YOU ARE MAGNIFICENT AND NOBLE(why you need self-esteem)

    

Through life we ask ourselves mind searching questions. This may be due to one or two mistakes, or what we perceive as a shortcoming. How many times do we ask these questions? How worthy am I? Am I doing enough to succeed? Will I even succeed in life? Can I handle this new job? Am I ready to pass this exam?

We all battle with the idea we are not good enough in life. How fast we are to point out a certain perceived defect and that becomes our excuse. We spend quality time in thoughts of goodwill channeled towards us, yet we perceive our suppose inabilities strongly at the same time. The elements or vibrations created during your thoughts of goodness and success surely come in conflict with low self-esteem.  These conflicts halt every march to success because we failed to take the next step out of our own making. Self-esteem is needed for a healthy, energy-filled and prosperous life. One becomes filled with more energy, wisdom and self knowledge when there is self-esteem. Not only this, the listed qualities are not dormant but actively propel the individual who exhibit self-esteem.

 

I read somewhere that psychologists have proved that attractive people succeed and are likely to occupy top professions in the world. People are drawn to these attractive people both consciously and otherwise. This is a scientific fact but the problem is the definition of attractive. When I write of attractiveness I don’t mean physical beauty. To better understand let’s look at the following analogy; would you choose to become friends with a successful businessperson with business outlets in five different countries who may not be that physically endowed?  Or become friends with a beautiful person with no direction in life? Attractiveness surpasses physical beauty. Doctors, lawyers, successful business persons, sports men and women, geneticists and other successful endeavors are seen to be attractive. Self-esteem which draws breath from being attractive is all about packaging and the worth one is able to offer. The above individuals draw people towards them because they have found a reason to increase their self-esteem.

 No two humans are the same. Each of us is unique and filled with a set of awesome qualities. I have met people who say they posses no talents. Well, the good news is that all of us have special abilities and talents whether we want it or not. There is something each of us has that the world need but many are yet to search within to find who they are truly. As much as we all have wonderful talents so do we have shortcomings too. The person you envy is just like you. You see his talents but have failed to see his shortcomings while you see your own shortcomings but turned blind eye to your own abilities and talents. We are similar in making but differ in what we bring to the table. Our talents and abilities are meant to fill a void or longings thus we can rightfully say we live a complementary life. A poor talker is a good listener, while the fast and loud talker makes life easy going. A quiet individual shows sympathy and encourages while the party type removes moody atmosphere. Now we can strongly proclaim the usability and importance of each one cannot be over emphasized. When you hide yourself because you think life cheated you, look again and you will find a niche life wants you to fill. We all are important in the scheme of life. When we embrace our uniqueness it become easier for us to turn up our worth and self-esteem.

Once a person enhances self-esteem, the individual must feel on top of the world and confident. We become attracted to such individual. Self-esteem allows us to approach problems without fear knowing we can succeed if we try. Most times we visualize outsiders as capable of solving our problems. We see the next man having the so called needed abilities to solve our problems. Because we look outside for that savior we fail to stimulate self to find ideas. When we believe in ourselves and truly look inwards, ideas and confidence will not only surface but spurn us into action. Only when we trust and believe in ourselves that we can be able to help others. It seems easier to trust in a being or an outsider as religious institutions have caused us to. This is now the time to have faith in our selves.

When we show great faith in ourselves, telling self how great you are, it is natural that the greatness we profess becomes real as we begin to have ideas, confidence and the ability to see problems from different perspective. This increases our chances of surmounting them as we no longer count ourselves failures or unworthy. YOU ARE WHAT YOU MAKE YOURSELF

SCHOOL STRENGTH(a note on introduction to amphibian. For secondary schools)

•  Amphibians are organism with the ability to inhabit both  terrestrial and aquatic habitat. We can say they are able to live on land and in water.

• They are vertebrates.

• Amphibians evolved from lobed- fin fish.

                                                                                           

• The Amphibians belong to the class Amphibia.
• They evolved certain mechanisms and structures that allowed them to live on land and also in water. Let us look at some of these innovations that allowed for their survival on both habitats.

