Bentsifi’s Tattle:A guy about town
While everybody gathered by their television sets to watch the United States-Ghana game at the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil last Monday, I forced myself to sleep.
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I don't have the heart to go through the anxieties these games bring. I am generally not a soccer person, and so it was easy for me to avoid watching it.
When we are counting the number of coaches we have in Ghana, my 82- year-old mother, and not I will be counted. But, I could hardly sleep. I awoke frequently, and ostensibly, watched the game on the social media platform, WhatsApp!
It's incredible isn't it, that these days when you want to follow national, indeed world events, being in a group on social media, people's chronological comments can actually give you a fair idea of goings on, and this is what I experienced on Monday night.
The night air was almost still. I could feel it even though I was in an enclosed room. There was such silence each time I awoke during the period. I even read somewhere later during the match that Ghana was so quiet, it was as if President Mahama was writing names of talkatives! That was funny!
The deafening silence told a story of forlorn hope. I could just imagine people on the edge, subconsciously twitching and kicking, and yet others shouting at those in possession of the ball on their television screens, who to pass it to and such. Entries on my WhatsApp group were graphic, just as much as they were dramatic.
People described pieces of the action in detail and I knew when Muntari held someone down on the ground, and when Asamoah Gyan made a wrong pass! Then I saw a quick ' go o o o a l', before I heard the air rise from a distance with a resounding croak of the word until it reached a crescendo. The city had awoken, and though the cheer was not as deafening as it often is, even at that time of night, it was also short –lived.
I could just feel that something had happened. Indeed, the despondent comments then begun on the WhatsApp group, and I immediately knew that the scoreline had changed again!
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The mood of the nation was also played out on Facebook, which also gave me more insights into events. And this one even came with pictures and some short videos. I read and saw all the highlights I needed.
Before I finally slept, I had a fair idea of how the match had gone, the scores and the mood of people. So, when I woke up in the morning it was not surprising that things were still cool, the town quiet, like it had been switched off! See how far technology has brought us.
Talking about technology, it's advancement has still not reached much of those communities and children being reached by the efforts of the Joy FM/MTN Reading Club which is giving 100 children story books to read in an effort to improve their language and reading skills.
It cannot be stressed enough, the whole business of how important reading is and the support being given by the MTN Foundation to this Joy initiative.
I have been involved in this programme for the past two years, and I can tell you, it has changed the lives of many young people, some of whom, just by the sheer ability to improve their reading, improved their confidence.
You should see them now able to speak so much more confidently and even make speeches in public. It is impressive and instructive to make this observation.
The Joy/MTN Reading Clubs has begun sessions in earnest with members from the communities selected to receive books this year: Ablekuma, Osu, Kojo Kwei, Burma Camp and Kanda, now appearing on Joy FM bantering with Super Morning Show host, Kojo Yankey every Friday.
For the next several weeks, the conversation will be about soccer because of the World Cup going on in Brazil. Interestingly, it took quite a while for the fever of it to get Ghana buzzing, but now that it has, perhaps, the feeling will continue.
But, let's also remember that life continues and that not everything going on in town is football related.
There are other entertainment events going around town: at Silverbird Cinemas, at Alliance Francaise, at Nubuke Foundation, at the Goethe Institut and many other places.
So don't sit at home and groan if like me, you are not a football fan and want other things to do. Let's take off to the beach or somewhere.