{"id":166064,"date":"2015-11-11T09:14:53","date_gmt":"2015-11-11T09:14:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=166064"},"modified":"2015-11-11T09:15:57","modified_gmt":"2015-11-11T09:15:57","slug":"sebitically-speaking-the-legend-of-kapokyikyi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/11\/sebitically-speaking-the-legend-of-kapokyikyi\/","title":{"rendered":"Sebitically Speaking: The Legend of Kapokyikyi"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week, I have been thinking of my ancestors a lot. Of Kwame Bassanyin<\/em> the first and second; of Nana Ntiako<\/em>; of Premang Ntow<\/em> the second; of Bombay<\/em>; of Somiah<\/em>; of Egyabima<\/em> and Abakoma<\/em>. Of those who have gone ahead to prepare the way for the rest of us who will surely traverse the road which doesn\u2019t lack pilgrims, willing and unwilling. I thought of Kapokyikyi<\/em>. I bring you greetings from all these names, as I reflected on the memories of their lives and times.<\/p>\n

The spirits of my ancestors keep me company as I prepare to go to my village to see the Old Man off on his journey to join his forebears. I go to Wasa to bury my uncle Kasapreko Nana Kwame Bassanyin III, the nephew of my grandfather Nana Premang Ntow II (known in private life as Nana Kwabena Damoah). I go to the village to say goodbye to the man who bears the same name as my dad Bombay and my son.<\/p>\n

And I think of Kapokyikyi<\/em>. It is now time to tell you about Kapokyikyi. You see, Kapokyikyi is not a fictional character. Kapokyikyi was my dad\u2019s brother; you would say a half-brother as his mum was not my maternal grandmother, Efua Abakoma. But in my language, there is no word for \u2018half-brother\u2019; nor is there a word for \u2018cousin\u2019. That word is alien to my tongue and that is why Kasapreko is my Wofa. Kapokyikyi\u2019s mother was one of the fourteen wives of Nana Premang Ntow; go to Wasa Akropong (the big city) and ask of Africa Woman, Nana Asieduwaa, and she will proudly tell you that she was the youngest wife of my grandfather. She is alive and still goes to her farm. I don\u2019t know her age; I doubt that she does. Nana Asieduwaa, it was, who asked me once when I visited with the Wasalets<\/em>:<\/p>\n

\u201cNana Awere, when are you having your fourth child?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNana, we are done\u201d, I replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cNonsense,\u201d she blurted, \u201cif your mother had stopped at three, would you have come into this world?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nana Asieduwaa, the Africa Woman.<\/p>\n

Kapokyikyi lived in the old palace, which was the traditional family house and the residence of Kasapreko before the new palace atop the hill near the Ehyira<\/em> River was built. I don\u2019t remember Kapokyikyi being married. So he ate in the house of his sisters and slept in Kasapreko\u2019s palace.<\/p>\n

Kapokyikyi contributed no chop money. The little money he had, he spent it at Liberty Base, where the \u2018hot stuff\u2019 was sold. The stuff that Kofi Akpabli says no one ever drank and smiled.<\/p>\n

VC 10. Kumepreko. Anferewoase. Efie Nipa. Akpet<\/em>.<\/p>\n

My uncle, Kapokyikyi, was hardly ever sober.<\/p>\n

But his mind was sharpest when he was not sober.<\/p>\n

And he certainly spoke his mind.<\/p>\n

Mostly to Kasapreko. He who was reputed to speak once and definitely.<\/p>\n

So one day, Kapokyikyi was said to have confronted Kasapreko on an issue and asked him, \u201cNana, wo gyimi a, wonnhu?\u201d meaning, \u201cNana, don\u2019t you realise it yourself when you are being stupid?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sebitically speaking.<\/p>\n

I said it o! I did! That what a man says when drunk, he thought about whilst sober.<\/p>\n

Kapokyikyi would exercise his sharp tongue even on his sisters who fed him, at the risk of losing his next meal. Ka na wu<\/em> (speak your mind and damn death), he would say.<\/p>\n

