Thursday, October 15, 2009

Brother John's emotional tribute to his sister Gladys....

A LOSS TOO PAINFUL TO BEAR!

The news of Sister Gladys’ death came as shock to me because, barely two weeks ago, she had called me to find out how my family was doing. We talked about other family matters and she asked me to make some enquiries for her.

On the early morning of September 1st, 2009, while I was getting ready to go to work, I had a call from my niece Akpene, which I thought was one of our usual calls to tease each other. I began teasing her by calling her Mrs. Hunstiger, and I could feel that the tone of her voice down the line was not as bubbly as she used to be. I paused for a second and I could hear her sobbing, and then she broke the news of her mother’s death to me. I was speechless for moment and could not believe what I was hearing!

Since that day, I have not been able to control my emotions and thoughts to enable me express how valuable Sister Gladys had been to me. One very remarkable moment was how instrumental she had been in my travel to study in the United Kingdom. I would have preferred Sister Gladys to be alive for me to cheer up today, rather than be writing this tribute to her. What a pain this is to bear!

I had known Sister Gladys since I was a little boy visiting my father at Abutiakope. In those days, it was pride having a powerful and educated sister like herself. She took much interest not only in me, but in my younger brothers as well. In 1985, I was applying for a World Council of Churches Scholarship to study in the United Kingdom when arrangements began to stall. At that time, I needed someone to introduce me to the Catholic Diocese in Ho, to confirm that I was a member. All hopes were fading away, signalling I might be losing that Scholarship. I did not know whom to turn to. A close friend of mine, Willie Foster Sapathy of blessed memory, who knew about Sister Gladys’ involvement in the Catholic church, recommended I contact her. Telephone facilities were not good at the time, so we drove on a motorbike to Hohoe. On arrival, Sister Gladys was absolutely pleased to see me. After delivering my mission, without any hesitation whatsoever, she wrote me a note which I took to the Ho Catholic Diocese.

Sister Gladys’ kindness to me did not end there. When she decided to dispose of some of her real property acquisitions over the years, she enquired of my interest and it shows how much she cared about her family and people close to her. On my most recent visit to Ghana, I called on Sister Gladys in Juapong, as I always did, on May 20th, 2009, to find out how she was. We talked about various issues and her last advice to me was her plea for me to return home someday. I did not, in my wildest dreams, think that that day would be the last I would see her alive.

Sister Gladys, your passing was too sudden and you have left us, your brothers and sisters, our children and the entire family, in disarray. A mighty oak has fallen. Your passing has left a big vacuum in our family.

Sister Gladys, Hede Nyuie. Mawu Nano Kpliwo!!!

From John Yao Tsikata

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