the adams building

7/25/2019 THE ADAMS BUILDING

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THE ADAMS BUILDINGa journal by Jrg Hillebrand


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THE ADAMS BUILDING

THE GARDEN CITY TRILOGY


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THE ADAMS BUILDING: NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND

Kumasi 2014 aka the GARDEN CITY is a rapidly growing city in Ghana with approxi-mately 2,5 million inhabitants. The NEW HIPIC (The World Bank debt initiative for highlyindebted poor countries) is around. After a long period of constant economic growthGhana undergoes a massive depression. Nothing works. Corruption and mismanagementare the rule of the day and as it seems more hardships are yet to come. People are tired.The atmosphere is tense. Daily routines for an ordinary citizen are difficult to manageand time-consuming.

For 10 weeks I followed the news carefully. Everyday is full of BAD NEWS, SEMI-TRUTHSand FAKE PROMISES from government and opposition sources spread by the media.Ghana at present is an anarchic democracy, where existing laws dont apply much any-

more and the ruling elites fill their pockets. Badly needed foreign investments ceased toflow into the country.

There is high unemployment all over. Many young people are engaged in various hustlingactivities simply because there are barely any alternatives. When I came there I encoun-tered a high level of frustration especially among the younger generation.

I met Kofi Adams and his friends in 0ctober 2014 and joined them for about a month.They stay at THE ADAMS BUILDING in Kumasi, Breman UGC, which is a typical ghaneanresidential suburb in the metropolitan area. The house was built by a German bugger (aGhanean living overseas) some years ago and has been neglected since then. Kofi Adamswas hired as a watchman to take care of the building and the attached land. He livesthere together with his wife Sallah and their son Francis and uses the land for farmingin order to maintain himself and his family. They have access to well water, but not toelectricity. Their lifestyle looks like a modern renaissance of President Acheampongscampaign in the 1970ies, the OPERATION FEED YOURSELF, a governmental programaimed at developing self-reliance in agriculture for the rural population.

Kofi Adams lives an independent life. He is a self-made farmer in the city and managesthe land in a sustainable way. Around 5.00 pm, before DUMSOR (regular power out-ages which have been lasting for over the past three years) hits the homes and streets,Kofi starts to prepare food at his fireplace from his home-grown crops. Around that timeneighborhood friends join him. The place serves as their local communication centre,where they share food and ideas. The food is rich and affordable, compared to what isavailable on the streets. Together they live a disillusioned and sort of underground lifewithout getting themselves much involved into the hustle and bustle of the Metropolis.


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list of terms

BUGGER a Ghanean living abroadDUMSOR power outageHIPIC heavily indebted poor countriesNCNC no contribution no chopOPERATION FEED YOURSELF a program aimed at developing self-reliance in agriculture

Thanks to

Kofi Adams, Prosper Morrison, Sallah, A isha, Francis, Mr.Watch, Akwasman, Manuel, Akwasi andall the others who contributed to this work.

Kumasi, oct/ nov 2014

Jrg Hillebrand


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