“Teach a child the way they should go and they will not depart from it when they grow”
My late mother taught me everything she knew. As her daughter, I can cook everything an Ewe girl should know. From ewordemi, amorkple, ewokple, fietsienu, fetri gboma, sorbui, armadetsi, abobitadi to ademe and more.
As a Catholic I met many caucasian Priests and Reverend Sisters. Many of them taught us so much which I still cherish. Mrs. Valerie Sackey stands tall among the “white” people I met as a child.
I entered St Louis Secondary School in Kumasi in the late seventies. I was 11 years old.
It will be a lie if I said mama taught me about CASSEROLE either as a meal or a container. That Knowledge was imparted to me by my teacher, Mrs Valerie Anne Sackey.
I cannot recall the exact lesson she was teaching us that day but I recall that she asked us if we knew what a CASSEROLE was and we all responded that we didn’t know what it was.
To my surprise, she came to class the next time with a bowl of CASSEROLE as a dish and as a meal. She made us taste it. I have never forgotten about the experience and the amazing teacher who gave me that lesson.
She taught us Geography but for me she taught me English too. I paid particular attention to her to pick expressions, pronunciation, phonetics, syntax and more.
She didn’t only give me knowledge in geography but life lessons on how to make an impact in whatever field I find myself. Because of that experience in school, I love to take time to make younger people understand whatever I teach and share with them.
Mrs. Sackey, as we called her, also gave us her daughter Anne Sackey who I love to call ASANTEWAA. Because of mother and daughter, I have learnt to be supportive of the underdog in every situation.
I am proud of the history I share with Mrs. Sackey beyond St. Louis Secondary School. I met her most times at the Castle when she served in the government of President Rawlings. I would walk up to her and introduce myself over and over again and pay my curtesy. She would respond warmly.
In recent times I have asked that ASANTEWAA send CASSEROLE warm greetings from me. I do not recall ever asking her to greet Mrs. Valerie Sackey for me. It is always my regards to CASSEROLE.
Just as midnight struck to usher us into 2024 and I shouted to myself “WELCOME 2024, please be kind”, I saw my phone blink. I picked it and saw a message from my sister, ASANTEWAA.
“Happy new year. Your casserole passed away. Asem ato y3n.” It was a simple message but one that made me cry like a child on the first of January 2024.
Procrastination indeed has robbed me of the opportunity to visit her as I planned.
May your gentle soul find rest. I will never forget you Mrs. Valerie Anne CASSEROLE Sackey.
Damrifa due! Dzudzor lè nutifafa mè.
Source: Abla Dzifa Gomashie
