Time with Koo Ntakra

GhanaTalksRadio

Koo Ntakra discusses anything and everything relating to Ghanaian culture. He also brings guest on the show to discuss various topics.

  1. 2d ago

    Ghanaian local foods and medicine

    Ghanaian local foods are medicine themselves. Our grandmothers knew this before doctors. Here are the powerful ones: 1. LOCAL FOODS THAT ARE MEDICINE *Kontomire (Cocoyam leaves) + Agushie* - Full of iron, good for blood, anaemia. Best for pregnant women and people who feel dizzy. *Waakye leaves (Waakye)* - The leaves used to cook waakye help blood pressure and stomach. *Prekese (Aidan fruit)* - Boil and drink. Good for diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, and after delivery for women. *Dawadawa (Locust bean)* - Very good for blood pressure, eyes, and digestion. Better than Maggi cube. *Nkontomire / Garden Eggs + Okro* - Okro soup: Good for diabetes, stomach ulcer, and men. It cools the stomach. - Garden eggs: Good for weight loss and sugar. *Ginger, Garlic, Turmeric (Nganga)* - Ginger tea: Cold, cough, pain, nausea - Garlic: Blood pressure, cholesterol, infection - Turmeric: Joint pain, inflammation *Sobolo (Hibiscus)* - Lowers blood pressure, good for heart, full of Vitamin C. Don't add too much sugar. *Palm Nut Soup / Groundnut Soup* - Palm nut has Vitamin A for eyes. Groundnut has protein for body building. 2. LOCAL MEDICINES (Herbal) *Neem leaves (Nim tree)* - Boil and bath: Malaria, skin rashes, fever. Very bitter but works. *Moringa (Moringa leaves)* - Called "miracle tree". Full of vitamins, iron, calcium. Good for diabetes, blood pressure, tiredness. *Aloe Vera* - Rub on skin for burns, rashes, pimples. Drink small for constipation. *Scent Leaf (Nunum)* - For stomach pain, cold, cough. Chew or boil as tea. *Bitter Leaf (Awonyono)* - For diabetes, stomach, fever. Very bitter. * prekese + Ginger + Garlic* - People boil together for "detox" *Warning:* Don't mix herbal medicine with hospital medicine without telling doctor. And don't take too much prekese if you are pregnant - ask nurse first. Which sickness are you trying to treat? Tell me, I will tell you the exact Ghana food / leaf for it.

  2. 5d ago

    Intellectual Property

    Intellectual Property (IP) = Things you create with your BRAIN that the law says belong to YOU. Nobody can steal or copy them without your permission. Just like you own land, you own your ideas. *4 Main Types:* *1. Copyright ©* For creative work. - Songs, books, movies, photos, poems, sermons - Example: If Shatta Wale writes a song, nobody can copy it and sell it *2. Trademark ™* For brand name / logo. - Example: MTN yellow logo, "Koko" bread, "Verna" water name - Nobody else can use your brand name to sell same product *3. Patent* For invention / new machine. - Example: Someone invents a new solar cooker, or a new medicine. For 20 years, only they can make it *4. Trade Secret* Secret recipe / method you don't tell anyone. - Example: Coca-Cola secret recipe, KFC secret spices, your grandmother's sobolo recipe if you sell it *In Ghana:* It's handled by Ghana Copyright Office and Registrar General's Department. Why it matters for you: If you create a song, a business name, a design, a book - register it. If you don't, someone else can steal it and claim it. Are you trying to protect something? A song, business name, or invention?

  3. Nov 2

    How some names where generated

    *1. GHANAIAN WAY (Meaning-Based)* We don't just give names for sound. Every name has a story. - Day-born: Kofi (Friday), Akua (Wednesday), Kwame, Abena - Circumstance: Nyameye (God has done), Nhyira (Blessing), Adom (Grace), Nkunim (Victory) - Order: Piesie (first born), Manu (second), Anane (fourth), etc. - Family: Naming after grandfather/grandmother to keep family alive *2. BIBLICAL / RELIGIOUS WAY* - Names from what parent was going through: Isaac = Laughter, Moses = Drawn from water - Or attribute of God: Emmanuel = God with us *3. WHITE MAN / ENGLISH WAY* - Job names: Smith (blacksmith), Baker, Farmer - Location: Hill, Wood, Rivers - Father's name: Johnson = John's son, Jackson = Jack's son *4. NOW - HOW BRANDS & COMPANIES GENERATE NAMES (Like Google, Spotify)* They use 3 tricks: - AI Generators: Put keywords like "gospel + Ghana" into http://namelix.com, it gives you GospelNation, Gospely - Mash two words: Facebook = Face + Book, Instagram = Instant + Telegram - Make it up: Kodak, Xerox - means nothing but easy to pronounce *The old human formula for generating a name is:* *Noun + Verb + Story = Name* Example: Your child born after suffering -> you call him Nyame Aye (God has done)