   ü  The developed legs to support their weight on land and also allow for movement. They are the first vertebrates to walk on land. Is that not cool?

  ü  They developed lungs which allowed them to exchange gases on land. Wow! This is the most important adaptation since amphibians no more needs dissolved oxygen to respire.                                                                                                  


     ü Amphibians developed a better heart, a three  chambered heart (ventricle and two atria).  They can now  pump that oxygen and nutrient to cells on record time!   Hippeee!!!

ü  The young ones are known as tadpoles and resemble a fish. The tadpoles have two chambered heart just like a fish and gaseous exchange is through gills.

ü  Amphibians can do without water too, they lay their eggs on water to avoid drying out. Oh watch out! The eggs are not tasty because of the sticky unpalatable liquid covering the eggs.

ü  They exhibit external fertilization. Males shed their sperm on the eggs immediately they are released.

ü  Most Amphibians undergo metamorphosis (life cycle). First the egg is led then it hatches releasing the larvae(tadpole), finally the tadpole undergoes different stages of development to become an adult

   ü  Most amphibians can breathe through their skin. They are super! Super! Organisms        And unique to be able to do that. This type of respiration is known as cutaneous respiration            

·                                           Amphibians are classified into three orders;

1.       The Anura (meaning ‘WITHOUT A TAIL’): this includes the frog and toads. There are 22 families and 3680 species of amphibians in this order. Wow! Isn’t that much specie?

2.         The Urodela (meaning ‘VISIBLE TAIL’): the salamanders are found here. There are about 369 species of amphibians in 6 families found here.

3.        The Apoda (meaning ‘WITHOUT LEG’): The amphibians in this order are usually found in the tropics. They might just be nearer than you think if you are living in the tropics. There are 6 families and 168 species in this order.

                            Scientific Classification of the African Dwarf Frog

 

Kingdom:  Animalia

Phylum:    chordate

Class:        Amphibia   chordata   oof the tadpole undergoes different stages of development to become ann

Order:        Anura

Family:       pipidae

Genus:      Hymenochirus Species:     boettgeri ,    boulengeri

THE ASANTE EMPIRE

                                                                                

The Asante Kingdom is one well known all over Africa.  In the seventeenth century the Oyoka clan moved from Pra-Ofin basin towards the north. This migrating group settled near Kumasi in the Kwaman forest. They met the land around this area already occupied by earlier migrants from the Pra ofin confluence. The Oyoka linage established five city-states including what is today Kumasi. Kumasi was founded around 1660’s and 1670’s by Obiri Yeboa according to oral tradition.

The Asante Empire began a quick and steady rise due to some reasons. The first was the establishment of small Asante states within the Kumasi area. Another reason was the flourishing slave trade and the good cooperation between the small states. The last reason is the audacity, brilliancy, resilience, martial ardor and leadership skills exhibited by the first three great rulers of the Asante empire- Obiri Yeboa, Osei Tutu and Okpoku Ware. These great leaders ruled between 1660’s to 1750’s.

The cooperation among these states did not remove rivalry though each flourished on trans-Saharan trade, however only five states among these small states stood tall among the others. They were said to be clansmen and each among the five states looked after the other.

First we must look critically on the major factors that got the Asante Empire to the zenith. There were two major trade routes that passed through the Asante area. The western trade route from Timbuktu, Jenne and Begho, and the eastern route from Hausaland met in the Kumasi region and turned towards the coast in several directions. We must also note that the forests of Kwaman region was rich in gold and kola nuts and these were vital products of commerce. These products provided not only a lucrative trade but also wealth to the area. It will be worthwhile to point out that the rise of the Asante Empire was due to the available products of commerce and her strategic location. Another important factor to note is the togetherness fostered by these states, this was brought about in part by the oppression of the superior power of Denkyira at that time.

