Let me start off by telling all of you about my weekend.

I had a super blast from Friday night until Sunday night. Three nights of blissful Jazz music and a wedding is certainly a great way to spend the weekend. 

You’ll all recall how a few weeks ago social media lost it’s mind when pre-wedding pictures of plus-size Naki and her husband to be Prince has shared around like communion wine with mixed reactions and commentary some of which cut me deep on the inside. Naki and Prince finally tied the knot in a very simple and love-filled ceremony here in Accra and I gladly gate crashed to wish them well.

My full weekend didn’t fail to inspire me with the abundant lessons it held.

Lesson number 1 - Be You!

Having a keen sense of self is important in our ever connected and shrinking world thanks to Social Media. Naki and Prince didn’t hide their conviction that they were meant for each other and were deeply in love.

I also observed that all the musicians at the Jazz festival put on a show and allowed their true selves to shine through thereby creating a great connection that left everyone happy. Between the now Mr. & Mrs Amoah and Bob James and his team, I realized the importance of being yourself. The universe makes room to accept you when you don’t put on airs and graces that aren’t yours.

Lesson number 2 - Together is better:

There was love in the air at the wedding and it wasn’t just between the couple but amongst friends, family members, work colleagues, old school mates and three women who traveled from Lagos, Nigeria to come and wish the couple well. The palpability of the genuine love in the air neutralized any negative energy that the unfortunate commentaries of the past would send their way.

Meanwhile, I also observed that the individual input of all the musicians at the Jazz festival produced a seamless symphony that sent warmth coursing the veins of the audience. Such synergy is possible everywhere, at work, at home, at church and certainly in nation building.

Lesson number 3 Order Is Possible:

Watching musicians read their music sheets and playing to the pre-arranged, pre-agreed and rehearsed sequence is such a beautifully mesmerizing experience. But I realized that not only what was unfolding on the stage made it all spectacular.

The work of the technicians behind the scenes pushing buttons at the precise moments for the right effect and stage managers and producers keeping everyone in line added to making the three nights of Jazz a once in a lifetime never to be forgotten experience. The lesson, Order is a prerequisite for excellence and development. Imagine if we all hailed a trotro or taxi at the bus stops and broader sides of the roads, everyone obeyed the traffic lights when it turned red and civil servants did their jobs for the salary they signed up for? I’m sure you can figure the rest out without my help.

Stay tuned for more lessons tomorrow.

But do ponder on these. What lessons did your weekend bring with it? Love Life and Jazz and let’s build a nation great and strong so generations after us will be proud of us.

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Go Forward Make Rain!

I’m Nhyira Addo - THE RAINMAKER

Shalom!