Serialized novel: Tabitha 2.1

ACCRA – 18th December, 2013: It so happens that fortune does not smile at all on some people. It also happens that disasters do happen for a reason. This disaster was terrible, it was painful, it left a question in our heart and mouth, and it made us wonder whether God existed at all

This was the very question, Mr. Afriyie, asked himself over and over again. He stood in front of four coffins and each coffin laid his own loins. He kept on asking himself how he could survive but life has this funny way of letting people who want to die live and let those who want to live die. Four of his five children died in a terrible action over the weekend and by a general consensus, his family wanted the children buried quickly because the more they protracted it, the bitter it was going to be for Mr. Afriyie. Five days after the incident, the children; three boys and a girl were laid to rest at his wife’s hometown as customs demanded. 

Before, he had vowed heaven and Earth to kill his wife because according to him, she was the cause of their misfortune. Her offence? She had called her children who were having fun at a friend’s party to come home for dinner. But as childish as people saw it, they couldn’t complain. Indeed, Mrs. Afriyie popularly called Madam Jane had no spirit of clairvoyance to predict the future. On that faithful 13th, which will forever be a holiday in the lives of these couples, the couples had fought over how liberal Madam Jane was with their children.

According to Francis Afriyie, Jane was always busy with work and had no time for her children. Life to her was all about work and work and even wondered how many times she had spent with her children. But her last child, John came to the defense to his mother and told his father to also stay home and look after them and stop chasing girls. This obviously did not go down well with Francis, who found this outpour as extremely offensive and derogating. It took the intervention of their rich next door neighbor, Mr. Sey, to quench the flame.

It was with this heated argument that the four children; Kwabena, Richard, Abigail and Clement, who met their untimely death took their mother’s car and went straight to a friend’s party because they didn’t want to witness the countless debate and quarrel between their parents. 

Madam Jane was only pleased that they did because she herself was tired of this unnecessary diatribe from her husband. She always found in appalling, he disliked one talking about his family, he was always annoyed, pyrophobic and irrational at times. At times, she wonders why she married him at all. 

“John, come to me and let me ask you a question”

John walked briskly to her mother who was half smiling, half crying.

“Mother! You are not crying over what daddy said, are you?

“No”

“Now, you are lying to me” he frowned

“Have I ever been a bad mother?”

“Not the least” he drew closer to her “you know it’s always daddy! Every problem we face in this house is always him. At times, I feel so ashamed to call him my daddy – “

“But he is, you have no option than to love him”

“It’s the most painful aspect of it all. I have no option. If I did, I wouldn’t think for a second on it but you do and I’m wondering why you haven’t”

“It’s not as easy as you think bec – “ 

“Mummy, it’s so easy, file for a divorce. I am eighteen and I have seen the abuse he has subjected you to. What more reason do you need again? I have known daddy for 18 years. I have seen enough of his disrespect to spare. And to your earlier question, you are not a bad mother, I don’t know how and why you sound be counted as one”

“Hmmmmm”

“Mummy what? You are not a bad mother. Just ignore the idiosyncrasies of daddy!” 

“Don’t talk about your father like that!”

“I will talk to him whatever way I want, he treats you badly enough to merit mercy from me!” John roared and entered his room.

She began to pace the room like she was waiting for a familiar stranger to come and console her but it began to hit her. It was not a stranger she was expecting but a feeling she had no explanation her. She began to shake all over, well she muttered to herself “Probably some malaria”

“John, a minute”

John walked over to her room wearing only his boxers.

“Sweet Jesus! Haven’t I told you not to expose yourself like this in the house?”

“Was naked, would you have been okay with I had come out like that?”

“I feel hot, I equally feel warm, are you feeling same”

John looked at his mother weirdly and asked “Are you pregnant?”

Madam Jane fidgeting with her phone replied “If I was, I would have known”

“Mother, then you are ill”

“I presume so but I can’t tell but I have this funny feeling that something is just not okay”

“Of course you are not okay”

Just then, he heard the horns of Mr. Afriyie blaring out loudly in front of the gate.

“Good Lord, your father is here early, can you go and open the gates? I don’t feel so alright”

“In these boxers?”

“Please do, I don’t want your father getting angry.

As John left the room, Madam Jane’s phone rang. He looked at a screen and saw an unknown number calling. She felt reluctant in picking it but she picked up. “Is this Mrs. Afriyie?”