  4. Oct 23

    The gospel industry

    1. THE ROOTS (Pre-1970s) - Indigenous Before "gospel music" existed, we had: - Church hymns from Basel/Methodist missionaries (in Ewe, Twi, Ga) - Spirituals and local folk: Wonye Kro-ron (The Harmonious Chorale type) - Groups sang acapella with hand-clapping, no instruments. *2. THE BIRTH (1970s - 1980s) - The SU Effect* - Scripture Union (SU) and singing bands in Methodist/Catholic schools started composing their own choruses - Rev. Yawson, Dr. Mary Ghansah, Rev. Teiko Dagadu were first to put gospel on vinyl - Music was called "Christian Music" - recorded in church with one microphone *3. THE EXPLOSION (1990s - Early 2000s) - The Cassette Era* This is when Ghana gospel became an INDUSTRY: - Daughters of Glorious Jesus (1989) - 3 sisters, first to make gospel commercial - Tagoe Sisters, The McAbrahams, Helena Rhabbles, Stella Dugan, Soul Winners - Why it blew? Flora & Kodu Studio, massive church crusades (Archbishop Duncan-Williams, Otabil), and market women selling cassettes at Makola/Kaneshie - Musicians like Esther Smith (_Gye No Di_) sold 1 million+ cassettes *4. THE GOLDEN AGE (2000-2015) - TV & Awards* - TV3 Mentor and Charterhouse brought gospel to TV - Ohemaa Mercy won Gospel Artiste of the Year 4 times - No Tribe - Joe Mettle, Cwesi Oteng, Sonnie Badu, Diana Antwi Hamilton, Cecilia Marfo - brought contemporary worship (English + Twi) - Joe Mettle in 2017 became first gospel artiste to win VGMA Artiste of the Year overall - history changed *5. NOW (2015-2026) - Digital Era* - Producer era: Nacee is the kingmaker. He produces 70% of hit gospel songs (_Aseda, Waye Me Yie, Mo_). He redefined sound: African drums + polished vocals + highlife groove - YouTube/Streaming era: Perez Musik's Hewale Lala got 10M views, Diana Hamilton UK-Ghana connection - Two sides: - Traditional Gospel: Piesie Esther, Diana Hamilton, Empress Gifty - Urban Gospel: Scott Evans, KobbySalm - trap drums, gospel message for TikTok youth *Timeline in one line:* Missionary Hymn (1920) -> SU Chorus (1970) -> Cassette Queens (1990) -> TV Gospel Stars (2005) -> YouTube Gospel (Now) Gospel is the only genre in Ghana that never dies, because every Sunday, there is a market for it. Do you want the history of a specific artiste like Ohemaa Mercy or Joe Mettle?

  5. Oct 19

    Stages of life

    Human life has 8 main stages. We all pass through them: *1. INFANCY (0-2 years)* - Baby. Can't talk, walk, eat alone. Totally depends on mother. Learning to trust. *2. EARLY CHILDHOOD (3-5 years)* - Pre-school. Playing, asking "why why why", learning to talk, toilet, share toys. Egocentric. *3. CHILDHOOD (6-12 years)* - Primary/JHS. School, friends, learning reading, writing. Want to be good and be praised. *4. ADOLESCENCE (13-19 years)* - Teenage. Puberty, body changes, mood swings, crushes, wants independence, peer pressure, identity crisis: "Who am I?" *5. YOUNG ADULTHOOD (20-35 years)* - SHS/Uni, first job, first love, heartbreak, hustling, building life, marriage, children start. Most stressful. *6. MIDDLE ADULTHOOD (36-55 years)* - Established. Career peak, raising kids, paying school fees, building house, responsibilities. Some get mid-life crisis. *7. LATE ADULTHOOD (56-70 years)* - Grandpa/Grandma stage. Children grown, retirement, menopause, health issues start, advising younger ones. *8. OLD AGE (70+ years)* - Elderly. Body weak, memory fades, depends on others again like baby. Reflecting on life: "Did I live well?" *Simple summary:* Baby -> Child -> Teenager -> Youth -> Adult -> Old man/woman It's a circle: You start helpless, you end helpless. Which stage are you in now and what are you struggling with?

