Food Revolution

Undoubtedly, ‘mapkor’[Gari& beans] and Red Red[ Fried ripe plantain & beans] are the celebrated Presec meals of all time. Closely behind these meals in the mid 1970s was chicken groundnut soup with yams; a delicacy served on Sunday afternoons and a seemingly consolation meal for those of us who rarely received ‘homemade’ from visitors.

Something was definitely amiss that afternoon. The big portions of chicken in the soup to be served were initially greeted with excitement. But some fast thinking Odadees were not impressed with this sudden ‘charitable’ act of the school matron and shot down any idea of benevolence on the part of the matron. Excitement gave way to skepticism which in turn sparked and ignited a rumour: We were being served dead chicken that died on the school poultry farm as a result of bird flu. Within minutes, a rebellion was underway. The 1848 revolutions in Europe and those in the first half of the last century are well documented and need not be enumerated here.This rebellion however had far reaching ramifications considering the stature of the school and the spinning that went overdrive that the meat was not even chicken but ‘akpanga’[vulture]

Thunderous shouts of ‘Woyee Woyee Woyee Woyee Woyee Woyee’ accompanied by the banging of utensils with cutlery got to then headmaster Rev Mate Kojo aka Kojomate himself an Odadee just as he was about to take a nap. Rev Mate Kojo rushed to the dining hall to cool inflamed passions. He gave a good speech but Odadees had taken an entrenched mental stand and would not be convinced. Reluctantly [did I say reluctantly?], the food was eaten. Not even Rev Mate Kojo’s bringing in the senior in charge of the school farm [somebody help me with the name] later in the week to give further assurances helped matters. With indelible doubts on the minds of Odadees with respect to this meal, Rev Mate Kojo ordered the meal taken off the menu. Yam will go on and have sole companion kontomere [spinach.]

Eddiefico

Akro 76-83