General! How do you keep yourself busy in retirement?

On Thursday, December 5, 2024, I was the guest of honour at an art exhibition at the Accra City Hotel.

The theme for my speech to the audience of talented artists was: “Renaissance – Life and Art.” 

During the exhibition, I could not help but admire/be impressed by the works of these unsung heroes/heroines of exhibitors. It was during the reception/cocktail after the exhibition that a lady, an artist herself, asked me: “General, how do you keep yourself busy in retirement?”

In answering her question, I decided to limit myself to only a snapshot of events over the last fortnight.

Events

The last week of November into the first week of December 2024 was quite busy for me. While I lectured our Level 600/Final-Year Medical students at the Family Health University Medical School on “Leadership and Management” as they prepare for graduation in early 2025, I also was the guest of honour at a Ghana Military Academy (GMA) Graduation Ball of 73 newly commissioned officers, including 22 medical doctors.

I attended a wedding at my church. Needless to say, the ever-lurking funeral found its way into my list of events.

Though not an activity I participated in, I heard a story that a speeding driver was charged with careless driving for knocking down a goat. In his defence, he said he thought the goat, with the reputation of braking suddenly (aponkye-brake), would brake/stop, seeing how fast he was coming. Since the goat did not brake/stop, it was responsible for its death, and not him.

Of this medley of activities, however, it is the funeral at the St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church, Baatsona, that sent me back to one of my “Ordinary (O) Level” books in English Literature, Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”

The quote by one of the lead characters was “Brevity is the soul of wit!”

Before Shakespeare comes in, a quick look at some of the events.

GMA ball

As video clips of their training in GMA were screened on November 22, 2024, at the Graduation Ball, I was struck by one on boxing. In my article titled “Pyrrhic Victory”, I stated as follows:

‘Novice boxing’

As junior cadets, one of the early events we were required to undertake was the “Novices Boxing” Competition. The senior cadets warned/intimidated us that boxing was a test of one’s endurance and could contribute to determining one’s suitability to continue with the training.

We were told anecdotes of how boxing brilliantly earned cadets tickets for further training abroad while others were sacked for losing miserably. With these stories, we were all fired with the determination to win. Simply, boxing in the Academy was a “do-or-die” affair.

My opponent “Kobby” was far older than me. His hard punches rattled my teenage bones, violently shaking the marrow.

After enduring sound beatings from him in the first round, thanks to the strong admonition/encouragement of the second in my red-corner, a fearsome Warrant Officer Judo Black-Belt, I went on to win the remaining two rounds for a split-points decision. 

I must confess though that that victory was as bad as a defeat, the type called a “pyrrhic victory.”

A Pyrrhic victory is a victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to a defeat.

Lecture

On Monday, December 2, 2024, as part of the training for final year medical students at the Family Health Medical School, I lectured the 47 Level 600 students who will graduate in 2025 on “Leadership and Management.”

It is the policy of the college that students are formally taught about “Leadership and Management.” This is to help them settle down well in their relations with superiors and particularly with subordinates, some of whom may be the ages of their parents.

Vision, constant acquisition of knowledge, physical and moral courage, flexibility, time-consciousness, humility and integrity were some of the points emphasised to them. 

Brevity

On Thursday, November 28, 2024, a burial Mass was held at the St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church for 71-year-old Sir Knight Brother William Sutah. 

Like the Rev. Father who conducted the Mass, my “Manager” and I never met the deceased. The connection was with his son and his wife (daughter-in-law).

At a Mass at St Ignatius a few years ago, the young lady realised she shared the same birthday with my “Manager,” though 30 years younger. Since then, the young couple has been our children/friends.

The Rev. Father started by telling us that he did not have the opportunity of ever meeting the deceased. However, whatever he had read about him indicated that he was a good man. This was confirmed by a foreign parishioner he spoke with. Father, therefore, asked the congregation to spend a minute recalling and reminiscing their encounters with Mr Sutah and the benefits they gained from his goodness and pray for his soul.

In less than five minutes, Father had delivered his homily. As Shakespeare said, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” To say I was impressed would be an understatement! Why?

I have been at burial services where like the Catholic Father, the priests did not know the deceased.

However, after telling us they did not know the deceased, they went on rambling for 45 minutes, blending truths with half-truths. I have always wondered why some priests hold us hostage thinking that the longer the homily, the better! Let them remember Shakespeare in “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

Retirement

Now to the lady’s question on Retirement! In my 2019 book, “Retirement Musings”, published by SEDCO Publishers, Accra, I state, “For some, retirement is a scary event that must be postponed for as long as possible……

“However, once life starts, it will surely end someday. One will definitely go through childhood, adolescence, adulthood and finally retirement, and ultimately the journey in the box to our Maker.

“Until I got busy, retirement was beginning to get boring, even though I was still a Greenhorn retiree. There is, therefore, the need to keep oneself busy. Failing this, retirement has the potential to be drab and a drudgery. This leads to loss of self-esteem and premature ageing.

“One way of keeping oneself happy is to read voraciously. Voluntary work in organisations like churches, communities and hospitals could be rewarding. One must also have a physical fitness routine like walking daily. Most importantly, an annual medical examination is necessary.”

Discussion

Retirement will surely come! One must, therefore, prepare for it early. A small house for the two of you is all you need because the children will leave!

Retirement is not the time to have mechanics as friends one goes to regularly. Get a good strong car!

With the “head-cut” given to my bond investment by DDEP, I will leave advice on savings to the individual. For those retiring soon, welcome to the Club!

For the military officers who have just started life, and the soon-to-be-doctors of Family Health University Medical School, congratulations!
Leadership, lead by example! Fellow Ghanaians, wake up!

The writer is the former CEO of the African Peace Support Trainers Association, Nairobi, Kenya/Council Chair Family Health University College, Accra.  

E-mail: dkfrimpong@yahoo.com