Where Ageing is Optional...
Ghanaian Neighbourhood By Akua A. Abeasi most important isa safe environment for their kids; where the neighbours’ homes are just an extension of their homes, and back then this was true for most neighbourhoods.
Niobe is a unique upscale Salon and Spa, offering only the very best in personal care and comfort. Your escape from the boundaries of the ordinary begins here. Take a trip to your place of inner harmony. Thoughts of the outside world melt away from the moment you enter our sanctuary of peace and quiet. Enough about us! Come join us on a fantastic spa journey at your own pace. The Ghanaian neighbourhood is more than just a place of domicile, it is socialization grounds for both adults and kids and a source of resources for parents. It embodies a sense of belonging. However the fact remains – a neighbourhood can only be these things if we invest the most in it to support an exciting neighbourhood story… We all have a neighbourhood story to tell, recounting experiences and situations that have made us who we are today. As a kid, I can remember doing a lot of moving. I actually used to entertain the possibility that just maybe my Dad was in the Ghanaian equivalent of the US FBI, and just like in the movies, we had to move every so often to prevent his cover from being compromised!!!! Yes, as a child, I did have a very wild imagination and watched one too many spy movies! But not to worry, I turned out great so don’t judge. Yes, so I proudly consider myself a walking talking neighbourhoodencyclopaedia – I have lived in Teshie Nunga, Osu Ringway, Tesano, Roman Ridge, East Legon, West Legon, and not to mention weekend getaways in Cantonments and Airport visiting favourite cousins. However all my neighbourhood escapades happened during the mid-80s to late 90s - living in these locations now may not necessarily be like living there back then, nevertheless, I know one thing would remain true, irrespective of time – everyone has what makes living in a neighbourhood the best or worst experience. As parents, what’s 10
NEIGHBOURLY
NEIGHBOURLY
As simple as it may be, it is the darn truth, the Ghanaian neighbourhoods, at least the ones I was privy to back then, were a safe haven for curious kids. The least of a parent’s worry was the occasional ‘Mummy and Daddy game’ gone a little too far, or moonlight snuggles and kisses between older teenagers under the mango tree in a darkened alley. Yeah boy! Those were the times, the fun innocent times in the neighbourhoods. For me, each neighbourhood I lived in is memorable in my mind for one thing or the other depending on my age and what was going on with me at the time. I did not like Teshie Nunga, because that was my first stooping grounds after my parents moved us (my sister and I) back to Ghana from the United States at the age of six. It is interesting how history does seem to repeat itself, since I believe my oldest son (5 years old)secretly hates me now for yanking him from the States. The fact that I had a crippling fear of and disgust for lizards did not help with my impressions about Nungua either, because at the time I was convinced that Teshie Nungua was the breeding home for lizards!!!!! They were all over the place!!!! I did not give it a second glance as we pulled out of our Teshie Nungua home and moved to Osu Ringway Estates – good riddance was my sentiments at the time! My fondest memories of Osu - cleaning the chicken coops (my mom went into her venture as a poultry farmer) and daily escapades with Asumdwei (the Akan word for Peace), the neighbourhood mongrel…you could never figure out who actually owned that dog, because he was EVERYWHERE!!!!! But at night he definitely knew who his master was! I was so happy when we moved to Tesano because I actually had human friends, as opposed to a friendship with the neighbourhood dog. Tesano was very difficult to get over but I was comforted by the fact that Roman Ridge was closer to town and having friends over was always
a plus. Living in the heart of town was a must for my then developing social life. A couple years down the line, a tearful me was at it again, packing my belongings and moving to the unknown yet again. This time around, it was a venture deeper into the suburbs of East Legon! Now this was a different East Legon from the one we know today. Uncompleted buildings, sand and yes… more sand was my reality! A tarred road was actually a delicacy! Today a drive through East Legon is pure bliss and impressive!!!! I literally moved to East Legon kicking and screaming in protest, however, little did I know these were actually going to be some of the best times of my life – more interestingly this was where I would meet my first boyfriend, who lived just a stone throw away! Of course for my parents, especially my Dad, this meant brushing up on his scary dad performance and maybe investing in some sort of firearm just to let the boys know who was boss. My moving spree did not end here, because again in a few years, I had to make another move – a bigger move – out of the country for school. Now after many years I am back home and West Legon is the beginning chapter for my boys to begin their neighbourhood story, It is very reassuring that throughout my neighbourhood journey, I always felt safe and the neighbourhood was always home! As the old African saying goes, ‘The upbringing of a child is the work of the whole village’ and our neighbourhoods are our villages. It is up to us, living in these neighbourhoods to keep it alive so our little ones can have their own neighbourhood stories to tell. Our neighbourhoods become part and parcel of who we become and so we need to be mindful of the different influences we come across. Irrespective of where you lived or for how long, we all have neighbourhood stories we are still writing…it is up to us to make these best sellers! Welcome to the Neighbourhood!
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