Feature: How I fell in love; first with ‘kokonte’, second with a woman

I walked in hurriedly and quickly found myself a seat. At first I was confused about sitting in the front row or the middle or at the back, but after scanning the heaven-themed room within micro seconds of walking in, I settled in at the back.

Then the readings started. I felt like a seven year old girl all over again. The seven year old who was always taken to the library after school, where she'd listen to readings from books like, Chicken Licking, Goldilocks and The Three Bears, The Boy Who Turned Into An Orange and many others. Where she'd fix jigsaw puzzles after the reading sessions and then step out for outdoor games before the library closed at 5 p.m.

Before I continue, let me set the records straight here: I'm straight. Very very straight and I'm not about to start eating kokonte.

So yes, I listened to Nana read from his book titled Tales From Different Tails.Then I listened to Kofi read about KOKONTE with passion. Not any kind of passion but with a very unique strong passion that communicates the words "Kokonte is the love of my life" without any doubt.

The feeling that came with how he read, explaining the whole concept of kokonte was beyond me. He painted a very beautiful picture of kokonte being a beautiful island surrounded by the highly revered, adored and glorified Ghanaian groundnut soup, that must not be disrespected under any circumstances by serving it in a cup, like some people do.

From that moment, he replaced the wall hanging of a nasty-looking kokonte on the walls of my mind with a majestic looking one, and since then, I've sworn to never say that kokonte is a nasty food.

KOKONTE is a beautiful meal and I'm in love with it but not enough to eat it.

After Kofi's reading, the trumpets of praise and appellation was played, announcing the moment of Boakyewaa's reading. In seconds, my eyes were lit up, my face was invaded by smiles, my breath was held by what I had just heard, I don't know why it sounded so incredible...(I guess it's because I don't see myself writing novels). But this awesome woman who was about to read is in my dream profession. "Hold on," I heard a voice whisper to me. "Don't fall yet," it added.

So I released the breath and breathed in again, then I relaxed. She started to read from her first novel titled Circles... She read so well that it felt like I was watching a movie. No, actually, she rather writes so well, it looks like a movie. At the end of the reading, I was lost for words. The only thing I was certain of was that I was in love...with a woman. A woman who somehow gives me a clue about how my future self will be, if only I put in the efforts required.

But, unlike Ebenezer Ace Kojo Sarfsch, I was no coward. I told her how I felt about her and guess what? She screamed YES to my proposal. So now, I'm in a double mentoring relationship with Elikem M. Aflakpui and Ms. Boakyewaa Glover.

What more can I ask from #Readathon? Nothing else than to say thank you to the organizers, especially Elikem who had to tolerate my disturbances for the location of the venue.

Thank you my dear Stanley Toddison, it wouldn't have been complete without your presence.

NB: I've started saving for her books (Circles, The Justice and Tendai) but I won't hesitate to collect them as gifts from any of you.