Lord Kenya

On Sunday, 30 June 2013, I went with my supervisor, Dan, and fellow workers at House of St. Frances to a youth rally.  The focus of the rally was Drug Abuse Awareness.  It was held in Ashaiman, the city where I work.  It was scheduled for 1pm to 3pm.  After waiting at the HSF for over an hour (it was now 2pm) I casually asked Dan when he thought we might be leaving.  He said, “No hurry.” And nonchalantly went on with his tea and conversation.  A little before 3pm the taxicabs finally showed up taking us on the 20 minute, one mile trip (oh my goodness, the conditions of the roads and the traffic!!) to the place where the rally was held.

An example of a pretty good road at a time it was safe to take a picture!!!

The Chief of Ashaiman

When we got there the place was nearly empty and we had our choice of seats.  I thought the rally was either over or no one was showing up.  Wrong.  About 3:45pm folks starting showing up.  By 4pm the place was packed.  A little after 4pm the Chief of Ashaiman shows up (two things about this:  1. The Chief was elevated by stacking two plastic lawn chairs together so that he would be “higher”  than his subjects.  2. It is culturally expected that the most important person should arrive last, which might go a long way in explaining why things often start late!!!).

Some of the dancers.

Finally the rally started.  There were traditional dances, singing, skits,(all with a drug abuse awareness “twist”), pleas for donations, and speeches from important looking people (realize that I can understand very little of all of this since it was mostly in Twi and, to my ear, heavily accented English).   In the middle of all of this, 90° temperature, 90% humidity, packed with sweating human beings on plastic chairs, in walks a man with a suit and tie.  All noise stops, all heads turn and, in my opinion, the Chief looks pretty annoyed that he had been out “lated”.

This guy sits right by me, on one lawn chair not two so he must not be all that important, and we chat a bit about drug abuse awareness, the theme of the rally.  Activity starts again.  A bit later this “suit guy” is called to the stage and it soon becomes pretty obvious that he is some sort of evangelical preacher (Brother Love came to mind!!), again Twi and accented English so I can’t really understand what he is saying, but the hand gestures, inflection, modulation, and intonation of his speech make it pretty clear to me what this guy is talking about:  a drinkin’ and a drugin’ is a SIN.  Wrong.  Again.  How many times am I going to be wrong!?!?!?!       What’s that old saying   about assuming……..

A portion of the crowd.

The woman beside me finally took pity and started translating.  This man had an amazing story of how addiction took him to places he never thought he would or could go; to a bottom he did not know was possible and could not have imagined.  About the incomprehensible demoralization that addicts get to before they can recover.  About the miracle of being able to put the drug and/or the drink down and live life clean and sober one day at a time.  I was moved. 

 

Turns out this “suit guy” is Lord Kenya.  A pretty famous Rap star turned preacher and gospel singer, and a supporter of educating  young people about the disease of addiction and spreading the message of recovery . 

The Chief and Lord Kenya surrounded by I don't know who!!