Miye gbekɛ kwraa jamɔ be lɛ mli be ni Kofi Takliko, minyɛmi nuu lɛ naagboo lɛ, ba wɔwe yɛ huloo shishi shwane ko, ni ejoɔ foi ehuɔ kɔkɔɔtsɛi ni elaɔ waa yɛ naakpɛɛ gbɛ nɔ: ‘tititi tayey tititi tayey’ ekpaaa. Naagbee lɛ amɔ e ni awo e-ninji kɛ enaji kpaŋ. Etɔ ‘nɔ’ lɛ kpɛmɔ klɛŋklɛŋ biɛ; eyeɛ eha lɛ. Etswa emusu mli gbɛmɔ tsei lɛ tɛ̃ɛ, ni eyagba dɛ kɛkpɛmɔ agbene no nɔɔ. Ni yɛ naakpɛɛ gbɛ nɔ lɛ, naagboni ni tsɔɔ lɛ nɔ lɛ emɔɔɔ amɛ agbene no nɔɔ, shi yɛ sɛɛmɔ mli yɛ wala mli lɛ, amɛshihilɛ bafe basaaaaa…omɛi yaagbee Pantang ni mɛi ni nyɛɛɛ awo shika lɛ nyɛɛ kɛ amɛnaji kɛjɛ Kisseman kɛyaa Kumasi ni amɛku amɛsɛɛ ba…mɔko etsɔoo amɛ tso shi ‘weed’ ni feɔ!

No hewɔ lɛ trotro dɛlɔ lɛ mli fu mate (aplankey) lɛ. Mɛni hewɔ? Gbɛfãa lɛ jɛ Madina kɛyaa Accra, shi anuɔ ni mate lɛ miibɔɔ mɔ ni miitsɛ kpojianɔbii: “Norway, Denmark, Spain…mɛi nyɔŋmɔ mumɔ…teɔ”. Dɛlɔ lɛ ka mate lɛ, ni mate lɛ tsɔɔ akɛ be fɛɛ be ni eyeɔ tso-baa lɛ, enuɔ he akɛ eba e-lamɔ maŋ lɛ mli mɔmɔ. No hewɔ ni eitsɛɔ jamɔ maji lɛ agbɛi kɛtsĩɔ Circle nɔ lɛ. Dɛlɔ lɛ heee lɛ eyeɛ, no hewɔ lɛ ebi akɛ ebaatɔ eka hu ni ena kɛji enuɔ he nakai. Dɛlɔ lɛ ye klɛŋklɛŋ nɔ lɛ ni ekɛɛ mate lɛ: “Shi minuuu nɔko he”. Mate lɛ bi lɛ akɛ eye ekonn. Shi lolo lɛ, dɛlɔ lɛ nuuu nɔko he. Mate lɛ bi lɛ akɛ eye etɛmɔ nɔ lɛ, ni eye, ni kɛji trukaa pɛ lɛ, dɛlɔ lɛ bɔi bolɔmɔ: ‘France, Japan, Ecuador, Egypt, Australia ‘. Ama nɔ mi! Nɔ lɛ egbɛ amɛjwɛŋmɔ mli, ni eha amɛnuɔ he akɛ amɛmiifa gbɛ yɛ jeŋ fɛɛ.

Yɛ dɛlɔ lɛ gbɛfaŋ lɛ, eitshõɔ kɛyaa shikpɔŋ agboji lɛ fɛɛ nɔ yɛ be kome mli, yɛ eye-mate lɛ ni miifa gbɛ kɛyaa Europe pɛ lɛ he! Afii komɛi sɛɛ lɛ, dɛlɔ lɛ gbo kɛtsɔ tsofa faa tsɔ nɔ, ni emate lɛ tsoo paamli. Eye tsofa yaya ni enu he akɛ eye hewalɛ ni efee efɔŋ. Ani obenu Duran maŋ lɛ he pɛŋ? Eji tsofa yaya yenɔ kɛ efɔŋfeemɔ tsɔne-shishi eyɛ mli fɛɛ akɛnia maŋ lɛ hiɛ gbɛi kpakpa yɛ e-tsɔne-gbɛ ni yɔɔ fɛo lɛ hewɔ.

