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Written By : CEO Doji

Graffiti is a crime, not an art form. Graffiti generates fears of neighbourhood crime, instability, and declining property values. Graffiti is not simply a maintenance problem, but a complex social problem as well. If graffiti is not cleaned up, the perception is that the behaviour is condoned and the area is not being watched. This opens the door for other property crimes and creates an environment that tolerates violent crimes such as serious assaults and robbery. The vast majority of graffiti vandalism is the result of “tagging”, committed by juveniles for the main reason of recognition. Taggers are not necessarily gang members, they do not reflect any specific socio- economic background, and they come from all neighbourhoods of the city. (www.nograffiti.com)

The Wordweb dictionary defines Graffiti as ‘A rude decoration inscribed on rocks or walls’. Basically, most literary references define graffiti as defined above. From the Wikipedia encyclopedia, graffiti is defined as “a type of deliberate human markings on property. It takes the form of art, drawings, or words, and is illegal vandalism when done without the property owner’s consent. Its origin can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece. The word “graffiti” is the plural of “graffito”, although the singular form is less commonly used. Both words have been borrowed from the Italian language, and along with the English word “graphic”, are in turn derived from the Greek (“graphein”), meaning “to write”. Where the term “graffiti” was first used to refer is unknown.”

I would define graffiti as a deliberate or unintentional inscription on any surface in the form of spraying, painting, sculpturing, pasting, etc without the prior permission of the authorities concerned. The rate at which this practice is springing on the Campus of University of Ghana is extremely demeaning. Sometimes I ask myself if it is a new way of life among the ‘graduating force’.

A walk around campus would reveal all kinds of graffiti displayed at various points. The most vulnerable victims are always the lavatories of the halls, lecture theatres, departments, faculties and the university in general. Now to my mistake. Due to that sorrowful fun I had in the can, I forgot I

had a guitar practical lesson to attend. I only realised it when I got out, but time was far spent, so I decided to take “the graffiti tour”.

The Drama studio, Dance hall, Akuafo hall, Sarbah hall, Legon hall, Commonwealth hall, Volta hall, ‘N’ Block, Maths/Stats Dept, through to the Jones Quartey Building had various kinds of graffiti to contend with. And back in the can of the Balme library, I saw this

What! Seargeant Corporal atupah, abi, this guys no stop dem graffiti for balme library? Sir yes sir! P0rn0 site developers are in the house. I was stunned for all what I saw.

A new way of life, has truly evolved among students of tertiary institutions, what I term “Graffito expression’, a voiceless expression of communicating with one another using anything that is capable of bringing invicible ideas and thoughts into visibility. For your information, another victim has been born to this practice. It was happily adored by President J.A Kuffour, the president of the second Republic of Ghana. That’s Akuafo Hall Annex ‘C’.

If at this level of the educational ladder, we continue to allow such crimes to brood among students, then I think a perilous era awaits this nation. Just read what is happening around the world.

New York

In October last year, a 15-year-old boy and his 12-year-old male accomplice were nabbed after they allegedly vandalized a fence in Huguenot with spray paint. Both were charged with criminal mischief, making graffiti and possession of a graffiti instrument.

Borough President James Molinaro praised the efforts of the city Police Department and Citywide Vandals Task Force for making the arrests over the weekend.

“Nothing makes me angrier than quality-of-life crimes that force Staten Island homeowners to spend their hard-earned money to remove graffiti scrawls from their property or repair damage caused by thoughtless criminals,” Molinaro said in a written statement.

The borough president has urged all victims of graffiti vandalism to contact the New York State Crime Victims Board to determine whether they are eligible to receive compensation for the damages caused to their property. (Tribune Review)

BLOOMFIELD

Friday, January 14, 2005

A court hearing for two Bloomfield men accused of spray-painting graffiti on four dozen buildings in the East End was postponed while their lawyer and prosecutors negotiated a deal. Pittsburgh police arrested Kenneth Bruce Knox, 22, and Shawn Toler, 21, on Dec. 8, after officers caught them in the act of tagging a row of buildings along Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield. Since then, police said they have linked 48 incidents of vandalism that investigators said caused about $25,000 in damage and have filed felony criminal mischief charges. – Tribune-Review

From the above, I think graffiti is never a good practice and should never be condoned in any form. If this practice is a way of showing remorse, choler, appreciation, sagaciousness, enthusiasm, etc in a subject, then I plead we change that behaviour. Lets allow our Universities retain their names rather than UNIVERSITY OF GRAFFITI.

SOURCE : mcBLOG | Real No Fakes | www.mcmultimedia.biz

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