Happy Birthday Ma!
By: Barima Peprah-Agyemang
Tags: Birthday, Mothers

It was two weeks to my BECE. My school had decided to undertake early morning and late afternoon classes for its candidates, so as to prepare them to the hilt. Because of this, I had to leave home by taxi every morning and get to school by 7 AM. I quickly prepared for school and started trekking to the roadside to charter a taxi. As soon as I got to the roadside, a taxi driver who was evidently hungry for some business pulled up before I could even hail for a taxi. I had to cross the road to get to the vehicle. In my haste to get to the other side, I did not see that the taxi approaching on the road was speeding. My memory is still blanked out as to what happened next, but onlookers tell me I was hit and flung unto the ground. Almost immediately, I was rushed to the hospital.

Thankfully, I only suffered from a broken left hand, but it was in my period of convalescence that I realised how lucky I was to have such a mother. She took such good care of me despite her busy schedule. I was kept comfortable at home by her while she searched for ways to get my left hand back in working condition. She found a renowned herbal doctor at Dwomo, a town which was an hour and some minutes away from Sunyani. We commuted there regularly to seek treatment, and fortunately, my hand recovered in time for my exams.

This is just an example of who my mother is and how instrumental she has been to my life. Today, I am going to tell you about the various facets which make up the great human being that my mother is:

A PERFECT MOTHER

As a kid, my mother struck me as a woman who had a healthy mix of being a disciplinarian and being loving and compassionate. She is a loving and tender woman who also scolded me when necessary. She is also immensely devoted to her family, especially her children. She would do anything to support her children’s dreams and make them as happy and fulfilled as possible. She has supported me in every endeavour I have undertaken whether it was making a run for various positions or starting a writing career. She has given me room to grow and find my interests and passions, and I am grateful for that. Her little acts of supporting my interests like sending me cartons of books, newspapers and magazines when I am in school, getting me every single book I asked for despite the cost, getting me diaries from institutions I aspire to join etc. means a whole lot to me. Her support and guidance throughout the years have proved pivotal to the shaping of my life.

She has also made sure to remind us constantly how lucky we are to be in relative privilege and imbue in us the values of integrity, philanthropy and humility. These values have become stuck to me for life.

A WOMAN OF GOD

I cannot count the number of times her prophecies have come through and saved me from some sticky situations. She is quite the prayer warrior and is one of my major inspirations in strengthening my relationship with God. Her devoutness to God and the Methodist Church is legendary. She has devoted time and resources to the development of our local church and continually is trying to improve her relationship with God. Through her actions and constant counsel, she has taught me that having a strong relationship with God is a must in becoming a better person as a whole and I am glad to say I am on that path!

ENTREPRENEUR PAR EXCELLENCE

From setting up a school, which within 14 years of its existence had become known as one of the best schools in the Bono Region, to taking over the administration of the family holdings when my father died, my mother has shown that hard work, discipline, ingenuity and integrity are vital qualities required in being a successful person in the business.

The formidable Capital brand and the awards the various holdings have won is a testament to how far such values can take you. I take inspiration constantly from this success and hope to replicate it further in the future.

HUMANITARIAN

My mother is one of the kindest people you will ever meet. Over the course of her life, she has paid for the school fees of numerous individuals and sponsors numerous charities throughout the year. She is also a generous giver to the Methodist Church. One might even say that she gives out way too much money, but she always reminds me that it is our responsibility as members of a society to help the downtrodden so that we move our society forward.

So this is who Mrs Patricia Peprah-Agyemang is!

Happy birthday, Mum! May God continually protect you and guide you in all your endeavours. May He grant you long life!

We love you!