“Sorry but your four children just had an accident and died!”

She couldn’t believe it, she thought it was those random numbers who were calling to make fun of her poor heart, she was about to ask for more information when she saw her husband push his son to the floor and advancing towards her. It then dawned on her that despite the caller not following the right protocol in telling her about the death of her children, the news was true after all.

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Serialized Novel: Tabitha 1.2

The gatemen let go of the pregnant woman and pushed the door open and they all entered. The room was a bit sizeable and heavily furnished with the accoutrements, the doctor helped the women to put the pregnant woman on the bed and told them to wait for him outside. Because they couldn’t comprehend English, the gateman explained to them.

“The white man said go outside and wait for him”. They sheepishly obeyed and began pacing the corridor. Suddenly, they could hear the pregnant woman screaming and then paced the corridor muttering words of encourage.
From the corridor, they saw afar a bright light and Abena Hannah, Auntie Ceci’s friend tapped her on the back and told her to look at it.
“It must be the witches of Abease Buipe” Auntie Ceci muttered.
“I agree with you sister, all what they do is to destroy people! May Odomankoma punish them for their wickedness!”
But the lights was appearing nearer and nearer with each passing second and they began to sense danger. It was three men approaching with full speed holding torches in their arms. Auntie Cecirecognized one of the men, he was Yaa Sophia’s, the pregnant woman’s husband. She had never seen him before but the description she had given her before fitted one of the men perfectly: dark, broad-shouldered, short, had lots of hair on his arms, legs and chest and also had pale eyes which could be mistaken as red. 
The hospital was built on a hill with the church next to it. These two buildings overlooked the rest of the facilities so it was very easy to see anyone who is approaching Rick-by. They had reached the entrance of the facility and were chanting war songs, songs of murder and sacrifice. Simultaneously, the cry of a baby was heard and the doctor came out quickly for he had heard some noise.
“What is happening?” he asked but since the gateman had gone to his post, he couldn’t get anyone to translate it to for him. He woke a sleeping nurse at post to come and begged her to tell her what was happening because he couldn’t understand the language of the women. 
“They say that it’s the people of the woman who just delivered that are coming?”
“For what?” 
“What did the woman do?” the nurse asked the women.
Auntie Ceci replied “They have charged her for adultery madam so they want to kill her and the child too.”
“They said that per the custom of the land, the child and the mother is to be killed.”
“That is barbaric! The child has no hand in whatever sin the woman has committed should we even assume she is even guilty” 
“What’s he saying?” they inquired but the nurse ignored them.
“Tell the security guards to stop them” he ordered.
“Doc, it’s impossible, from how they are marching with flame in their hands, it’s very dangerous, and you know how barbaric these people can be. I suggest that we give them the baby and the mother”
The women looked at the nurse and the doctor’s face obviously in oblivion as to what they were discussing.
“Please tell us what he’s saying madam nurse” Auntie Ceci said shaking.
The nurse looked at them angrily, “Well take the baby and the mother away. We can show you a route you can use to avoid them. So much trouble for helping you filthy people.” 
They rushed into the room and took the baby and came out of the room. “Please show us the way” they said panicking. 
“What of the mother?” the nurse asked in vernacular.
“We can’t carry her, she’s too heavy and too tired, and if we choose to save her too we might be caught. If we are caught we will get burnt also” 
“What are they saying?”
“They said, they have to leave the woman here because she’s too heavy, they are choosing to save the child only.”
“What are they saying?”
“Doc, I will explain what they are saying to you later”
“So then what do we tell them?”
“That the child”, aunty Ceci replied “is dead”
“What if they ask of the body?”
“Maame Nurse, you can tell them a lie or something, look over the window, they are coming fast, if you are going to subject us to this question and answer regime, we will all be dead in a few seconds.”
“Nurse, can you please tell me what they are saying? Where’s the gateman, he can help me withsome translation here.”
Within minutes, the gateman arrived panting and showing signs of tiredness. “Docta, we have to give em they babe or they well kirl us.”
“I will do no such thing! Show the women the exist!  The woman is too tired for her to escape, I shall face the barbarians, they can do me no harm me; I am white.”
The woman still stood there panting and not understanding a single syllabi being discussed.
“But doc” Philip protested.
“I mean now!”
“Please follow me” Philip told the women in twi and they obeyed him. They walked past the doctor and opened the room next to the delivery room and escaped.
Just as the door closed, three figures emerged holding flames looking so ready to murder anyone who crosses them, they approached the white doctor and the mulato nurse and circled them amidst singing of songs of murder. 
“Obroni, bring the child before we kill you
Obroni, bring the child before we burn this place down
Obroni, bring the woman ooo
Obroni, that woman is an abomination
Whoever touches her should be burnt
“Nurse! What are they singing about?”
“They said, we should give them the child or the baby or else we will get burnt. They also claim we have touched them so we have to be killed.”



