Growing up, i was a little wayward. I did all the ‘things’ some. At a point, Jagger got me to sell drugs in school even though i never tasted any. I actually mingled with all the bad boys. I had quite some Nima friends who always fought my street fights for me out of loyalty. You know the way you feel if you do a little karate and lift weights.
My skill at wooing women made me the toast of a lot of the big boys in the hood because they always relied on me to make some girls fall for them. I started stealing dad’s car at an early age and did all the Thursday night beach party at Labadi Beach. I can recall names like Fabase, Nanash, Mc Fii, Paa London, Adot, Deg or, Godey and all dem boys that we partied with.
But there was a baddest, smartest, criminal boy in the neighborhood who everyone avoided; because if his father sees you with him po keke, Allah! You are dead! He will beat the two of you Nyamaaa….That guy, for very good reasons, i won’t tell his name but he was creative, artistic and skilled at smartness.
My Dad kept rabbits and it was my responsibility to get them a special kind of leaves called ‘juice’. I can only find these leaves in the bushes close to the mortuary. In fact, I was scared of going close to the Mortuary, hence i always found a way to go with my special friend. One time,(and this is classified information); nobody knew until i am sharing here.
On our beat to get some juice we came by 2 human skulls. Actually, i think the bodies were dumped there, or perhaps, the Mortuary had done some illegal burial around there. But we came by them and i quickly took to my heels. My friend chased me, caught me and actually slap the fear out of me, he warned me never to tell anyone and said that was our breakthrough so we should take the skulls home and hide them in the rabbit’s cage and that he would get someone from Timber Market to buy and we’d make a lot of money.
Unknown to me, he stealthily came to the cage that night and took them to wherever. He suddenly abandoned me as he had become somehow rich overnightI, i was hurt and felt cheated. I never told anyone cause i didn’t know how to report that we had gone to sell human skulls.
I kept my distance but his ‘nkwadaa bone’ things gradually found him in the borstal institute and i also moved on and converted after that near fatal accident.
It’s been years now……..i was invited to a very big Charismatic Church last week by the Prophet who happens to be a friend and guess who i bumped into? Indeed, God works in mysterious ways. You never know the ways of the Lord until that call. He is now in charge of all these artworks you see on some of the Charismatic Churches Altars or sanctuary. He is married to a very pretty Nigerian Lady and he travels the world over working for the Lord.
Thank you for reading. If you believe the stone the builder rejected can become the cornerstone, then share this story.
Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless His Holy name.
Credit Nana Benyin Anumel
Brands Manager at EIB Network Ultimate 106.9 FM Kumasi
Completed KNUST 2006
