Object of Desire: Ashanti Stool By Spode

Price: POA  / For more info Visit: www.soane.co.uk
 

More Info:

England, circa 1900

A decorative stool composed of Spode stone china, stamped to

the underside 'Copeland / Spode's Tower / England' and

depicting the 'Spode's Tower' design originally introduced in

1814.

 

The stool is inspired by the traditional seating of the Ashanti

tribe of Ghana, in commemoration of their suppression by the

British in 1900. The Ashanti uprising was triggered by the

British Governor of Ghana Sir Frederick Hodgson, who

demanded the right to sit on the sacred 'Golden Stool'; a

religious symbol central to the Ashantis beliefs and power

structure, permitted to be touched only by an elite inner circle.

The stool is illustrated in Spode's catalogue of Flower Pots and

Garden Seats.

 

Dimensions

   

570 mm wide x 455 mm high x 290 mm deep

21 in. wide x 18 in. high x 11.5 in. deep

50


******RE: Copeland "Spode's Tower" Pottery Ashanti-style stool.

Mother's Day / My Day.....................

Paulina says: I've been out of sorts-lately. The thing is..... its very easy to get ...well, a bit out-of-sorts when you're doing lovely things from your heart and one or two, who shall remind nameless -belittle it... I guess they simply haven't evolved beyond themselves ---yet.

Two and a half years ago, all hell broke loose in my life and I was crashed but I learnt, and continue to learn some very valuable lessons.

One of the biggest lessons I learnt about myself, was that, even when my dreams came crashing down, I was still able to pick myself up by God's glorious grace, get back onto the computer, and celebrate other peoples dreams and businesses.....and I like me.....very much for that.

I think that my problems has been that because somewhere along the way I got damaged, that --I felt I had something prove (to at least two people in my life), but now I'm free --and I don't feel that way -Amen.

I also feel that I was mis-educated along the way, and now I'm learning that what I perceived to be the small things in life --are truly the BIGGEST and BEST things in life --and I'm thankful and grateful for them.

Anywayssssssssss I just wanted to tell you how much I needed Mother's Day -today!!!!

I love my son sooooooo much. After God he is my everything. We cooked together today, and he made me this delicious fruit salad..

I hope your Mother's Day was everything you wanted it to be.

Lots of Love

Paulina xxx

"Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others." H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

 

Ghana Rising Hearts T-Michael

T-Michael and business partner Alexander Helle......

　

"True, unadulterated beauty and craftsmanship goes into each of T-Michael's pieces. Details, quality, tradition and style are few of the words that come to mind. Furthering the art and heritage of artisanal techniques of the past and redefining ready to wear styling of today's zeitgeist. T-Michael also dabbles in films and has from his creative film lab written, co directed, produced and art directed 3 films." Norwegian Rain

 

T-Michael and TinieTempah in Norwegian Rain

 

　

Sneak Preview: Handmade soles made of milk, titanium tanned leather, hidden inner galosh... Welcome the waterproof leather shoe project!! AW14." Norwegian Rain
Paulina says: How fabulous are these boots -a must for A/W 2014 me thinks....

　

Paulina says: I've had the biggest crush on bespoke tailor / fashion designer / style icon, T-Michael for some time and up until a couple of days ago had no idea what he was called. Anywaysssss, like a growing number of yousssssssssss, I'd seen numerous photos of this stylish cat dressed to kill all over the place -and was moved to find out more.... So can you imagine my happy surprise when I found out not only his name --but that he was Ghanaian...... -still I'm not surprised, I've always known Ghanaian men are the best dressed men on planet Earth.

T-Michael it transpires is the fabulous designer behind the hottest label right now -Norwegian Rain, and has become of late -the darling of the fashion red carpet and a heartthrob for many women like me.....

For more info about T-Michael visit: http://www.t-michael.com/
http://norwegianrain.com/
https://www.facebook.com/NorwegianRain
https://twitter.com/tmichael_bergen

https://www.facebook.com/pages/T-Michael/298584389742

http://instagram.com/tmichael_bergen   

Education for Girls: Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in Ghana................

Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden with Swedish Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling with other distinguished guests  (Photo Credit: Papa Kwabena Opoku)

Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, together with Swedish Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling, arrived at the Achievers Book Club centre at Maamobi (a suburb of Accra in Ghana) to visit and witness the girls and the Tech Needs Girls team in action. She arrived in Ghana as part of a promotional trip. For many of the young girls, and the team, this was more than just a visit. It was a fulfillment of a dream right before their very eyes.




Princess Victoria of Sweden with Swedish Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling 
(Photo Credit: Papa Kwabena Opoku)

It was amazing to see the down to earth Princess interact with the girls. She gave them such encouraging words as she asked what their dreams were. She edged the girls to pursue them, and not to give up doing so. She was pleased with, and congratulated the efforts the Tech Needs Girls team are making.


To read the rest of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Swedish Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling trip to Ghana visit: http://leversinheels.tumblr.com/post/79961465696/once-upon-a-time-in-maamobi
 

High-Life/ Banking: Ghana to triple the number of people using debit Cards.....

