A widow in my prime

I still haven’t been able to utter a word after my beloved husband was brutally taken away from me.

Images of his humiliating death haunt me when I close my eyes- I want to believe it’s all a dream but no, no, My Maxwell is gone! Gone forever all because of some people’s selfish desires.

I hear him calling to me for help, Babara! Help! I feel every hit, slap, and kick, I hear him groaning and begging for them to spare his life for the sake of our baby boys but no, no one seems to hear him. He looks around the crowd to see if one of them will at least for the sake of humanity step forward and say, enough! But no, no one comes around; instead, they take pictures and videos which will later torment my family for a long time to come.

He begs to see my face for one last time but his executioners will hear none of that and with one last hit, they end the life of a wonderful man after my heart. Now I am a widow in my prime.

Here was a man with whom I have two children and we swore to be there for each other till God himself called either of us home but unfortunately the wicked heart of man cut short my darling’s life in a day.

Maxwell was a devoted soldier in the Ghana army, an intelligent man who due to his security consciousness devoted most of his time to helping in the army and the country as a whole. It was on one of such assignments that led him to Denkyira-buasi where he spent about three weeks prior to his gruesome murder.

Oh Lord, why do good people die young? He was just 31! Who will take care of my sons? What do I tell them when they ask of their father?, who will be my best friend, ahh death, you have robbed me indeed. People now address me by the name ‘Kunafo', a widow in my prime. We promised to be by each other, grow old and see our boys grow, get married and even our grandchildren but alas; some people decided he must go and now I am left alone.

Now I am home, receiving visits from people high and low, oh Maxwell, how I wish you will just appear to end this terrible nightmare for me, oh my captain!

I cannot bring you back to life my love but I am comforted by the words in Deuteronomy 32:35 that says Vengeance belongs to the Lord.

I find comfort that in all things we are more than conquerors, I believe the words of Jeremiah 49;11 that God will preserve my fatherless children as I keep my trust in Him.

Today I mourn my beloved husband who died at the hands of some people at Denkyira but there are still more people we as individuals are ‘’killing’’ with our mouths and in this day of technology on social media.

How fast we defame people in our day to day endeavours, join in to beat petty thieves while the real criminals walk free, and shows our true selves. We fail so many times to get our facts together before taking actions that eventually leads to more hurt and pain.

Our country is in a mess; law and order seem to have given way to gross indiscipline all because we claim the police does not punish criminals enough and so we take the law into our hands and kill innocent people. I don’t believe my husband is the first to have been mistaken for another, no! As a matter of fact, there are so many ‘Maxwell Mahama’s ‘who have been sent early to their graves one way or the other.

It’s about time we initiated an action against the increased gross indiscipline that has engulfed our land; the laws must work without fear or favour. It is not enough to pride ourselves in organizing peaceful elections when we go about engaging in barbaric and horrendous acts like things which has cost me my beloved husband and now I’m a widow in my prime. I have lost my Maxwell to misjudgment and hypocrisy but his death should not be in vain!

It is too late for him and the many victims who have joined the ancestors before him but we must fight to ensure their deaths are not in vain. Their deaths should lead to a new age where we adhere to rules and regulations in this country-a nation where indiscipline is rife is a failed state!

And I know the Ghana Army and the Police will not let our family down as the continue their investigations.

My love, your blood cries from the land of Denkyira –buasi, Your father weeps for a gallant son, your mother is distraught and broken. She never thought she would be the one to bury you, not at this age.

But I know you are in a better place watching over me and the boys. I dread the day they will ask, ‘’Mama what happened to daddy’’? However, I will remain strong for them and do the very best I can to raise them up in the fear of the Lord. I forgive your killers-because vengeance belongs to the Lord. It is well with my soul

Sleep well my love, my soldier, father of my children and best Friend

Due ne amanehunu

#NeverAgain