Honestly, after the display between the Ghanians and the Nigerian, I feel like a queen bee. 'The term queen bee is typically used to refer to an adult, mated female that lives in a honey bee colony or hive; she is usually the mother of most, if not all, the bees in the hive.'
All in all, one can understand the stance they take as my being the Project Manager. Therefore, I have asked each to write their take on what happen and why.
I must admit, I neglected my role in asking my group in Ghana to meet and greet the new member of the group. It is a practice for me to fund them in meeting and greeting others.
At any rate, my Ghana group was startled and in shock when I was whisked away. so much so, they went to the police and filed papers saying I had been kidnapped and abducted.
I have learned, Africans take their friendship with others very seriously and do not take kindly of another stealing their friend(s).
I got settled at DeCrib Hotel in Kasoa
(The boarded up windows here on the back side of the hotel are rental spaces for new businesses.)
and was beside myself because my Nigerian friend and his group had taken control of the situation. After all, my going to Ghana was to meet my group, discuss our plans, and how to proceed on my return.
After a few days of no communication with my group, I tried to make the best of my stay at the DeCrib Hotel. I went beyond the walls of the hotel, there is a community in which I explored; houses were being built. The lady who sells plantains along the back/entrance of the DeCrib Hotel lives beyond the outside of the walls of the DeCrib Hotel.
A few days later, I received an email from my Ghana group asking my where abouts and they would come rescue me. Eventually, I gave them the name of the place where I was lodging.
I'm thinking, they went to the police and told the police they found me and to dismiss the report. The police told them it was a police matter and they will handle the matter. With much dismay, my Ghana friends had no other recourse but let the officials do their job.
Meanwhile, my Nigerian friend, his friend, and myself sat in the common area discussing what transpired and repercussions of what could have happened. I did not buy into what they were saying about voodoo, spells, etc. My Nigerian's friend appeared to be a nice guy, later, I found out different.
I did make the best of a bad situation: We visited the Liberian camp and got my hair braided, ate their food and fell in love with their bean bread and sugar cane.
One day, my friend, the cook, and myself went beyond the wall to purchase a fresh chicken from the lady who sold us fried plantains
Ahhhh, a feast tonight. My friend instructed the cook how to prepare and cook our dinner. There would be more than enough for the two of us. My thought was to share with the young staff.
Dinner is served! What, no wings, no thighs???? The cook had stolen my favorites parts! We could
not share with the others. We kept mum of what happened.
Further up the road, Heifer is a partner with the prison system teaching the prisoners how to care for and raise animals.
I'm in my room talking to my Nigerian friend and there's a knock at the door. There were about 10 policemen rushing into my room. I was take aback and told them, lets go to the reception area to discuss the matter. They agreed except one. He had my Nigerian friend held up in the room trying to extort $100 from my friend. My friend told him, lets go do stairs to get the money and they join us. To my surprise, they arrested my friend when it was plain to see that I had not been kidnapped nor abducted.
The staff notified the owner of what took place. He came and was angry at me for what happened and told me I should have not invited my Nigerian friend to come and he did not like the fact that my friend was in jail. We went to the police department to get my friend released and whoa and behold, my friend's friend was there as well!
We could not get my friend released and would have to go back the next day. The next day, we could not get my friend released.
During the hearing proceedings all parties were present. The police chief hear all sides and came to the conclusion that the Ghana group and Nigerian were fighting over my friendship and dismissed the case.
However, he gave the case to one policeman to close the case. He is one who does not like Nigerians nor Liberians and wanted to draw out the case by holding my friend's passport for some days longer.
When one find out the reason why you are there, then all parties take a position to be included. In this case, they found out I was there to purchase land.
The hotel owner wanted to sell me land. After the hearing, a policeman made it his business to visit us at the hotel to discuss land.
All in all, it was adventurous, educational, and a learning experience to last a lifetime!
Oh yeah, if I did not mention it before, toward the last few days at the hotel, the cook was fired! He borrowed money from the staff, the security, policemen, and asked visitors for money.
