#5 – Akua

Sunday!

I wasn’t joking when I said I’d sleep well after talking to Akua. Chale… I slept like a baby — which is a bad expression, considering how often babies wake up to cry in the night. I woke up the next morning with a new zest for life. Oh, Akua! 💓

Nobody could dampen my spirit oo, nobody! Not the bell-boys, not the house prefects, not even Smizzle. I did my chores, fetching water with a smile on my face, gallon after gallon. I stayed out of trouble the whole morning.

When we finally got to the Aggrey chapel for Sunday service I looked around. Ah, where was this girl? I went all Vashawn Mitchell…

🎵 I searched all over, couldn’t find nobody
I looked high and low, still couldn’t find nobody… 🎵

Remember I said my spirit couldn’t be dampened? Let’s all laugh together. 😂😂😂

The chaplain too was in the spirit! It was as if God had told him my case to use my situation for his sermon. He said, “Frieeeendsss, our first scripture reading was taken from the book of Proverbs, chapter 13, the verse number 12.

“It says hope deferred… [*dramatic pause*] makes the heart sick. BUT!! [*another dramatic pause*] when the desire comesss… it is a tree of life.”

Chale, Akua had deferred my hope: I didn’t see her in the chapel.

After the service, we went for prep, (yes, in Motown we go for prep on Sundays too), I didn’t learn shélé that day. I opened my Prof Quarm Integrated Science book and just day-dreamed. Oh chale, hard guy like me paa, see what a girl had done to me. My heart was sick ampa.

That afternoon, even my gashit lost its taste. I was suffering from acute deficiency of vitamin A… vitamin Akua😔… sigh.

You’re surprised? I was surprised at myself too… I’d try to think of something else, then I’d remember the dimples… then my heart would melt all over again.

What koraa is attractive about dimples? I really don’t get it. Did you know dimples are actually technically a facial deformity? No lie. God truly must be an artist.

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S.U.

After I’d sulked for hours, Atta-Kay, the Scripture Union (SU) rep, banged the bell to announce that it was “time for SU”. Normally, I’d use the time to wash, but I’ll be honest, I felt like I needed deliverance: this girl had messed with my brain.

Back in ’09, SU was held at 3pm in the assembly hall… Yup! The same one that had been a nightclub less than 24 hours earlier. After every Recs Night, the SU leaders had to go there early to “disinfect” the atmosphere with some hot prayers. I was always amazed by how people could pray till they were sweating. It was nothing short of amazing. In later years, SU was moved to the Aggrey chapel after prep. The air is a little cleaner there.

The opening prayer was a continuation of the “disinfection prayers”, just with more formal prayer topics.

My eyes were still closed when the worship leader took over… her voice was so sweet… the song was so beautiful too: one of those old Hillsong tracks about a Saviour moving mountains.

My heart was so warmed… “This must be what Heaven feels like”, I thought.

She raised another song, “Only You are holy”, by Donnie McClurkin. I lifted my hands, raised my head and opened my eyes to peek at this anointed worship minister. This was the day I finally understood why they always ask us to close our eyes in church.

There she stood, leading worship like the angel she was… Akua. No wonder I felt closer to Heaven.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but one thing was for sure… the worship that I was worshipping had ended. I didn’t even try to fool God. I wish I could tell you what was taught at that SU meeting, but I honestly don’t remember, I was too distracted. I marked out the spot where Akua sat and watched for a full hour to make sure she didn’t leave before we they (I was in my own world) closed.

As soon as we they closed I tactically moved in her direction. I had to make it look like we were meeting by accident again… like fate had something to do with it — pre-fabricated fate.

I went round saa, came from behind and tapped her on the shoulder, “Hey Akua”. She turned around and saw me. Her face lit up — a good sign. “Hey Kwaku!”

Wait, what?! This girl wanted to give me a stroke. Kwaku? Barely 24 hours and you’ve forgotten my name?

The look on my face must have told her that she caused a short-circuit in my brain… probably fried a few neurons.

She laughed playfully, covering her mouth. “I’m kidding”, she laughed, “I know it’s Kodzo, don’t cry”.

I laughed too, “Oh, I knew you were playing. Me paa, cry? Ah! The last time I cried was when I was born oo.”

“Ei, are you sure?”, she played along.

“Oh yeah”, I continued, “I’m not a forgettable character oo.”

“Definitely not”, she replied, “anyone who can link Akua to aqua deserves to be remembered.”

I chuckled. My flopped save had not been entirely useless.

“You must be a science student”, she inferred, “Aqua gives it away.”

“Haha, yeah. I’m in science 4”, I confirmed.

“Oh nice. I’m in Arts 4!”, she replied. You see? Fate. 😅

“Cool. Ei, but your voice is nice oo”, I complimented her, “You took me deep into the spirit”.