The doctor gave a high pitched laughter and for once the music died down. The three men did not know what made the doctor laugh but from the looks on the nurse’s face, they could tell them she was telling no joke and that she was scared her own safety.
“Tell them that they would do no such thing and that because of what they have said they are having none of what they have said”
Instantly, people starting rushing to the hospital because they had heard people singing. The doors of the hospital burst opened and it was followed by five other white men and Philip.
“What is happening here?”
“Apparently, they are barbarians!” the doctor replied “they want me to give them a child and a mother who just delivered”
“Dr. Short, are you not aware that you are not to treat any black patient here. Aren’t you aware of the rules and regulations of this hospital?”
“I am totally aware but the dictates of my profession is in such a way that it doesn’t permit me to follow your rules and regulations” the doctor replied.
“So what do they want?” one of the white men said looking at the black men in disgust. 
“The woman and her child” Dr Short replied
“What are you waiting for Dr. Short? Give them what they want?”
“What are they saying?” one of the black men replied.
“I will explain everything to you people” Philip whispered to them in Twi.
“I can’t give either the baby or the mother to them?”
“Why is that?” 
“You see, the baby is dead and the mother is a bit too heavy and too sick to be handed to them”
“That shouldn’t be part of our concern, should it? Hand them over to them whether dead or alive, they know what to do”
“You see, things aren’t that easy. The baby has been taken away by family members to be buried”
“Dr. Short, why do I have this feeling you are hiding something”
“Obroni, give us the baby and the mother before we burn you people!” the short hairy man addressed “for it is our custom. It must be obeyed”
Philip replied them “It hasn’t come to this please, just go home, we will bring you the baby and mother”
“Philip, what are they saying?”
“They would burn this hospital if we don’t give in to them.” He replied one of the white men.
“Utterly nonsense! Black skin, black mind, big head full of stupidity. Tell them to move out” he advanced to Dr. Short “and you doc we shall get to the root of this whole issue!” 
“Please you have to leaf hiya oo, please come tomollow, we will settle dzi mata” he pleaded to the three men seeking to destroy the hospital. 
“Agya Appiah, tell them that if they don’t give us the child and the baby, we are not leaving her. We will burn this hospital” 
“Kwasi Boateng, don’t you dare call me by my barbaric name! Call me Philip. Why do black people find it difficult to understand anything?”
“But Agya Appiah” Kwasi Boateng replied snidely “you aren’t even fairer than us?”
“Philip, can you for once tell me what they are saying?” Dr. Short replied
“Docta, I tell you err’thin dze pipple are saying right away”
“Now, you are making no sense” Dr. Short replied
“Doctor, I mean wait to let dze piple go, I will tell you what it are talking.”
The white men in the room nodded; they felt it was advisable to let Philip handle the situation. He had proven time and time again to be capable in handling issues involving black folks. Oncehe sat in the judicial council with the white and helped in solving an issue involving labor unrest involving the black workers. He considered himself more white than black, hence that was why he changed his name from Agya Appiah to Philip – he felt that black race was a foolish one to be born to. He was one of the only few blacks in this town who could speak English. Though his English was extremely worse, he was the best in the town. He was thirty three and the whites had decided to send him to London to polish up his English so that he would be a part of their central administration. He was the most paid black in the community and he found extreme solace in this fact.
“Agya Appiah, well we are”
“Yaw Asamaoh, don’t call me Agya Appiah! I made that known to Kwasi Boateng. Now take Agyapong and get out of this hospital. You’ve brought enough filth in it already” he cut them short.
“Agya, is that us that you are shouting out” Agyapong advanced on Philip and Philip quickly brushed him off.
“Yaw! Kwasi! Let’s go. Today, we are going to show him something” and they left with the flames in their hands.
They watched them as they advanced towards the door angrily and whispering among themselves. Indeed, all was over so as they thought. 
“Dr. this should be the last time, this incidence should…..”
They heard a loud scream from outside. They all rushed outside, only to see the Yaw, Kwasi and Agyapong running away. 
“Daddy, I’m on fire!”
Dr. Short run quickly to his bungalow. “Nooo, Emile!” 
His daughter was on the ground and she was burning together with the grass. “Someone help me” she screamed.
All the people in the other bungalow run from their rooms to save this lady girl. Some were carrying buckets of water, others held in their hands fire extinguisher. 
“Catch those men!” Dr. Short ordered. Philip runs to catch them but they are nowhere to be seen. 
That night was the longest night ever witnessed in Abease-Buipe. No one slept, all what was heard were screams from Rick-be, the whole population was alive, mourning the death of Emile Short. She was burnt beyond redemption and Dr. Short sat at the entrance of the hospital weeping tears never seen before. It looked like an alienation, he uses his knowledge to save people of their ailment but he couldn’t save his only daughter. The other white people gathered around him in a quest to console him but he refused bluntly to be consoled. He should have never brought her daughter to Ghana. Was it even his fault? She refused to live with her auntie in London, she wanted to be close with her father, her mentor, her inspiration, her everything. Now, she was dead, she was gone, she had sighed her last, breathed her last and the last words she said before giving up the ghost was so reverberating in the spheres of his mind “Daddy, please save me.”

