By Angola Seaman (OT '84) and Joe Passarsa (Serwah '85)
Mr Attakora was one of the best Geography masters in the country when it
came to Geomophology. His style of teaching was so simple. Most times,
his natural instincts will tell him that his geography students are not
understanding the topic that he was teaching, and he will look for some
simple scenario that will create greater understanding for his students.
Some of such simple explanations were:
Mr Attakora was teaching on the upper courses of a stream. Said that " at
the upper course of a stream, the river moves in a meandering and a
'serpentine' order. "A serpent, snake. 'se monyinaa nim aboa no a yefre
no owo no?' Yes think about the snake and you get your serpentine order."
Owusu Ansah (Akasala) of Serwaa House 1977-84 was once arguing with Mr
Attakora on something that Akasala did not understand. When Akasala
eventually understood, Mr Attakora commented, "Akasala, you always
deviate from the points of view, therefore I officially declare you a
deviant".
Mr Attakora read a new scientific invention from whichever magazine, and
couldn't wait to share this new knowledge with his geography students.
He entered the class room and said " did you all know that the Americans
have invented a new aeroplane and it moves motionless?"
Mr Attakora was a great geographer, but because he originally came from
Mampong-Ashanti, all his geomophological features and references could
be found at Mampong. Who dare question or challenge such a geographical
feature found only in Mampong.
Everyone will never forget his great sense of humour. Mr Attakora ensured
that he addressed every student by their nick-names. Whenever he meets
any student, he will come to the student's level and interact with the
student as if he was a student himself.
Beyond his impeccable geographical knowledge that he imparted into his
students, no student during his days will ever forget the legacy that Mr
Attakora left at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. Up to today, students
region-wide, or possibly nation-wide quote Mr Attakora without knowing
that those quotations were his own ideas and creativity. Mr Attakora
wanted to prove to the entire world that he had ultimate control over
the English Language. He was aware that students who were never
interested in Geography were attending his lectures, not because they
had turned new leaves and had began expressing interest in the subject
geography, but he loved to see his geography lessons packed with students,
with some even standing in the corridors and attentively listening to
him. Why such a great interest in his lectures? It was all because of
his self-acclaimed mastery and control over the English language. One
thing that he prided himself in and loved to hear was students' responses
to his choice of words for self explanation. He adored himself to hear
students responding "SHEEEEY-BONO". Once he hears that response, his
heart, body, soul, mind, and spirit enters into this realm where his
entire thinking processes and thought will be taken-over by some unknown
spirits and he will enter into a state of trance where he will be like
what some born-again Christians will describe as speaking-in-tongues,
but his was purely English. Guess what? He stammers when the strange
words don't seem to wanting to hop up of his chest to come out of his
mouth. During such difficult times, he appears so frustrated and angry
with himself for not beeing able to impress his students so fluently.
I will describe some of his lines:
Atakora: Today, we are going to look at the environment, and we shall be
discussing things like: environmental determinism....,
Students: Shieebonoo!
With stammering act, Mr. Attakora will say:
'Adei' 'Adei' 'Adei' 'Se mo nyinaa te Twi die?'
He then stops to ask, "but boys, why have you been sheeey-bononizing me?
Then giggles before continuing.
Maxwell Appiah (T-Zorro) of OT House 1977-84, tried to talk his way out
of a question that he didn't know the answer, and below was Mr.
Attakora's response to T-Zorro's attempted answer.
Atakora: Bombastical rant,
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: Full of extravacant metaphor without application,
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: And destitute of meaning,
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: Let's not forget about the middle and the lower part of the stream.
At the middle part of the stream, the meandering and the serpentine
order of the stream is less frequent, because of the force of the
stream. During this time, the river tries to flow in a straight-like
manner, and in effect, cuases ox-bow lakes. 'Se mo nyinaa kai owo no?'
This time 'etese nea owo no eda ho na yede sekan atwitwa nemu' Then it
will be left with different pieces.
At the lower part of the stream, the volume of the river becomes
voluminous, carring more debris, and these debris are deposited to form
swampy areas called Aluvia Fan. "fan, fan, 'Enti papa nso monhu?"
Now, here follows some of the fabulous English of Mr. Festus Atakora-Mensah.
I went decades back with my brain to recollect the phrases which led his class
to be attended even by the "Soma Mantses" like seniors Benjamin Yeboah (Arafat)
and Dwantoa (Fulani Borogi). Whenever Atakora entered the lecture theatre, we
always welcomed him with a big "Shieeebonoo"!!
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: I've told you not to shiebonise my coming!
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: If you shiebonise me louder and ad-infinitum, I will become a foe to
the other masters and will be anguished sooner or later. But I think it is a
noncomposmentis for them to see me anguished.
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: Well, you can shieebonise me but not in a cacophonous way.
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: The Amazon River meanders in a serpentine order through the Matogrosso
forest.
Students: Shieeebonoo!
Atakora: Please don't doxolise me with the shieebonoos!!
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: I was suffering from dyspepsia, that is why I did not turn up last
week.
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: You know, when that part of your body, which is the caps, is bigger
than your thighs, it means that you are suffering from elephanthiasis, osmosis,
tripanosomiasis, silicosis, neuritis, porticullis, enteritis, oncocerciastis,
antithesis, poliecies, oasis etc.
Students: Shieebonoo! Shieebonoo! Master, can you give us tips for the exams?
Atakora: I am neither a soothsayer nor a necromancer.
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: But this should not cause rancour and acrimony, because I think none of
you is a nincompoop.
Students: Shieebonoo!
Atakora: Some of you are always gallivanting around Rivoli, instead of cracking
the brains.
Students: Shieebonoo! Master wo ye brutal!
Atakora: You are now brutalising me, even though I haven't killed a Caesar. I
want you to know, I am not here in the name of Brutus.
It became neccessary for his words and responses to be introduced at the
Stadium as part of a unique Premconian samammo during Inter-co. Believe
it or not, I was so happy to hear that up to date, students still
repeats Mr. Attakora's words at the Stadium during Inter-co.
Even centuries from now,
Sheeey-bono will still be a part of the lives of Premconians and on the campus
of Sofo-line University.
May the Lord richly bless him, and the privilleged few of us who one way or
the other came to know him will never foerget him. Mr Attakora was a
gentleman, and was liked by every single student who knew him. If he retires, Prempeh
College will lose a Great Geography tuitor, because, during his time,
majority of the students who took geography to either O'levels or A'
levels were fully optimistic that they were going to pass, and evidently
his time marked the highest ever percentage of geography students who
passed their O's and A's.
