Be a one-man soldier this year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnkwWQCTGps ( original)
Amerado – Kwaku Ananse Remix feat. Fameye (Visualizer) (youtube.com) (remix)

There is a hit song in Ghana called Kwaku Ananse – the lyrics in the remix translated succinctly are:
“When I’m quiet, they say I don’t like people. When I talk, they say I make noise. Kwaku Anansi, when I’m asleep, they are still talking about me. The little I get I eat, and drink alcohol on top of it. Life is a world carnival let me enjoy it because the coffin is hot. If I have some and I can give, I pass it. I cherish every me MY SPIRIT DEY FREE. If many hate me, many love me… IF I FALL, I RISE. If my family eats and is satisfied, I’m okay. I am not jealous of your shoes Kay; they won’t fit me. I can never fall, if I fall and you desert me, thousands will rise and raise me let me tell you. You’re not smart so you won’t understand how can I teach you…. when I call my God no one is there. My destiny isn’t like anyone’s. When I am quiet don’t take it like I don’t like people. In rain and in sunshine I’m walking around. If it was just me, I would sleep, life is a lonely journey, so I strive for my family. Woyoyii I’m a soldier, one man soldier. I don’t fear rain or fire. Let me wrestle and live my life. Live your life and let me live mine. When I’m making and spending money your mother is not in my house. Life is hitting me, so I hit it back. If I fall many times I will get back up. Because of what I will eat I do more work than I can do. I have been through many things only God knows because I only tell him. If I see where I’ve come and how far I have come, I have swerved their bad thoughts. I can see people really love me.”

The original has this, which is the only bit not in the remix. ” I don’t want to be walking barefoot but if I don’t go out my family will sleep hungry. I do this for my family and myself. (Remember he said he’s not jealous of Kay’s shoes)”
This is my motivation for this year. Those of you who have followed my writing know I’ve been through a lot, as shared in previous stories (check them out!). But just like Kwaku Anansi, the Akan god of wisdom and stories, I keep going. Though some hate me, others love me equally. I rise after every fall, and as long as me, my family and loved ones are happy, I’m okay. I envy no one’s journey, only focusing on mine, ensuring my family and loved ones are well. These are life’s most important things: chase your dreams, find success for yourself and those who love you, and don’t let negativity hold you back. Life’s a wild carnival, but even when it’s hard, remember the hot coffin alternative! Cherish each moment, live freely and happily, even during tough times. Make yourself proud; even if some reject you, countless others will support you. So don’t be discouraged. Keep going, for life’s a lonely journey, but strive for yourself and your family. Ignore the noise, work hard, eat well, and enjoy the ride. This song’s wisdom is profound, a lesson for us all. Be a fearless one-man soldier, just like me!
I don’t know about your experiences or what you have been through. I just want to encourage you to leave the past in the past and focus on the future. We cannot change the terrors or horrors of the past yet if we live in courage, we can find a better future. In the midst of silent battles, we endure in order to survive another day- thank yourself for making it this far. The graveyard is the remains of dreams unrealised, stories untold and lives unlived. You only have one life and there is only one you, so I suggest you ‘carpe diem’ and seize the day. As time is the most precious commodity, you can never get it back. I hope you can be stubborn and keep going for yourself and those who love you and laugh at the rain and fire when it comes.

I remember a young girl, me, so afraid to speak or defend herself from the relentless bullying she endured from nine to sixteen. Feeling worthless, unlovable, and like a cursed anomaly, life was not a vibrant carnival, but a torturous journey where everyone seemed worthy of love but her. Imagine the agony, the loneliness, at an age where free-spirited joy should have blossomed. Instead, I despised my very nature because it was branded “weird.” Every action became a desperate plea for love, a denial of my true self. The loss of that childhood, the loss of myself during those years, haunts me still.
Even after rediscovering my free spirit at sixteen and realizing I was indeed lovable, the turmoil of those years lingered like a phantom pain. I couldn’t shake the anger and hurt, the lost years I couldn’t reclaim. My own mind became a battlefield, my new, assertive skin fighting to protect the old, wounded me.
But along the way, I’ve learned to release that free spirit, to say thank you. Thank you to the girl who fought so hard through those horrible years, who made me the confident, free-spirited, assertive, loving, good, and courageous woman I see today. Thank you for reminding me that I deserve love, that the beauty I see inside and out is worthy of happiness. Thank you for inspiring me to achieve more than those who hated me ever imagined, and for allowing those who loved me to witness my glow and growth.
I know we all have stories of triumph. As you embark on your journey as a “one-man soldier” this year, remember them. Let them be your torch, your reminder that even in the darkest moments, resilience and self-love can light the way.

Author: Akosua Darko

creativeisme7@gmail.com

London, UK