Twilight came and it was time for revenge. The white marched to the main township of Abease-Buipe armed to the teeth. They set fire to every hut they saw, every grass they smiled at them, every dust that begged, every tree that looked sorrowful and every face that begged for mercy. They burnt everything. Some escaped to the next town, some died but most importantly, all the white men left Rick-by, Philip didn’t, he stayed back to take care of the ruins. He knew in his heart that one day they would come back and the old glory of Rick-be would be greatly restored. That one day, they would come back and his dreams of living in London, a city he had heard so much good tales of would come to past. But no, they never did. He never became a Londoner. The grasses in Rick-be invited snakes and other wild animals. It became a forest, a memento, a shrine of tears. Interestingly no one knew the name of this woman who because of her had caused this misfortune, the three men were never found again. Some said they had gone to Kumasi, others said Tamale, other postulated that they were now in Sekondi, others said Accra but mostly importantly, every knew that 3rd March was a black day and yes the gods were vindicated, the chief priest was right and Abease-Buipe was never the same ever ever again.
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The gatemen let go of the pregnant woman and pushed the door open and they all entered. The room was a bit sizeable and heavily furnished with the accoutrements, the doctor helped the women to put the pregnant woman on the bed and told them to wait for him outside. Because they couldn’t comprehend English, the gateman explained to them.
“The white man said go outside and wait for him”. They sheepishly obeyed and began pacing the corridor. Suddenly, they could hear the pregnant woman screaming and then paced the corridor muttering words of encourage.
From the corridor, they saw afar a bright light and Abena Hannah, Auntie Ceci’s friend tapped her on the back and told her to look at it.
“It must be the witches of Abease Buipe” Auntie Ceci muttered.
“I agree with you sister, all what they do is to destroy people! May Odomankoma punish them for their wickedness!”
But the lights was appearing nearer and nearer with each passing second and they began to sense danger. It was three men approaching with full speed holding torches in their arms. Auntie Cecirecognized one of the men, he was Yaa Sophia’s, the pregnant woman’s husband. She had never seen him before but the description she had given her before fitted one of the men perfected: dark, broad-shouldered, short, had lots of hair on his arms, legs and chest and also had pale eyes which could be mistaken as red. 
The hospital was built on a hill with the church next to it. These two buildings overlooked the rest of the facilities so it was very easy to see anyone who is approaching Rick-by. They had reached the entrance of the facility and were chanting war songs, songs of murder and sacrifice. Simultaneously, the cry of a baby was heard and the doctor came out quickly for he had heard some noise.
“What is happening?” he asked but since the gateman had gone to his post, he couldn’t get anyone to translate it to for him. He woke a sleeping nurse at post to come and begged her to tell her what was happening because he couldn’t understand the language of the women. 