Tsofa yaya haomɔ lɛ miifee gbeyei-shemɔ yɛ Ghana. Gbekɛbii lɛ, ei. Mɛi ni yɔɔ skul mli kɛ mɛi ni feɔ nɔ fɛɛ nɔ – po yei komɛi ni miishao jwɛŋmɔ-nijiaŋwɔjemɔ kɛ helai krokomɛi lɛ yeɔ tsofa yaya koni amɛ ‘hiɛje’ amɛhaomɔji lɛ tamɔ yoo ko gba yɛ redio nɔ nyɛmɔ yɛ Ghana.

Otsi naagbee nɛɛ kɛji omidoɔ akɛ atshu nitsumɔ lɛ hiɛji-hiɛji yɛ be kukurukuku mli yɛ shika bibioo mli lɛ, ofainɛ kaabɔ ‘baa’ shierlɔ akɔ̃. Amɛmli mɛi komɛi miikɛ ‘nibii krokomɛi’ miifata he o. Amɛnyɛɔ amɛtshuɔ nitsumɔ kɛyashĩa be ni ‘nɔ nɛɛ’ baaje amɛgboji amli. Miiahao mihe kɛ nitsumɔ ko yɛ mi-manhole lɛ nɔ. Mibɔ Yaw, tɛ-maalɔ akɔ̃. Nitsumɔ lɛ hiao gbiinii nyɔŋmɔ yɛ be ni waaa mli kɛgbe naa. Ashi samɛnte kotakoi 4 – 2 gbi fɛɛ gbi. Tɛ-maalɔ kome, tsɔɔlɔ kome yɛ kitã lɛ nɔ. Aaoo miishi akɛ Yaw baatao tsɔɔlɔ ni aye ebua lɛ.

‘Amɛ’ aaoo miishi akɛ amɛbaabɔi nitsumɔ yɛ Sohaa ni amɛgbe naa yɛ Hoofɛ. Miyasara he ni atshuɔ nitsumɔ lɛ yɛ gbekɛ ni mina Yaw ni miitshu nitsumɔ, ekome pɛ. Eyɛ samɛnte kotoku no 4 lɛ nɔ momo miitshu nitsumɔ. Nitsumɔ lɛ egbe naa kɛ̃. Be ni mibi ehe ni tɛ-maalɔ kroko lɛ kɛ tsɔɔlɔji lɛ yɔɔ lɛ, Yaw moŋ ŋmɔ pɛ. Mibũ akɛ Yaw ebɔ tɛ-maalɔ kroko kɛ tsɔɔlɔji nyɔŋmɔ akɔ̃ koni amɛgbe nitsumɔ lɛ naa yɛ gbi kome mli ewo gbii nyɔŋmɔ ni faŋŋ lɛ najiɛ.

Mibi lɛ ekonn he ni mɛi krokomɛi lɛ yɔɔ. Ehitsoo lɛ ha mi-naa kpɛ mi. Efee nɔ fɛɛ nɔ kɛ ehe ejaakɛ e ‘bɔ’ ehe akɔ̃. Sɛɛmɔ lɛ etsɔɔ mi akɛ ja ‘nɔ lɛ’ eje amli lɛ, eensa akɛ etsõɔ nitsumɔ lɛ nɔ kɛyaagbe leebi ni baa lɛ. Kɛyashi amrɔ nɛɛ, minyyylɛ nɔ ni nɔ lɛ ji o, minyɛɔ mikpaɔ pɛ akɛ ‘jamɔ tso-baa lɛ! Shi mibi lɛ nɔ ni ji e-laamɔ-nɔ lɛ ni etsĩ ‘gban gban’ tɛ̃. Nyyylɛ shishi kɛyashi nyɛmɔ be ni miba ni milɛ akɛ ‘gban gban’ ji gbɛi fɔŋ ni akɛtsɛɔ trammadol. Kɛkɛ ni mikai mi-trammadol nikasemɔ lɛ.

