Greet Nkrumah For Us (A Dirge) - Nana Kofi Acquah


Great new ghost,
Greet Nkrumah for us
Tell him we miss him

You two were like twin towers
standing tall, shining bright
whilst they plotted and schemed
to pull you down...

but even in death you still stand tall.

Great new ghost,
Don't tell Nkrumah we called you names
Just like we did to him.
Don't tell him we wished you death
Just like we did him.

If the wailing of a million breast-beating women
will bring you back, we will employ them
If the dirge from our flutes and fontonfroms
will bring you back, we will invoke them...

But to who will you return?
To what will you return?

Once again, a saviour has been crucified.
May your soul beg forgiveness for us.
Once again, a great lion has fallen
and malnourished hyenas pretend to mourn.

Great new ghost just gone,
Tell Nkrumah good things.
Tell him Ghana's really moving forward.
Tell him we are no more divided by tribe and flag.
Tell him we bless our leaders, not curse them.
Tell him we are grateful for every safe night,
every morsel of kenkey, every drop of milk.

You whose strength lay in your silence-
You've never sounded louder in our ears:
It is peace that matters. Peace. Peace. Peace.

Rest in Perfect Peace.



Nana Kofi Acquah is a poet and one of Ghana's leading photographers. You can follow his photos and poem on his blog, A Window to Ghana.

If you have a poem in memory of President Mills, please send it to us at oneghanaonevoice(at)gmail(dot)com.

1 comment:

Julian said...

What can I say? In tears we celebrate Prof Mills and I am sure he shall tell Nkrumah about all the developmental projects he carried out within 3.5 years. Nkrumah and Mills certainly stand tall like the twin towers in our history. Mills will never die and May he Rest in Peace