EFO KODJO MAWUGBE: A GENIUS MATCHES ON. (Tribute to Efo Kodjo Mawugbe.)

Of the many people that God planted on Mother Earth, only a few leave their traces on the womb of times and spaces. Only a few can imagine and create a world of their own and people of their choices. Such was the life of a hero, a conqueror of failure, a man of diverse attributes and skills.

The first time I met him was in 2010 when, as the Editor of The Premier magazine, I wanted him to grant me an interview to be featured in the 7^th edition of the magazine. But for the numerous distant encounters I had with him, I would never have known that he was the man I was looking for. His simplicity contradicted many other heads of institutions I have known. His loving character and affability were amazing.

It was not difficult for me to pass all protocols to meet him on that first day. He came out of his car wearing a white linen shirt embroidered with a beautiful Gye Nyame adinkra symbol, on a white trousers and was about to climb the stairs into his office on the second floor of the National Theatre building when I called him “Efo” and he responded “Efovi va midzo
(Efo’s son, come lets go)”. We went into his office; he made me comfortable on an executive sofa before we exchanged greetings. Discussions concerning his writings, awards and family life took the centre stage of our maiden encounter. This became the beginning of several personal and working encounters. The following day, I was with him again with my editorial team of Legon Hall’s Premier to interview the Executive Director of the National Theatre of Ghana, BBC and British Council’s International Radio Playwriting Competition Winner 2009, Member of the Star of the Volta, Member of the Board of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture, Permanent Judge of Ghana’s Most Beautiful among many other positions which he saw as an opportunities to serve his people.

At the end of the interview I told him “Efo I have a collection of poems that I would like you to look at for me because I think they are not in the best of shapes.” Efo was so glad and asked if I had it with me so he could start work on it immediately. I did not carry the work along with me. Three days later, I was with Efo with my manuscript. He was amazed at the work I thought was not creative enough. He encouraged me to write more often and read a lot to get new styles of writing. He was the first established writer to have done that to me. He then introduced me to the Ghana Association of Writers (GAW) of which he was a member. I joined GAW a week later. He prompted me on GAW’s meetings. This paved way for me to meet great writers in the likes of Manu Herbstein, Professor Ama Ata Aidoo, Dr. Geysika Agambila and Professor Atukwei Okai.

Efo, since then, become my Godfather in the world of creative arts. We   had several dreams together about the future for both of us. He arranged for me to meet the great Professor Kofi Awoonor for conversations about my works but this did not happen because of the instability of his health at the time. Motivated by his encouragement, trust in me and believe in the future of my writings, I now have three complete manuscripts of poetry and started the fourth manuscript two weeks to the demise of this genius of a writer. I even had the rare privilege of reading and editing his latest manuscript: an intriguing novel of a class.

I can never forget that fateful morning when I called him to be the Guest Speaker at the launch of the week celebration of the Association of Students of English, Legon. He responded to the request before I even sent him a letter. “If it is you, how can I refuse to be there” was his response to my call. At the programme he affirmed that he was not very healthy but for me, he will be unable to be at the ceremony and my friends could not but hail me. Efo’s trust in me at every single moment made me realize that a great responsibility is ahead of me and that my future as a writer is a bright one. Now, my Godfather left me at the dawn of my birth dance.

On that unfortunate Wednesday morning, I was at a lecture when a great friend we had in common, Enam Juliette Dogbatse called me. I rejected the calls several times. She sent me a text thus “have you heard the news about Efo Kodjo Mawwugbe?”   Immediately, an unusual cold wind blew at me and I started shivering. I knew Efo was at the hospital. I came out and called Enam. “I just saw the news on myjoyonline.com that he was dead” Enam told me. The scream that came out of my glottis was very loud. The mobile phone fell from my hand. Tears replaced the smiles on my face that morning after asking God to bring Efo back to me safely. Back to my room, all I could do was to lock my door and shed tears for my mentor. His words “Edzordzi, you can go far. Keep writing” rang several times in my memory as a big empty world faced me: a world he planned to sojourn with me.

As I recalled all these memories, several lessons came to me. These lesson, I think, he was teaching me with his life as a learning material.

Perseverance stood tall among them. At the time when many radio stations in Ghana refused to air his “Calabash of Blood”, he sent it to the British Broadcasting Coporation and BBC received it with a fee. When he entered the BBC writing competition for the first time, he was only given an honorable mention. His second entrance saw him merging in the shortlist of the best ten manuscripts. The third time, he became the first out of twelve thousand entries from around the world.

He came into the headship of the National Theatre at the time when things were in tatters. No wonder Manasseh Azure Awuni wrote an article at that time entitled “Can Efo Kodjo Mawugbe’s Vodoo Save the Dying National Theatre?” in which this genius of a writer was so hopeful that Efo can do the job at that crucial moment. He saw it as an opportunity to transform the world which he loved so much and went ahead to rebuild a strong foundation for the institution of the theatre. This work he did tirelessly until his sudden demise.

 Efo was a staunch Christian who will never compromise on his faith. His last words to me the last time we spoke was “pray for me that I may be well soon. We will talk when I am back from the hospital. I know my God is with me.” His favorite Bible verse was “Man know thyself.” Though a great cultural advocate and lover of the African continent, he never compromised his faith. What a genius of a man to leave so soon?

He was a reservoir of knowledge. He was our modern Ghanaian griot who has the history and culture of all ethnic groups in Ghana in his head. I never remember the time I spoke with him without learning something new about myself and my African people. Indeed the whole continent was his birth place.

He was a writer of a creative genius of a kente of diverse styles. One who can change a woman into a man to become a prince in a great drama “In the Chest of a Woman.” A poet, playwright, novelist, essayist, columnist of a great repute is no more.

He is gone. The task remains unfinished. It will take us all to do our bits and pieces to make the world what we wanted it to be. His works and memories shall remain with us. What shall we also leave the world when we are gone? May the good Lord he worshiped keep him in safety for the final day of our resurrection. Let us not forget his unspoken lectures that he gave with his life. For me he remained a muse in my consciousness. Indeed as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said

“The lives of great men all remind us

We must make our lives sublime

And departing leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time”

So must his life remind us of our duties on earth so we can do them well, as he did, before our time comes. Efo I remain grateful to you for the opportunity to know you, learn from you and share dreams with you. Trek gracefully to your master in the heavenly kingdom where I am convinced a place is already waiting for you. Hede nyuie, miaga do go le Mawu Sogbolisa gbor!