DUM-SOR,DUM-SOR

DUM-SOR,DUM-SOR

After decades of hustling in the hostile snow abroad

My battered spirit felt the need to go back home.

My depressed soul was yearning for my family and friends,

While my frozen black skin pleaded for some harmattan.

Joyfully and with boundless excitement,

I carried my home-sick self onboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner,

With the charged expectation of going back

To a land of oil and gold

And the gateway to Africa!.

After five donkey hours in flight among the thunderous clouds,

The three back tyres of the metal bird finally kissed the runway of an airport.

I wondered where we were

Because all the lights along the runway were out,

With some lanky men holding lanterns along the runway to direct the airplanes.

Which jungle is this? I silently asked my confused self.

For once, I thought we were making a transit through the ancient Mali empire

Until my protruding eyes got arrested by a gargantuan signpost which read,

‘WELCOME TO KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’

Awurade…..! What a Shock!!

Twenty-first century Ghana?

What a wow…!!!

As confused and shocked as I was,

I managed to march my puzzled self through to the arrival hall.

That was when I realized my eyes have seen my back.

Hmmmmm…….!

The lights were all out at the arrival hall

With people busily going to and fro with the aid of the lights on their phones

As if they were hunting grasscutters at the airport.

I thought I had had enough until I came out of the airport.

What a way to welcome me back to the land of my birth!

It was 18:00 GMT but the day appeared as if it was mourning itself .

The whole place was in utter darkness.

Where are all the lights?

I tried to find out what was wrong

 And surprisingly, an elderly man told me it was ‘normal’.

I learnt it was called ‘LOAD SHEDDING’ or better still ‘DUM-SOR,DUM-SOR’

‘Dum-sor,dum-sor’?

I still did not get what that meant.

There and then, as if those in charge were trying to make me understand,

Brought the lights back on

And suddenly, the entire city responded with shouts of excitement,

‘Yieeeeeeeeeeeee……………..!!!'

As if the boxing legend, Zoom Zoom Azumah Nelson had knocked out an opponent.

Ei….!!.. What is this?

Just after a few seconds,

The lights went out again.

And the entire city responded again in disappointment,

‘Oooooo………..!!! ’

As if Asamoah Gyan had missed a penalty kick.

That was when I really got to understand the situation on the ground.

Twenty-first century Ghana, the gateway to Africa,

And electricity is being rationed like breast milk to a set quadruplets.

I dreamt of coming home to a land full of milk and honey.

But this is where I find myself.

A mighty land of candles and lanterns.

A land of electricity load shedding,

A land of Dum-sor,Dum-sor….!!!