“They say that it’s the people of the woman who just delivered that are coming?”
“For what?” 
“What did the woman do?” the nurse asked the women.
Auntie Ceci replied “They have charged her for adultery madam so they want to kill her and the child too.”
“They said that per the custom of the land, the child and the mother is to be killed.”
“That is barbaric! The child has no hand in whatever sin the woman has committed should we even assume she is even guilty” 
“What’s he saying?” they inquired but the nurse ignored them.
“Tell the security guards to stop them” he ordered.
“Doc, it’s impossible, from how they are marching with flame in their hands, it’s very dangerous, and you know how barbaric these people can be. I suggest that we give them the baby and the mother”
The women looked at the nurse and the doctor’s face obviously in oblivion as to what they were discussing.
“Please tell us what he’s saying madam nurse” Auntie Ceci said shaking.
The nurse looked at them angrily, “Well take the baby and the mother away. We can show you a route you can use to avoid them. So much trouble for helping you filthy people.” 
They rushed into the room and took the baby and came out of the room. “Please show us the way” they said panicking. 
“What of the mother?” the nurse asked in vernacular.
“We can’t carry her, she’s too heavy and too tired, and if we choose to save her too we might be caught. If we are caught we will get burnt also” 
“What are they saying?”
“They said, they have to leave the woman here because she’s too heavy, they are choosing to save the child only.”
“What are they saying?”
“Doc, I will explain what they are saying to you later”
“So then what do we tell them?”
“That the child”, aunty Ceci replied “is dead”
“What if they ask of the body?”
“Maame Nurse, you can tell them a lie or something, look over the window, they are coming fast, if you are going to subject us to this question and answer regime, we will all be dead in a few seconds.”
“Nurse, can you please tell me what they are saying? Where’s the gateman, he can help me withsome translation here.”
Within minutes, the gateman arrived panting and showing signs of tiredness. “Docta, we have to give em they babe or they well kirl us.”
“I will do no such thing! Show the women the exist!  The woman is too tired for her to escape, I shall face the barbarians, they can do me no harm me; I am white.”
The woman still stood there panting and not understanding a single syllabi being discussed.
“But doc” Philip protested.
“I mean now!”
“Please follow me” Philip told the women in twi and they obeyed him. They walked past the doctor and opened the room next to the delivery room and escaped.
Just as the door closed, three figures emerged holding flames looking so ready to murder anyone who crosses them, they approached the white doctor and the mulato nurse and circled them amidst singing of songs of murder. 
“Obroni, bring the child before we kill you
Obroni, bring the child before we burn this place down
Obroni, bring the woman ooo
Obroni, that woman is an abomination
Whoever touches her should be burnt
“Nurse! What are they singing about?”
“They said, we should give them the child or the baby or else we will get burnt. They also claim we have touched them so we have to be killed.”



