Opinions of Monday, 12 September 2022
Columnist: Abdul Rahman Odoi
2022-09-12When readers’ paths cross
File photo
There’s a daunting task before me. So, I have had to soak up the pressure by putting a hiatus on buying new books. They might give me divided attention.
Honestly, I’ve been struggling with the sight of new books, especially if it coincides with times when I had a few coins. You would see the scent of those books
Read full articledoing to my wallet what a magnet does to metals.
I remember strolling at the frontage of Swan Medical Centre, and I yearned for window shopping at Kingdom Books, the Ako-Adjei branch, which was just ahead of me. Kofi Amoabeng’s book (The UT Story: Humble Beginnings) was then making waves.
In the bookshop, the scent of the books began pulling me over. If it’s not that ‘sense’ located me, I would have used part of the money earmarked for hospital expenses to buy the ‘Ut Story…’
I thought I’ve learnt any sense until this past Wednesday, a similar incident happened while we were going to work, and I had only 50 cedis left on me. A hawker was crossing the street to our lane. He was (not like the rest) selling powerful books.
Despite the restrictions of not buying more books, I couldn’t resist the sight of the hawker’s books so I settled for ‘The Richest Man In Babylon’. Sadique Hidir (a friend) had earlier romanticized it to me, hence my interest in the book. Ankrah (my colleague) also paid for ‘Think Like An Entrepreneur, Act Like A CEO’.
Four months ago Hidir was on me and, I couldn’t breathe. He wanted some of my books to read, with a pledge to return them later, especially Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, and “Dark Days in Ghana” by Kwame Nkrumah. When I updated my ‘status’ that ‘my boss has promised to get me Kofi Amoabeng’s book’, Hidir’s pestering intensified.
Regardless of his unbridled pestering, I made him understand that there’s no way I would give him a book to read. If he was a kid that wouldn’t be a problem. My reason is always simple: people should normalize buying books; it is a good investment. Even when they are done reading, those books would serve as a family library. So if he (Hidir) is really serious he would need to get those books himself.
That notwithstanding, I would have to accept that my position was not the best. (Call it the Military way, not Holy fire.) That’s the only trick that yields results. I knew not giving him the book he would be pushed to buy if truly he wanted to read. But Hidir kept dissenting.
The “Ut Story”, mine (the book) didn’t come as expected. Hidir had earlier (after denying him my books for months) told me he would get himself one. He did. I saw him reading excerpts of it on TikTok, and inviting people to get the book. He says it speaks to all classes of people, not just entrepreneurs. The best book dealing with our local market structures. His thought was that what could beguile Captain Prince Kofi Amoabeng (RTD) to resign from the military and start his own business from scratch.
It didn’t take long and, my boss (Frederick Neils Hesse) honored his promise. He gave me an autographed copy, signed by George Bentum Essiaw, his friend, the co-author. After ten days, and not more than 7 hours I was done reading (The Ut Story: Humble Beginnings).
Our (Hidir and I) paths crossed again, but this time as book enthusiasts. The first thing Hidir (who then didn’t want to consider buying of books) did was to narrate some excerpts of the book, ‘The Ut story…’ He also talked about the protagonist outsmarting the Central Bank. I mentioned Dossey, who bolted from the training school, and, how Kofi Amoabeng helped him out.
We didn’t even end that particular line of thoughts and, he began summarizing another powerful book (the one I bought on Wednesday) he was holding. I was wowed.
What has changed? Hidir now considers buying books as an investment and, could beautifully recount plots and scenes of books that are useful in everyday life. He is becoming a bibliophile — his thirst for books is unquestionable — he doesn’t feel well when a day is dying without reading a book.
Today it’s even him who reads and recommends books to me. I now believe in the saying of Abraham Lincoln that “My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read.”
This is why the earth jubilates whenever readers’ path cross. The gods know these their sons have defeated ignorance. They could tell their history wherever it’s hidden, and keep in time with reality. And who’s to cry, if not illiteracy?
