Ghanaian journalist, Carlos Atsu Lorlornyo has shared
his heartwarming encounter with a mentally-ill man at Kpone-Katamanso in Accra.
Carlos
in his write-up on his Facebook timeline disclosed that the man, Mr. Wiliam Nkrumah
affectionately called ‘London Ambassador’ refused to accept the
money he (Carlos) offered to him for engaging in a clean-up exercise.
According
to Carlos, he was touched by what the mad man was doing and so he had to pack
his car by the shoulders of the road to engage him.
He
wrote;
I
caught up with this mentally challenged man at Saki near Michel Camp in the
Kpone Katamanso Municipality of the Greater Accra Region in the early hours of
Saturday morning 22nd August 2020 during a community clean-up exercise where
he was busily desilting open drains.
I
was touched by what he was doing and so I had to pack my car by the shoulders
of the road to engage him. As I alighted from my car, I walked to him and said
“hi”.He responded “hello” with a charming smile.
Then
I said “ayekoo”, and he responded “ayekoo” back to me.”I am impressed at what
you’re doing, so I am offering you this 5 cedis note, I said solemnly to him. He
paused, took a long look at me, and said, “it is my responsibility as a member
of the community to clean the environment so there is no need for you to pay
me”.Surprised? Yes, I was very surprised.
In
fact, I was shocked! However, I insisted by saying that “I am not paying you for
what you’re doing but rather offering you this token because I am touched by
your actions.” He looked at me again, smiled shook his head, and went back to
his work more seriously than before. At a moment I felt stupid. Still
determined, I posed the question, “please can I record what you’re doing for
others to learn from you?”His response shocked me.
He
said, “why not”. I hurriedly pulled my phone from my pocket, activated the camera
and started recording. So, as you can hear him say in the video, I asked
him why he was desilting the drains? In short, he said the filth was bad for our
souls and body.
The
whole interview lasted for just about one minute sixteen seconds in which he
identified himself as William Nkrumah or William Arthur; the Londoner. After the
interview, I again pulled a 5 cedis note from my wallet, stretched my right
hand forward with the bill, and said, “please thank you for talking to me”.To my
surprise again, he declined to accept the money. Instead, he gave me a moral
lesson. He said, ” I don’t take money for talking to people”. Implying that he
does not spend free money. Then I said, “ok, that’s very nice of you. Alright,
if its so, then from my heart, kindly accept this money to buy lunch”.
Then his face beamed with a beautiful
smile. He then stretched his hand forward and I handed the 5 cedi note to him.
Before, I left, I asked him where he lives. He pointed to a direction. So, I
jumped into my car, drove like 50 meters away from him, and packed again on the
shoulders of the road because I had seen a mechanic walking towards my
direction.
I
interrupted him and asked if he knew anything about the man working there? Then
he said, “o that mad man?””Yes,” I said. Hmmm, he is such a nice person. He
helps people around with menial jobs. He went on to say, ” its been rumoured
that he was very brilliant in school and many people envied him. That was why
someone ‘juju’ him. Really??? I enquired.
Yes,
he responded as he started walking away from me. Sensing he was in a hurry, I
quickly asked him if he knew where Mr. Nkrumah lives.”O there”, pointing to
some shrubs nearby. I thanked him for the assistance. Based on my curiosity, I
jumped over the gutter and walked through the bush to see for myself where Mr.
Nkrumah calls home.
Indeed,
your guess is as good as what I saw. It was exactly so. I spent some time there
interacting with a number of people who spoke highly of him. I may be wrong
though, especially the fact that I am not a psychiatrist. However, based on the
interactions I had with Mr. Nkrumah himself as you can see from the video and
the numerous good accounts given by those who knew him, I am convinced that
with some little attention and treatments he can be fine and reintegrated into
society. People like these are rare but common on our streets.
In
fact, if a mentally retarded person like Mr. Nkrumah can take the cleaning of
the environment seriously, then the sane has a lot to learn from them. Again,
if a mentally detailed person like Mr. Nkrumah can still have the courtesy and
the conscience to imply that he genuinely earns every pesewa he spends as
corroborated by the mechanic, then the sane in our society have some serious
lessons to learn on morality from the insane.
Watch the video below…
Why didn't you give a helping hand rather than giving out money
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