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Mrs Juliana Quartey Manu (b.1945) is a retired chief of police, enlisted into the Ghana police service on 1st September 1963. Manu was born in the Eastern region of Ghana, Kwahu Obomeng. She served for 43 years all over the country and is fluent in four local languages. She is mother to 6 children and 20 grandchildren, spending her time in Accra and London.
Despite living in Accra, Ghana and using Cedis as my local currency, I think about money and my finances in $ because it is more stable. Inflation means the currency in Ghana is always changing, the future continues to be centred around America and $.
These days I think of the future in very present terms. By this, I mean, the future for me is tomorrow. Since retiring, I see time differently. It is the simple things that make me happy. Tomorrow, I will have watermelon. You have reminded me.
I don’t tend to think about the future as a big grand idea anymore, each day comes as it wishes. I have a collection of over 40 perfume bottles from all around the world that I have been collecting for years. A lot of them are empty, but I keep them regardless as memories all on my dresser. It’s not important, but it is fun! I try and have as much fun as possible, that is important to me.
I have 6 children and 20 grandchildren all around the world, mostly in England and America. I like to write letters, but the best way for me to keep in touch with my family is through whatsapp. I send daily whatsapp messages every morning when I wake up at dawn (which is around 4/5am in Ghana). I enjoy writing each individual message, the future is the internet. I have had to adapt quickly. I even have an instagram page where I post weekly my best Sunday outfits and get ideas to share with my tailor to design for me.
I grew up in the Eastern region of Ghana in the mountains, so nature is very important to me. I still farm, on a small scale. In my house, I have a little garden where I plant yam, cassava, peppers, aubergine, onions, tomatoes, corn, spinach and papaya. I eat daily from here and enjoy tending to my little farm in my garden.
