Akli! and all those terms that easily came from your register – patent, absolutely, bottom line, those emphatic words will not resound any more. You are truly at rest in the bosom of the Lord! Even in your last days when you were ill, very ill, you were still in your early-adopter mode: your aramis, your parker pen set, your accelerated learning programmes and yes your phone with a double or triple sim card.
for you things had to be done a particular way; a proper way, a perfect way. your suits were immaculate and you always wanted to have that special tie pin and cuff links and yes again the gold cigarette lighter and the clutch bag.
But in your last days, the DVD set that you wanted was to enable you to watch and listen to the sermons from your church – Central – the pastor came to the home and prayed for you.
So we all wanted to remember you in a particular way even when you were fast deteriorating – so i have gone to my archives to pick this photograph of you for our memories.
My dear wife, Ahinae did all she could to nurse you back to good health, to make sure that you were comfortable in your last days, my son Olumide ran all the errands around you, and several others participated in that effort of daily visits to the hospital and care home, and you fought with all the life you had in you to the end till your maker came for you, perhaps too soon, but only he knows the best time. and for us mere mortals much as we try, we will never understand the mystery of death.
But as the Ga say, if you want to see what death is then look at sleep! Not too much of a difference except that in the early hours of that Sunday you were very cold to touch and never woke up from the sleep.
and it is our painful duty to inform all of your demise
Shabi – a parting prayer
Lord creator of earth and all things
Give us life; life for children and children yet unborn.
You who says that what can be done in heaven can be done earth
that what is done for Tete will surely be done for Tetteh, Dede and Korkor
we pray for life even in the midst of death
we gather to perform our painful duty
Nii Armar-Kojo; Oshiapen
where you are going, none of us have been there but you may meet some of those who have gone before you and others,
please tell them only what you have seen on this our earth.
for us this a time of parting – you are now with our ancestors and no longer of this earth
so we no longer walk the same paths; please do not call when you see us; you are no longer flesh
and if this your parting is due to someone else – then we give you water
drink and leave some for that person so that in three weeks time we will all know who that person is.
but if it is your Lord and Maker calling, then please go and rest in peace and work hard there
we pray that the tears will be wiped from the faces of your children in due time and that all your loved ones will be duly comforted
we pray that those who contribute to this thankless duty of burying you will be duly blessed and that wherever they found the means, it will be replenished four fold
Lord we thank you for the gift of life and pray that what has happened will not happen again
ArmarKojo – Oshiapen, yaa wo ojogban ye onutso le minshi
strike let glory abound!
Shabi – Ade
