks set to reaffirm its soccer prowess in Africa is the ‘Indomitable Lions’ of Cameroun. Finalists two years ago in Ghana, Cameroun would be one the teams to beat at the tournament. Making their first appearance at the Nations Cup in 1970, it has been one of the domineering forces of this tournament with its four triumphs. Also with veterans like Rigobert Song and Samuel Eto’o still playing, they boast of a vast knowledge of experience to transfer to young stars like Alexandre Song of Arsenal, Stephan Mbia and Bennoit Assou-Ekotto of Tottenham Hotspurs.

The Black Stars of Ghana are also expected to make a push for their fifth Nations Cup glory in Angola though having a relatively young team. Coach Milovan Rajevac’s team would be without skipper Stephen Appiah, Laryea Kinston and Sulley Muntari, but the experience of John Mensah, John Paintsil and Eric Addo can be blended with the youthful zeal of Andre Ayew, Dominic Adiyiah and the likes to achieve glory. The ‘Carthage Eagles’ of Tunisia would also try to wipe the tears of its supporters after losing out on the World Cup on the final day of qualifiers by winning the Nations Cup.

Coach Hassan Shehata would be chasing history in Angola to make it an enviable three consecutive triumphs. Though that looked farfetched on paper, no team plays the African game better than the ‘Pharaohs’. With chunk of the Egyptian squad playing in their national league, their cohesion and similar play style is unparalleled on the continent.

Usual of any tournament, the underdogs are there inevitably to cause upsets. This task falls on countries like Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin, Zambia, Gabon and Mozambique. Any of these countries would be out there to prove a point in order to make the finals in Luanda and perhaps win the trophy. It hasn’t happened in a very long—when an underdog wins the Nations Cup—but there is a first time for everything.

Looking at the various talented African footballers in all the major leagues in Europe, this month long football festival in Angola would be not short of spectacular and excitement as all the best African talents would be on display. Also it would reveal which country out of the six African countries that will represent the continent at the World Cup that will have the bragging rights of being the African Champions going into the first ‘African’ World Cup.