Quarter of a century ago? - How time flies!

When in my congratulatory message to a young friend who was awarded a PhD in December 2024 after five years studying overseas I stated, Tempus fugit (time flies), his response was shieeeee as we responded/shouted in secondary school when big words we did not understand were used. 

Tempus fugit was one of the many Latin phrases Mr Bernard Sam of blessed memory taught us in our first year in school in the mid-1960s.

So soon, Tempus fugit has “located me” (in preacher-man English), as it is a quarter of a century since I had the honour/privilege of commanding Ghana’s Millennium parade at the Black Star Square on January 7, 2000.

In my January 2024 article titled Majestic Majestic, I stated as follows:     
                                                                  
Getting up at my usual time early on Sunday morning, January 7, 2024, was difficult. I felt like I was in a trance with my brain/mind doing a playback at me. Why? It certainly was a significant day for me!

Twenty-four years earlier on January 7, 2000, I commanded Ghana’s Millennium Parade at the Black Star Square from the back of my horse “Majestic.” 

Majestic

Introducing the stallion Majestic to me as my parade horse when I was tasked in early December 1999 to command the Millennium Parade a month away, my riding instructor then, Sgt (now ex-WO1) Suka, a tough soldier/rider told me,

“Sir, Majestic is a very proud horse. You either ride him, or he rides you!”

He recounted instances Majestic had messed up parade commanders in earlier years, with dire consequences to their careers.

With this advice/warning, I gave my instructor a blank cheque to do anything to me to ensure a successful parade! Soon, the strenuous killer horsemanship training he subjected me to made me regret my decision. But he toughened me as I lost five kilogrammes in a month.

An early lesson I learnt the hard way was that like many humans, horses fear snakes. While training one morning, a snake glided across us.

On seeing the snake, Majestic turned back and took off straight for the stables some three kilometres away, with his mouth wide open and head in the sky.

That day, I understood practically the theory we were taught in Physics at school about what “horsepower” meant.

With a horse’s strength of more than ten humans combined, no amount of pulling with all my strength could stop him from speeding to the stables.

Bad as I thought the snake experience was, it was to prove beneficial later.

During the rehearsals at the Black Star Square, I warned the Information Services/GBC journalists not to bring any cable close to me as Majestic would take it for a snake.

Unfortunately, on D-Day, January 7, 2000, a gentleman came out of an Information Services vehicle with a cable roll.

Anticipating he was going to throw it in my direction, I quickly jerked Majestic’s head 45 degrees in the opposite direction.

Immediately he saw the cable thrown, Majestic reared on its hind legs and attempted to take off to his favourite destination for his victims, the Marine-Drive beach behind the Black Star Square.

My anticipation paid off when he only succeeded in bringing me to my original position, at great cost to my left shoulder, my sword being in my right hand.

Until my very close encounter with Majestic, I did not know that, like dogs, horses have a strong sense of smell, though to a lesser degree.

My instructor told me they could tell every morning when I was about three kilometres away from the stable.

On picking my scent, an excited Majestic would start flapping his ears, knowing his sugar would soon arrive. My “Manager” later complained that Majestic ate all the sugar in our home!

My day with Majestic ended with me giving him some sugar before we parted company.

Just before I mounted him on January 7, 2000, for the communication gadgets to be fixed on me, I put my arms around his neck/mane and said,

“Majestic, today is our final day. Be a good boy and let’s have a good parade!”

To my surprise, Majestic nodded in acknowledgement. For confirmation, I repeated what I said and he again acknowledged it with a nod.

The Millennium parade started at 9 a.m., and three hours later, Majestic and I trotted off the Black Star Square tired, but happy with ourselves from the thunderous applause we were given.

Like dogs, horses can be very loving and affectionate. Majestic and I remained friends until he died in March 2010 at the old age of 30, which translated into a human age of about 90 years. 

Lessons

I have been asked if horses are dangerous. Generally, they are not dangerous. However, if approached from the rear, horses sense the danger of being attacked.

Their hind legs can be a dangerous/fatal weapon when they kick, considering their immense strength.

One must, therefore, always approach a horse from the front, and never from the rear. 

Fellow Ghanaians, if animals like Majestic, my parade horse, and pets, such as dogs, can be so loving, why do we humans treat one another with so much disrespect/hatred/cruelty, simply because of different viewpoints?

Again, why all the corruption/greed manifesting in “galamsey” poisoning/destroying the environment and human lives, when very few of us will live to the 90 years Majestic lived?
                                                                   

Discussion

From 1975-1976, while peacekeeping in the Sinai Desert, Egypt with the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) 2, a captain told us young lieutenants that “in life, when somebody thinks you are a fool, make him know that you are not as foolish as he thinks.

You have chosen to look that way for the sake of peace, but that will not last forever!” 

Ghanaians cannot be taken for granted as demonstrated in 2016 and 2024.

As we start the new year of 2025, let us remind ourselves of the patriotism Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah imbued us with as Young Pioneers in the 1960s, and put Ghana first, not self.  

May we also not be oblivious to the unsolved problems of galamsey, the DDEP, which sentenced pensioners like the pharmaceutical giant Dr Agyekum-Addo (KAMA), to premature death.

Thank you again to former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo for picketing with us in solidarity. Disrespect, arrogance, wickedness and corruption have consequences and must be eschewed. 

To the over 3000 officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces, sister security services and civilian organisations who I had the honour/pleasure to command in the Millennium Parade 25 years ago on January 7, 2000, I say Happy Anniversary! Happy New Year!

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-mimpong@yahoo.com