Bentsifi’s Tattle - A guy about town (Mid-year musings)

Mid-year musings

It's mid-year already and it is the season for encouraging words, I tell you! Words that can prop us up, and on whose note we can find some hope to carry on in anticipation of better times returning. Or that which were promised. To some of us, on all the fronts, political, social and economic, the grind is slow and dizzying.

When we recently made a change in our political future, was it not with the hope of cleansing the environment of those public officials milking the national purse? So we would have them return their loot and see them punished as a show of the consequence of their engagement in 'mal-management'.

But, what do we see? Those clearly identified are now seemingly being asked to return, not even all, but part of the loot they've taken, and then, that's it! Or is it? Really!?

Honeymoon

The honeymoon is over and it is time for the social front to begin demanding answers to the charges! Incidentally, as I write, it is midweek and the mid-summer Solstice - the longest day of the year. A period of pondering. But, in all, we must celebrate the light and be the light, as in the inspiration, ourselves!

And, inspired by Rimatouch therapy's Pamela Owusu-Sackifio, let me repeat what she shared with me this morning, that, "what ultimately distinguishes those who achieve from those who do not achieve, is the will to achieve."

If you have a desire for success, you will get up, dust up and go forth in spite of how challenging the grind. Right? Norman Vincent Peale puts it this way, "Never let any mistake cause you to stop believing in yourself. Learn from it and go on."

We've let too many wrongs go unpunished in this our society for too long. It is time we saw some action against wrong. Let's be reminded to be citizens, and not mere spectators.

Achimota School

It is on that note that I let slip a proud smirk, regarding the news that came up this week about my alma mater, Achimota School receiving favourable judgement in a case brought by Netlynk and 66 others against the school in a land dispute after seven years of litigation.

Together with all Akoras, and our well-wishers, I celebrate this victory which basically returns the lands in dispute to the School. The judge comprehensively dismissed the claims and established that the Oku We and the Owoo families had no title to the areas encroached on and had no right to grant leases of land to other people, and also that, Netlynk and the others were not “bona fide purchasers” and were reckless in acquiring their respective purported grants from the Oku We and Owoo families, and as such have trespassed onto the School’s land.

The School is, therefore, entitled to repossess its land, and also, to damages for the destruction caused to the its properties including the farm and sewage system.

This news couldn’t have come at a better time than in the year we celebrate our 90th anniversary. Next weekend, the School hosts a major Homecoming when all old Achimotans will from all over the world reconnect with the School.

Hive of activity

On the same grounds, years ago on a late Saturday afternoon, this would transpire: Soon to be time for supper, the school's compound would be a hive of activity. All the students would be returning to any of the  13 or so houses on the compound where their dormitories are.

Many would have been playing a game of basketball, some soccer, and some also would have gone swimming. Many would have been on the school farm, and others still on gardening  duties around the iconic administration block.

There would be much excitement in the air. Word would have gone round that there was going to be a records night for entertainment, so in houses across both the western and eastern compounds, the students would be preparing to head out to supper, after which they would throng over to the Assembly Hall for the night's activities.

This would be the time when juniors would be dodging the calls of seniors, because they feared being given the task to iron the senior's outfit for the night. And woe betides you if you don’t get it right!

Suddenly, in the distance, from the general direction of the Cadet's Square, you would hear the shouts from excited students cheering and urging drivers spinning cars in the square and kicking up dust into the air in one of those activities that became part of boarding school culture known as "Atwitwi"!

Screeching act

Students would come to school with cars and do this screeching act to the delight of their friends.

Many would catch the spectacle on their way to the dining hall, others would climb up to the first floor of their houses and fill the windows to observe the brief show that would cause the exciting mood for the whole night's affair.

For those of us who couldn't muster the courage to call a girl to dance with at the night's proceedings, we will listen to each other tell the tales of the earlier evening's "Atwitwi" with relish, dashing to the dance floor only when the reggae session comes up! Those were the good old days!