"Ebenezer Commey"...Komieteh ! 

Let's do a little detour into the 1970s and a little slide down memory lane. Dada was aware he had a child different from the others and he was ready to fight for her to make it out of her shell. Usually I would have a "gbeshi" and would refuse to budge as a child. Dada would know exactly when it was time to pick me up, still asleep, bathe and get me all powdered and dressed then put me in his VW jalopy to get me to school.  Shy and scared of school, I wasn't about to be educated without kicking up a fight. So patient Dada would ensure I entered the school but I would find a way  on on my tiny feet to end up at our home by myself because it was just down the road in South La. And then he found a plan. After work we will share our day. So I would run up to the door as soon as I heard his car, open the door and he would say "Et)mi eeeeiii" and I would quip "et)mi kpakpa" hahah. I loved that routine. And so ended the difficulties with my schooling. Otherwise I had hoped I had almost convinced him that he should allow me to sleep because I would sell tomatoes eventually. 

Dada My Business Partner: 

Back to reality. I met my dream of selling albeit not tomatoes. In my early years of university I started to sell and Dada helped me. I would buy jewelry from Benin or stuff I wanted to sell and he would give me money to buy more. I still owe him. And soon I found a career path in marketing...just the right thing to do to sell my childhood dream tomatoes. (Lol)

Dada was my specially designed father who knew exactly what I had to be without voicing it. Dada had a careful eye on me. He must have said to himself I suppose that I have to get this girl to achieve her potential. 

Dada The Artist:

A sharp and creative  imagination is a gift I got from Dada's artistic abilities. He was great in calligraphy, painting and drawing and he helped my imagination to grow as well. So he would buy me story books to read because I loved to read. One of my favourites from Nigeria is "Eze Goes to School".  Now that's funny, he knew I needed it. But he also ensured I had Enid Blyton,  read about Huckleberry Fynn and when I run out of books Dada had a lot of fancy big books to read including the dictionary. Do you remember the Famous Five?  That's my Dad's choice of books too apart from Modesty Blaise for the older ines

Dada raised this woman with colour. He would drive me to my GTV drama rehearsals and encourage my friends and I tilll we got featured in TV Theatre. 

Dada My Mentor:

Dada didnt leave anything to chance in raising this woman...he selected my friends and ensured he knew each friend's parents. I thought he was a cunning but protective Dad. If I had to go out he would say sure let me drop you. And that's how he and Dr. George Appenteng managed to keep us girls close to them. Where he couldn't connect with a parent he was happy for me to have people come home and sleepover.

Now I hear him saying I should stand well. 

Dada my Coach: 

Dada knew how to make this woman a confident one. Days I would come home form work and report to him "Da someone said something nasty to me" ..He would ask " And what did you tell him"? If I said nothing, he would tell me exactly what reply to give next time someone was unpleasant. What I recognize is that Dada had an eye on me to help make me a  confident woman. Now I recall he has done this all my life.  

Once long ago a pupil teacher beat me till I had a cut on my skin over an exercise I couldn't grasp in maths quantitative. When he got home and he was told he said nothing but was unhappy.  In the morning he rode with me to school. With his nice but decisive smile, he asked the headmaster to summon the teacher and told him in front of me that if the teacher had an issue with me he Dada should be called first.

Today I recognize what this man gave me.

I recognize that he had an assignment to groom me  for excellence and he did it for me. While working in marketing, I would often be on TV talking about brands. Auntie Anyema had the sole honour of being asked several times when she checked on me if she hadn't seen me on TV yet. Hahaha. 

He didn't just do the polishing of this woman he also ensured she had depth of character,  down to earth and humble. Our favourite discussion around pay for my job was a cleaning contract he gave me in his office at Meals for Millions. I was to use my cleaning skills to work as a cleaner while on holiday and I scrubbed the floors of the whole office. We have a story about that. 

Dada the senior citizen:

 Dada for our last lap with you, you missed one critical assignment for you and Pastor Eric Awuku to finally wear your tail coats. You will miss the brunch trips on Sundays  ooo. At bed time you won't have anyone cover you with your cloth ooo.

But I can share with everyone here Dada, that I know even for this season you wanted me to be prepared to be strong so you dropped so many hints till the last day.  What can I say? I am not only a product of your gracious way of making a child into a woman who could blossom, but I am also a testimony that patient work pays off. You were deliberate and patient to the last minute when I dressed you up and covered you with a comforting cloth just the way you like us to do. But by evening you were gone. Is that what you were waiting for? For your favourite routine of being tucked in?

Thank you Dada for making it possible for me to always shine.  Now I dare not respond to friends when they call because I don't want to acknowledge to them that you're not here. Your impact on me reached all.my friends and colleagues at work. Marigold came to live with us and was raised as one  your children so I share this tribute for both of us. And to all my friends who enjoyed the benefit of you carrying water constantly to Aburi Girls we say God bless you Dada. Where are you? Are you alright? Let's hear from you ok. And rest in The Lord. I don't know where you are strolling leisurely right now but if you need me I'm here for you ok. B'kor! Yes Da,  Bkor! Yes Da Bkor, You can still call me many many times like you used to. And if per chance the angels tell you that I've gone to work I pray for you that one of them will assist you and meet your every need onu. Osofo Commey Your departure has made me sober. Stay well where you are onu. Komieteh na mc fe mi en3! Bye bye.

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