Danso is my most trusted Ghanaian friend. Whenever I hear or think of Ghana, I think of him. Those thoughts always come with a smile and me unconsciously, slowly calling his name. “Danso…”
That was how the other day a toaster was trying to impress me and mentioned he just returned from Ghana. I gave my usual response, a smile and then “Danso…”
The dude gave a suspicious look and concluded I was in love with someone else. Toaster lost! My search for a lover continues…
But wait, to say I have never met Danso in real life sounds too much as a joke! Like, so unreal.
Mehn, I know this guy, body, soul and spirit. You want an image description of him, think of the popular Ghanaian actor “John Dumelo” I hope you are not one of his plenty admirers, please… If you are, continue to admire him. Leave my Danso out of it. Thanks.
Talk of a humble soul who will go the extra miles to support and give a helping hand, there you have Danso.
His spirit is a spirit, I can’t describe it.
Guess how I met my amiable Danso?
On a Facebook group. Then later we signed up together for a paid online class. He wanted to make inquiries about certain matters of the class and sent me a DM. He could do that because of course; I was very active, always active in matters like that. ~Winks~
From a simple DM of “Hello Mercy, this is Danso, may I ask if you are acquainted with our Facilitator”, the conversation blossom into a great friendship and Danso earn himself a member into my unconstitutional Board of Advisers.
Now, here was the excitement, Danso was coming to Naija! Yeah!!!
So, there I was, standing a chance to meet my Ghanian friend for the first time in real life.
Don’t be too fast. He wasn’t coming because of me. Lol.
Danso was invited for a huge speaking engagement in Lagos. Just like me, the guy too has grown big, real big!
But yeah.. He came to Benin for me! 😋
Meeting scheduled. Kada Plaza Benin, Checked ✔
After plenty calls from my guy, I finally arrived just in time. Or so I thought. Got there at 5:27pm. I saw my Danso, no, the shadow of him, looking so drained. He was working really hard to keep his cool. StilI, I knew something was wrong.
“Hey Danso, why do you look so exhausted and worried?”
“Ohh, it’s nothing! I am cool, good to see you in real life. He smiled, does not feel like the first time though.”
“How was your programme in Lagos?”
“Terrible! Oh, great I mean.”
I gave a deep sigh, made some calculations with my eyes, then asked him; “what happened?”
Danso breathe in and began his blabs.
“Nothing just seems right, I am already two days behind schedule because of the poor time management system here.
My flight to Benin was supposed to be yesterday, got a message two hours to the set time, it has been cancelled. Reasons I don’t know.
Got there at the set time today and they still have the guts to delay us for another four hours.”
Shaking his head in chronic pain – so sorry my Danso. It’s a result of bad government!
“That was not even as painful as my experience at the programme in Lagos. We were told 10am, panicked that I was running late, yet I got there 10 minutes before the set time. Guess what?”
In my mind, guess kini, I know na.
“The door was locked. I couldn’t even get a place to sit and wait. I had to stand for the next 45 minutes before one of the organizers arrived.
I actually thought something bad has happened, and the programme has been cancelled.
Yet, there was no single reasonable explanation from him. He even told me he came very early by coming at that time, that didn’t I see he was the first person to come.
I just didn’t know what to say to him. Still, we had to wait for another 2 hour 30 minutes before the programme finally starts.”
“It was draining really,” he altered with a low tone, bending his head to allow the thick perspiration from his face drop.
Then he lifted his head, looking straight into my eyes, “you didn’t make things easier either. We were supposed to meet here by three.”
I kept my cool. This guy cannot make me feel guilty for no reason. Folded my arms with balance confidence like a typical Nigeria boss lady.
“I thought we Africans everywhere run on the same time?” I queried.
“What do you mean?” He asked, scanning anxiously through my face with curious eyes. Like he is finally going to hear the reason for all these mess! “What time?”
Me smiling like a wicked somebody who thinks the next phrase he is about to alter is the most sensible statement of all time.
“Africa time!”
The End
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