I thoroughly enjoyed the evening of Saturday 3rd October 2009. I went to Mfantsipim’s annual customary pre-speech day evening bash. It was hosted by MOBA 79. I’m certain most of the guests at the said year group’s cocktail held around the pool of the Fiesta Royale Hotel enjoyed themselves too.

Our hosts promised they would put on a good show when their turn came. They did. Weeks of preparation, inevitable arguments, frustrations and resolve were, in my view, justly rewarded, with a fine, fun filled event and highlighted the great Kwabotwe traits painstakingly sowed in them during their years at Ghana’s great institution.

Virtues of attention to detail, proper observation of protocol, recognition of authority, decorous behaviour, true politeness and genuine camaraderie and warmth towards friends and guests do not come by chance. They are carefully nurtured and ingrained in a person. And we must be thankful to our great school; Kwabotwe for sowing these attributes in our hosts.

At Mfantsipim we dreaded weekly inspections. We didn’t know then that the exacting cleanliness required of us personally, and collectively in our Houses formed the bedrock for attributes our rivals can only smart at.

But to Saturday evening must I return and I must precede any attempt at a narration of that evening’s events by thanking our hosts MOBA 79 for a quietly glamorous, dignified, and yet relaxed and thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable evening.

The pool area at the Fiesta was adorned beautifully with our great, famous Red and Black colours, the guests were in a positive cheerful mood: the music, straight out of the 70’s and 80’s and beautifully rendered by Zoom Band and the DJ was super, and the canapés tasty.

Middle aged people do not generally keep up with current dance moves. That evening’s dance moves though done with gusto were mired in the 80’s, but that did not deter its exponents.

I must mention names: Our brand new Governor, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur (MOBA 69’) was there. Dr. Chambas “frepped” but his enchanting emissary, Ms. ECOWAS conveyed his felicitations and wowed the party. His donation should have reached ‘Loco-Schwa’ by now. MOBA 79’s roll call will be lengthy but the resplendent “Sarbah-Picot boys”; Ato Williams, and Frank (Crucial) Davis who toughened us up in ‘Upper Dorm”, co-MCeed and regaled us with jokes. To Robbie Daniels, K.K. Korboe, “Apata” Quainoo, J.B. Ampah, Yaw Kwakyi, Awal, Reggie France, Emman Sampson and the entire cast of MOBA 79’, great job!

May I note the welcome presence of our “envious” guests from Adisco, Presec, and Augusco and the lovely wives and girlfriends, who in spite of the “threat” from a clutch of wafer thin models looked radiant and unfazed and made the evening memorable.

Mfantsipim is a great institution. Its dormitories are named after people who have shaped Ghana’s history and education. They are not numbered. Our shirt, the Pink Shirt is quintessential for any gentleman’s wardrobe. Our contribution to world fashion?

Currently however, some of the values and virtues imbued in us at Kwabotwe are fast eroding from our society. We must sow and nurture in our children the positive attributes of hard work, respect for everyone, honesty and enduring friendships. Without these they are doomed. We cannot live and hope that they’ll turn out right, if we do not work at it.

I left the Fiesta Royale happy to belong to this great family. MOBA 79 must be smug!

Johnny Blukoo-Allotey. Sarbah-Picot House & MOBA 82