Misusu akɛ Yaw ji mɔ ni tshuɔ nitsumɔ waa ni eye ebua mi ni mi-to shika ewo tii mli kɛyashi nyɔŋtsere ni ho lɛ mli be ni miikudɔ tsɔne ni miba Adabraka Cathedral gbɛjegbɛ-naakpasa lɛ ni oyagbɔɔ mɔ ni mina – Yaw! Etwoaa ehetshai teŋ, ehiɛ kãa ni niyenii slɔtoi ni ahoo yɔɔ mli ni shĩa hu yɔɔ mli – egba dɛ kwraa! Kɛ chale worte kome pɛ yɛ enaji mli, mifo! Kwɛɔ, wɔyɛ haomɔ o. Ja gbɛmɔ tsĩmɔ lɛ bafei hewalɛ ni fa lɛ, wɔmiifite wɔ-gbekɛbii lɛ. Tsofa yayai nɛɛ nyɛɔ amɛtshuɔ amɛ ‘yiŋtoo’ amɛha amɛ amrɔ nɛɛ shi amɛbaafite amɛ yɛ sɛɛmɔ mli, ashi akɛ baafe nakai kwraa!

Yɛ mi-nɔ lɛ mli lɛ, miinuɔ yitshĩɔ waa ko pɛ he. Miye he wulomɔ yɛ gbɛfãlɔji tsɔne ko mli yɛ West Africa maŋ kroko mli kɛyaa kɔɔyɔɔtsɔne-shĩamɛi lɛ. Gbɛfãlɔji lɛ mli mɔ kome ni nu akɛ miiye yitshĩɔ he wulomɔ lɛ hã mi tsofa-mɔmɔ ni etsɔɔ akɛ eji piŋmɔ-tsĩlɔ. Ehã mi nyɔŋmɔ ni ebi mi akɛ miye kome pɛ ni mi-yitshĩɔ kɛ piŋmɔ lɛ baajɛ mi-he. Yɛ anɔkwale mli lɛ ejɛ mi-he trukaa be ni miye kome lɛ sɛɛ. Milaa ekroko lɛ. Mibɔi henũmɔ akɛ miifee glagla ni miinuɔ ‘henũmɔ’ kpakpai komɛi ahe. Mimu naa akɛ tsofa nɛɛ hi.

Shi be ni miku misɛɛ miba Accra lɛ, miinuɔ he bibioo akɛ miitao mawɔ ni yɛ be kome mli hu miikpɛɛ ni miiyɛ hewalɛ tsɔ. Minyyy lɛ kɛji miitao mawɔ alo miitaoo mawɔ. Be ni miwɔ jamɔ nyɔɔŋ lɛ mli lɛ, miwɔ jogbaŋŋ shi miinu he akɛ miina lamɔ yɛ jataji kɛ tigers ahe. Mite shi jogbaŋŋ shi kɛ yitshĩɔ wulu yɛ mi-yitsho sɛɛ. Minyɛɔ miinuɔ mijitso-mũ tsĩŋmɔji yɛ mi-kuɛ sɛɛ akɛ eitiã ni eiheɔ. Shi miitao ekroko hu eyatshɛɔ ni minyyy tsofa lɛ gbɛi kɛyashi miku misɛɛ miya jamɔ maŋ lɛ mli nyɔɔnyɔ-nyɔ-afĩ. Yɛ mi-shĩamɛi-tsũ mli lɛ, mitsɔɔ tsofa lɛ afeemɔ mli mikɛɛ hii lɛ mli mɔ kome ni mikɛ lɛ miikwɛ UEFA league fĩɛmɔ lɛ ni ekɛɛ akɛ kɛjɛ jamɔ ‘tsofa kpakpa’ ni miiwie he lɛ mli lɛ, esusuɔ akɛ eji trammadol. Trama mɛni? Ekɛɛ ‘dol’! Ao! Hẽmɔ mi ye, agbene no nɔɔ lɛ, ehã mi kome ejaakɛ eyɛ ekotoku mli. Tsofa lɛ ŋɔɔ waa. Ehɛɛ mi be kɛɛɛɛkɛ dani miba ‘shi’ be ni mikɛ mi-ŋa yɔɔ lɛ. Efeɔ tamɔ mina tsofa kɛha mi-minti nyɔŋmɔ haomɔ lɛ!