  6. Oct 12

    Black supremacy

    BLACK SUPREMACY The belief that Black people are superior to other races and should dominate society. It's the mirror concept to white supremacy, but applied to Black race. It's important to separate it from: - Black Pride / Black Consciousness: "Black is beautiful, we have value" - This is about self-love, not hating others. - Black Nationalism: Marcus Garvey, "We need our own nation/economy to protect ourselves" - about self-determination. - Black Supremacy: "Black race is biologically/culturally superior and should rule over others." *Where it has appeared historically:* - Small fringe groups in US in 1960s-70s, like some factions of Nation of Islam under early teachings, or the Black Panther offshoots like the New Black Panther Party (not the original Panthers). Southern Poverty Law Center lists some of these as hate groups. - In academic form, sometimes associated with Melanin Theory - discredited idea that melanin gives superior abilities. *Why most Pan-African scholars reject it:* - Kwame Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X (later), Mandela, Du Bois all argued for equality and self-determination, not superiority. - Nkrumah's Pan-Africanism: "Africa must unite and control its resources" - not "Africans must rule others." - Majority of Black liberation thought is: "We want to be free from domination, not to dominate others." *Difference in power discussion:* Some sociologists argue that because Black people as a group have not held systemic global power like European colonialism, Black supremacy has never had the same institutional impact as white supremacy. Others argue supremacist ideology is wrong regardless of who holds power, because it judges people by race. *Today:* The term is mostly used in 3 ways: 1. By watchdog groups to label fringe extremist groups 2. By political commentators to criticize rhetoric they see as anti-white 3. By some on social media as provocative statement, not organized ideology You asking from history exam, or from something you saw online?

  7. Oct 9

    Fame,money and lifestyle

    *FAME, MONEY & LIFES *FAME:* - Good: Opens doors, respect, free things - Bad: You lose privacy. Everybody watches you, judges you. One mistake, Ghana Twitter will finish you. You can't even go buy waakye freely for Amasaman without someone filming. Many Ghanaian artistes are famous but BROKE. Fame ≠ money. *MONEY:* - Good: Freedom. You fit take care of family, no stress for rent. - Bad: If you get money without discipline, it finishes fast. Ghana, money brings fake friends and family pressure. "Send MoMo" everyday. The formula: Don't chase money, chase VALUE. When you are valuable (skill, product, service), money follows. *LIFESTYLE:* The Instagram lifestyle you see? 70% is packaging. - People rent Benz for photoshoot - Live in rented apartment but wear designer - Post Dubai today, but struggling to pay rent tomorrow *Real rich lifestyle:* - Quiet - No noise - Invests first, enjoys later - Health, peace of mind, family *Triangle that works:* 1. Fame without Money = Frustration (Popular but begging) 2. Money without Fame = Peace (Best one - silent millionaire) 3. Money + Fame + Discipline = Legacy (Like Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, etc) *My advice for you:* Stop chasing to LOOK rich. Start chasing to BE rich: - Learn one high-income skill (coding, real estate, trading, videography, farming) - Save 30% of everything you get - Build slowly. Amasaman boy can make it without showing off. You want to be famous or you want to be rich? Both need different strategy. Tell me which one, I go map am for you.

  8. Oct 5

    Land disputes in Ghana

    LAND DISPUTES IN GHANA  *Scale:* Over 60% of court cases in Ghana are land cases. Lands Commission says 80% of land in Ghana is unregistered. *Root Causes:* *1. Tenure System Confusion* - 80% stool/skin/family owned - 20% state owned - No clear boundary between stool and family = chief and family head both selling *2. No Central Database* Until 2020, we had paper records. One person can get indenture from Gbawe, go and register different name at Kaneshie. System not linked. *3. Urbanization Pressure* Accra land value increased 1,000% in 10 years. So chiefs who sold land in 2005 for GH¢1,000 now claim sale was invalid and resell for GH¢80,000. *4. Weak Enforcement* Land Act 2020 (Act 1036) bans land guards, says jail 5-15 years. But police rarely enforce. *Most Affected Areas (GA):* Amasaman, Pokuase, Kwabenya, Katamanso, Oyarifa (your area!), East Legon Hills, Dodowa, Kasoa. *Solutions Ghana Is Trying:* - Land Act 2020, Act 1036 - All land sales must be in writing, witnessed by Lands Commission - Customary Land Secretariats - 70+ offices in chief palaces to record sales - Digitization - http://ghana.gov.gh land search now *What to do if you want to buy land today:* 1. Search at Lands Commission 2. Search at District Assembly (is it road reserve?) 3. Do site inspection with 2 different elders from community 4. Get 3 signatures: Vendor, Chief/Queenmother, Family Head 5. Register within 1 month Need sample indenture? Or cost breakdown for plot registration?

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About

Koo Ntakra discusses anything and everything relating to Ghanaian culture. He also brings guest on the show to discuss various topics.

Information

  • Creator
    GhanaTalksRadio
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    267
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Time with Koo Ntakra