My dearest Ebony,
I never knew you personally, but I’ve always liked you from afar. But as far as your musical career is concerned I wasin love with you. I saw you the other day on television but only I couldn’t fully enjoy the ‘Maame Hwe’ that was being played because Maureen wanted to watch her favorite cartoon channel, ‘Planet Kids.’
By far this song is my favorite of all your bangers, it’s deep in thought, an advocacy against domestic violence and also caution youngsters not to dwell on looks and wealth to decide on their life partners.
Whilst watching the clip, I could see you were so full of life than life itself or herself or himself or whatever gender life is. Miss Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng, I wondered momentarily how your performances and acts at the Ghana Music Awards were going to be, and who would have matched you in the categories of ‘Discovery of the Year,’ ‘New Artist of the Year,’ ‘Song of the Year,’ and ‘Artist of the Year’ for all the hit songs that you released last year. No wonder you identified yourself as ‘Ebony Reigns’ because in the spur of the moment you reigned.
Your climb to fame hasn’t been without ‘controversy’ though; your choice of fashion, ‘personified’ appearance and stagecraft has been the major talking points. The entertainment pundits can’t even spare a moment without discussing you anytime I turn on my radio, on the weekend. What people fail to realize is that the showbiz thrives with the eye-catching costume and ebonic buzz words you compose your songs with.
But come to think of it, where are you now? Ooh! Death, how could you? As it dawns on every Ghanaian this morning that you’ve sadly joined your ancestors but the horrific manner you left us has awoken our conscience.
Ahhh! Another celeb gone through road accident? Hebrews 9:27 (KJV) says “And as it is appointed unto men once to die..,” but your loss has left everyone mystified, and shaken the foundation of our mental faculties as everyone bitingly tries to make sense of the news making rounds. What strikes a thunder within is even the question on the lips of everyone “How did we get here again?”
Your sudden demise has abruptly awakened the painful memories of the deaths of some young, budding, promising and rising celebrities who left the scene yester years through similar tragic occurrences. We are besides ourselves with grief and yet to recover from the Castro incident but here we are once again sobbing. The carnage on our roads have robbed us and continues to rob us of the excitement and pleasure of seeing the ever bubbling and beautiful screen goddess, Suzzy Williams, and the man after the people’s heart, Kwame Owusu Ansah, and the spirited young green and fast rising African dancehall prince at the time, Terry Bone Chaka, who we also lost to road carnage?
Ahhh! So, till when? Ghanaian authorities have always acted like the proverbial vulture who goes to sleep immediately after promising to take redemptive action. The poor nature of our roads continues to rob us of our love ones, breadwinners, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and even young and innocent children. Aww! Ama Ghana! So, till when will our politicians refrain from making unfulfilled promises of fixing our roads. Till when are we going to see a decline in road accident cases. Till when are we going to have a Police force ready to enforce the road traffic regulations in order that our courts could also crack the whip on offenders; drivers who drink and drive, and ridding rickety vehicles which are not worthy of being on any road.
Philippians 1:21 says “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. “For if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s,” says Romans 14:8 (Verse Concepts).
Farewell, for I’m choking on my tears and can hardly process the remainder of my toughts. Demirifa due!
By Kizito CUDJOE
Twitter: @razkizi
kizito.cudjoe@gmail.com
the writer is a journalist with B&FT