However, my love for chocolate was confirmed and enhanced in Auntie Cece’s house. She had a large collection of golden tree chocolates that she shared generously with me. I also improved on my eating habits in her house, thanks to the presence of a wooden carving called “Papa Polonpo” that I was told would come alive anytime I failed to clear all the food on my plate. Auntie Cece’s visits to our home in Cape Coast carried mixed feelings for me. Her presence always brought new life to our home. However, being the “adisco boy” that I was, there were always a litany of my “sins” that my mum would bring to Auntie Cece’s attention. Her calling for me by the name, “Nii Fori-Fori” with the accompanying title of TANKASELINE MANTSE” will see me running to her only to be met with the most gentlest and melodious of voices, asking me why her “boyfriend” was not being a good boy. Though such encounters took a few minutes, they felt like eternity as I could only stare at my toes and feel coals of fire under my feet and will end with a promise by me to do better. Auntie CeCe’s house was a great place to improve on your etiquette, manners and love for nature. I also enjoyed being in her house because, Sister Dela being the older one, was to be blamed for any ‘joint mischief’ as she was expected to know better. Auntie Cece also gifted me, my first ever Walkman cassette player among many other things. For a very long time, it was one of my most treasured possessions at that age. Another thing I looked forward to in her company were the unplanned dancing competitions among the cousins with a prize of a cash gift and extra bottles of club muscatella. I don’t know how our dance moves came across but let me just say, our aunties were always in fits of laughter for minutes on end. As I grew up and completed school, Auntie Cece was at hand to assist with a couple of interviews that led to my first real job offer. At the birth of my daughter, I called my Mum to obtain her permission to name my child after her. Her response was that, I am more indebted to Auntie Cece than anyone and that honour should be reserved for her. If I didn’t know all that Auntie Cece had done for me before and after I was born, on that day, the enormity of her input in my life was driven home to me unambiguously. Auntie Cece was also present at the baby dedication ceremonies of all my kids and also stood in for my mother in spite of her own severe back pain and health condition. In her latter years, I always ended up staying beyond the number of hours I intended my visits to last. Her conversations were all that one needed it to be - engaging, motherly, wise counsel, a reflection on life and more and you always left her presence with a renewed challenge to be a better person. She was always excited to see the grandchildren and was particularly glad at every new milestone Nyamekye, her grandchild, made and spoke about them with a lot of pride and enthusiasm. I will miss her wisdom-filled conversations, laughter and the warmth of her presence. Auntie Cece, yɛ ne yɛn mba da w’ase! 1946 MRS. CECILIA JOHNSON 2025 54 A Loving Farewell
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