The prempeh.org inter-house soccer league, which is called the Prempeh.org Challenge, was devised several weeks
ago and our sports master has known for a long time that the Challenge is going to take place.
A day before our Republic Day holiday, we received a call to report to the Sports master's place. Upon entering the place, we witnessed
a human structure that appeared like an apparition. If the sight of this human being was
shocking, the exceptional words he had to say was more stunning.
Sitting comfortably in Mr. Lartey's residence was a man who goes by name "Orlando."
Orlando is the sports master of OWASS. The Owarean sports master had invited a prempeh.org webmaster to congratulate him for an outstanding work, and to
hold special discussions with him. Amazing!
When asked why he invited us, Orlando, who is a very close friend of his nemesis Mr. Lartey, told us that he has
heard about our impending establishment of a soccer league on campus. He congratulated us on that idea, and revealed that
he has tried to emulate our example but his school's Old Boys never help in any endeavour and that has made him very frustrated. In fact,
the words
he used to describe the Akatakyie, which are unprintably uncomplimentary, cannot not be repeated here!
He asked if there's anything we could do to help Opoku Ware Secondary School (OWASS) benefit from our program. When we
asked for clarification, he stated that he needed some sponsorship for a soccer league at Santasi (OWASS campus) but
the OWASS alumni have been unhelpful, so he wanted us to sponsor a match between the Prempeh league champion and
the champion of an OWASS gala. Since their school would not be able to hold the league, they were just going to
play a gala to select an inter-house champion to face Prempeh's league champion.
At this point, we reacted with reactions veering between bafflement and hesitancy, which is not surprising in situations
such as this.
We objected to it initially out of fear of being irrationally attacked by jealousy-driven Owareans, who would use this as
a fodder to attack and hail insults at this website, for nothing could produce more Owarean envy and hatred towards Prempeh than
the thought of an Amanfoo sponsoring their institution in any endeavour.
He told us then that the OWASS old boys who attack the website
on a regular basis are rogue Owareans. The true Owareans, he said, are the boys in Santasi, who are actually inspired by the work we do
here and truly admire us. He said OWASS students at Santasi frequently refer him to our website and urge him "to set up a website
similar to ours to enable them display photographs of their own sporting achievements just as prempeh.org has done."
He repeatedly chastised the OWASS old boys group for not showing much affection for their school, but devote so much energy to
antagonizing Prempeh folks for their success in internet technology.
His aim may be to use us to incite jealousy among Owareans, who would
in turn rush to their campus to dole out money to the school, just to abolish out of jealousy any sponsorship of their
alma mater by Prempeh.
Nonetheless, the thought of being able to inspire and shape the lives of our young Santasi friends tilted so heavily against our head, that when he called us on Sunday (July 3)
for an answer, we jettisoned our timidity and happily agreed!
Orlando became relieved and thanked us for our
cooperation. Then we instantaneously shocked him some conditions: We teased him that "OWASS should not
throw any stones during the match." His reply was, "Agya Prempehfuo paa de, daben na mohuu se OWASS-fuo ato mbuo?
(I can't believe you Prempeh people, when did you see OWASS boys throwing stones?").
After we reminded him of some classic moments in
our kingdom's sports history, he assured us that no stone throwing could by possibility occur at OWASS in this modern age, especially
under his management. He found that condition very hilarious and laughed at it for a long time.
So Prempeh's Pearson House may soon face OWASS' St. Paul House in a sporting event
that will be considered unprecedented in Ghana's history.
We've seen schools play each other over the years. But never have we witnessed houses within institutions play
against their counterparts in other schools.
This game may change the history of Prempeh-OWASS relations forever.
We are making history.
TO BE CONTINUED....
EDITOR'S NOTE: Orlando is now a regular on Prempeh's campus every day; he helps train the
houses during their pre-Challenge training sessions. We constantly interact with him on campus and by phone, and we have a
series of articles, interviews and impressive photography. Check this website every day to read more. This is just Part I of many.