I know, I know, I didn’t enter any spirit biaa, but she didn’t have to know, did she? She blushed and thanked me modestly. At least she didn’t deny it like those false humility people — I liked that.

“You’ll have to teach me how to sing like you oo”, I joked.

She smiled. Dimples! 😍 Gets me every time.

“I’ll try”, she answered.

“Tabitha, we have to go”, a lady shouted behind her. She turned and shouted back, “I’m coming, wait for me.”

“Tabitha?”, I asked, rather confused.

“Yeah”, she replied, “That’s my first name.”

“Oh okay, what’s your full name?”, I asked.

It was a risky question, not because her name could be funny, but because my heavy Ewe name is a force to reckon with.

“Tabitha Akua Givson”, she replied.

“Ei, see dadaba name oo!”, I responded.

She laughed it off. “What’s yours”.

The question I knew was coming.

“Brace yourself”, I advised her, “Kodzo Ametewee-Nutakor.”

I’m not too sure why, but she laughed like it was the funniest thing she had heard all day. “Your name is heavy oo”, she gasped, when she finally caught her breath.

I laughed too. “I know paa”, I said.

“‘Biiiiithaaaa! We’re leaving.” her friend announced. Killjoy!

“I really have to go now”, she apologized, “See you around Mr. Nutakor”.

It’s a compound name, I should have corrected her… but I let it go. “See you Tabitha”, I replied.

She smiled. Dimples! 😍 I really should get over dimples.

“I like ‘Akua’ like that. Tabitha is for filling forms”, she said, already walking backwards.

“See you”, I said, while waving. She waved back, turned and ran to join her friends.

I should clarify this: Motown has two compounds, the main compound (the East) where Aggrey House is, and the western compound (the West), separated by a road. Baeta House is on the West. They have their own dining hall and prep times, so you only see your western friends during class hours, entertainment, special programs and club meetings, or at SU.

One thing was certain from that day: I was never going to miss an SU meeting.

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Later That Night…

Before I continue, it’s about time you met my school father. If you’re new to the concept, a “school father/mother” is a a senior who kind of takes you under their wing. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. They advise you (both good and bad advice) and protect you from other seniors… (I know, sounds like a prison yard, right?) In return, you run errands, and sometimes, do personal chores for them. School parents and school children also tend to eat from each other’s chopboxes quite often. The best school-father-school-son relationships are built on a solid friendship.

My school father was called Gbewee — no, that was not his real name.

Gbewee is actually of Ewe origin. ‘Gbɛ’ means leaf, and ‘wee’ is the common Ghanaian pronunciation for weed; ganja, indian hemp, marijuana, pot… whatever you affectionately call cannabis. So yes, technically I was raised by weed leaves. The fact that I’ve never smoked is a miracle in itself.

Gbewee had a pet name for me: Kwasea. That boy spoke so much negativity, I always had to “re-bless” my life. If you dare call me that, I will smack the taste out of your mouth. But all jokes aside, Gbewee was a cool guy.

Ei, or is it possible he was so cool because he was always high? 🤔 I guess I’ll never know… I never actually saw him smoke. I hear he works in a bank now. Good for him.

Anyway, that night he called me to the inner chamber, “Kwassseeaaaa!!”.

“Gbewee!”, I replied.

“Come here!”

I entered the inner chamber, went to his corner, and sat on his trunk.

“Today I see say you dey talk plus some nice girl for SU…”, he started.

I cut in, laughing, “Ah, you were at SU?”

A knock descended from an unexpected direction. Ouch.

“Foolish boy, you dey see me demon?”, he retorted. He continued,  “But she nice oo! I see you norr I talk say ‘Yeeeah, ma boy that.’ What’s her name?”

“Tabitha Givson”, I replied. The name ‘Akua’ was for me alone.

“Herh, Givson. I know that name. Ihn poppie be some rich man. Diaby, you norr am?”, he asked another senior in the inner chamber.

“Yeah”, Diaby replied, “Some rich man for Sakumono. Why, Kodzo dey chase ihn daughter? I hear say she get boy oo.”

Ao! My heart! Why are all the nice girls taken? 😩 But I couldn’t let it show on my face.

“Oh we just be paddies”, I spoke up.

They both laughed. “Listen”, Gbewee replied, “there is no such thing as ‘just friends’ with a fine girl. Get up and go to bed.”

You see, he just confused me and sent me to bed. I didn’t really understand what he said, but he said it like he believed it, and that meant something. I’d have to ask him again later… maybe it was weed talking… who knows?

I closed my eyes and slept. I’d probably dream about Akua anyway.

The chaplain’s sermon rang in my head as I drifted off to sleep that night…

…when the desire comesss… it is a tree of life.