 These small states prior to the establishment of the Asante power were tributaries of Denkyira between 1650 and 1660. The rule of the Denkyira was one of oppression for her vassal states. The kingdom also obstructed the route to the coast severing direct trade between the states and the outside world. These factors necessitated the need to overthrow the kingdom of Denkyira. 

Around 1670’s, the first great ruler of the Asante came to power. Obiri Yeboa perfected the foundation that led to the birth of the true union of Asante. He led campaigns to conquer surrounding states that rejected the offer of a united Asante state. The great ruler was killed in battle around late 1670’s.

Osei Tutu came to power came to power probably around 1680. He was an astounding diplomat, administrator and a fearless warrior than his uncle Obiri Yeboa. He was the maternal nephew of Obiri Yeboa and this proved that succession to the throne was through maternal linage among the Akans of ancient Ghana. According to tradition Osei Tutu lived for a time in Denkyiri he acquired knowledge on military organization and statecraft. He also spent some years in the Akwamu region, and it was here he became the friend of Okomfo Anokye, a priest. Anokye played a vital role in the establishment of the Asante union. Osei Tutu persuaded the priest to come with him to Kumasi after the death of his uncle.

Coming to power Osei Tutu called on his friend Okomfo Anokye for advice. Both decided to call together the whole neighboring states in Kumasi loyal to the Okoyoko clan. The crafty friends knew they needed something strong to glue together these states as one, and in a lasting manner. The two friends found such glue in the now famous sacrosanct Golden Stool. Tradition said the priest Anokye brought down the golden stool from the sky amidst clouds and thunder. He then proceeded to announce that the stool is the soul of the united Asante Empire. The Golden stool was never to be lost and the lineage of Osei Tutu was forever the custodian of the stool and sole rulers of the Asante union. We should also note that the stool descent may not be taking as a physical occurrence. This may also represent the coming of a kingship never known to the people of the Kumasi region, thus it is said to come from the sky. But the important thing is the unity created by the new kingship Osei Tutu and his friend formed. 

Osei Tutu completed the uniting process his uncle began. He also drew up a constitution for the new empire and this was based on the allegiance of the subordinate chiefs who took a sacred oath to carry out all political ambitions of the king. He reorganized the empire’s army and continued the expansion of the empire. The constitution introduced by Osei was based on the already established Akan practices. The constitution was modeled to strip the subordinate chief the ability to rebel thus minimizing internal conflicts.

Osei Tutu fashioned his military like that of Akwamu. There were four divisions of the army known as lieutenancies; the van, the rear, the right and the left wing. Military service was compulsory for every able-bodied man.  The army was structured in a way troops are easily mobilized and funds are quickly generated through immediate taxes. With this well formed military he waged wars against neighboring states with ferocity and brilliance. Example of such wars was with the like waged against Tafo, Amakom and Ofinso, all neighboring states. Tafo and Amakom fell to the invading Asante army becoming part of the empire while Ofinso held out against the Asante troops. Between 1699 and 1701, Osei Tutu turned his army towards their lords the Denkyira and her allies. Denkyira was defeated and she became a tributary to Asante. The Asante soldiers carried away lots of war booties and the very valuable rental note for the castle at Elmina. This castle gave Osei Tutu the right to control an important trade route to the coast. The rise of this empire caused European traders to send representatives to the court of Osei TuTu. The Dutch sent an ambassador to the court in 1701.

It was now the turn of the allies of Denkyira who still refused to accept the lordship of Asante. Osei tutu sent his army towards these allies among which Akim was the strongest. Though at this time the Akim kingdom was depleted in soldiers, she lost about thirty thousand men during her support of Denkyira against Osei Tutu. Akim was annexed by Asante in the early 1700.

Osei Tutu faced the problem of rightly integration of these new conquered states into the empire. He was unable to effectively manage the now large empire.  Akim remain a thorn in the flesh of Osei Tutu. They revolted time after time and each time they were defeated. It was during an expedition to suppress the Akim rebellion that Osei Tutu was killed in 1712 while crossing the Pra river with his troops.

His death gave rise to the great oath. At this time the Empire was already a mighty one and strongly united by the Asante golden stool.