Nakai eji. Miku misɛɛ miba Ghana ni mibi trammadol ni mi-naa kpɛ mi akɛ eyɛ alente yɛ hewalɛ slɔtoi mli. Ni kpakpa alo fɔŋ mli lɛ, tsofa-hɔɔlɔ yoo lɛ kɛɛ ja wolo ni jɛ dɔkta ŋɔɔ. Mikpa lɛ faai ejaakɛ miitao koni miinu he kpakpa ni maya hiɛɛɛ, ebee lɛ glagla. Etu mi-biimɔ lɛ ewo e-sɛɛ ejaakɛ minyyy piŋmɔ mli alo miitaoo mikɛha mɔ ko ni yɔɔ piŋmɔ mli. Mihye tsofa-hɔɔlɔ yoo lɛ ejaakɛ mina lɛ akɛ eyeɔ mi-fɔŋ. Jamɔ nɔ lɛ hɛ̃ mi. Kulɛ mibaafee tsofa yaya nɛɛ kaelɔ agbo yɛ amrɔ nɛɛ.

Ofainɛ, ha wɔwuu kɛ ehe waa ni wɔkwɛ wɔ-gbekɛbii lɛ titri mɛi ni amɛ-skulbii baanyɛ amɛjɛ maji krokomɛi amli lɛ. Enɔ nyɛmɔ baanyɛ afee wa kɛ-yana yɛ shishi ejaakɛ 'okadi' titri lɛ ji akɛ ehaɔ gbekɛ ni hiɛ gblɔɔ be ko lɛ baafeɔ mɔ ni yɔɔ hewalɛ waa alo mɔ ni hiɛ eye ni eitshweɔ ehe kpo. Ha wɔgli wɔ-hiŋmɛii dani wɔ-hiŋmɛii baagbli wɔ kɛha gbekɛbii ni eye tsofa yaya, yoo!
Akaɔ mɛi komɛi ni hɔɔ dãa ni nuɔ kɛ niyenii ni ahoo lɛ akɛ amɛmiifata nibii ni yɔɔ gbeyei kɛwoɔ nibii nɛɛ amli. Mɛi yɛ efɔŋ o. Shi naakpɛɛ bɛ akɛ ŋwɛi agbo lɛ eŋmɔ momo yɛ wɔ-mli mɛi babaoo anɔ.

Shwane kpakpa kɛha nyɛmɛi fɛɛ ni toe loo lɛ toɔ wɔ kɛyashi wɔ-baaju kɛjɛ wonu dɔlɔ lɛ mli ni wɔ-lilɛi baashĩa! Ni okaikãi, dani omidoŋ tsofa lɛ, klɛŋklɛŋ bi ohe kɛji oyeɔ hela.

Kɛji aawie hela he lɛ, efeɔ tamɔ musu mli hela kpetenkple ko yɛ nɔ lɛ mli, titri yɛ nyo-wulu lɛ sɛɛ o. Wɔnyyylɛ he ni niyenii-hɔɔlɔji komɛi nyɛɔ amɛnaɔ nu kɛjɛɔ o. Efeee naakpɛɛ akɛ oana mɛi babaoo ni miiye typhoid hewamɔji ahe wulomɔ. Mi-feɔ mɔ kome. Ha wɔkwɛ wɔhe nɔ jogbaŋŋ yɛ he ni wɔyeɔ niyenii kɛjɛɔ. Miya ninshia-he komɛi nyɛmɔ be nɛɛ mli, ni e-jeŋmaŋ fua lɛ eyeɔ gbɛ slɔto, kɛ hewalɛ ni fua lɛ tsɔ̃ɔ nyɛmɔ nɔ kwraa. Misusuɔ akɛ wɔ-mli mɛi babaoo eyeɔ musu mli hela…ha wɔkaka wɔyaa kɛha gbɛji-kwɛmɔ ni ha wɔfeɔ akɛ wɔmiifo wɔ-nijiaŋ jogbaŋŋ kɛ samala yɛ nu ni hoɔ shishi. Miina mɔbɔ ha water closets – amɛyɛ piŋmɔ mli momo.