This week, I say I am thinking of my ancestors oo. Of Bassanyin. Of Ntiako. Of Kwame Atta. Of Yorke. Of Premang Ntow. Of Kapokyikyi.<\/p>\n

I am thinking of the founding fathers of our nation, Ghana. I think of the courage of the ex-servicemen, the veterans of World War II, who stood up to the colonial powers. I think of Nii Kwabena Bonne III. I think of Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey. I think of the vocal activists who shouted themselves hoarse and spoke out to get us our independence.<\/p>\n

And I ask, what has got our tongue as a people?<\/p>\n

I read the articles of the late writer and lecturer, Professor PAV Ansah, in these reflective moments; I juxtapose them against the current times and I ask, what has made us so silent as a people in the face of issues that demand that we speak out and straighten the crooked paths our leaders are traversing in open view?<\/p>\n

Did the culture of silence in the eighties produce citizens of silence?<\/p>\n

Where from this culture where we speak from our stomachs instead of from our minds? Where political patronage defines the exercise of our speech and the fear of being tagged restrains us from expressing our views on national issues?<\/p>\n

Unless we all speak out about our speedy spiral into the valley of national ineptitude, no-development and directionless-ness without fear of being branded, there will be no hope of a turnaround. That ka na wu<\/em> attitude.<\/p>\n

I think of Kapokyikyi. I think of my own dad, Bombay, who called a spade a spade. \u2018Old solider never dies\u2019, he would say. Friendly but firm. Brother and close friend of Kapokyikyi. Kapokyikyi who would tell Kasapreko to consider his own folly, s<\/em>\u025b<\/em>bi s<\/em>\u025b<\/em>bi<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Every leader needs a Kapokyikyi<\/em>. Okay, those who are biblically inclined would say a Nathan, but one definitely infused with the spirit, whether brewed or unseen.<\/p>\n

May the spirit of Kapokyikyi affect us all. May we speak our minds as citizens.<\/p>\n

And Kasapreko Nana Kwame Bassanyin III, may your journey to your ancestors be smooth. We pray greater grace to your successor, T\u025btr\u025bt\u025b Akuamoah Sekyem II.<\/p>\n

Till I come your way with another sebitical, this time from the holy village of Wasa Akropong, I remain:<\/p>\n

Sebitically yours,<\/p>\n

Kapokyikyiwofaase<\/p>\n

Sebitically Speaking<\/em><\/strong> is Nana Awere Damoah\u2019s 5th book and is available via Amazon, Vidya Bookshop (Osu) and can be ordered online for delivery anywhere in Ghana at nanaaweredamoahbooks.storefoundry.com <\/em><\/p>\n

Sebitically Speaking<\/em><\/strong> will be launched on 4 December 2015, at Teachers’ Hall (opposite Tigo Headoffice), Accra, from 6pm – 8pm.<\/em><\/p>\n

Mark the date and make a date.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Footnotes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kasapreko<\/em>: A title of the late Paramount Chief of Wasa Amenfi Traditional Area in Ghana, meaning \u201cHe who speaks once, and whose word is final\u201d<\/p>\n

VC10<\/em>: One of the nicknames of the local gin (reference to the speed of the VC10 aeroplane)<\/p>\n

Kumepreko<\/em>: Nickname for the local gin, meaning, \u201cKill me quick\u201d<\/p>\n

Anferewoase<\/em>: Nickname for the local gin, which paraphrases as \u201cSod the in-laws\u201d<\/p>\n

Akpet<\/em>: A shortened form of the local gin\u2019s full name of \u201cAkpeteshie\u201d<\/p>\n

T\u025btr\u025bt\u025b:<\/em> Title of Paramount Chief of Wasa Amenfi Traditional Area<\/p>\n

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This week, I have been thinking of my ancestors a lot. Of Kwame Bassanyin the first and second; of Nana Ntiako; of Premang Ntow the second; of Bombay; of Somiah; of Egyabima and Abakoma. Of those who have gone ahead to prepare the way for the rest of us who will surely traverse the road […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":166065,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[8],"yoast_head":"\nSebitically Speaking: The Legend of Kapokyikyi - Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. 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