After Being Rejected 14 Times, I Finally Won A Business Deal When I Went With A White Man

I finally came to the conclusion that the black man has not been fully liberated from the shackles of his colonial master when I sought after a business deal through every legitimate and legal means only to get it when I went with an American friend after being rejected 14 Times here in Accra Ghana.

I submitted a proposal to a renowned company in Accra (name withheld) for a business contract. As usual, the secretary told me to drop the letter, and that I needed to book an appointment to see the ''Big man''. I made several follow-ups to the company and was always told that they will call me when they need me, I asked to meet the boss of the company since I had booked an appointment but I was told he was too busy to see me. After several months of waiting, I decided to try something new.

An American friend of mine had visited the country "A white guy". I thought to myself, why not go with my friend to make a follow up on this business proposal I had given up on after following up 13 times.

I called my friend and told him I needed him to accompany me somewhere. Upon arrival, I introduced my friend as my boss who had just arrived from the United States of America.

The warm reception and standing ovation given us baffled me and left me wondering why I was treated like a piece of rag for 13 Consecutive follow ups.

The secretary immediately took her phone and called the boss who ordered us to come and meet him right away. I asked myself what happened to the booking of appointment. I was sad and devastated to see how shallow the black man could be.

The Bible says at the mention of the name Jesus every knee shall bow, but it seems in Africa at the mention of the name Whiteman all doors are opened.

Upon entering into the "Big man's Office" he apologized for not being able to meet me and gave all sorts of funny excuses. The long and short of the story is that he immediately gave us the business deal just because of my white friend. I used my American friend to secure more business deals than I could ever imagine.

The greatest tragedy we are confronted with as Africans is our mindset. Africans hate themselves and prefer to promote foreign business whiles African businesses lies in ruins.

Just take a pathetic look at Ghana, our president alone has a fleet of over 40 Toyota Land cruisers that follows him even when he is going for an interview at a radio station. And yet none of them is a Kantanka vehicle, even though Kantanka Automobile manufacturers vehicles here in Ghana.

Today in Ghana, the whole vice president and the minister of finance have come out to declare publicly that the government payroll is full, and yet the government machinery does not support youthful businesses.

Make an attempt to start a business here in Ghana, and the hustle with which you will go through with certain government agencies like EPA, Fire Service, Municipal Assembly, FDA, Standards Board just to mention but a few will collapse your business even before it kicks off the ground. Even after paying legal fees, some public officers will demand bribes before processing your certificates even though the young business has not made a pesewa in profits.

I am of the conviction that our ancestors who sold their fellow blacks to the slave masters are even better than the African leaders of today.

In Ghana we mine gold and yet we have nothing to show for it. We have oil and yet fuel prices increase every week. We have timber and yet we still have schools under trees. We have cocoa and yet most of the chocolate we eat is imported. Who cursed the black man?

Not so long ago, over four hundred Africans drowned in the Mediterranean Sea around the island of Lampedusa because they were running away from Africa to seek greener pastures.

Today the youth of African seek to enslave themselves in Europe and America just because we lack leaders. We only have leaders who are skilled in taking their 10% even if the nation goes into ruins.

It is high time Africans begin to use their cognitive abilities because that is what we lack and not resources. History has proven times without number that a nation without resources can developed better than a nation ruled by a bunch of fools who call themselves leaders.

That is why in the ages of enlightenment, the great Rene Descartes said "Cogito ego sum" which means I think therefore I am". Therefore, if we as Africans are to begin to make any meaningful contributions in our own affairs then we must begin to think. But the question is, are we thinking?

Right here in Accra over 80% of all our industries are owned by the Lebanese, Chinese, Indians and other foreign nationals whiles leaving Ghanaians with only the crumbs. Because we are experts in supporting foreign businesses and killing local businesses.

Little wonder the cedi is always in a continuous downward spiral of depreciation, in simple economics, when foreign companies make revenue, they need to convert it into dollars before repatriating it to their home country, as more cedis are exchanged for the dollar there is high demand for the dollar which causes the dollar to appreciate and the cedi to depreciate.

Our leaders know this but they don't care because they are comfortable with their 10%.

African youth arise!! and let your light shine, our leaders will not turn the economy around unless we build a better future for ourselves and the next generation.

Name of Author: Joseph Atchulo

Email: [email protected]