WONDERS OF LEGONLAND

Episode 2

THE MYSTERIOUS SARBAH GUTTER

Ok so if you have neither fallen nor seen someone fall or heard of someone having fallen into or around that small gutter behind Sarbah Hall on the path leading to the Night market then am sorry, you are not in Legon.

And so when about 3 weeks ago my roomie came back with serious bruises all over his legs, I thought it was injuries he sustained in one of his basketball games only to be told that he fell at the mercy of the Sarbah gutter. That meant his story was the second I was hearing after a close friend of another roomie recounted his ordeal or better still his encounter with the gutter barely a week before.

As if those were not enough, there’s the story of one of the current Chiefs of the Vandal City (whose name I will keep for another day) and a host of others am aware of. An attempt to find out more only revealed that the gutter has been bringing people down on their knees for decades now, often with special interest in those who are well dressed.

In fact there are those that believe there’s some sort of ghost there that pushes people to fall down, but as to why a ghost will do that only God knows. The sad stories of the beautifully dressed legon girls and that of the elegantly “shoto-ed” UG guys who have been made to return to their halls to redress amidst all the humiliation are countless.

Indeed the worst part is not the falling down itself but getting up to realize that people are in fact looking at you, the fact that the gentlemen in Gonja and Okpo will be cheering you up with thunderous claps as you gather courage to get up and clean up yourself, the trouble in having to trek back to your hall to change, especially if you are from the four new halls (diaspora) and the shame in having to look into the eyes of your boyfriend or girlfriend to say “sorry” are.

I know most people share in these stories and others will not find it strange but the fact that, that little scene despite all the awareness created about it all these years, still remains Legon’s hottest accident spot fascinates me. Surprisingly enough there are two gutters there but only one is noted for doing the damage- the other has quite a gentle soul and kind heart.

So my advice is that anytime you approach that gutter, if its Allahu Akbar say it, if it’s the sign of the crucifix feel free do it, whatever your faith, because you will need it. If you have not fallen into that gutter yet don’t be too happy, maybe it’s just not your time. The little I know about the Ghost in that gutter is that, he’s got no mercy.