The doctor gave a high pitched laughter and for once the music died down. The three men did not know what made the doctor laugh but from the looks on the nurse’s face, they could tell them she was telling no joke and that she was scared her own safety.
“Tell them that they would do no such thing and that because of what they have said they are having none of what they have said”
Instantly, people starting rushing to the hospital because they had heard people singing. The doors of the hospital burst opened and it was followed by five other white men and Philip.
“What is happening here?”
“Apparently, they are barbarians!” the doctor replied “they want me to give them a child and a mother who just delivered”
“Dr. Short, are you not aware that you are not to treat any black patient here. Aren’t you aware of the rules and regulations of this hospital?”
“I am totally aware but the dictates of my profession is in such a way that it doesn’t permit me to follow your rules and regulations” the doctor replied.
“So what do they want?” one of the white men said looking at the black men in disgust. 
“The woman and her child” Dr Short replied
“What are you waiting for Dr. Short? Give them what they want?”
“What are they saying?” one of the black men replied.
“I will explain everything to you people” Philip whispered to them in Twi.
“I can’t give either the baby or the mother to them?”
“Why is that?” 
“You see, the baby is dead and the mother is a bit too heavy and too sick to be handed to them”
“That shouldn’t be part of our concern, should it? Hand them over to them whether dead or alive, they know what to do”
“You see, things aren’t that easy. The baby has been taken away by family members to be buried”
“Dr. Short, why do I have this feeling you are hiding something”
“Obroni, give us the baby and the mother before we burn you people!” the short hairy man addressed “for it is our custom. It must be obeyed”
Philip replied them “It hasn’t come to this please, just go home, we will bring you the baby and mother”
“Philip, what are they saying?”
“They would burn this hospital if we don’t give in to them.” He replied one of the white men.
“Utterly nonsense! Black skin, black mind, big head full of stupidity. Tell them to move out” he advanced to Dr. Short “and you doc we shall get to the root of this whole issue!” 
“Please you have to leaf hiya oo, please come tomollow, we will settle dzi mata” he pleaded to the three men seeking to destroy the hospital. 
“Agya Appiah, tell them that if they don’t give us the child and the baby, we are not leaving her. We will burn this hospital” 
“Kwasi Boateng, don’t you dare call me by my barbaric name! Call me Philip. Why do black people find it difficult to understand anything?”
“But Agya Appiah” Kwasi Boateng replied snidely “you aren’t even fairer than us?”
“Philip, can you for once tell me what they are saying?” Dr. Short replied
“Docta, I tell you err’thin dze pipple are saying right away”
“Now, you are making no sense” Dr. Short replied
“Doctor, I mean wait to let dze piple go, I will tell you what it are talking.”
The white men in the room nodded; they felt it was advisable to let Philip handle the situation. He had proven time and time again to be capable in handling issues involving black folks. Oncehe sat in the judicial council with the white and helped in solving an issue involving labor unrest involving the black workers. He considered himself more white than black, hence that was why he changed his name from Agya Appiah to Philip – he felt that black race was a foolish one to be born to. He was one of the only few blacks in this town who could speak English. Though his English was extremely worse, he was the best in the town. He was thirty three and the whites had decided to send him to London to polish up his English so that he would be a part of their central administration. He was the most paid black in the community and he found extreme solace in this fact.
“Agya Appiah, well we are”
“Yaw Asamaoh, don’t call me Agya Appiah! I made that known to Kwasi Boateng. Now take Agyapong and get out of this hospital. You’ve brought enough filth in it already” he cut them short.
“Agya, is that us that you are shouting out” Agyapong advanced on Philip and Philip quickly brushed him off.
“Yaw! Kwasi! Let’s go. Today, we are going to show him something” and they left with the flames in their hands.
They watched them as they advanced towards the door angrily and whispering among themselves. Indeed, all was over so as they thought. 
“Dr. this should be the last time, this incidence should…..”
They heard a loud scream from outside. They all rushed outside, only to see the Yaw, Kwasi and Agyapong running away. 
“Daddy, I’m on fire!”
Dr. Short run quickly to his bungalow. “Nooo, Emile!” 
His daughter was on the ground and she was burning together with the grass. “Someone help me” she screamed.
All the people in the other bungalow run from their rooms to save this lady girl. Some were carrying buckets of water, others held in their hands fire extinguisher. 
“Catch those men!” Dr. Short ordered. Philip runs to catch them but they are nowhere to be seen. 
That night was the longest night ever witnessed in Abease-Buipe. No one slept, all what was heard were screams from Rick-be, the whole population was alive, mourning the death of Emile Short. She was burnt beyond redemption and Dr. Short sat at the entrance of the hospital weeping tears never seen before. It looked like an alienation, he uses his knowledge to save people of their ailment but he couldn’t save his only daughter. The other white people gathered around him in a quest to console him but he refused bluntly to be consoled. He should have never brought her daughter to Ghana. Was it even his fault? She refused to live with her auntie in London, she wanted to be close with her father, her mentor, her inspiration, her everything. Now, she was dead, she was gone, she had sighed her last, breathed her last and the last words she said before giving up the ghost was so reverberating in the spheres of his mind “Daddy, please save me.”