Title: Ghana rolls out plan to grow usage of debit cards
Dated: March 19 2014


ACCRA — Ghana will introduce devices that will triple the number of people who can use debit cards to pay for purchases to draw more business through banks in West Africa’s second-largest economy.

About 2.3-million people would be able to swipe their local debit or e-zwich card on 2,500 point of sale devices in Accra by May, said Archie Hesse, CEO of state-owned Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems. Currently, customers can only use them to withdraw money from the issuer’s automated teller machines (ATMs).

The 1-million Visa cards issued by 14 banks including Barclays Bank and Standard Bank can be used to withdraw money from any ATM and pay for purchases through about 400 devices at mostly hotels and restaurants. The government was in talks with Visa and MasterCard to include those cards on the new machines, Mr Hesse said.

"Use of cards will let funds reside in the bank other than under people’s pillows, in their pockets or wallets," Mr Hesse said last week. "Banks can lend these funds to businesses to expand operations and the government can borrow to invest in projects."

Ghana wants to lure more people to banks to promote lending and saving in a country where less than 10% of its 26-million citizens have access to banking services. Increased debit card usage would draw more cash through banks, boosting gross domestic product and providing more data for policy makers, Mr Hesse said.

Thirteen of the nation’s 27 banks issued their own local cards to customers, Mr Hesse said. Local banks including Ghana Commercial Bank have issued about 1.5-million cards that can only be used at the issuer’s ATMs.

About 800,000 people have e-zwich smart cards that can be filled with cash to make purchases. Customers do not need bank accounts to load money onto e-zwich.

The clearinghouse will hand out another 2,500 devices outside the capital by the end of the year. Ghana needed 60,000 to 70,000 machines to enable cards to be used as a primary means of payment throughout the country, Mr Hesse said. MasterCard users would be able to make payments through the new devices by the end of July. There were about 5,000 MasterCard customers.

Mr Hesse said t he government was negotiating a similar agreement with Visa. Cards "would save the nation millions of dollars spent in printing new currency and help to provide data for policy making".


Source: http://www.bdlive.co.za/africa/africannews/2014/03/19/ghana-rolls-out-plan-to-grow-usage-of-debit-cards

Ghana Ambassador to Japan was hoodwinked

 

 

Title: Ghana Ambassador to Japan was hoodwinked

Dated: Monday 24th March , 2014

 

Emerging details suggest that Ambassador Edmond Kofi Agbenutse Deh, Ghana’s envoy to Japan, was deceived into signing documents unknowingly, letting out part of a property belonging to the mission to a gang of Japanese gamblers.

The envoy is said to have believed the story of the gamblers when they told him that they were engaged in an NGO activity, something which according to them, previous envoys did not object to.
Tokyo Police are reported to have asked Ambassador Deh to consent to questioning over an illegal casino at his official residence, waiving his diplomatic immunity.

This new development may lead to the recall of the Ambassador.
The gamblers’ goal, DAILY GUIDE learnt, was to operate under the cover of the diplomatic immunity the mission’s property provided, concealing thereby their illegality.

Unfortunately, that was not to be as Tokyo law enforcement officers descended upon them, taking them into custody and confiscating two baccarats gambling platforms, 12 million yen ($ 118,164) in cash, according to a local broadcaster.

 

The NGO they claimed to be operating was particularly helpful to Ghana, given the supportive role it is playing in the drilling of boreholes – something the envoy was unable to authenticate before agreeing to append his signature to an agreement.

Ambassador Deh, totally convinced, quickly signed the accompanying tenancy agreement to let out the place to be used ostensibly as an NGO office.

It was amazing, though, how easy it was for the Tokyo crooks to hoodwink the Ghanaian envoy, considering the fact that there was no evidence of the activities the gamblers claimed to have been rendering Ghana in the area of borehole drilling.

Worsening the situation was the fact that communication ceased following the signing of the deal, letting out the office space to the gamblers.

The cat was only let out of the bag when the Tokyo cops descended on the gamblers as the news kept spreading throughout local news networks and beyond like wildfire and causing massive diplomatic embarrassment to the Ghanaian mission in Tokyo.

It would be recalled that Tokyo Metropolitan Police announced early this month about a raid they under took in a casino in the Shibuya entertainment area of the sprawling city, for operating an illegality in a premises belonging to the Ghanaian mission in Japan.

Even as they claimed to be linked to the Ghanaian Embassy, some of the Japanese casino operators expressed surprise that such a raid could take place, the diplomatic immunity they expected to enjoy, notwithstanding.

Although the Foreign Affairs Minister, Hannah Tetteh, was not available for comment when the news about the raid broke out, the details emerging from Tokyo fully covered what transpired.

She however, posted on her facebook wall that investigations had commenced over the illegal act.

Japanese investigators had earlier stated that a rental contract to the tune of a monthly payment of 500,000 Yen or $4,923.50 was entered into, using the name of the previous Ghanaian envoy to Japan, Dr. William Mensah Brandful’s document which was signed at the ambassador’s residence.

In March of last year the details on the contract were altered to that of the current envoy, Edmond Kofi Agbenutse Deh. Source: Daily Guide

Source: http://www.citifmonline.com/?p=8171