Located in the east of the erstwhile Gold Coast,

Even Peki Avetile was unknown, let alone her son

Who arrived in Ghana’s republican year, April 1960,

His journey lasted a Golden Jubilee and one year

Yet, June 2011 is etched on us, as end of his journey

That day the ‘WEEKLY SPECTATOR’ bells were loudest

Of he who was: until his last breath; the Chief Spectator

Par excellence, a master columnist with shrewd wit

And with a quadruple accolade as best among peers

A great loss indeed to the New Times Corporation (NTC)

Steadily did he ascend top of the intellectual stairs

In the footsteps of Mensah Sarbah, a true VIKING he was,

As far back as the mid-eighties did he exit gallantly,

As a rim product of Ghana’s Premier University, Legon

A JOURNALIST: politically scientific and sociology alert

If his pal, Aremeyaw Anas, be the undercover king,

Indubitably he was a Sovereign, with pen and paper

Thrilled readers with Adventures of Kofi Django (Mama Risi)

Thereafter relentlessly penned down the ‘Sikaman Palava’

Tossing off his desk yet, came 100s of his tickling pieces

GONE he may be: but to Journalism, a GENIUS is lost

His ideas put in writing: then till now are but TIMELESS

His literary sense; flawless social satirically cognizant

Lest I forget inexcusably his more popular alias, ‘ALOR’

We salute and say: FARE THEE WELL EFO MERARI ALOMELE

© ABDUR RAHMAN SHABAN ALFA

alfarsenal@yahoo.com, newcguide@gmail.com

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