FIRST DAY AT PREMPEH COLLEGE: A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE. On 15th October 2010, exactly four years ago, I made my triumphant entry into Prempeh College amidst the sound of tambourines and fanfare. On that fateful day, I woke up unusually early at about 2:00am. I guess I was over-excited and should I say, quite nervous. I checked to see if I had packed everything….underwear, white shirts, khaki shorts and trousers, provisions among others. I lay awake thinking what the day had in store for me until my alarm clock reminded me that it was six o’clock in the morning.Smiles on my face all over. I went through my normal household chores with joy….for the last time. I doubled checked to make sure I had left nothing behind. My mum and Aunty Sowaa admonished me and then my aunty led the way for a short prayer session.After the prayer, I saw my aunty shedding tears on my departure, I was engulfed with sadness by her emotional feelings. My trunk and chop box were hurled into my mums taxi which was parked just outside. My senior brothers wife was not to be left out as she also took time off her busy schedule to advise me on life in the boarding house but the theme of her talk was centred on womanizing/“chicks”/’’mbaasem’’ though she confessed am not that kind…I thanked her profusely and the car sped off, destination PREMPEH COLLEGE. The last time I was at Prempeh College, I had been selected to represent my Junior High School for a workshop seminar. This time around, I was there to represent my future. My presence there was testament to the fact that I had been admitted as a student of PREMPEH COLLEGE to read Business which later I changed to do General Arts after I had successfully negotiated my Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). My mums taxi driver parked in front of Ramseyer House near the Administration Block as my admission letter indicated I had been allocated to that house. Clad in my blinking white short-sleeved shirt and neatly pressed virgin khaki trousers, I got out of the car and two cardet boys immediately run towards my location to carry my chop box and trunk. My name was cross-checked to ascertain that indeed, I had been allocated to the premier house, Ramseyer House and the customary checks were made to make sure I was not in possession of any ‘coloured’ clothing or items that were not indicated in the prospectus. The cardet boys led the way to Upper Dormitory where I chose my bed. I went back down to say goodbye to my mum and claim my pocket money (I think it was 80 Ghana Cedis). Snr Fredua appeared on the scene and I was entrusted into his care. Eighty Ghana cedis of my money was given to Snr. Fredua,then Ramseyer house Prefect for safe keeping whilst Ghc 6.00 was given to me for the mean time. I bade my parent goodbye for the last time and for the first time in 16 years, I was going to live without my parents and brothers. I wanted to cry but I guessed I had to save the tears for the beatings I was going to be subjected to by some seniors that night. I went back up to Upper Dormitory ( dorm 8) to sort my stuff/unpack. I came across Snr Boakye Ansah Isaac, who was also my senior and a family friend. Fortunately, he was also in Butler House and he helped me to unpack and oriented me on how to go about my academics. I was really grateful. Later, I also met a friend in JHS called John Addison Fynn. As soon as I settled, the troubles began. As I stood aloof thinking what the future held for me, I felt my pocket had been encroached….and yeah, I was right. Standing behind me was the legendary ‘Clerosky’…I still wonder how he managed to professionally steal my Ghc 6.00 Cedis. He formally introduced himself and assured me of full protection. I moved away in annoyance only to wander into another unforgiving senior’s territory. The senior boy (Abbey Linux popularly known as Stone Ash) supervised my kneeling down for the best part of one hour whilst he interrogated me (where I was from, my family and whether I had money, etc) and later got to know that I completed his former JHS (Prempeh College Basic Experimental JHS). He later requested for some ‘dadenam’ (sardine, corned beef, etc) but I remained headstrong. The ringing of bells prompted me that it was time for supper at the dining hall. The senior released me to go. I run like a ninja towards the dining hall as I was famished and sooner than later, I located a table and made myself comfortable. ‘’Shall we bow down for the first grace’’ was the next thing I heard and as the boys mumbled some sacred words, ‘’be present at our tables, oh Lord, Amen!’’ I just looked on. Supper was ready to be served!! To my dismay, supper was Ga kenkey on the menu! To be honest, I had never gobbled anything like that in my entire life before but I knew I had to start getting used to it, or so I thought. I was hungry but the food was very very bad; Ga kenkey, tasteless soup and a tiny fish that looked imaciated. I took just two shots of Ga kenkey and soon retired. After the second grace was shared, I left the dining hall and went on a swashbuckling walk around my new environment. I later returned to the dormitory for a roll call and job descriptions. Whilst some of my friends were assigned to do some detestable jobs such cleaning bath house and scrubbing toilets(shanks), my fellow Seniors understand it. It had been such a hard day but I went through unscathed and after a couple of familiarizations here and there, my bed began to beckon and I ushered myself onto my bed, lay my head on my pillow and attempted to sleep after a short prayer to my maker. A shrill cry of ‘’LIGHTS OUT’’!! was enough to catapult me to sleep. Life in Prempeh College had just started and I was really looking forward to the next day. Prempeh College ......... A dream come true. BY: SNR AGYEMANG FREDERICK agyemang.frederick@yahoo
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 05:00:19 +0000
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