Twilight came and it was time for revenge. The white marched to the main township of Abease-Buipe armed to the teeth. They set fire to every hut they saw, every grass they smiled at them, every dust that begged, every tree that looked sorrowful and every face that begged for mercy. They burnt everything. Some escaped to the next town, some died but most importantly, all the white men left Rick-by, Philip didn’t, he stayed back to take care of the ruins. He knew in his heart that one day they would come back and the old glory of Rick-be would be greatly restored. That one day, they would come back and his dreams of living in London, a city he had heard so much good tales of would come to past. But no, they never did. He never became a Londoner. The grasses in Rick-be invited snakes and other wild animals. It became a forest, a memento, a shrine of tears. Interestingly no one knew the name of this woman who because of her had caused this misfortune, the three men were never found again. Some said they had gone to Kumasi, others said Tamale, other postulated that they were now in Sekondi, others said Accra but mostly importantly, every knew that 3rd March was a black day and yes the gods were vindicated, the chief priest was right and Abease-Buipe was never the same ever ever again.

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Nocturnal presence

She is only a nocturnal presence 

That comes to paint my face with

Smiles and tears. 

On the morrow, 

I wake up and she will be gone

With everything I see as life and sadness. 

Respite, 

Her perfume always lingers on 

Like that of a Harmattan-time ghost 

Set on flames. 

Her heart is fire 

And my soul is flames

And we love each other with a love

That can set heaven on fire 

And hell on the path to non-existence. 

Our love is so strong

That the angels are always mute 

For all the songs in their heart

Cannot describe this kind of love. 

The demons are always in envy

For they can't believe God ever created

Such a love and hid it from them

For all these forever light years. 

A conspiracy theory passed my room

And told me 

The angels and demons had plotted

To kill our love. 

But there is no need to be afraid

Because when fire, gasoline and water

Are in love 

No man dead or alive 

No principality weak or strong

Can stop this thing the Bible

Calls as love.

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#MyPhantomValentine

Phantom Valentine

My dear is just a dream away.

She is made up of skulls and revenge. 

My phantom Valentine rides on her favorite skeletal dark horse

Ready to offer me her sordid love and melancholic kiss. 

You see, 

She is romance not worth even the paper it is written on!

But at least I pretend she is. 

My phantom valentine

Wishes the nighttime was the day

So she could roam around shameless in her gloomy gown. 

But I as her lover 

Is greedy and would forever wish she is stuck in my imagination

So that in day or night, 

Harmattan or the rainy season 

In Dumsor or in light or even in none

I can slip away from humans,

(who by the way think I am) 

Remove my mask

And together walk with my phantom valentine;

Like a groom without a bride

Tears without a face 

Dreams without hope 

And kiss her till her skulls melt on my lips and hands.  

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Serialised Novel: Tabitha 1.1

3rd March, 1988 – The people of Abease-Buipe woke up to the horrors that accompanied the singular event which shook the very foundations of the town. Never a year goes by without this event been recounted; this event which has been recounted so much had turned from history to myth. Popularly referred to as ‘Ruck-by mtam kesie” caused the near extermination of the whole village is what motivated the writing of this book; this is how it all began; 

The hospital was very quiet; it was midnight so all there was, was quiet. The hospital was located some few kilometers from the main town. Legend whispered it that, when the white men first came to the town, they wished to live with the people as one big family. The chief priest at that time warned the king not to allow this ‘unhappy’ union because he had seen fiery visions and did not smile after waking up. The chief, Nana Sere, was however very sympathetic. He just couldn’t– he thought it cruel. He loved the colour of their skin and strange tongues. Instead of sending them away, he gave them a large piece of land in what was then called “THE FORBIDDENS”. This did not go down well with the people and as a result there was a revolt which led to his destoolment. The people decided not to take back the land after all it was forbidden to go there and they believed they wouldn’t last in there. Regardless, they made a pact that should they let them keep that land, they were not to interfere in their domestic issues; which they graciously agreed to. Years went by and they began to realize the importance of the hospital and some of the infrastructure the white men built. They felt they had been misled by the chief priest. As a result, Nana Sere, on his dying bed was reinstated as the chief of the town although he didn’t rule for more than a month before his demise.

The hospital called “John Wesley Hospital” was hence located in the bush and most people didn’t frequent there at night even if it was an emergency. The area that housed the hospital was a spectacle to behold, it was well-planned with laid out roads linking the next village and the main town, it also had a good water system which supplied the clinic, the several bungalows, the chapel and the market specifically built for the white. The area was originally called “Ridgeburg” but as years went by it corrupted to “Rick-by.” 

So then this story opens from a midnight once upon a time when there was nothing but quiet,footsteps could be heard across the street. A woman was in labour and she was being carried by two women who were sobbingly holding her. Apparently, the woman was having difficulties in giving birth so they had to rush her to the white men’s hospital before she lost her life. 

Due to the initial opposition by the Chief Priest, the hospital run a policy of serving the whites and a privileged few. They knew that they would be turned away should they step foot there but that was the only option which stood bright among several candles in the wind; they couldn’t take the pregnant woman to the hospital in the next community, it was a dangerous adventure to make. They also couldn’t call their husbands for escort because the pregnant woman had been cast out by her husband for infidelity; an offence she had vehemently denied. Per the laws of her town, she was to be stoned to death, luckily, she was able to run away from this sad fate. She run as far as she could despite being heavy with pregnancy and the only place of refuge she could think of was an old friend she had met long ago when she was at Techiman engaging in petty trading. This woman called Auntie Ceci lived in the next two towns after hers but she took the risk and walked all the way there.

She told her all what had happened and begged her to lodge with her till she give birth in which after that she would go to Accra and live her life as an outcast. She didn’t refuse, she hide at her friend’s house because it was more secured that her place than her own. This woman was a young widow whose husband had died two months after their wedding so as it stood, she was sleeping alone. That was where she was hide for about three weeks till it was time to deliver when she had developed serious complications and was at the point of death.

Despite the dangers of the night, they hurried, making sure no one heard their footsteps. They knocked on the gate and they were opened by a gate man who was sleeping on duty.

“Madam, weytin you wan dzi night?” the gate man asked them pushing them away.

“Please, our friend is dying please we need all the help we can get” Auntie Ceci replied in twi.

“I am soli, thele’s norring my oga can do ooo. So please oya walka for home before I lose my job ooo.”

The pregnant woman was sweating and was shouting for help, since it was night it reverberated in the quarters and afar, one of the white man switched on his light to see what was going on. Luckily, he was the doctor and he lived three blocks away from the hospital. With a frown on his face, he carried his kerosene lantern to inquire what was happening. He wore a green pajamas, had hair tied like a ponytail and wore thick beard which almost covered his mouth and half of his face.

“Waa look, you see you wake Doc o, weytin I go say for me to keepu ma job ooo. Wey kind bad lock bi this koraa.” As he was saying this, he knelt down imploring on the doctor to forgive him before he even give his defense.

“What is happening here?” he said in his heavy British accent.

The two other woman also went down on their knees communicating with him in vernacular. 

“What are they saying and for God’s sake would you stand up, Philip!” he roared.

“Doc, the two wemen claims that their friend” she pointed to the pregnant woman who was now unconscious on the floor holding her stomach “is dying. Shi won’t deliva and they want to come hier for help oo. I no do anything, I was told them to”

“Enough, Philip, help the woman and bring her to the maternity ward.”

“What did he say” the woman inquired in Twi. 

“He says I should help the woman and bring her to the ward, he’s had mercy on you” he replied in Twi.

“What are they saying?” 

“Doc, they oneto me to tell dem what you were tellion me”

“Just tell them to bring her inside.”

She signaled to them to help her carry the woman inside. They run inside the lonely corridors following the white doctor whilst they thanked him for his generosity. The lights in the hospital shined bright, the corridor that led to the maternity ward was not big enough; by measurement, and it was like the horizontal stretch of the hand. Soon, they came across a blue door with the inscription “MATERNITY WARD.” 

The gatemen let go of the pregnant woman and pushed the door open and they all entered. The room was a bit sizeable and heavily furnished with the accoutrements, the doctor helped the women to put the pregnant woman on the bed and told them to wait for him outside. Because they couldn’t comprehend English, the gateman explained to them.

“The white man said go outside and wait for him”. They sheepishly obeyed and began pacing the corridor. Suddenly, they could hear the pregnant woman screaming and then paced the corridor muttering words of encourage.

From the corridor, they saw afar a bright light and Abena Hannah, Auntie Ceci’s friend tapped her on the back and told her to look at it.

“It must be the witches of Abease Buipe” Auntie Ceci muttered.

“I agree with you sister, all what they do is to destroy people! May Odomankoma punish them for their wickedness!”

But the lights was appearing nearer and nearer with each passing second and they began to sense danger. It was three men approaching with full speed holding torches in their arms. Auntie Cecirecognized one of the men, he was Yaa Sophia’s, the pregnant woman’s husband. She had never seen him before but the description she had given her before fitted one of the men perfected: dark, broad-shouldered, short, had lots of hair on his arms, legs and chest and also had pale eyes which could be mistaken as red.

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